BizTimes Milwaukee | October 11, 2021 by BizTimes Media

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Hand in Hand with Students & Educators for 25 Years November 15 • 5-8 pm • The Pfister Hotel

You’re Invited! Celebrate with SHARP Literacy as we mark 25 years of innovative SHARP programming and 20 years of A Novel Event. We appreciate your continued support of our mission partnering with educators to foster a love of learning and brighten children’s futures through innovative STEAM based experience programs. A Novel Event is an evening of celebrating students, educators and community and features an uplifting speech from Packers great, Jordy Nelson. In addition to sharing memories from his outstanding career as a receiver, Jordy will highlight the importance of education, teamwork and humility in his success. Cap off the night with a voice auction, featuring experiences like a visit to Jordy’s farm in Kansas, chef’s table dining and trips.

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Jordy Nelson

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Demand surge

POWERS Generac’s growth

plus FOXCONN PICKS OHIO OVER WISCONSIN FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE PRODUCTION 6 PHOTOS FROM THE RYDER CUP 14 COMMENTARY: WHAT’S NEXT FOR GOLF IN WISCONSIN? 44

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Friday, November 5th, 2021 Registration & Networking – 7:00-7:30am | Breakfast & Program – 7:30-9:30am | Italian Community Center

Workforce Development that Works Save the Date for BizTimes Media’s 2021 Nonprofit Excellence Awards & Program which will include a panel discussion on “Workforce Development that Works,” featuring for-profit business leaders who are partnering with nonprofit organizations to address the region’s labor challenges across various industries, including construction, manufacturing, technology and health care. Following the panel discussion, we will recognize BizTimes Media’s 2021 for-profit and nonprofit awards finalists and honorees. The For-profit categories include corporate citizen of the year, volunteer of the year, in-kind supporter, next generation leadership and lifetime achievement. The nonprofit categories include executive of the year, nonprofit organization of the year (large & small) and social enterprise. Panelists & Nonprofit Workforce Partner: • Bill Caraher, CIO & Director of Operations, von Briesen & Roper, s.c. (i.c. stars Milwaukee) [1] • Eric Wynn, General Manager, J.H. Findorff & Sons (Milwaukee Christian Center) [2] • Mark Farrell, Executive Director of Talent Delivery team, Froedtert Health (Carmen Schools & Cristo Rey) [3] • Jim Johnston, VP of Operations, Bradley Corp (GPS Education Partners) [4]

2021 Finalists: Nonprofit Collaboration of the Year: • Archdiocese of Milwaukee • College Possible • Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design and TRUE Skool • Latino Chamber of Commerce of Southeastern Wisconsin, North Shore Bank, Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. and Milwaukee Economic Development Corp. Nonprofit Executive of the Year: • Mark Niehaus, president and executive director of Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra • Ed Garza, president and CEO of The Center for Veterans Issues Nonprofit of the Year - Large: • Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin • SaintA • St. Augustine Preparatory Academy Nonprofit of the Year - Small: • Hear Wisconsin • African American Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin • Silver Spring Neighborhood Center

Social Enterprise: • CannedWater4Kids • i.c. stars • Franciscan Peacemakers Corporate Citizen of the Year: • Kohl’s • Yabuki Family Foundation • Milwaukee Bucks Foundation Corporate Volunteer of the Year: • Mike Levey, partner/attorney, Quarles & Brady • Joe Scala, sales representative, Metalcraft Automation Group In-Kind Donation of the Year: • Great Lakes Roofing Next Generation Leadership: • Wes Warne, director of ticket sales and career advancement, Milwaukee Bucks • Karthik Palaniappan, lead engineer, Milwaukee Tool • Sorrina Beecher, owner at The White Agency & Write MKE Ink Lifetime Achievement Award: • Keith Mardak and Mary Vandenberg

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» OCT 11 - 24, 2021

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BizTimes Milwaukee (ISSN 1095-936X & USPS # 017813) Volume 27, Number 11, October 11, 2021 – October 24, 2021. BizTimes Milwaukee is published bi-weekly, except monthly in January, February, July, August and December by BizTimes Media LLC at 126 N. Jefferson St., Suite 403, Milwaukee, WI 53202-6120, USA. Basic annual subscription rate is $96. Single copy price is $5. Back issues are $8 each. Periodicals postage paid at Milwaukee, WI and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send all UAA to CFS. NON-POSTAL AND MILITARY FACILITIES: Send address corrections to BizTimes Milwaukee, 126 N. Jefferson St., Suite 403, Milwaukee, WI 53202-6120. Entire contents copyright 2021 by BizTimes Media LLC. All rights reserved.

Contents

Demand surge

POWERS

6 NOW BY THE NUMBERS 7 BEHIND THE SCENES 8 FRESH DIGS 9 BIZ POLL ON MY NIGHTSTAND WHO’S ON THE BOARD? 10 REV UP

Generac’s growth Special Report

6 Leading Edge

11 ‘QUOTE UNQUOTE’

14 Biz News 14 RYDER CUP PHOTO ESSAY 16 T HE INTERVIEW WITH BOB BABISCH OF SUMMERFEST

18 Real Estate COVER STORY

32 Manufacturing and Logistics In addition to the cover story, coverage includes a report on a Milwaukee startup company that has developed technology to improve communications between truckers and warehouses and reduce down time for truckers, plus a preview of the Next Generation Manufacturing Summit, which will include discussion on supply chain challenges.

GET ASSURANCE. G E T CO M M I T M E N T.

38 Strategies 38 INTERNATIONAL SALES Dan Steininger 39 HUMAN RESOURCES Cary Silverstein 40 WORKPLACE Liza LeClaire 41 TIP SHEET

44 Biz Connections 44 G LANCE AT YESTERYEAR COMMENTARY 45 PAY IT FORWARD 46 MY TOUGHEST CHALLENGE

Be your banker’s top priority. TO W N B A N K . U S / D E S E RV E

G E T AT T E N T I O N . biztimes.com / 5

Leading Edge

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

NOW

Foxconn’s Mount Pleasant campus.

Foxconn picks Ohio plant over Wisconsin for electric vehicle production By Arthur Thomas, staff writer Foxconn Technology Group plans to acquire a former GM plant in Lordstown, Ohio, for its initial production of electric vehicles instead of using its existing facility or land in Mount Pleasant. In a statement, the company said the Ohio location’s existing facilities, infrastructure, employees

and robust supply chain would “give Foxconn speed to market that meets our customer’s needs for production by end of 2023.” “While initial electric vehicle production takes place in Lordstown, Foxconn’s assets in Wisconsin will continue to serve as a potential location for additional

BY THE NUMBERS

The Milwaukee Bucks’ run to the NBA championship had a

$57.6 MILLION

economic impact on the area, according to VISIT Milwaukee. 6 / BizTimes Milwaukee OCTOBER 11, 2021

investment for Foxconn’s electric vehicle growth in the United States and continue to be the location for data infrastructure hardware and information and communication technology production,” the statement said. Foxconn has an agreement in place to make cars for electric vehicle startup Fisker Inc. The company had considered its Wisconsin campus as a potential site to produce the vehicles. When originally announced in 2017, the campus was to be a $10 billion project to make large television screens. However, the company has repeatedly changed its plans, first to making smaller display screens and then to making servers and other computer products. To date, the company has built four buildings on the campus totaling around 1.4 million square feet. The original plan called for 20 million square feet of facilities. Foxconn’s hiring plans have also fallen well short of their original targets and the company renegotiated its tax incentive deal with the state of Wisconsin. The Ohio plant Foxconn is purchasing is currently owned by Lordstown Motors Corp. Foxconn also agreed to purchase $50 million worth of Lordstown stock. The agreement between the two companies is non-binding and calls for Foxconn and Lordstown to negotiate a definitive agree-

ment for Foxconn to buy most of the facility for $230 million. The companies would also negotiate a contract manufacturing agreement for Foxconn to make Lordstown Motors’ Endurance full-size pickup truck at the facility, and Foxconn would have certain rights on future vehicle programs. “We have high expectations through this partnership that we will be able to successfully integrate our resources with Lordstown Motors. In addition to achieving the goal of moving ahead our timeline to establish electric vehicle production capacity in North America, it also reflects Foxconn’s flexibility in providing design and production services for different EV customers,” Young Liu, chairman of Foxconn, said in a press release announcing the deal. The Foxconn release also said the Lordstown facility would “serve as a speed to market asset” that would support Fisker. “The partnership would allow Lordstown Motors to take advantage of Foxconn’s extensive manufacturing expertise and cost-efficient supply chain, while freeing up Lordstown Motors to focus on bringing the Endurance to market, developing service offerings for our fleet customers and designing and developing innovative new vehicle models,” Daniel Ninivaggi, chief executive officer of Lordstown Motors Corp., said in the release. n

BEHIND THE SCENES JAKE HILL PHOTOGRAPHY

Peck & Bushel Organic Fruit Co. By Lauren Anderson, staff writer

n 2009, Joe and Jenny Fahey bought a portion of Peck & Bushel’s current 70-acre property in rural Washington County with the intention of building a house and growing a small apple orchard. The following year, the couple planted 3,000 apple trees and put their house plans aside. An abundant crop allowed them to open their organic apple farm to visitors in 2011. The addition of a white retail barn in summer 2015 – just a few months before Chip and Joanna Gaines’ Magnolia Market in Waco, Texas, would popularize the rustic-chic aesthetic – opened new revenue opportunities, including more room to sell seasonal treats and host private events, such as a gathering for a corporate sponsor of the U.S. Open in 2017. As the business has evolved over the past decade – and drawn more and more foot traffic to the unincorporated community of Colgate – the quality of apples has remained a distinguishing factor for Peck & Bushel, according to Jenny. n

Apple cider doughnuts are made fresh on the days Peck & Bushel is open to the public.

The farm grows and sells over 25 varieties of apples.

Bags are handstamped according to the variety of apple.

Homemade slab apple pie, using the orchard’s own apples, is made in house.

