BizTimes Milwaukee | November 22, 2021

A care crisis

Demand surges for child mental health services, but providers are in short supply

plus TAKING SUPPLY CHAIN LESSONS FROM LOCAL MANUFACTURING EXECS 9 AREA GROCERS, RESTAURANTS GRAPPLE WITH SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES 10 DESPITE ISSUES, COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE BROKERS ARE OPTIMISTIC 38

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BizTimes Milwaukee (ISSN 1095-936X & USPS # 017813) Volume 27, Number 14, November 22, 2021 – December 12, 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

4 Leading Edge 4

5 6 7 8 9

NOW

BY THE NUMBERS FROM CONCEPT TO COMPLETION JUMP START BIZ POLL THE FRANCHISEE SHOP TALK

10 Biz News 10 A REA GROCERS, RESTAURANTS GRAPPLE WITH SUPPLY CHAIN CHALLENGES

12 Real Estate 37 Biz Connections 37 NONPROFIT 38 G LANCE AT YESTERYEAR COMMENTARY 39 M Y BEST ADVICE – STEPHANIE HORNE OF SOHO BOUTIQUE

COVER STORY

14

A care crisis Demand surges for child mental health services, but providers are in short supply

Special Report

21 Nonprofit Excellence Awards Meet the winners and the finalists for the annual BizTimes Milwaukee Nonprofit Excellence Awards, plus a recap of the event and panel discussions about how businesses and nonprofits are working together to address the area’s workforce challenges.

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To improve the health and well-being of Milwaukee and surrounding communities by providing quality, patient-centered, family-based health care, health education and social service, free from linguistic, cultural and economic barriers.

To create a vigorous mission-based environment of discovery, to promote innovation, throughout the organization, to seek an understanding of basic biological processes, to translate that understanding to the clinic and to foster patient-oriented research, all aimed at improvement in patient care through discovery, diagnosis, and treatment

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Leading Edge

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

NOW Saputo plant in Lena, Wisconsin.

Saputo plans facility with 600 jobs in Franklin

By Alex Zank, staff writer Canada-based dairy company Saputo Inc. plans to construct an approximately 340,000-squarefoot facility and employ about 600 people in Franklin.

The Saputo plant is to be built southwest of West Oakwood Road and South 27th Street in Franklin’s new business park. Residents had

a chance to hear about the plans at a recent neighborhood information session.

The facility would ramp up in phases, Saputo said. When fully operational, the company anticipates having approximately 600 people working at the facility.

“As part of its Saputo Dairy

BY THE NUMBERS

$

225

MILLION in tariff costs next year.

4 / BizTimes Milwaukee NOVEMBER 22, 2021

ANDREY ARMYAGOV / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

Harley-Davidson says a new trade deal between the United States and the European Union will save the company

USA network, Saputo plans to build a new production facility in Franklin, Wisconsin. The new facility will play an integral part of Saputo’s strategy to optimize its cheese network across North America, laying the groundwork for future growth,” the company said in an emailed statement.

The 73-acre property was sold recently, according to sources. An affiliate of Chicago-based HSA Commercial Real Estate acquired 51.8 acres in early November for $7.3 million from former owner, JAMS-4 LLC. Milwaukee-based The Barry Co. represented the seller in the deal. Cushman & Wakefield | Boerke represented the buyer.

The sale came shortly after JAMS-4 divided the entire 73-acre site into three separate lots. The two lots that HSA Commercial acquired include 34.4 acres right at the southwest corner of 27th Street and Oakwood Road, and another 17.4 acres farther west along Oakwood Road.

Saputo is based in Montreal, Canada, and it produces and distributes dairy products such as cheese, fluid milk, extended shelf-life milk and cream products, cultured products and dairy ingredients.

The company already has a presence in Wisconsin. It has a

Saputo Cheese facility in Waupun and an office in Wauwatosa.

The new Franklin business park where the Saputo facility is planned is seeing development activity already. Wauwatosa-based Wangard Partners Inc. will build a 235,000-square-foot speculative industrial building there. Other proposed projects include four industrial buildings between 124,000 and 150,000 square feet.

In creating the business park, the city is rebuilding Elm Road and installing new infrastructure. New infrastructure includes a new lift station, underground utilities and a new street called Hickory Street.

Stu Wangard, chief executive officer and board chairman of Wangard Partners, said distributors and certain manufacturers are looking for sites that provide quick freeway access. Franklin’s new business park benefits from a newly built Elm Road freeway interchange. The state installed the interchange as part of the larger I-94 north-south rebuild.

“A location such as Franklin, which is a short distance to a freeway interchange, is a lot more attractive than a typical building in the middle of an industrial park,” Wangard said. “And it’s attractive for both manufacturing and distribution.” n

from

Flora Fruit Co.

CONCEPT

to

COMPLETION September 2020: While attending business school at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, Greenlee felt the itch to launch his own venture. A friend gave him a challenge: come up with a business concept within 30 days and get going. After reading up on entrepreneurship and brainstorming ideas for scalable businesses, Greenlee couldn’t get an idea for a fruit box delivery service out of his head.