An employee serves up a caramel apple.

biztimes.com / 7

Leading Edge

JAKE HILL PHOTOGRAPHY

FRESH DIGS

JOHNSON FINANCIAL GROUP OW N E R / DE V E LOPE R : Cathedral Place LLC/Van Buren Management

A RC H I T E C T: Rinka C ON T R AC TOR : The Redmond Co. C O S T S : Undisclosed C O M P L E T E D : October 2021

8 / BizTimes Milwaukee OCTOBER 11, 2021

CONSUMER AND OFFICE trends emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic only validated the plans Racine-based Johnson Financial Group already had for its new 40,000-square-foot Milwaukee office space at 555 E. Wells St., chief executive officer Jim Popp said. “This for us is a little bit of a statement that we want to make sure that we have really good roots in Milwaukee,” Popp said. The overall design was inspired by SC Johnson’s Great Workroom, and wood elements throughout evoke the earthy or nautical elements found in other Johnson buildings. The offices were also designed to take advantage of natural light and views of the city and

lake, with individual offices moved to the building’s interior. “It’s a feel,” Popp said. “It’s a different feel than some people with great offices get a view and everybody else gets to work in the dark.” The 18th floor includes a casual common area, plus work rooms for employees stopping in from other locations and huddle rooms for small meetings. There’s also a more casual meeting room to work with clients instead of using a traditional conference room. On the 19th floor, the area adjacent to the reception area has room to host events with up to 50 people and a catering kitchen was built into the offices to serve those occasions. n

Who’s on the Board?

on my nightstand... NOEL KEGEL President, Wheel & Sprocket Inc.

“Confessions of a Recovering Engineer: Transportation for a Strong Town” By Charles Marohn

Pinchuk • Nicholas Pinchuk, chairman and chief executive officer of Snap-on Inc. • David Adams, executive chairman and retired president and CEO of Curtiss-Wright Corp. • Karen Daniel, retired president and chief financial officer of Black & Veatch Corp. • Ruth Ann Gillis, retired executive vice president and chief administrative officer of Exelon Corp. • James Holden, retired president and CEO, DaimlerChrysler Corp.

BIZ POLL

• Nathan Jones, retired president, worldwide commercial and consumer equipment division for Deere & Co. • Henry Knueppel, retired chairman of the board and CEO of Regal Beloit Corp. • W. Dudley Lehman, retired group president of Kimberly-Clark Corp. • Gregg Sherrill, retired chairman and CEO of Tenneco Inc. • Donald Stebbins, retired president and CEO of Superior Industries International Inc.

ever-growing congestion, bloated transportation budgets, ever-increasing emissions, increased societal stress, lower health and fitness,” said Kegel. The book discusses how local residents and officials can have a hand in lowering the cost and improving the quality of transportation for their communities. “Communities are stronger, more vibrant, more resilient when the built environment is designed around people, rather than the machines,” he said. n

A recent survey of BizTimes.com readers.

Do you support President Biden’s mandate for all companies with more than 100 employees to require COVID-19 vaccination or weekly testing of their employees? Yes:

NOEL KEGEL, president of Milwaukee-based Wheel & Sprocket Inc., recently read a new book, “Confessions of a Recovering Engineer: Transportation for a Strong Town,” that explores the decline of America’s transportation system and possible solutions to fix it. Author and engineer Charles Marohn digs into the devastating effects of poor design that prioritizes vehicles over safe communities. “What we are witnessing now across the country are the inevitable consequences of this philosophy:

47%

No:

53%

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

Leading Edge

REV UP

AGRICYCLE GLOBAL

LEADERSHIP: Joshua Shefner, founder and CEO H E A D Q U A R T E R S: Milwaukee WEBSITE: agricycleglobal.com W H AT I T D O E S: Sells ethically sourced unique and common ingredients to consumer packaged goods manufacturers. F O U N D E D: 2019 E M P L OY E E S: 59 GOAL: Commercialize ingredient supply business. FUNDING: Agricycle has raised $2.7 million. Agricycle Global’s supply chain has grown to include 35,000 farmers and more than 7,000 women-led cooperatives.

Agricycle Global scores backing from big-name nonprofits By Brandon Anderegg, staff writer

MILWAUKEE-BASED food upcycling startup Agricycle Global is poised to scale its new ingredients supply business after receiving support from nonprofit giants Mastercard Foundation and Partners in Food Solutions. Agricycle chief executive officer Joshua Shefner launched the company in 2015 with a simple concept: sell solar-powered dehydrators to rural farmers in Africa to turn excess fruit that would otherwise go to waste into ethically sourced food products. The startup works to eliminate extreme poverty by paying farmers up to seven times the average daily wage for their dehydrated fruit, according to the company. Agricycle then markets those products under its dried fruit snack brand, Jali Fruit Co., and Tropical Ignition, a fruit-based charcoal alternative. Agricycle shifted focus from its food brands to its ingredient supply business, Field Better 10 / BizTimes Milwaukee OCTOBER 11, 2021

Ingredients, following a recent $2.7 million round of funding. The startup established a vertically integrated supply chain that produces more than 150 ingredients ranging from bananas and bitter berries to marjoram and moringa leaf. Rather than build brands of their own, Agricycle aims to sell ingredients to consumer-packaged goods manufacturers in North America and Europe. The startup also sees potential in small businesses that have built food brands but want the storytelling and traceability elements of Field Better’s ingredients, Shefner said. “All the hope and potential and really fast success with Jali and now Tropical can be replicated across a thousand other companies with Field Better,” Shefner said. “We don’t need to be the face of any of these brands as long as the farmers and the microprocessors are getting paid. That’s what we’re here to do.” Agricycle’s supply chain has grown to include 35,000 farmers and about 7,000 women-led cooperatives in east and west Africa and Latin America, according to the company. Once farmers and cooperatives collect the ingredients, they’re brought to a network of village empowerment centers that Agricycle has established across its footprint. Now the Mastercard Foundation is pur-

Agricycle Global founder and CEO Joshua Shefner.

chasing Agricycle’s dehydrators, setting up dozens of village empowerment centers and committing $850,000 to bolster the startup’s operations in Uganda, Shefner said. The nonprofit will also help Agricycle set up a product development lab in Uganda to help create formulations for ingredients that CPG manufacturers aren’t familiar with, Shefner added. PFS, a nonprofit backed by Cargill, Hershey, General Mills and other corporate giants, will fund Agricycle’s new packhouse and milling facility in Kenya, Shefner said. The nonprofit will design the facility, its workflow and train its staff, he added. What makes Agricycle’s model unique is that it managed to establish a supply chain across rural and remote farming communities in Africa, where there is deep-rooted skepticism for western nonprofits. Most nonprofits approach these communities with “feigned ignorance” or a “walking on eggshells approach,” Shefner said. But with Agricycle, Shefner said, he laid out the math and revenue-generating opportunity in an honest and transparent pitch to farmers. “All it required was trusting and believing these people had the autonomy to be able to make their own decisions,” Shefner said. “Present them with the offer and they can say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ themselves.” n

“ QUOTE

unQUOTE

KRISTEN WRIGHT

”

CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER, FORJ Kristen Wright, chief marketing officer of Milwaukee-based virtual events and member experience platform Forj, spoke at a recent 414digital meeting about building a digital-first brand to help fuel company growth. She also discussed her experiences leading rebranding efforts at ManpowerGroup, Cielo and most recently at Forj. n

“While there are all of these sort of soft, nice reasons ... for having a strong brand, strong brands tied to purpose actually help you grow.”

“You want it to be as easy as possible for your employees to be on brand.”

“I truly believe brand leads demand. You’ve got to have strength of brand and credibility and earn permission for someone to open your email, to click on your ad, to take your call, to schedule a first meeting.” “It was really important that the positioning be solidified before we started talking about naming, because the naming has to reflect your brand positioning. ... Naming is hard ... naming is painful, whether it’s naming a company, naming a product, naming a newsletter, naming is terribly hard, guys, and there’s so much to think about.”

Whether you are opening your first business account, in need of treasury management solutions, looking to borrow in order to expand your growing business, or refinance an existing loan, we have the experts to guide you.

“When you’re going through a rebrand, does marketing drive the majority of the work? Yeah, absolutely, but the CEO has to endorse, has to manage through the change, has to be on board and has to help make it stick on the back end too.”

It’s your business. We just help. cibmbank.com

SPONSORED CONTENT

Early Detection Saves Lives: GET SCREENED The American Cancer Society (ACS), with the generous support of million-dollar sponsors Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, the National Football League (NFL), Merck (known as MSD outside the United States and Canada), Novartis Oncology and Pfizer Oncology, is spearheading a comprehensive movement to dramatically and swiftly increase cancer screening rates. Additional sponsors for the initiative include AmerisourceBergen, BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) and Intuitive. These sponsors have joined ACS in its goal of raising $30 million for a multi-faceted national initiative to ensure access for everyone to recommended cancer screenings and reduce screening disparities. The goals for this work include improving screening rates for breast, cervical, colorectal, and lung cancers and ensuring everyone has access to recommended screenings since screening disparities have increased for people with greater social or economic barriers. Components of the initiative include a national consortium of public health groups and professional organizations, the development and support of state and local coalitions, engagement of health systems to implement evidence-based screening interventions, the launch of a public awareness campaign, dedicated research activities to better understand lessons learned, progress and policy solutions, and a renewed push for known public policy solutions that can benefit all. Partner support is a key component of the American Cancer Society’s overall screening campaign, which aims to not only restore but improve pre-pandemic cancer screening routines and prevent later-stage cancer diagnosis in the wake of the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. “The beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic brought about dramatic declines in screening rates for breast, cervical, colorectal and lung cancers, which means that many cancers could be going undiagnosed and untreated,” said Dr. Karen Knudsen, chief executive officer of the American Cancer Society. “As a result, the American Cancer Society foresees that pandemic-related decreases in health care access and cancer screenings will result in

Thousands Participated in Annual Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Event On October 9th, thousands of participants came out to Henry Maier Festival Park to support breast cancer survivors and those battling the disease and to raise funds for the American Cancer Society breast cancer research and programs.

a short-term drop in cancer diagnoses and an increase in late-stage diagnoses and potentially preventable deaths. The critical screening initiative supported by our corporate sponsors will significantly increase cancer screening rates and ultimately save lives.” Through the partner-supported screening initiative, ACS will work with local and regional communities, primary care providers, national and local consortia, health care systems and policymakers on increasing access to cancer screening to find and treat cancer and help more people survive cancer.

5 ways to Help Protect Your Breast Health Although there is no sure way to prevent breast cancer, there are several things you can do that may lower your likelihood of getting it. 1. Get to and stay at a healthy weight. Being overweight or obese increases breast cancer risk, especially after menopause. Gaining weight as an adult adds to your risk. 2. Be physically active and avoid time spent sitting. Many studies have found that regular physical activity reduces breast cancer risk . 3. Follow a healthy eating pattern. A healthy eating pattern includes a variety of vegetables, fiber-rich legumes (beans and peas), fruits in a variety of colors, and whole grains. It is best to avoid or limit

red and processed meats, sugar-sweetened beverages, highly processed foods and refined grain products. 4. It is best not to drink alcohol. Research has shown that drinking any alcohol increases the risk of breast cancer. If you choose to drink alcohol, the American Cancer Society recommends that women have no more than 1 alcohol drink on any given day. 5. Think carefully about using hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Studies show that HRT using a combination of estrogen and progestin increases the risk of breast cancer.