5

Like many young people growing up in Milwaukee, Jalen Greenlee didn’t think he’d stay here after graduating school. Now, the 22-year-old rising entrepreneur is on a mission to change the city with his fruit box subscription startup Flora Fruit Co. The company aims to increase access to healthy food options, particularly in communities that are deemed food deserts. Customers order boxes of fresh produce online and Flora delivers to their door on a weekly basis or as a one-time purchase. With the goal of eradicating all Milwaukee food deserts by 2025, Flora uses a portion of its proceeds to donate fruit boxes to families and organizations in those areas.

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October 2020: Under the guidance of a couple of his mentors, Greenlee mapped out his vision and began market research. He sent a survey to 50 family members and friends to find out if they’d buy the product, and if not, why? If they would, at what price point? The feedback was positive.

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Fall 2021: Greenlee gained a business partner in Andres Elejalde, vice president of strategy and product development at elja Life Sciences Inc., to assist with operations, marketing and strategy. Upcoming big milestones for Flora include dropping ‘fruit’ from its name and adding vegetables to the product mix, as well as launching a business-to-business arm.

4 April 2021: After six months in operation, Flora had grown to 30 subscribers and $23,000 in revenue. Greenlee secured growth capital through pitch competitions and grants, including through the Jrue and Lauren Holiday Social Impact Fund, and was accepted into gener8tor’s summer 2021 gBETA program.

3

November 2020: Flora Fruit Co. launched in southeastern Wisconsin. Within the span of two weeks prior, Greenlee had developed the startup’s brand – including its logo and website – and tested and tweaked the product by giving away 25 boxes to family and friends.

biztimes.com / 5

Leading Edge

LOCATION: Delafield

LILA ARYAN PHOTOGRAPHY

KETCHUP PLEASE LLC

@BIZTIMESMEDIA – Real-time news

FOUNDERS: Evan Lampsa and Reed Kastner-Lang L amp s a

FOUNDED: 2019 PRODUCT: Certified organic, no-sugar-added ketchup GOAL: Increase production, expand to more grocery chains and bolster marketing efforts EXPERIENCE: Lampsa and Kastner-Lang both attended Kettle Moraine High School, where they competed in Future Business Leaders of America.

Kastner-Lang

Delafield-based entrepreneurs have developed ‘ketchup without compromise’

By Lauren Anderson, staff writer

THE ORIGIN STORY of Delafield-based Ketchup Please LLC traces back to two moments in Evan Lampsa’s life – one profound and one more mundane.

In 2015, Lampsa underwent open-heart surgery to fix a congenital heart defect, an experience that opened his eyes to the dietary constraints of other pediatric patients and provided the seed of inspiration to create healthier food options.

Three years later, Lampsa, then a sophomore at Kettle Moraine High School, asked his dad to “pass the ketchup, please” during a meal. It sounded like a catchy name for a ketchup brand.

“Everyone would say ‘Ketchup Please, 6 / BizTimes Milwaukee NOVEMBER 22, 2021

please,’ every time they asked for it,” Lampsa said.

The idea stuck, and he began experimenting with recipes for a healthier, no-sugar-added yet still sweet variation of the condiment. Fellow Kettle Moraine student Reed Kastner-Lang caught wind of Lampsa’s entrepreneurial ambitions.

“Reed gave me a call and said, ‘Hey, I heard you’re interested in starting a ketchup business,’” Lampsa said. “And the rest, as they say, is history.”

The pair went on to test 88 batches of ketchup blends, distributing samples in 2-ounce cups at school with a link to an online survey for their peers to rate each iteration according to its spice, tang, sweetness and saltiness.

They finally landed on a winning recipe, with 95% of those surveyed rating each category perfect.

The pair went on to receive their license from the state and started producing the ketchup at The Petit Chef commercial kitchen in Dousman.

They received USDA organic certification on July 19, 2019, and the following day netted over $900 at the Delafield Farmers Market.

“People really liked the taste and so we knew that we had something,” Kastner-Lang said.

The business has since expanded beyond farmers markets, and Ketchup Please is now in 50 brick-and-mortar locations, including Sendik’s Food Market.

“I just walk in with a bottle and say ‘Hey, I’ve got the best ketchup in the world, I think you should carry it,’ and they usually buy it on the spot,” Kastner-Lang said.

Their plan is to sell Ketchup Please on Amazon by the end of this year and expand into more grocery chains from there.

Both believe the business has legs.

“We get so many good reviews and that just grows with the more people we impact, either online, at farmers markets, at events.

People say ‘this is amazing,’” Lampsa said. “…

Our biggest thing is ‘ketchup without compromise.’ You’re not compromising good taste for your diet.”

The goal now is to ensure more people know about it with the help of targeted marketing efforts.

“We want everyone in Wisconsin to know about Ketchup Please,” Kastner-Lang said. n

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Leading Edge

BIZTIMES MEDIA – Connect

the

FRAN C H I S E E Jessica and Tom Kurz, co-owners of Perspire Sauna Studio’s Brookfield location.

JESSICA AND TOM KURZ PERSPIRE SAUNA STUDIO THE FRANCHISE: Newport Beach-based Perspire Sauna Studio says its studios combine the centuries-old practice of heat therapy with modern science and technology, providing full-spectrum infrared sauna therapy with color light therapy.

2015: Jessica Kurz, a psychotherapist, is diagnosed with breast cancer and undergoes 16 rounds of chemotherapy, which lead to adverse side effects. After researching non-medicinal options to address her symptoms, Kurz discovers infrared sauna therapy and installs a sauna in her home.