Funds raised through the Making Strides movement and the Real Men Wear Pink campaign in Milwaukee allow the American Cancer Society to serve breast cancer patients and their families where and when they need us most – even during a global pandemic. • Cancer information and resources are always available at cancer.org, and people can find information and support by calling our 24/7 cancer helpline and talking with a cancer information specialist. Live chat and video chat options are also available. • Through a simple mobile app, newly diagnosed breast cancer patients can connect with trained breast cancer survivors for support during their journey – anywhere in the country. • ACS-funded researchers are still in the lab seeking breakthrough treatments and running clinical trials. • Through our advocacy affiliate, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, advocates are still working with national, state, and local governments to push for policy changes that help cancer patients and their families. Thank you to all our participants and sponsors for a great day. You can still support Making Strides of Milwaukee by visiting www.makingstrideswalk. org/milwaukeewi. biztimes.com / 13

BizNews PHOTO ESSAY

Ryder Cup brings money, media spotlight and masses to region THE EYES OF THE GOLF WORLD were on Whistling Straits last month as Team USA reclaimed the Ryder Cup in a historic victory over Europe. The international event brought 45,000 spectators each day to the Sheboygan County course, in addition to 4,000 volunteers from 47 states and 13 countries and 1,300 temporary employees. The influx of visitors from around the world contributed to a projected $135 million economic impact on the region, including direct and indirect spending for hotels, restaurants, transportation and other event services. With the entirety of Kohler Co.’s hotel properties booked by the PGA for staff and players, travelers stayed as far away as Chicago and Milwaukee to the south and Green Bay to the north. What’s more, millions of golf fans tuned in to 27 hours of television coverage, reaching 160 countries. n — Maredithe Meyer, staff writer

1. 2. 3.

4. 5. 6. 7.

9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18.

Ryder Cup week started off windy and overcast at Whistling Straits. Grounds crews worked to prepare the course for the sport’s toughest competitors. A worker from Sheboygan-based Larry’s Distributing Co. Inc. unloads cases of New Glarus Brewing Co.’s Spotted Cow, which fans could purchase for $12 a bottle. An opening ceremony marked the official start of the 43rd Ryder Cup. Kohler Co.’s private hospitality chalet overlooking the 10th hole. Fans, like this group known as the American Marshals, came dressed head to toe in red, white and blue. More than 1 million square feet of hospitality tents, corporate chalets and spectator platforms were constructed along the course. The media center was a hub for the 338 national and international members of the media on site. An additional 296 covered the event remotely. Grandstands at the 1st tee came alive before sunrise with fans eager to sit front and center. Golf great Phil Mickelson drew cheers from the crowd all week, joining team USA as a vice captain. Collin Morikawa pumps his fist after sinking a short putt on the 17th hole to clinch the win for Team USA. Fans crowded the ropes along the 17th hole during Sunday’s singles matches. Bryson DeChambeau high fives fans near the 17th green. Fans head toward the 18th hole to watch the end of USA’s 19-9 victory over Europe. Fans sprint to the 18th fairway to get a better view of the Ryder Cup trophy ceremony. The crowd erupted with excitement after watching Team USA’s Collin Morikawa make a putt. Team USA, led by Madison native Steve Stricker, takes questions from the press after reclaiming the Ryder Cup. Fans pose for a photo in front of the scoreboard. — Photos by Maredithe Meyer

14 / BizTimes Milwaukee OCTOBER 11, 2021

18 biztimes.com / 15

BizNews

the

Interview

AS THE LEADER of the music production team of Summerfest producer Milwaukee

World Festival, Inc., Bob Babisch keeps busy year-round. Babisch’s team was responsible for booking bands for a 2020 summer festival that was postponed and later canceled due to COVID-19, followed by this year’s festival, which was also pushed back and ultimately held under a new three-weekend format in September. A 43-year veteran of the Big Gig, Babisch recently reflected on the challenges of the past two years and some of his biggest gets during a Q&A with BizTimes editor Andrew Weiland at a Summerfest Business Alliance event. What’s it like to be responsible for, and take public criticism about, the Summerfest lineup every year? “I’ve been called a lot of things, believe me, on social (media) over the years. You kind of get thick skin, you don’t read what people are saying about you. You try to do what’s best for the festival and for the people who come to the festival. Our whole theory here is we’re the most eclectic festival. … You can go on the Summerfest grounds any time and you can see a pop show and a country show and a hard rock show and a hip-hop show, and we try to do something for everybody on every stage on every day. … It’s kind of a chess match.”

How challenging is it to get the lineup that you put together every year? “The main competition for us in June/July is Europe. Because, in America, a lot of the festivals come before us and a lot of festivals come after us. In Europe, it all starts with a big festival called Glastonbury, which is in the third week of June. So, a lot of American bands will stay here, do Bonnaroo, do Firefly a couple months before us, and then instead of playing for us, they’ll go over to Europe, and they’ll stay in Europe all the way until August, and then they’ll come back for Lollapalooza. … The process starts now. You’re calling every major agency. We actually have four shows booked for the amphitheater already for 2022, but I can’t announce them yet.”

How do financials work for the amphitheater? Is it Summerfest providing a revenue guarantee or does the band get a cut for every ticket sold?

What band or act is your biggest white whale? Who are your dream gets? “I never talk about them. I never do because I think one of these days I’m going to get them. … We waited forever for the Stones. The same (management) company did the Stones for years, and they did (only stadium shows). … But eventually it turned out they were putting together a 25-date Stones tour, and they were all stadiums, but they wanted to put them in one place where they thought they would have fun. And the reason we got that date was because the guys who were promoting that Stones tour years before promoted Prince. … And the only reason we got that first Prince date was because we heard (where) he was going to have a birthday party in Minneapolis and we cold-called like 45 times until somebody would pick up the phone and they said ‘I’ll ask.’ … He came and played the old amphitheater and had the time of his life, left, came back a couple years later and did it again.” n 16 / BizTimes Milwaukee OCTOBER 11, 2021

JA KE HILL PHOTOGRAPHY

“When you do a show in an amphitheater setting, what you’re basically doing is guaranteeing the band X amount of money. And you discuss what the ticket price is going to be, you set that ticket price, and then it’s a percentage after expenses. So, sometimes it will be 95/5, with the band getting 95% of the money left over after expenses, and us only getting 5% back. But you make the money on fees, you make your money on parking, you make your money on food and drinks, that’s how you make your money on big concerts.”

Bob Babisch Vice president of entertainment Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. 639 E. Summerfest Place, Milwaukee Employees: 45 full-time; more than 2,000 seasonal staff

Thursday, November 18, 2021 7:00AM Registration & Networking | 7:30-9:45AM Breakfast & Program | Italian Community Center

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The commercial real estate industry continues to adapt We’ve moved past lockdowns that devastated the economy, but as many office staff continue to work from home, the future of the office market remains murky. Join us at the 2021 BizTimes Commercial Real Estate and Development Conference as we take a look at What’s Next for the industry with a pair of panels, one focused on the severely stressed office market, while the other covers industry trends and examines the next development hot spots in southeastern Wisconsin.

Panelists: • Jenna McGuire, Office Property Specialist, Founders 3 (1) • Mark Irgens, CEO, Irgens (2) • Mike Wanezek, Partner, Colliers (3) • Josh Krsnak, President & CEO, Hempel Companies (4) • Josh Jeffers, President & CEO, J. Jeffers & Co. (5) • S.R. Mills, President, Bear Real Estate Group (6) • Frank Cumberbatch, Vice President - Engagement, Bader Philanthropies, Inc. (7) Moderator: • Andy Hunt, Director, Marquette University Center for Real Estate (8)

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Komatsu Mining Corp. expects to begin moving into its new Harbor District office building this fall.

Charting the future of Milwaukee’s waterfront real estate MILWAUKEE’S RIVERFRONT and lakefront real estate should provide opportunities for local industry to thrive and include public spaces and programming that benefit everyone. That is the message that prominent civic and business leaders relayed during a recent discussion and tour of Milwaukee’s waterways. Lilith Fowler, executive director of nonprofit group Harbor District Inc., told attendees of a Wisconsin CREW panel discussion that land-use planning should center around where it makes most sense to locate certain projects. For instance, she said, much of the land around Port Milwaukee 18 / BizTimes Milwaukee OCTOBER 11, 2021

in the Harbor District should be available for business growth. “Here around the port proper we really wanted to preserve an industrial core to our waterfront,” Fowler said. “Milwaukee as a manufacturer produces things that are too big to ship out on a train or a truck. So, that stuff has to go out by port. If we strain our port so it’s no longer able to do that, we basically lose those manufacturers.” The area of the Harbor District and Port Milwaukee is booming with activity. The biggest project is a $285 million Komatsu Mining Corp. manufacturing and corporate headquarters campus at 311 and 401 E. Greenfield Ave. Work continues on the man-

ufacturing building and is in the final stages on the office building, Matthew Beaudry, Komatsu project director and general manager, said in a statement. Beaudry said crews are working through the office building’s punch list as Komatsu prepares to begin its phased relocation later this fall. Complete campus construction is still slated for completion in late spring 2022. Brownsville-based Michels Corp. is continuing work on its R1VER development northwest of First and Becher streets. It includes offices, apartments, retail space and a hotel. Milwaukee-based Marek Landscaping recently signed a long-

term lease agreement with Port Milwaukee, and construction could soon begin on a $31.4 million agricultural product export facility at the port. Lafayette Crump, commissioner of Milwaukee’s Department of City Development, said the city could improve on what has already been developed along its rivers. More public access, job-creating opportunities and a variety of housing types are a few examples he gave. “In terms of plans for developing along the waterfront, I think everybody agrees that water is one of the things that makes Milwaukee really special,” Crump said. “Our lakefront, our rivers, it’s a real opportunity for us to have development in a special way, and I don’t think we’ve always utilized it as well as we can.” James Shields, design principal at HGA Architects and Engineers, said the city and other players need to prevent the closing off of Milwaukee’s waterways through gentrification, making note of places where prime sites with water frontage are developed mainly for high-end uses. “One of the challenges is trying to figure out how we can do public spaces along the waterfront that are just for everybody,” Shields said. One way to do that, he said, is by providing ample programming at those public spaces that invites people to the water. One idea is to ensure good access points for fishermen or boaters. Several private and public projects along the city’s waterways aim to create more activity. A prime example is the longplanned Lakefront Gateway Plaza. The public plaza is to be developed east of Lincoln Memorial Drive, between Clybourn and Michigan streets.