Perspire Sauna Studio has 37 locations across the country.

“The model is to provide a high-level concierge customer experience for every guest. They come in and have their own private infrared sauna and it’s in its own suite. … Maybe guests want their sauna set to a certain temperature. We can do that. Maybe they want the lights set to a certain color or they’re looking to address a certain issue. We’ll have it set up in a way intended to address that issue,” said Jessica Kurz.

8 / BizTimes Milwaukee NOVEMBER 22, 2021

“Our team is really strong. And the people that have come into the studio in terms of guests and our membership base, they love it. We have some people who come every single day,” Jessica Kurz said.

SEPTEMBER 2019: Jessica’s friend in the Atlanta area informs her about her positive experience at a new Perspire Sauna Studio location in her area. Jessica tells her husband, Tom, about the franchise, and the two have a conversation with Shery Christopher, director of franchise development for Perspire. The Kurzes fly to California for their “discovery day” in November to learn more about franchising. On New Year’s Eve, the couple signs on as franchisees.

FEBRUARY 2021: After having to put their plans on pause because of the COVID-19 pandemic, they sign the lease agreement for their space at 15455 W. Bluemound Road in Brookfield.

They were drawn to Bluemound because of the corridor’s central location in the metro area, its high visibility and the revitalization of nearby Brookfield Square.

SEPTEMBER 2021: Perspire opens its doors. Though the business has faced challenges finding workers in the current labor market, Jessica says they are on target to meet corporate’s goals for the site. The couple is currently focused on establishing their first location, but they have plans for possible second and third sites.

THE FRANCHISE FEE: $40,000

The saunas also include color light therapy.

ADLC / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

SHOP TALK

Thousands of shipping containers in the port of Long Beach near Los Angeles.

Taking supply chain lessons from local manufacturing execs

By Arthur Thomas, staff writer SUPPLY CHAIN and logistics issues seem to be everywhere this fall, and executives at publicly traded manufacturing companies in southeastern Wisconsin received their share of questions about how their teams were dealing with them during recent analyst calls.

Ken Bockhorst, chief executive officer of Brown Deer-based Badger Meter, said it might be mentioned a record number of times during his company’s earnings call.

Todd Adams, chairman, president and CEO of Milwaukee-based Zurn said, while there were issues during the quarter, he wouldn’t break out the harmonica to play the supply chain blues.

While the executives at larger public companies are the ones being asked about supply chain, it is an even more acute issue for smaller manufacturers. In a recent Wisconsin Center for Manufacturing and Productivity survey, cost and availability of materials were the top two issues of concern for companies with fewer than 50 employees or less than $5 million in revenue. Finding and keeping employees were the top two issues for larger companies.

“Supply chain has jumped up now and joined workforce as the two predominant issues facing manufacturers across the state, and they really are intertwined,” Buckley Brinkman, chief executive officer of WCMP, said on a recent episode of the BizTimes MKE Podcast.

Bockhorst and Adams were among those crediting their teams with managing through supply chain disruptions during the quarter. Bockhorst said Badger Meter’s teams worked with customers to manage priorities and expectations, redesigned parts to provide sourcing flexibility and continually managed logistics to maximize customer deliveries.

“The breadth of these challenges is greater than what we’ve experienced previously, but the playbook for addressing them is not new,” said Bockhorst.

Executives often compared the supply chain issues to whack-amole or putting out a different fire every day.

Adams said about 50 of the 900 containers that Zurn, which was previously known as Rexnord, planned to import during the quarter were delayed in arriving.

Some of the delays were due to COVID-19 shutting down ports in Asia and half were delayed in being picked up at U.S. ports by a shortage of drivers or trailers.

“The good news is it’s not a labor shortage at Zurn, it’s not a product supply base performance issue, it’s not a component availability issue, … it’s the compounding impact of a whole lot of things colliding,” Adams said, describing the issue as a “logistics knot” that has to be untangled.

Adams said the company had previously made a conscious decision to eliminate the risk of having too much of its supply chain in

China by onshoring and seeking a global network of suppliers with redundant capabilities.

He also said supply chain can be addressed in product design, pointing to one of Zurn’s offerings that weighs 75% less than its competitor. Less weight means fewer materials, which means a lower price and the chance to save on freight.

Racine-based Twin Disc saw its own freight challenges. CEO John Batten said the time it takes for a container to reach the U.S. from India had been six weeks but basically doubled in the past few quarters. The components are generally cheaper from India, but Twin Disc can get them in the U.S. Batten said there are capacity constraints, so the company may get 80% of what it wants from a supplier.

“The big thing that we’re focusing on, though, is making sure that we’re all on the same page so that the 80% that we’re asking for the bearings … is going to be the same 80% that we’re giving as a priority list to a foundry or a casting supplier,” he said.

Glendale-based Strattec Security Corp., a maker of automotive locks and vehicle access systems, found itself at the heart of the supply chain challenges.

Its customers, giant car makers like Ford, GM and Chrysler, shut down production amid a shortage of semiconductors. At one point in September, GM had 10 of 16 North American plants shut down.

SUPPLY CHAIN LESSONS • Manage customer expectations and priorities.

• Ensure alignment in supplier deliveries where possible.

• Use forced downtime to invest in your productivity.

Instead of shutting down its operations too, Strattec used the down time to build inventory and improve the productivity of its plants.