The project was in limbo as city officials waited for The Couture luxury apartment tower project to kick off across the street. But now, with The Couture underway, a new fundraising push for the plaza could begin this year, according to those working on the project. There’s also a 32-story apartment building planned for 333 N. Water St. in the Historic Third Ward. The development team plans to activate the public RiverWalk on the western portion of the site through open public space and a river-facing restaurant or retail space. The plans would be a major improvement compared to the site’s current use: a surface parking lot. Milwaukee-based developer Mandel Group Inc. is planning a massive mixed-use district called Harbor Yards, located at 318-338 S. Water St. and 322 E. Florida St. Phillip Aiello, chief operating officer of Mandel Group, said the

plan is to create 150 apartments, a 150,000-square-foot office building, a 160-room hotel and a parking structure. Those plans could change, he cautioned. Mandel Group wants to redevelop the former Kurth Malt and cold storage site because it’s in an area seeing explosive growth, Aiello said. n

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THE TRADE MILWAUKEE The Milwaukee Bucks and Madison-based developer North Central Group recently kicked off construction of The Trade Milwaukee, a 205-room boutique hotel north of Fiserv Forum in downtown Milwaukee. The hotel will include more than 9,000 square feet of meeting and event space, plus two restaurants. It will be under the Marriott International Autograph Collection, a group of independently owned hotels known for upscale accommodations and designs. Construction is slated to finish in early 2023. Once open, it is expected to employ about 150 people. The Trade Milwaukee will likely be the first of two hotel projects at the Bucks’ Deer District. DEVELOPERS: North Central Group and Milwaukee Bucks SIZE: 205 rooms STORIES: Nine

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BMO Harris Bank strongly supports the Wisconsin manufacturing community and we’re proud to sponsor the 2021 Next Generation Manufacturing Summit. At BMO Harris we understand the industry complexities that manufacturers face whether it’s managing a supply chain, procuring raw materials or planning for growth. Our teams of experienced, local relationship managers will work closely with you to understand the issues and opportunities unique to your business and will offer strategic advice and solutions to help keep your business moving forward. To learn more, visit bmoharris.com/ manufacturing or contact: Dave Anderson Managing Director david.a.anderson@bmo.com (414) 765-7671

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CG Schmidt is proud to sponsor the BizTimes Next Generation Manufacturing Summit. In both the manufacturing and construction sectors, labor shortages, unpredictable weather and the global pandemic have converged to create a more challenging environment than ever. Supply chain disruptions and workforce constraints have driven manufacturers to make more and different investments in their facilities. Understanding that well-managed construction projects have a direct impact on corporate performance, CG Schmidt’s construction experts help remove uncertainty, mitigate risk and ensure you get the very best facility for the money you invest, on the timeline your business demands. For over 100 years and through four generations of family ownership, CG Schmidt has been trusted to meet the facilities needs of Wisconsin’s top manufacturers. We look forward to discussing your facilities needs and how we can work to become your valued partner. Bryce Unger Managing Director, CG Schmidt Bryce.Unger@cgschmidt.com 414.577.1194 www.cgschmidt.com

In the midst of workforce challenges, supply chain disruption, and increasing cost structure, the manufacturing community continues to thrive. The collaboration driven by this summit is an example of how the community has come together to navigate these challenges, identify solutions, and work through the hard decisions needed to preserve organizational health and remain relevant for the future. CLA exists to create opportunities for our clients, our people, and our communities through industry-focused advisory, outsourcing, audit, and tax services. CLA serves more than 10,000 manufacturing clients from 120+ locations across the country. Our Wisconsin footprint includes 2,000 manufacturing companies served from 18 locations across the state. Whether your needs are local or abroad, we promise to know you and help you. CLAconnect.com. Enjoy the day. Samantha Metcalf, CPA Managing Principal of Manufacturing and Distribution CLA

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

COVER

STORY

Demand surge

POWERS MICHAL MANCEWICZ - UNSPLASH

Generac’s growth

om Pettit was hired in early 2020 as chief operations officer of Generac Power Systems to help the Town of Genesee-based generator manufacturer build the processes, capabilities, technology and talent needed for it to double its sales. The plan was to double revenue over a fiveyear period. But with 2021’s topline trending toward a 67% increase compared to 2019, the company is likely to hit the target in just 2.5 years, putting the capabilities Pettit was tasked with developing to the test. “It has been a rocket ship ride,” Pettit said. The COVID-19 pandemic served as a catalyst for Generac’s booming home standby generator business, which has benefitted from extreme

BY BRANDON ANDEREGG, staff writer

weather, ensuing power outages and what the company calls the “Home as a Sanctuary” trend. Realizing its growth plans, amid shortages in raw materials and mounting supply chain disruptions, has been an enormous undertaking for the company, its suppliers and Pettit, who joined Generac as the company’s first COO about a month before the pandemic hit the U.S. Generac has operated for years with the understanding that demand for its products comes in waves: A natural disaster occurs, and localized demand follows from customers who vow to never repeat the experience of being without power in today’s world. The company and its suppliers stepped into the pandemic equipped with a playbook of how to

scale production based on previous demand patterns. However, capturing the market opportunity meant scaling production in a pandemic environment where its suppliers, facing workforce shortages, have had to train office personnel how to operate machinery just to keep up. All the while Generac is in the midst of a data-driven culture shift, solidifying its position in the clean energy space, acquiring several companies and integrating new technologies to make its products increasingly more intelligent. “It’s hard enough to do a transformation when you have 3% growth and a stable supply and labor base,” Pettit said. “It’s herculean when you have 50% growth and a 30-year flood of market disruption in materials, manpower and transportation.” biztimes.com / 21

GENERAC

STORY COVER

Robots were added to Generac’s new alternator line in Whitewater to improve ergonomics.

Generac Employee Count

Generac Net Sales

22 / BizTimes Milwaukee OCTOBER 11, 2021

Since the onset of the pandemic, Generac has effectively doubled its manufacturing capacity in Wisconsin for home standby generators while increasing capacity for commercial and industrial products by 50%. Pettit attributes a portion of the company’s growth to lean continuous improvement, a strategy that allowed Generac to double output from existing machinery by reengineering processes from the moment a customer places an order to product shipment and invoicing. But the company also invested millions of dollars in new machinery and infrastructure, installing a new assembly line at its facility in Jefferson and a semi-automated engine line in Whitewater to keep pace with demand. “There’s been a lot of work around machinery, and even within machinery, we wanted to apply more automation because we know labor is scarce and it’s becoming less skilled in general,” Pettit said. Generac expected heightened demand from the pandemic, which is why the company looked to establish another production facility almost immediately. It ultimately purchased a 421,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Trenton, South Carolina. Knowing that its critical equipment for the operation had a one-year lead time, the manufacturer made capital investments for the project in April 2020 before having established the new facility’s address, Pettit added. The South Carolina facility supports increased demand for standby generators and associated energy technologies while serving as a distribution center to consumers in the southeastern United States. Once fully scaled, Pettit expects the new operation will more than double standby generator production capacity when combined with the added capacity in Wisconsin. To fuel its growth plans, Generac is now investing $53 million across its Wisconsin facilities as part of a plan that is expected to create 700 jobs in the state by 2024. Part of those plans include the company’s new customer contact facility in Pewaukee, a building that Generac recently acquired from American Family Insurance for $6.75 million. That facility now houses between 200 and 300 employees, several of whom were previously located at Generac’s headquarters in the Town of Genesee. With additional space in Pewaukee, Generac now has room at its headquarters for the corporate and R&D employees it plans to hire. The company also expects to increase the footprint of its corporate campus by expanding its R&D lab, Pettit said. The state is prepared to offer up to $9 million in Enterprise Zone tax credits if Generac meets certain capital investment and hiring goals by 2024, according to the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. Generac plans to hire “several hundred

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GENERAC

STORY COVER

employees” and spend more than $10 million in capital equipment this year alone, Pettit added. The new jobs and capital investments could be at any of Generac’s six Wisconsin facilities, which are in Whitewater, Jefferson, Eagle, Oshkosh, Burlington and the Town of Genesee. If Generac hires all 700 employees, it would have about 4,700 employees in the state and more than 8,500 globally.

Market opportunity

A home standby generator being assembled on Generac’s new engine line in Whitewater.

AS YOU GET BUSIER, IT’S TIME TO GET BETTER

Areas with multiple hurricanes a year, including the eastern and southeastern parts of the United States, are where Generac has historically seen much of its demand. The pandemic also accelerated the “Home as a Sanctuary” trend as the population began working, schooling and entertaining from home. However, more frequent and disruptive weather events are unlocking new markets and strengthening existing ones for Generac, including Texas and California. Texas became Generac’s second largest addressable market opportunity for standby generators after more than 4.5 million utility customers were left without power during the severe winter storm earlier this year. Meanwhile, wildfires causing blackouts in California continue to boost demand for generators there. “Historically, three or four years ago, California had a reliable grid,” Pettit said. “But with wildfires and as (California) moved to more renewables, their

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underlying power grid was less stable, so they’ve had more rolling blackouts.” Grid instability across the country has become the basis for Generac’s growing distributed energy response business, a segment of the company that was elevated by the technologies it acquired through Enbala Power Networks Inc. in October 2020. Enbala’s technology takes energy from generators, battery packs, solar systems, wind turbines and other devices, making it available to utilities and energy markets when a grid is either completely tapped or stretched too thin. This “Smart Grid Ready” technology was recently integrated with Generac’s legacy commercial, industrial and residential generators along with new products, including its new generators and battery storage units that use clean energy. While Generac’s products still function as backup power devices during outages, Smart Grid Ready enables customers to sell power back to the grid in times of peak demand. With all of these products in the field, Generac is building a network of distributed energy resources (DERs) that can be aggregated into virtual power plants to create a digitized and decentralized means of distributing energy. The goal for Generac

GENERAC

STORY COVER

An operator works on the Generac home standby generator line in Whitewater.