Frank Krejci, president and CEO of Strattec, said that many times new equipment purchases don’t get set up in the ideal spot on the factory floor because of the pressures of day-to-day production.

“You do that over and over again over a 10- or 20-year period, pretty soon you’ve got a bunch of things that (are) OK but not optimized,” he said.

Using customer shutdowns to focus on its own operations allowed Strattec to tackle projects in a month that might have taken a year with production running.

“It’s also got our people excited because they’re seeing some of the benefits of this, so as we’re making changes, now they’re coming up with additional ideas,” Krejci said. n biztimes.com / 9

BizNews FEATURE A shopper browses the shelves at Outpost Natural Foods in Bay View.

Area grocers, restaurants grapple with supply chain challenges

By Maredithe Meyer, staff writer GROCERY STORES nationwide and locally are navigating unchartered territory as supply chain disruptions persist, shorting new items by the day in some cases.

“Not to this extent have we ever experienced the out-of-stock situation like we are right now,” said Margaret Mittelstadt, director of community relations at Outpost Natural Foods Cooperative, which has four store locations in greater Milwaukee.

The grocery supply chain had barely stabilized from the COVID-19 pandemic’s panic buying stage when it was hit early this year with another blow: labor shortages. That’s what continues to stand in the way of Outpost’s wholesalers getting product into their own warehouses as well as delivering that product to stores, said Mittelstadt.

On top of labor challenges down the line – from manufacturing to transportation– raw materials like glass, aluminum and steel are scarce across the globe, slowing the production of food packaging.

Janesville-based Woodman’s Markets, with 19 stores in Wisconsin and Illinois, is experiencing lags in packaged goods across numerous categories.

“Anything that comes overseas from China,” said company president Clinton Woodman. “The shipping delays and the back up at the ports has caused a lot of it. (Shortages are) 10 / BizTimes Milwaukee NOVEMBER 22, 2021

across the board because a lot of packaging comes from China.”

Grocers are in a crunch just ahead of the holiday season, which is traditionally the busiest time of year and could be even busier this year as families gather again in large groups.

“What we may be seeing are popular items like canned goods, like canned pumpkin, or vanilla or flour – things that people buy more than usual during the holiday season – may be affected,” said Mittelstadt.

To help fill in the holes, Outpost is bringing on new vendors – some for just a month at a time – and purchasing alternate products or brands for items in short supply. It also requires more engagement with shoppers, whether it’s helping them find an in-store substitute for canned sweet potatoes or giving out recipes for homemade cranberry sauce. The company’s weekly sales flyer includes a disclaimer warning of “intermittent supply levels on advertised items.” It’s likely an on-sale item will run out – and be unable to be replenished – before the week-long promotion is over, she said.

Woodman’s has adjusted its brand mix to avoid placing limits on high-demand items.

“Customers should expect that they may not be able to get the specific brand or size of the item that they normally buy, but there’s normally alternate similar product from a different manufacturer,” said Woodman.

Supply chain setbacks are the reason Michael Glorioso considers this to be “probably the most challenging time” for his family’s 75-year-old grocery store. And that’s despite steady demand and “robust” sales. Glorioso’s Italian Market on Milwaukee’s East Side has long been known for its cured meats, homemade meatballs and authentic wine selection.

Importing most of its products from Italy, the business has had to remain two steps ahead of supply chain curveballs.

“We’ve been able to adapt, and that’s a direct result of our team being very resourceful and recognizing that the situation is fluid and that what we have on our shelf today might not be there tomorrow,” said Glorioso, general manager of the market.

For instance, one of the store’s most popular items, pasta, has been inconsistent for more than a year now. To avoid running out of any one of its 250 cuts, Glorioso’s backed up the top 100 best-sellers with a second brand.

“That’s worked out really well because, as we anticipated, the popular cuts are the ones that are being short on orders now because of supply,” he said, adding cheese shipments have also been spotty – even for brands produced here in Wisconsin.

Another consequence of an upended supply chain, prices have risen for meat and packaging, which has sparked questions from shoppers.

“When people see our potato salad go up 10 cents, … it has nothing to do with the potato salad – the potatoes didn’t go up, the mayo didn’t go up – but the plastic container that it goes in went up as well as the piece of paper that we’re going to put it in,” Glorioso said.

U.S. consumer prices in October saw the largest increase since 1990, up 6.2% over last year. Food prices jumped 5.3%, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

Throughout the pandemic’s ups and downs, Glorioso’s has leaned on its differentiator as a single-unit, specialty grocer with a niche customer base. The store may not offer self-check lanes or pre-packaged grab-and-go meals, but on the other hand, “if you want your prosciutto sliced thin, we’ll slice it and show it to you and let you try it and make sure it’s the way you like it,” Glorioso said. The store also draws steady business with its own brand, which has grown from nine items to 250 in the past nine years.

Glorioso said production of its own label has

“We’ve been able to adapt, and that’s a direct result of our team being very resourceful and recognizing that the situation is fluid and that what we have on our shelf today might not be there tomorrow.” − Michael Glorioso, general manager of Glorioso’s Italian Market

not been impacted by ongoing disruption.

Grocery stores are not the only food service businesses dealing with supply chain issues and their residual effects.