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GENERAC

STORY COVER

is to use its fleet of more than 1 million home standby generators and hundreds of thousands of commercial and industrial generators to build a virtual power grid, which it calls Grid 2.0. In fact, Generac’s network of DERs is already making an impact, predominantly in the Pacific Northwest and Northeast, where extreme temperatures over the summer created demand spikes for power. In June, Enbala’s technology allowed Generac’s connected fleet to deploy hundreds of megawatts to supplement traditional power plants and maintain grid stability, Generac president and chief executive officer Aaron Jagdfeld said in a recent earnings call. As the world trends towards electrified solutions for heating, cooling and transportation, Jagdfeld expects DER assets, like those produced by Generac, to become critical for utility companies and grid operators tasked with providing stability and resiliency across their networks, he said. “Over the next 10 years, the way you get your power, where it comes from, how it gets generated and how you consume it and the knowledge and control you have over it is going to change pretty dramatically,” Jagdfeld said during the 2021 Wisconsin Manufacturing Summit.

Scaling to meet demand Operators assemble home standby generators on Generac’s new engine line in Whitewater.

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It wasn’t a stroke of luck that Generac was able to occupy and ramp up operations at its South Carolina

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MANITOWOC TOOL & MANUFACTURING LLC

STORY COVER

Generac supplier Manitowoc Tool & Manufacturing uses a 660-ton Seyi stamping press to manufacture many of its products.

facility in 4.5 months, or for it to double generator capacity and company growth in under two years. Generac designed its 3-to-5-year growth plan to account for an accelerated timeline, Pettit said, adding that in the years leading up, Generac laid the foundation for that plan incrementally. Although that process involved several steps, a large component for Generac was sizing its supply chain to meet demand. That strategy included building strategic partnerships with suppliers, establishing tertiary supply sources in some cases and asking suppliers the right questions, such as: what are their existing capabilities and are they willing to invest in machinery and manpower in advance to handle surge capacity?

“Working together was incredibly easy.”

“If you haven’t prepared, and growth is right in your face, it’s very difficult to respond with the speed that’s necessary to capture the market opportunity,” Pettit said. “Having that plan ahead of time will enable you to be in a position to out-execute your competition because you’ve out-planned your competition.” In the case of South Carolina, Generac hired the plant manager for the facility six months in advance and then worked with local government and area technical colleges to recruit workers. The company then leveraged talent in Wisconsin to train its team members in South Carolina. Now Generac is positioned to capture future growth with its South Carolina facility, which has

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enough room to double in size should conditions call for expansion, Jagdfeld said. But even with those expansion capabilities, Generac hasn’t ruled out other options. “If we chose to (expand the South Carolina facility), we’d have to analyze whether or not that made sense or maybe if more of the growth is out West, it really kind of depends,” Jagdfeld said in the earnings call. “It might make more sense to have a facility located closer to wherever we see the demand growth.” Scaling production to meet demand in today’s environment is certainly made easier for larger companies like Generac whose weight and abundant resources have allowed the company to ac-

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celerate its growth plans. However, two suppliers have shared their experiences operating in a pandemic environment for a company like Generac and how their processes and strategies allowed them to punch above their weight class. Manitowoc Tool & Manufacturing (MTM), for example, has made end panels for home standby generators as well as internal components and transfer switches for more than a decade. Although the company benefits from its experience with Generac, spikes in demand still require a quick reaction, said Scott Mertens, MTM president. During the pandemic, MTM went from a twoand three-shift operation for Generac products to a 24/7 operation, which was a big undertaking in today’s limited labor market, Mertens said. In fact, the company trained managers and office personnel to run machinery on weekends until it could hire the labor it needed to run a 24/7 operation, he added. “With Generac, that wasn’t enough. They still had more demand than that,” Mertens said. “What we had to do was really add staff to make ourselves, per individual, less efficient, but increase the output.” Knowing that weekend shifts with office personnel was unsustainable, Mertens said MTM increased communication with its staff so that team members understood how the company was addressing its challenges from a labor and operational perspective. In addition to labor, MTM’s ability to ramp up capacity was limited by its machinery, said Mertens, who pointed to the highly engineered stamping dies the company uses to produce Generac products. MTM invested in more robotics, purchased backup components for its stamping press as well as any auxiliary components needed to support its operations, Mertens added. “That’s the risk that MTM took just to be able to conduct business correctly to make sure we weren’t letting them down,” Mertens said. “We couldn’t control that we only had one tool, but we could control many other things by having a backup for anything and everything that could possibly fail.” As a Generac supplier, Bloomer-based metal fabricator PMI, LLC faced many of the same chal-

Scott Mertens

Chris Conard

lenges as MTM. PMI has manufactured steel and aluminum enclosures that surround Generac’s standby generators for 17 years. Like MTM, PMI has multiple customers that have grown rapidly during the pandemic, with specialty truck manufacturer Oshkosh Defense being one example, said PMI president Chris Conard. PMI spends a lot of time and resources mapping out “true capacity” not just in terms of equipment, but also labor. Conard says the company considers how capacity is affected when labor is missing due to talent shortages or factors like illness, he added. To become a strategic partner for any company, analysis has to go beyond the four walls of the business. For PMI, it’s having a thorough understanding of a customer’s operations while having a pulse on the variables that generate demand for its customers. Using California as an example, PMI knew how persistent blackouts would impact Generac and therefore influence their own operations. Forecasting and constant communication with sales and marketing teams are key, Conard said, but research and keeping tabs on trends to guide planning are just as important.

“We can’t guess what they’re doing, that would be dangerous,” Conard said. “We’re not as close to their market as they are so it just takes a ton of communication. You also rely on your own sense of what’s happening out there.”

Managing expectations Scarcity and rising material costs also create extensive problems for suppliers managing spikes in demand. For example, to build Generac’s standby generator enclosures, PMI uses a special type of steel that is not only highly sought after by the automotive industry, but also suddenly became unavailable in February, Conard said. To overcome this challenge, PMI began working with Generac’s engineers to identify alternative materials that provide similar attributes like rust resistance and the ability for paint to adhere properly, Conard said. “That was a pretty big deal, and it went very well because Generac is open to working with their suppliers,” Conard said. “They opened up their engineers because we all know we’re in this together.” n

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Milwaukee startup offers digitally enabled future for truckers, logistics companies BY BRANDON ANDEREGG, staff writer THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY has relied on technology like dynamic routing software, forward-looking cameras and electronic logging devices for years. But with increased pressure on supply chains, the transportation and logistics industries are eyeing the next wave of innovation. Truck drivers working longer hours are facing health and safety risks while disruptions are driving companies to build more reliable supply chains that depend on faster and more traceable delivery methods. New software developed by Milwaukee-based startup Renaissant is guiding companies toward that new digital horizon by solving a major logis-

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Milwaukee-based Renaissant developed a platform to streamline communication between warehouses and truckers using digital kiosks.

tics issue at the intersection of truck drivers and loading docks. Renaissant chief executive officer Thomas Dean says warehouse and logistics companies have struggled to match drivers with loads, and it’s causing congestion that costs drivers and companies millions of dollars annually. “The biggest cause of these issues is simply lack of visibility,” Dean said. “The human eye is not able to see 500 loads going through in a day, but our system sees it really easily, organizes it and makes their warehouse intelligent.” Renaissant organizes warehouse and transportation management system data on a single platform to help companies visualize their operations. The platform then optimizes shipping and receiving schedules based on weather, traffic patterns and a whole host of variables incorporated into its machine learning algorithms, Dean said. “We’re taking all of this information about when drivers arrive, matched up with their schedules, and optimizing how many loads you schedule at a particular time slot,” Dean said. Renaissant’s platform, called Dock C2, focuses on streamlining communication between warehouses and truckers using digital kiosks. When a trucker arrives, the driver can check into a kiosk and provide critical information to warehousing staff including load number, max load weight and their phone number. Stationary QR codes placed on signs around facilities also enable truckers to use their phones to connect into Dock C2, providing the same functions as the kiosks, Dean added. “We then know what’s going on at every single door,” Dean said. “We can tell them, ‘You’ve got eight open doors out of 700, so get this driver over here.’” The platform is also transcending language barriers that many companies face with truckers, Dean said, adding that as long as a driver’s operating system on their mobile device is set to their native language, texting through Dock C2 will be translated. “(Customers) have told us this has been an enormous struggle because English is a second language for so many drivers,” Dean said. Dock C2 is not only making shipping and receiving more efficient in terms of time, but also allowing companies to reallocate the industry’s shrinking labor pool by taking employees away from the loading docks and placing them in other roles in the warehouse, Dean said. Mequon-based steel products supplier Charter Steel is one company that leverages Dock C2 to streamline its driver sign-in process, Charter Steel logistics director Andrew Gash said. Before Dock C2, the supplier’s legacy processes involved restaurant pagers, CB radios, dock coordinators

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MANUFACTURING & LOGISTICS

Truck drivers check in to a Renaissant kiosk when they arrive at a facility.

and a lot of paperwork, Gash wrote in a recent social media post. Renaissant is also tackling a long-standing issue in the trucking industry: driver detention. The industry standard for detention or layover time at a warehouse is about two hours; beyond that, carriers are saddled with paying drivers for excessive wait times. Despite the detention payments, truck drivers make more money when they are on the road. They are paid for the number of miles they drive and drivers are also limited to working 14-hour shifts including an 11-hour daily driving limit. According to a 2018 survey conducted by the U.S. Department of Transportation, truck drivers lose an estimated $1.1 billion to $1.3 billion in wages every year due to detention. That’s because the wages received for detention are in some cases lower than what a professional truck driver would earn on the road logging billable hours, according to an American Transportation Research institute report. As C2 Dock optimizes scheduling and streamlines communication between truckers and warehouse staff, congestion levels fall, decreasing detention rates in the process, Dean said.

“For most companies, we think we can reduce their detention charges by 50% in under a month and that can be hundreds of thousands of dollars a month,” Dean said. Estimates suggest that the transportation industry faces a shortfall of nearly 61,000 drivers and will need to hire roughly 1.1 million new drivers over the next decade to keep pace with the economy’s increased freight demand, according to the American Trucking Associations. This is one reason large corporations like Amazon are pouring millions into autonomous truck systems. However, experts say it may take decades to commercialize these systems. In the near term, companies will look for innovative solutions like Renaissant’s platform, particularly throughout the I-94 corridor in southeastern Wisconsin, where traffic patterns are changing rapidly as more logistics companies establish a presence, Dean said. “The big thing that is changing for all of these shippers is everything that’s being built between here and Chicago,” Dean said. “All of those operations down there are dramatically changing truck patterns because you have those multimillion-square-foot facilities that are going in.” n

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Special Report MANUFACTURING & LOGISTICS

Manufacturing leaders grapple with supply chain issues Will discuss topic at Manufacturing Summit BY ARTHUR THOMAS, staff writer IT SEEMS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE at the moment to have a conversation about manufacturing without supply chain challenges becoming a discussion point. From large to small, manufacturers are dealing with material and component shortages, rising prices and difficulty getting their products to their facility. Mix in labor challenges and skyrocketing demand in some sectors and running a business becomes pretty complicated. Or maybe it isn’t. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Mike Steger focused on the basic blocking and tackling of running a company to navigate through the uncertainty. “You’re monitoring your cash, you’re reducing your working capital, you’re making sure your (accounts receivable) is on top of it, you’re increasing efficiencies out on the floor, and you’re just trying to capitalize on some of the opportunities. It was going back to the basics,” said Steger, president and chief operating officer of Waukesha Metal Products.