Milwaukee-based Hospitality Democracy, which operates AJ Bombers, Blue Bat Kitchen, Onesto and Smoke Shack, recently removed chicken wings from its menus after prices skyrocketed. The alternative was raising menu prices, but that didn’t sit well with the group and its brand.

“Our business is built on being local, neighborhood places that you can frequent often and not necessarily on one-time special occasion business,” said Alex Sazama, vice president of food and beverage and corporate executive chef at Hospitality Democracy.

With pre-processed foods difficult to secure, the culinary team has shifted toward using more raw ingredients to prepare certain dishes. While that reduces inventory expenses, it also requires more time and labor during a time when staffing is already tight.

Lobster and scallops have doubled in price since the start of the pandemic, but Hospitality Democracy has kept them on their menus at standard price because they’re top sellers.

“For the things that are really popular, we figure it out,” said Sazama.

The holiday season may present an opportunity for restaurants as consumers struggle to find the necessary items, or time, to prepare a home-cooked meal.

Hospitality Democracy is focusing on “center-of-the-plate options” that diners can pick up and serve as part of their Thanksgiving meal, he said. Its barbeque restaurant Smoke Shack is offering a menu of smoked turkey breasts, whole ducks and ham, as well as popular sides like mac and cheese and cornbread.

“It can alleviate some of that pressure at home to make that big meal,” said Sazama. “If you’re having a gathering, your turkey or duck or whatever meat you choose, that portion is handled so you’re not spending hours and hours in your kitchen.” n

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Real Estate

JON ELLIOTT OF MKE DRONES LLC

Industrial market along I-94 corridor showing no signs of slowing

12 / BizTimes Milwaukee NOVEMBER 22, 2021

IT’S A NEWS STORY on repeat.

Seemingly every week a real estate developer is proposing another giant industrial building along I-94 in Racine or Kenosha counties.

Despite the constant barrage of new projects in this corridor, developers and brokers say there’s even more to come. There is no sign that demand for modern industrial space is slowing.

“We’re just trying to keep up,”

HSA Commercial Real Estate’s proposed 775,000-square-foot warehouse in Somers.

Bob Smietana, vice chairman and chief executive officer of Chicago-based HSA Commercial Real Estate, said in a recent interview.

HSA Commercial’s latest project involves a roughly 775,000-square-foot warehouse northeast of Burlington Road and I-94 in Somers. It could be expanded to nearly 1 million square feet if needed.

The primary driver of demand for these large spaces is e-commerce, say developers and brokers.

Amazon, as the world’s largest online retailer, is leading the way in that sector. Real estate research firm CoStar Group recently reported Amazon is on track to double its distribution center footprint over a two-year period starting in the early days of the pandemic.

Other retailers and grocery chains are adopting extensive e-commerce networks as well.

Don Schoenheider, executive vice president and Midwest region market leader for Dallas-based Hillwood Development Co. LLC, said the pandemic has accelerated the business of one of his firm’s biggest e-commerce customers by five years.

BIRD’S EYE VIEW: G O L F PA R K WAY C O R P O R AT E C E N T E R Construction of two new office buildings at Golf Parkway Corporate Center in Brookfield kicked off last year when many wondered about the future of the office real estate market due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Milwaukee-based Irgens Partners LLC did not seem deterred by this, and neither were tenants who chose to sign leases with the developer.

The smaller of the two new buildings, at 45,000 square feet and two stories, is the future headquarters of Hydrite Chemical Co. The company said it plans to move in Dec. 1. The larger, 186,000-square-foot, six-story building will be mostly occupied by Seattle-based Milliman Inc., which will move its local office there from its current Bluemound Road location in Brookfield.

A recent office market report from real estate brokerage JLL found that suburban office markets have been more resilient than downtown Milwaukee during the pandemic. Irgens is keeping itself busy in the suburbs. Beyond Brookfield, it has additional projects in Wauwatosa.

the exact same warehouse at the exact same time,” Matson said.

“So, competition is ramping up.”

Hoffman said he’s had two leases of significant amounts of industrial space come together within a matter of weeks – the users seemingly came out of nowhere. Under normal circumstances, similar deals would have taken six months to a year to pull off, he said.

“We’re seeing a very chaotic absorption of space,” Hoffman said.

Given the intense demand, it should be no surprise that more development is on the horizon.

Hoffman said that according to the data his firm is tracking, about 1.1 million square feet of speculative industrial space has been delivered or will be delivered this year along the I-94 corridor in Racine and Kenosha counties.

Another 7.5 million square feet is expected in the next two years.

For comparison, only 460,000 square feet of space is being developed this year in Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington and Waukesha counties combined.

Only 1.8 million more square feet is expected in the next two years, he said.

The high demand means suppliers of building materials are going to remain busy, too.

Matson said one of his clients, who supplies steel to commercial building projects, is already sold out through at least the third quarter of next year. That’s based on what he knows he can acquire from steel mills and produce for customers. n

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“We’re as busy as we probably ever have been, and we don’t see any of that changing in the foreseeable future,” Schoenheider said at a recent event hosted by the Racine County Economic Development Corp. “The economic conditions, the climate that we’re enjoying that we’re a part of, (and) certainly the whole buzz around the e-commerce model that companies have and continue to embrace, is really continuing to keep our business at a fever pitch.”

Kenosha County benefits from its proximity to Chicago. The real estate community considers the county to be part of the Chicagoland market. And there is scarce land for industrial development available from O’Hare International Airport to the state border on the Illinois side, said Jeff Hoffman, an industrial broker with Cushman & Wakefield | Boerke.

“If you’re a believer that e-commerce is going to drive 1 billion square feet of demand over the next five years – and a lot of smart people think this – you’re going to have a concentration in Chicago,” he said. “Because of how tight Chicago and the commercial corridor is, you have to go (north).”

Compounding matters are ongoing supply chain issues.

The issues first began during the Trump administration due to tariffs on materials like steel. But the pandemic has only accelerated them, said Adam Matson, an industrial broker with Newmark.

That’s led companies to keep more materials in the U.S. and store extra manufactured goods in warehouses rather than produce them as needed to protect themselves from supply chain and logistics disruptions, Matson said.

The demand for limited industrial space has created fierce competition.

Matson said some of his clients are having trouble landing deals to lease existing space because of the competition. One has opted for build-to-suit projects in response.

“Every deal we’ve been chasing, we’ve had two or three different companies proposing on

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STORY COVER

Rogers Behavioral Health’s Oconomowoc campus.

14 / BizTimes Milwaukee NOVEMBER 22, 2021

A care crisis Demand surges for child mental health services, but providers are in short supply

T

BY LAUREN ANDERSON, staff writer

wo years ago, Rogers Behavioral Health built additional rooms at its hospitals to be able to help more people experiencing mental health crises.

Before the expansion, demand for its services were increasing beyond the behavioral health system’s capacity, and its waitlist of families seeking care was growing. Rogers hoped to open a relief valve when it added 62 residential beds on its wooded lakefront campus in Oconomowoc, 28 beds at its West Allis hospital and multiple new outpatient clinics across the country. Its larger physical footprint meant the system could treat more children, teens and adults seeking help with OCD, anxiety, eating disorders, depression and other mood disorders.

In the two years since, demand hasn’t abated, but a worker shortage has forced the health system to cap its inpatient census, leaving beds that ordinarily would be occupied by those experiencing acute psychiatric crises empty.

“That’s the hardest thing for me to have to say, ‘I’m sorry, we’ll have to cap at this number. I don’t

have enough nurses to care for patients safely,’” said Terri Cohn, executive director of nursing. “I’ve been with Rogers (for five years). I’ve never seen us having to do this.”

‘The stakes are high’

Before the pandemic, the mental health treatment gap for children in Wisconsin gave cause for concern. Among the state’s roughly 201,000 youth who needed mental health treatment, 37% had not received any, according to a 2020 Wisconsin Department of Health Services report. The gap was slightly higher in Milwaukee County, at 40%; and in Waukesha and Ozaukee counties, roughly 60% of youth went untreated.

A lag in data obscures the impact of the pandemic, but industry leaders say it has exacerbated those trends.

Providers now face a troubling picture: Demand for mental health services among children has increased dramatically, and the supply of workers to deliver those services has not kept pace with the swelling need.

A residential room at Rogers Behavioral Health’s West Allis campus. biztimes.com / 15

STORY COVER

Left: Amy Herbst, vice president for mental and behavioral health at Children’s Wisconsin, talks with emergency medicine doctor Michelle Pickett as she demonstrates a suicide screening tool provided to every child who comes to the emergency department between the ages of 11 and 18.

Right: Children’s Wisconsin in Wauwatosa.

Though access to care has been particularly scarce in low-income urban areas and rural communities historically, the current workforce issue cuts across demographics and geography. Central city clinics and suburban inpatient facilities alike report challenges recruiting and retaining workers.

“We’re used to having issues finding psychiatry – particularly child psychiatry – providers or psychiatric nurse practitioners or nurses, but the pandemic has really brought with it a shortage of everything else, along with those (positions),” said Dr. Jerry Halverson, chief medical officer for Rogers. “A lot of the programs that we’re looking at expanding and not able to expand is because of a lack of therapists.”

Mental health providers across the region say they are maxed out, leaving children at risk of not receiving the help they need with behavioral health issues, developmental delays, and trauma, which a growing body of research indicates have long-lasting effects on their development and ability to successfully engage in society. When mental health needs go unaddressed and continue into adulthood they only add to the challenges someone faces in participating in the workforce and contributing to the region’s overall economic growth.

Untreated mental health issues among children can also lead to more immediate problems, including increased risk for suicide, homelessness, substance abuse, out-of-home placement, juvenile detention, emergency room visits and in-hospital stays, and a greater burden on taxpayers because of the lack of primary prevention, according to the Wisconsin Office of Children’s Mental Health.

“The stakes are high. You’re talking suicide, 16 / BizTimes Milwaukee NOVEMBER 22, 2021

you’re talking people relapsing,” Halverson said.

“This is at a time of high stress, this is at a time of high need, this is a time where we have to be able to help people or else bad things are going to happen.

But we’re struggling like everybody else.”

That crisis has left few resources for mental health care leaders to focus on other priorities, such as increasing the diversity of their workforce, which experts say leads to better outcomes for patients.

Worker shortages

Children’s $150 million plan

Wisconsin has historically experienced shortages of mental health providers, which industry leaders attribute to the stigma associated with mental health, lower salaries in those fields compared to physical health providers and limited residency and fellowship opportunities available in the state.