Focusing on the fundamentals is important, but there are still plenty of complexities to navigate. Steger will be part of a panel discussion at the BizTimes Media Next Generation Manufacturing Summit from 2-6:30 p.m. on Oct. 12 at The Ingleside Hotel in Pewaukee. He will be joined by Bob Gross, president and CEO of Gross Automation; Ryan Reigle, president and CEO of Regal Ware; and Jim Schneberger, president of New Berlin Plastics. Carol Crawford, senior consultant at WMEP Manufacturing Solutions, will moderate the discussion. Steven Richman, group president of Milwaukee Tool, will also participate in a keynote conversation, discussing the company’s growth, manufacturing operations and innovation-focused culture. The Next Generation Manufacturing Summit is sponsored by WMEP, BMO Harris Bank, CG Schmidt, CLA, Davis & Kuelthau and supporting sponsor Vistage. While focusing on fundamentals may help

in navigating the challenges of the pandemic and now supply chain disruptions, that focus alone doesn’t make things any easier, especially when it is unclear how long the issues will stick around. Steger said he expects the supply chain challenges to continue into the first quarter of next year. His company makes parts for the automotive industry, and he is expecting strong demand in the coming years because there are so few cars and trucks available now. Gross, on the other hand, said he is expecting supply chain issues to continue into 2023. Gross Automation is a distributor of automation products. Part of the problem, Gross said, is that large players in the automation industry have faulted the distribution channel for not stocking enough inventory. As a reaction, the large players have directed companies like Gross to purchase large quantities of certain parts. Gross said that creates artificially increased lead times and puts products in the channel that

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may not sell, which means distributors will eventually return them. “They’re going to be inundated with all this stuff that didn’t sell, and we’re going to crash again,” Gross said. He added it will “be an interesting and wild ride for the next year and a half” and said the solution is “to forecast better than we’ve ever forecasted.” Schneberger said in the plastics industry there weren’t necessarily obvious threats to the supply chain, but a multitude of issues had converged and the issues “just kind of snuck up as demand skyrocketed.” Part of how Schneberger and New Berlin Plastics are managing through supply chain issues is more tied to company culture than any specific tactic. “If you have expectations about what next week

Panelist: Ryan Reigle, president & CEO, Regal Ware

Panelist: Jim Schneberger, president, New Berlin Plastics

is going to look like, don’t do that to yourself. Have expectations about what the next 24 hours are going to look like and manage to that,” he said. “Most people get frustrated and upset when their expectations aren’t met, so you just keep the expectation scope short, the time of those expectations shorter.” Schneberger has also done tactical things, like reviewing which customers the company should be serving. In one case, he had to let an $11 million, long-term account go. It was difficult to do and the customer was upset, but Schneberger said he told the customer he could lie and say the company would get to their work the next week or the week after, but it was better to be honest and say “we’re never going to get to it, and we need to help you find a new home.” “It was the right thing to do for our customer

Panelist: Mike Steger, president & COO, Waukesha Metal Products

Moderator: Carol Crawford, senior consultant, WMEP

and the right thing to do for our business,” he said, adding that New Berlin Plastics sent employees to the new supplier to help them get started with the customer. Schneberger also said he has been aggressive on seeking to get price increases from customers, although he noted it is important that he take on the responsibility of that work as a leader. “You’re kind of poking at the relationship a little bit, and you can do some damage,” he said. “The other thing you have to realize is that everybody is doing it, and if they’re not, they’re fools. So you’re not the outlier out there that’s making noise in front of the customer because their entire supply base is erupting right now, and if you’re not in on it then you’re missing out.” n

Ricardo Diaz Class of 1974

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The name Ricardo Diaz is synonymous with the United Community Center on Milwaukee’s southside. Diaz headed up the organization twice, first in the mid-1980s and again, from 2003-2020, overseeing a massive increase in the agency and the number of people served in the mostly Hispanic community. UCC provides education, neighborhood development and healthcare services, along with a variety of other community-building offerings. In June, 2021, UCC opened the Ricardo Diaz Early Learning Academy, a testament to his belief in the power of education. That year, he also received a Lifetime Achievement Award in the Milwaukee Business Journal’s Diversity in Business Awards. • Learn more at carrollu.edu/175

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Strategies INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Right approach crucial to maximize international sales ExporTech program can help EVERY BUSINESS LEADER knows the number one task is to continue to grow revenues on a profitable basis. Larry Page, the cofounder of Google, famously said: “We understand the need to balance our shortand longer-term needs because our revenue is the engine that funds all of our innovation.“ But what if you tapped out most of the obvious market opportunities in the United States? We all recognize that we live in a world dominated by global trade. So, doesn’t it make sense to consider generating new revenues by selling to potential customers across the globe? The answer is a resounding yes! But… Several years ago, John Deere, the iconic maker of great tractors, attempted to sell one of its most beloved models in America in the Asian market and specifically in India. They wasted their money and lost in the competition with the Indian manufacturer who made smaller tractors. Why did they fail? They forgot to do their homework, revealing that the average farm in India was only 4 acres, making their much larger tractor totally inappropriate for those small farms. We are very fortunate in Wisconsin to have one 38 / BizTimes Milwaukee OCTOBER 11, 2021

of the most successful programs in the United States for developing a sensible, effective strategy for expanding international trade for your company. It’s called ExporTech, and it is led by the Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership, which developed a partnership with the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. to help Wisconsin business executives develop their customized export expansion strategy for global trade. Many companies fill international orders when they come their way, but rarely do they have a dedicated international trade strategy to grow foreign sales. Let’s face it, your company probably does not have a staff with the core competency that knows how to seek out international opportunities. So, without the right guidance, your company could end up wasting a lot of money, as happened to John Deere. If you’re going to go down this route, you need to do it right. Having a strategic approach is critical. We are very fortunate to have a savvy and highly successful business leader of ExporTech in Roxanne Baumann, the global director. Baumann has a solid track record of more than 30 years in the manufacturing business with great results. It includes a lengthy stint as global sales manager for a major manufacturing company. She has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Commerce as Innovator of the Year and received a national award for Advancing International Trade from NASBITE. Baumann has developed an outstanding curriculum for those who sign up for ExporTech. Participant companies receive access to experts, individualized coaching and consulting, custom support, and guided development for an international growth plan. They learn best practices in international trade to reduce risk. Participants also develop a strategic plan that includes market analysis of targeted companies and an understanding of their cultural demands, so they don’t end up wasting time and treasure pursuing the wrong product mix, as happened with John Deere. What is even more exciting is that WEDC provides grants of up to $25,000 to help cover the cost of international growth for successful candidates.

That’s $25K per year per company graduate – for up to six years, computing to $150,000 total! Baumann’s goal is to inspire confidence in business executives by “moving them from reactive, accidental exporters to proactive strategic exporters and in the process simplifying and demystifying how that is accomplished.” Participants learn to address all of the challenges for developing a core competency in international trade, and that can include quality market research, international targets, understanding sales channels, the importance of service, transportation of products, and even such basic things as how to get paid. What is the potential payoff for your company? It could be very dramatic. For example, on the tenth anniversary of ExporTech, the sales results exceeded $1 million for the average participant. One company, Gamber-Johnson, went from $200K in 2012 to $9 million in 2019! Those kinds of numbers should have you excited enough to consider seeking international trade opportunities to gain new revenues that can support your company’s innovation efforts. I can assure you that Roxanne Baumann will be waiting to talk to you and answer your questions. n

DAN STEININGER Dan Steininger, author, national and international speaker, and business advisor is president of Steininger & Associates LLC, which helps companies drive innovation. He can be reached at DSteinin@execpc.com.

HUMAN RESOURCES

What are they looking for? Examining the decisionmaking process of today’s job candidates

The current pandemic climate has moved the issues of hybrid working environment, workplace safety, and travel distance and time to the top of their list of needs

SMART HIRING MANAGERS understand that salary and benefits are no longer the only issue in the minds of their applicants when they sit down for an in-person, phone or Zoom interview. Currently, QOL (quality of life) issues are foremost in their minds. Issues like the company’s culture, its management style, travel time, and personal time off have risen to the top of their decision-making processes. For the past few months, I have prepared for a virtual presentation to the PONG (Professional Opportunities Networking Group) on how to use

the Decision Matrix, a formalized, fact-based decision-making approach, when evaluating job opportunities. Prior to the presentation, I received a great number of questionnaires, which allowed me to assemble data on how these PONG members made decisions on which job opportunity to accept, especially when presented with multiple offers. These responses indicated that many of the participants utilized the Decision Matrix to identify the key elements they were seeking in a new position. This logical, weighted but simple process was used to assist them in determining which position offered the best fit to their identified priorities. This tool was developed for the members of the Lumen Christi Employment Network group in Mequon. The Decision Matrix permits the user to prioritize those key elements they desire in a position and weight them, so they produce a score for each position being considered. They then reviewed the scores with a significant other, spouse, mentor or their personal board of directors and invited their insights. Once they processed all the feedback, they were now ready to decide which position best fit their needs. Here are some quotes from Lumen Christi members who utilized this decision-making approach: “The Decision Matrix was very helpful for me. When I was advancing through interview rounds with multiple companies, it helped me determine the best fit for my values and career.” Another member stated, “What I found to be most helpful about the matrix is that it allowed me to prioritize what was most important, both professionally and personally.” Also, “Using the Decision Matrix was very beneficial in the early stages of my job search. My intent was to change industries, so it was very important to lay out specific factors about the new industries I was considering.” Lastly, “Within weeks of putting my very first Decision Matrix together, the pipeline of opportunities became much clearer.” These quotes demonstrate that the person you will be interviewing has probably invested the time needed to prioritize their needs, the items they are willing to negotiate and those that

are not negotiable. Based on the data collected, and from speaking with members of the Lumen Christi group, my suggestion to a hiring manager, recruiter or interviewer is to be prepared to address these QOL issues that will surely surface during the interviewing process. The current pandemic climate has moved the issues of hybrid working environment, workplace safety, and travel distance and time to the top of their list of needs, behind the issue of total compensation (salary and benefits). It appears that unless you can positively address these issues, discussing compensation will be secondary in the minds of these applicants. It is apparent that an applicant who has completed the Decision Matrix will have a clear vision of what they are looking for in a position and will be thoroughly prepared to discuss and to negotiate those issues. The open question is: Are you prepared for them? Contact me for information on the Decision Matrix and its applications. n