Amy Herbst, vice president for mental and behavioral health at Children’s Wisconsin, describes it as both a front- and back-door problem: Not enough people are entering the field to offset an aging workforce. Those issues are compounded by the taxing nature of the work; burnout rates are high.

“Child and family therapists, they give their all to these kids and families, and sometimes that doesn’t leave much when all is said and done,” Herbst said.

Across the country, clinicians are leaving the field for a host of reasons. “The Great Resignation” has many reevaluating their professional and personal priorities. Some were on the cusp of retirement, and the COVID-19 pandemic was the nudge that closed out their career. Some therapists have been lured away from in-person clinical settings by national telehealth providers that promise more convenience and less taxing caseloads. Some have left their organizations over their opposition to vaccine mandates.

Health systems feel the tension of meeting the needs of their patients without overstretching their employees who are already in short supply.

“We don’t want to (cap our census), and it is a last resort, but we need to be able to keep our staff intact as much as we can,” Halverson said. “… We’re finally at a point of not being able to plug holes with other members of the team.”

Citing a growing mental health crisis among children in the state, Wauwatosa-based Children’s Wisconsin unveiled a sweeping plan in 2019 to increase families’ access to mental and behavioral health services. Its $150 million, multi-pronged strategy includes implementing universal mental health screenings for children, expanding schoolbased programs, integrating mental and behavioral health services into primary care settings and establishing a dedicated psychiatric assessment team in the hospital’s emergency department.

Leaders knew at the time of the announcement that finding a workforce to execute that vision – which involves roughly doubling the number of behavioral health professionals in its system – would be its biggest challenge, Herbst said.

One of its strategies includes building up a team of 36 master’s degree-prepared behavioral health consultants that will be embedded in all Children’s pediatrician offices and urgent care clinics, with the goal of identifying mental and behavioral health issues earlier on and connecting families more quickly to treatment.

“When a family comes in for, say, a well-child check, one of the things that will happen for that child is they will receive a mental health screen.

And if that screen comes back and says ‘there’s some concern here,’ the pediatrician will be able to bring the behavioral health consultant right into the visit in the moment and do a warm introduction of that behavioral health consultant to the family to start engaging in a discussion and likely some ongoing mental health care,” Herbst said.

“That is a very different model than bringing your child to an outpatient mental health clinic for an

hour and having an hour therapy session.”

Children’s aims to have that program fully staffed by 2023. Herbst said the recruitment process for those positions so far has been successful but has also required a “tremendous amount of work” for its HR team.

“The thing is there are not enough therapists in the state of Wisconsin, let alone child and family therapists in the state of Wisconsin,” she said.

“So, we’re all competing with each other to hire the child and family therapists that are available in the state right now.”

A new Children’s fellowship program is aimed at eliminating one of the barriers to master’s-level therapists entering the field: the 3,000 hours of supervised professional practice they are required to clock in after completing their coursework. It takes roughly five years to put in those hours on a parttime basis, and often they are unpaid.

“Typically, people get a full-time job somewhere, they work on those 3,000 hours on the side. … Essentially, they donate their time so they can get the supervision that’s required,” Herbst said.

Through the new program, Children’s hires therapists who have completed their master’s degree, allowing them to work toward the 3,000 hours with a full-time salary and benefits. Fellows can complete their clinical requirement in a year and a half through the program.

“It’s saving us years of time,” Herbst said. “And it takes that risk off the table of somebody leaving the field altogether.”

Children’s hired all the fellows from the first cohort and has another 19 currently enrolled.

The health system is also creating a training program for child psychologists, which it plans to launch in 2022 and leaders hope stems the trend of psychologists leaving the state to complete their training.

Right: Ida Winter, a family navigator with Next Step Clinic, and Amy Vaughan Van Hecke, an executive co-director of the clinic.

Below: Next Step Clinic serves young children and their families in a repurposed clinic adjacent to Next Door Foundation’s early childhood center in Milwaukee’s Metcalfe Park neighborhood. Since opening in late 2019, its doors have largely remained closed to patients, as concerns related to COVID have forced the clinic to offer its services virtually.

Growing financial support

In the Milwaukee area, political and philanthropic support has recently begun coalescing around what advocates have been saying for years: Mental health should be regarded as essential as physical health, and children in particular need more help coping with their mental health struggles and traumatic experiences.

A $20 million gift from the family foundation of former Fiserv chief executive officer Jeff Yabuki to Children’s – the largest donation in its history – is funding the initiative to integrate behavioral and mental health into pediatric visits.

For Jeff, the issue of childhood mental illness hits close to home. His brother, Craig Yabuki, experienced undiagnosed depression during childhood and in 2017 died by suicide. He was married with three children. With the gift, Children’s will be able to intervene sooner, potentially changing the trajectory of other children’s lives, Jeff said.

“We are coming out of the worst crisis of the last 100 years, and we are going to absolutely … transform, redefine the way pediatrics services are delivered, so people like my brother and others biztimes.com / 17

STORY COVER don’t end up making the choices that they make,” he said of the Yabuki Family Foundation’s donation during a recent speech at BizTimes Milwaukee’s Nonprofit Excellence Awards event.