CARY SILVERSTEIN Cary Silverstein, MBA, is a speaker, author and consultant, a former executive for Gimbel’s Midwest and JH Collectibles, and a former professor for DeVry University’s Keller Graduate School. He can be reached at csilve1013@aol.com. biztimes.com / 39

Strategies WORKPLACE

2. UNDERSTAND WISCONSIN’S CONCEALED CARRY LAWS.

What you must know about concealed carry at work NOT HAVING A WORKPLACE concealed carry policy in Wisconsin legally means you’re allowing everyone to carry a gun at work. Consider your CC protocol carefully, including the various business ramifications of permitting or prohibiting it. My column in the April 12 issue dealt with active shooter policies at local businesses. This month’s focuses on important considerations for concealed carry policies at private businesses in Wisconsin. Tom Grieve, of Grieve Law LLC, is a former state prosecutor and a subject matter legal expert who writes and speaks across Wisconsin and nationally on firearms and carry issues. He shares these top tips on what can get most businesses into trouble.

1. DON’T IGNORE THE TOPIC.

“Not having a CC policy, by default, means that you actually have a policy allowing everyone to carry,” Grieve said. Is this your intention? Without a specific policy, and unless you are in a location or business type where state statute prohibits CC (schools, post offices, etc.), you’re giving your employees a green flag to bring firearms into your office. Depending on your business type, employees and customers, that could be an accident waiting to happen – or an added layer of protection. For an in-depth look at these issues, check out the book, “Guns in the Workplace, A Manual for Private Sector Employers and Employees.” Author Chuck Klein addresses many workplace concealed carry topics at length. 40 / BizTimes Milwaukee OCTOBER 11, 2021

“In Wisconsin, when a business or property owner allows individuals to conceal carry on their premises, they are protected from the liability arising from that decision from the Wisconsin concealed carry law at 175.60(21)(b),” Grieve said. No one likes being sued, so keep that in mind when writing policies. However, Grieve said, if businesses prohibit CC, they are “arguably warranting the safety of individuals on premises from violence. Therefore, they miss utilizing the liability shield by allowing concealed carry but are arguably inviting lawsuits in the event of an incident.” That’s not the only problem business owners face. Bob Anger, member/principal at Woller Anger Insurance LLC in Elm Grove, says the liability exposure increases “if you post that weapons cannot be brought onto the premises and you have a higher duty to offer protection.”

If you prohibit CC in the workplace, provide additional protocols that demonstrate your desire to take reasonable measures to ensure the safety of your employees and visitors. Examples include an armed guard, conspicuous signage throughout the premises, security dogs and metal detectors. “It is unclear how far a business needs to go to provide reasonable measures of protection,” Grieve said. “This is an open question and an open risk right now that invites lawyers into your life if you prohibit carrying.” Avoiding the topic puts everyone at risk. “If everyone understood the concealed carry law, I would have probably half the clients from firearms issues,” Grieve said. Acts of violence – whether committed by disgruntled employees, family members or completely unexpected attackers – are difficult to predict. Take proactive measures to address concealed carry in your workplace. n

3. HAVE A CLEAR PLAN.

Whether you permit or prohibit concealed carry, provide resources that protect your business, employees and visitors. One recommendation is to create and practice a Run/Hide/Fight-style active shooter policy explained in the April 12 column. Also, offer specific education to avoid common misinterpretation of Wisconsin CC laws such as whether employees can keep their guns on company property. When permitting CC in the workplace, do general employment background checks and consider asking to see a valid CC license. Wisconsin’s CC permit process includes background checks and training requirements. While an employer might not be able to mandate specific CC training, you could help your staff become familiar with basic firearm safety. Consider sharing educational resources such as those provided by the U.S. Concealed Carry Association. Located in West Bend, the USCCA provides individual insurance and numerous training programs with the mission “to help responsible Americans avoid danger, save lives and keep their families safe.”

LIZA L e CLAIRE Liza LeClaire is former chief operating officer of Wheel & Sprocket and has taught MBA classes since 2017. She leads an executive board for Vistage Worldwide, Inc., a professional development group for CEOs, presidents and business owners. She can be reached at LizaLeClaireConsulting@ gmail.com or at (262) 510-6066.

Tip Sheet How to keep the hybrid workplace inclusive

ybrid work has become the norm for most companies amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. A recent article in the Harvard Business Review warns that this new mode of work “runs the risk of creating new ineq-

uities and exacerbating those that already exist.” For employers looking to promote fairness, boost performance and maintain a culture of inclusion, the authors highlight some key issues to keep in mind when implementing hybrid work policies and navigating this workforce shift. Recruitment and onboarding As the job of recruitment and onboarding process has gone virtual, some benefits have emerged, such as reduced cost of entry for low-income graduates who can’t afford to relocate for the job. It also allows the employer to streamline the onboarding process by, for example, creating a catalog of short videos with everything the new employee needs to know and then holding a group question-and-answer session. “Together, the video catalog and intimate seminar set the scene for a consistent onboarding experience while catering to individual

needs,” the article says, adding it’s also important to supply new employees with necessary equipment and troubleshooting resources to work from home. Working together “Physical distance can lead to psychological distance. It’s much easier to check in on colleagues when sharing a physical space. Often, one glance is enough to tell if Sarah over in finance is having a bad day,” the authors say. In-person interactions and camaraderie between coworkers are integral to a company’s culture and overall performance. One solution in a virtual environment is “opening the virtual office door.” Just as an open physical door welcomes conversation, a green status circle and message like “Open for chats!” offers the same invitation. Virtual reality and virtual meeting rooms are also tools for fostering connections. n

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Hal Leonard Names Blair Wilson Chief Marketing Officer

As its first CMO, Wilson will oversee the overall marketing strategy for Hal Leonard as well as its other companies including Sheet Music Direct, Sheet Music Plus, and Noteflight.

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a. Total no. copies (net press run) ........................................................................13,064 b. Legitimate paid and/or requested distribution (by mail and outside the mail) 1. Outside County Paid/Requested Mail Subscriptions stated on PS Form 3541. .....................................................................................................7,495 2. Not Applicable................................................................................................................................... — 3. Sales through Dealers & Carriers, Street Vendors, Counter Sales, and Other Paid or Requested distribution Outside USPS ........................................... — 4. Not Applicable................................................................................................................................... —

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5,966

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11,978

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200

h. Total ...........................................................................................................................................................13,087

12,178

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50.19%

Electronic copy Circulation a. Requested and Paid Electronic Copies ........................................................................................ 446

446

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6,458

c. Total Requested Copy Distribution (Line 15f) + Requested/Paid Electronic Copies (Line 16a) ..................................................................................................13,330

12,424

d. Percent Paid and/or Requested Circulation (Both Print & Electronic Copies) (16b divided by 16c x 100) ....................................................................................................59.57%

51.98%

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BizConnections VOLUME 27, NUMBER 11 | OCT 11, 2021

GLANCE AT YESTERYEAR

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DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Mary Ernst mary.ernst@biztimes.com COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT / OWNER Kate Meyer kate.meyer@biztimes.com

EDITORIAL EDITOR Andrew Weiland andrew.weiland@biztimes.com ASSOCIATE EDITOR Lauren Anderson lauren.anderson@biztimes.com ASSOCIATE EDITOR Arthur Thomas arthur.thomas@biztimes.com REPORTER Brandon Anderegg brandon.anderegg@biztimes.com

Cream City brewing This undated photo shows the Cream City Brewing Co. on the northeast corner of North 13th and West Cherry streets in Milwaukee. According to a 2011 issue of the Journal of the Brewery History Society, the brewery was started in 1853, but didn’t take on the Cream City name until 1879 following multiple ownership changes. The brewery survived prohibition but was foreclosed on by its creditors in 1937. The building was demolished in the late 1940s to create a parking lot. — Photo courtesy Historic Photo Collection/Milwaukee Public Library

COMMENTARY

What’s next for Wisconsin golf? THE RYDER CUP was a huge success not only for the victorious Team USA, but also for the Kohler Co. and its Whistling Straits golf course, which looked spectacular on an international stage. “Of the 37 different venues to host the Ryder Cup, the Straits course at Whistling Straits proved to be the best layout in the event’s history,” golf journalist Joe Passov wrote for Sports Illustrated. The Ryder Cup was the topper for an incredible run at Whistling Straits, which opened in 1998 and has hosted three PGA Championships, a U.S. Senior Open and the Ryder Cup over a 23-year period. Those events had a tremendous economic impact on the state, including a $135 million boost estimated just for the Ryder Cup. The prestige of these events has helped make Whistling Straits and Wisconsin a national golf destination, which was 44 / BizTimes Milwaukee OCTOBER 11, 2021

chronicled in the cover story of our Sept. 13 magazine. The state now boasts an impressive lineup of elite golf courses that are open to the public, rivaling any other area of the country. So, the major golf championships have been a nice boost to Wisconsin’s economy and help build the state’s brand as a golf destination and as a great place to live, work and play. What’s next? Here’s what we have to look forward to: SentryWorld in Stevens Point will be the host of the 2023 U.S. Senior Open. Erin Hills in Washington County, which was the host of the 2017 U.S. Open, is set to host the 2025 U.S. Women’s Open. What about Whistling Straits, the state’s golf crown jewel, and Blackwolf Run, Kohler Co.’s other Sheboygan County golf destination, which has hosted a pair of U.S. Women’s Opens? Neither is currently scheduled to host another major. In an interview with sports reporter Stephen Watson of WISN-TV Channel 12 (a media partner of BizTimes Milwaukee), Kohler Co. president and CEO David Kohler expressed a desire to bring more championships to Whistling Straits. “We’re in discussions with all of the major

REPORTER Maredithe Meyer maredithe.meyer@biztimes.com

DIRECTOR OF SALES Linda Crawford linda.crawford@biztimes.com CONTENT SOLUTIONS MANAGER Maggie Pinnt maggie.pinnt@biztimes.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Paddy Kieckhefer paddy.kieckhefer@biztimes.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Christie Ubl christie.ubl@biztimes.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Dylan Dobson dylan.dobson@biztimes.com SALES ADMIN Gracie Schneble gracie.schneble@biztimes.com

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

PRODUCTION & DESIGN

REPORTER Alex Zank alex.zank@biztimes.com

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Alex Schneider alex.schneider@biztimes.com ART DIRECTOR Shelly Tabor shelly.tabor@biztimes.com

Independent & Locally Owned — Founded 1995 —

golf organizations about the future of Straits,” he said. “It’s got a great resume, it’s proven itself. There will be major-level events here in the future. But time will tell what exactly they are. I think we’re proving ourselves to be worthy of another Ryder Cup. So, we would love to see that in the future as well.” The next opening for a U.S. Ryder Cup site is 2041, for the U.S. Open is 2028 and for the PGA Championship is 2030. In 2019, the PGA moved the PGA Championship from August to May, which likely means Whistling Straits won’t get it again because the fescue there isn’t grown in enough at that time of the year. But somehow Whistling Straits, a gorgeous venue along Lake Michigan, deserves another opportunity to shine in the golf world’s spotlight. n

ANDREW WEILAND EDITOR

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

JAKE HILL PHOTOGRAPHY

PAY IT FORWARD

Jeff Fenstermaker

Sparking an interest in STEM through robotics Jeff Fenstermaker Senior architect GE Healthcare Nonprofit served: Wisconsin FIRST Robotics, Inc. Service: Chairman

FOR YEARS, FIRST Robotics programming has been the spark igniting Wisconsin students’ interest in STEM. Jeff Fenstermaker, a senior architect with GE Healthcare in Waukesha, has been part of the effort to inspire more people to pursue those professions since he first began volunteering with FIRST Robotics in 2008. FIRST, a national nonprofit organization based in New Hampshire, designs several programs that engage students in grades K-12 in STEM activities, including robotics competitions, Lego Leagues and tech challenges. It’s operated in Wisconsin for over 20 years. Fenstermaker first got connected to the organization by volun-

teering as a mentor for a robotics team at Mukwonago High School. He went on to chair the event planning committee for FIRST’s Wisconsin regional competition at the UWM Panther Arena, which annually convenes hundreds of high school students who compete in a series of challenges with a robot they have built and programmed. Fenstermaker also served on the executive advisory board for FIRST in Wisconsin as a representative of his employer, GE Healthcare. When the COVID-19 pandemic put a pause on regular FIRST programming locally, Fenstermaker and other members of the board began exploring the idea of forming a new nonprofit – one that would offer more local control.

A steering committee representing industry professionals, universities and STEM organizations is now preparing to launch a new nonprofit organization, Wisconsin FIRST Robotics, Inc. Establishing the new local entity, which is seeking 501(c)(3) status, allows leaders more flexibility in executing its programming and raising funds, said Fenstermaker, who is chair of the new organization. Many supporters, for example, would rather their dollars go to a locally run organization than a corporate entity located across the country, he said. “Now, … as our supporters provide funding, we can better allocate that funding to areas and teams in most need of that help, based on our knowledge of our own community,” Fenstermaker said. One of the top priorities is to expand Wisconsin FIRST Robotics’ reach, particularly to underrepresented students. Currently, about 2.5% of high school students who have access to FIRST programming participate in it. Leaders want to grow that number 20-fold, he said. “The real benefit of programs like this is to build up a pool of STEM talent,” Fenstermaker said.

“Companies need and want that talent, they want them to live in this part of the country so they have that recruiting base.” For Fenstermaker, it’s meaningful to be a part of developing that pipeline. “It’s really rewarding to be able to connect with young kids and bring better awareness to why they’re learning what they’re learning in school,” he said. “I think one of my most proud moments was teaching basic calculus concepts to a ninth grader to help him understand how to control a robot and watching his eyes light up when he finally understood.” n

LAUREN ANDERSON Associate Editor

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

biztimes.com / 45

BizConnections

my TOUGHEST

Challenge

SUZ ANNE POWERS Position: Chief executive officer and founder Company: Powers Realty Group Inc. What it does: A Milwaukee-area boutique real estate firm specializing in luxury homes. It has one of the highest average sales prices of the area’s real estate agencies. Career: Powers started her career in real estate in 2003 as a realtor with a local firm and is now the sole proprietor and broker owner of Powers Realty Group, the North Shore Staging Company and an LLC that serves four Powers Realty Group offices in Shorewood, Mequon, Wauwatosa and Port Washington. Her firm surpassed $1.2 billion in sales in less than 10 years.

THE CHALLENGE “When you are a female business owner in a world of male-dominated competitors, you can expect rough waters. Wage disparity and discrimination in real estate are ongoing issues for women, according to the National Association of Realtors. All of this was true in my case. It was all uphill, and I underestimated the challenges I would face as a woman. Real estate is a tough and sometimes a ruthless business. I understood that well, having been in the industry eight years prior to opening my company. Ten years later, I am still the only female sole broker owner of the top 25 Milwaukee brokerages. Honestly, I was naïve, and it was probably my saving grace, next to the faith my amazing clients had in me.”

THE RESOLUTION

LILA ARYAN PHOTOGRAPHY

“They focused on me, I focused on my clients. I was born with a can-do attitude and a bit of a chip on my shoulder. When told, ‘No, you can’t do that,’ that’s been my green light to go. I was told ‘no’ so many times it has become my favorite word. I just never gave up on myself and what I could do for others. Gender aside, opening the company has been a calling to help others and be the great equalizer. Training salespeople has been a vocation of mine since my early 20s when I was a pharmaceutical sales trainer and national delegate for big pharma. I have served as a guest lecturer for 10 years at my alma mater, UW-Whitewater, and a guest lecturer for Marquette’s School of Real Estate. All of these experiences helped me develop a passion for training, career development and mentorship, which follows me through today as the owner and head trainer at Powers Realty Group. Real estate is a sophisticated profession, and so many agents do not have the proper one-on-one training. … The resolution to challenges of inequality in my industry has been to develop a better, more inclusive business model where agents’ compensation is equal, the training is equal and the opportunities are equal.”

46 / BizTimes Milwaukee OCTOBER 11, 2021

THE TAKEAWAY “You must work hard to get here. Nothing is easy, and for women and minorities, it is just a tougher road. Be prepared with resources to fund your dreams, and save and plan. In September we celebrated 10 years in business, and I am so grateful to the believers: my amazing clients, my staff and my best friend and business partner, Gretchen Keating. There are few women like us.” n

Keep up with BizTimes’ 2021 roundup of the leaders making a difference throughout southeast Wisconsin. At companies across southeast Wisconsin, notable executives are running businesses, navigating company restructurings, serving on boards, running marketing departments, and investing in growth throughout the region. The notable individuals profiled in these categories are nominated by their peers at work and in the community.

NOTABLE

FOOD & BEVERAGE EXECUTIVES The executives on this list are shaping their own organizations as well as the path forward for others in the food and beverage manufacturing industry, while mentoring the next wave of professionals and finding ways to give back to their communities.

Salutes the accomplishments of people and organizations making a positive difference on the front lines of health care. Nomination Deadline: October 29, 2021 Issue Date: December 13, 2021

Nomination Deadline: October 29, 2021 Issue Date: December 13, 2021

Look for these Notable and Rising Stars nominations in 2022! Notable Women in Law Nomination deadline: December 10, 2021 Issue date: January 24, 2022

Notable CFOs Nomination deadline: June 10, 2022 Issue date: July 25, 2022

Rising Stars in Wealth Management Nomination deadline: January 7, 2022 Issue date: February 21, 2022

Notable Office and Operations Managers Nomination deadline: July 8, 2022 Issue date: August 22, 2022

Notable Women in Engineering Nomination deadline: February 4, 2022 Issue date: March 21, 2022

Rising Stars in Law Nomination deadline: July 29, 2022 Issue date: September 12, 2022

Notable Commercial Banking Executives Nomination deadline: February 25, 2022 Issue date: April 11, 2022

Notable Women in Manufacturing Nomination deadline: August 26, 2022 Issue date: October 10, 2022

Rising Stars in Real Estate Nomination deadline: March 25, 2022 Issue date: May 9, 2022

Notable Veteran Executives Nomination deadline: September 23, 2022 Issue date: November 7, 2022

Notable LGBTQ+ Executives Nomination deadline: April 22, 2022 Issue date: June 6, 2022

Notable Women in Health Care Nomination deadline: October 28, 2022 Issue date: December 12, 2022

Rising Stars in Technology Nomination deadline: May 6, 2022 Issue date: June 20, 2022

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

National Clients. Global Results. The M&A industry, particularily middle-market transactions, continues to surge thanks to the supply of low- and high-yield debt, an abundance of dry powder, low interest rates and soaring valuations. So far this year, 35,128 global transactions have been announced, which is a 24% increase over last year (1).

The combination of economic and operating recoveries, monetary policy commitments to maintain asset purchases and low rates, and a growing private debt market are all supporting the improved credit outlook and confidence in funding conditions that will continue to drive M&A.

One contributing factor for this jump is the supportive debt Principals at Taureau Group understand the changing capital environment. Industry market intelligence shows that M&A-related market dynamics and industries driving activity, and we can react leveraged loan issuance stood at a record level in the first half of accordingly to achieve our client’s specific objectives. the year and is expected to continue reaching record highs.

Drivers Behind The M&A Market Remaining Active and at All-time Highs

Available Capital

Limited Supply

Growth Initiatives

Available Debt

Robust Valuations

Private equity dry powder is $1.7 trillion; U.S., nonfinancial, corporate cash is $4 trillion

High quality companies are strongly desired and provide greater options, and increased negotiating leverage

M&A allows access to new markets, services, geographies, capabilities, diversification, etc.

Pricing and leverage levels remain favorable, and private debt capital market is growing

Values remain strong for high quality companies

Taureau Group’s team provides the market reach that enables us to achieve outstanding results for companies looking to grow their business, or maximize value through a sale or recapitalization. If you are considering selling or looking for ways to grow, we are here to help. Our team can discuss your objectives, answer any questions you may have, and develop and execute an ideal M&A strategy.

(1)

Source: GF Data

Securities offered through Burch & Company, Inc., member FINRA / SiPC. Burch & Company and Taureau Group, LLC are not affiliated entities. Principals of Taureau Group are registered investment banking representatives with Burch & Company.

414.465.5555 | taureaugroup.com