Children’s behavioral health initiative is also backed by an anonymous donor’s $15 million gift, a $5 million gift from Kohl’s, and $1 million gifts from both the Rexnord Foundation and Appleton-based The Boldt Co. Earlier this year, Milwaukee-based human services agency SaintA received $2 million in federal funding to install trauma-informed therapists at Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee sites who will work with children and families dealing with abuse, neglect, violence and other traumas.

Marquette University president Michael Lovell – who with his wife, Amy, has helped push conversations about the adverse effects of trauma on the Milwaukee community in recent years – awarded $250,000 in seed funding through his President’s Challenge grant in 2019 to develop a behavioral health clinic for children in the city’s Metcalfe Park neighborhood who are dealing with adverse experiences, trauma and developmental delays. It’s also designed to be a training ground for future mental health providers.

With additional backing from the Johnson Con-

trols Foundation, Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment and the Milwaukee Succeeds Funders’ Collaborative, the clinic opened in late 2019.

‘We need to clone ourselves’

Today, Next Step serves over 200 families – more than double what leaders expected when it opened.

“We have more kids than we can handle. … We need to clone ourselves,” said Amy Vaughan Van Hecke, an executive co-director of the clinic and professor of psychology at Marquette.

Located in a repurposed clinic adjacent to Next Door Foundation’s early childhood center at 2545 N. 29th St., the Mental Health America of Wisconsin satellite clinic was designed to address the long wait times families in Milwaukee’s central city have faced after being referred to mental and behavioral health services. Concerns related to COVID have forced the clinic to offer its services virtually since March of last year.

Many of the families it serves are connected to the early childhood center, where about 80% of the children served live in poverty.

“We went into it knowing there was a lot of need. … What we were seeing was that there weren’t places to send people,” Van Hecke said. “…

We’d reach these walls we’d run up against, where (we’d have) to send you to Waukesha and there’s

A $20 million donation from the family foundation of former Fiserv chief executive officer Jeff Yabuki is supporting Children’s Wisconsin’s effort to integrate master’s degree-prepared therapists into routine primary and urgent care visits. a two-year wait. There’s only so much you can do when there’s sort of a box around continuing families through pathways that get them access to mental and developmental health services for their kids that are really going to make a long-term impact.”

Next Step is also designed as a multi-disciplinary training site, meaning students pursuing different clinical roles – from nursing to social work to clinical psychology to school psychology – can complete

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their practicum requirement there. Last year, it had six student trainees; this year, it has four.

Next Step leaders would like to grow that number, but it faces a bottleneck, Van Hecke said. More trainees would require more licensed clinical supervisors, which is cost-prohibitive for a clinic offering services free of charge to families.

The clinic has drawn from partnering higher education institutions for its clinical supervisor.

Faculty are generally able to devote more time to training, compared to private psychologists who rely on billing for their services.

In the future, Next Step leaders envision adding a south side clinic, but they would need to secure funding for another clinical supervisor, Van Hecke said. Meanwhile, many universities – including Marquette – have enacted hiring freezes as they continue to climb out of financial challenges brought on by the pandemic.

“I’m happy to write grants, but ultimately it comes down to this: we need … supervisors overseeing the care. And they don’t come cheap. None of it comes cheap,” she said.

Growing talent

There’s a particular need for clinicians who choose to work in Milwaukee’s under-resourced areas, but retaining trainees proves difficult. Some students go on to take prestigious out-of-state internships, return to their hometowns or go on to

work in suburban clinical settings, where jobs often offer better pay, more convenience and less complex caseloads.

“Keeping them here in Milwaukee – that’s hard,” Van Hecke said. “… The best-resourced communities have the most ability to lure people away, but have, to me, the relative least need. … We service kids with trauma, we have kids who lost parents to COVID. It’s hard. But at the same time, you try to instill these values in students that we really need to serve people that have the most barriers.

We need to serve the underserved.”

Van Hecke said about 80% of students who get trained through Next Door leave the city after graduation.

Leaders agreed the region needs to grow its own talent if it wants a more diverse pipeline and one that stays in the area after graduation. A concerted effort should be made to expose students to mental health career options in high school, possibly earlier, they said.

Reducing costs for students could also open the possibility of more of them taking jobs in lower-paying clinics. Van Hecke suggested a loan forgiveness program for students who pledge to work in an underserved area for a certain amount of time after graduation as one potential solution.

“Maybe (loan forgiveness) is the only reason someone is able to make that choice to work in a city clinic,” Van Hecke said of a possible program.

THE BUSINESS LOAN THAT HELPED FEED MILWAUKEE.

“Maybe over time they love it and see how impactful that is.”

Meanwhile, Rogers has been forced to develop its own workforce solutions, including makeshift stopgaps to address current needs and training programs focused on more long-term sustainability.

Rogers has asked administrators with clinical backgrounds to pick up shifts on the front line, including nights and weekends. It’s offering sign-on bonuses for new hires and emphasizing the “career ladder” and mentorship opportunities available to new nurses if they stay with Rogers, Cohn said.

Through a partnership with the Milwaukee School of Engineering, the health system is providing nurses the opportunity to receive a full scholarship to continue their training as nurse practitioners. Rogers is hosting Walk-In Wednesdays to make those pitches to prospective hires in person and offer jobs on the spot.

“There’s some interest – not as much as we’d like,” said Cohn of the hiring events.

Employers are left appealing to employees’ sense of mission around the work in an effort to retain them, but that has its limits.

“Our staff is committed to the work, and they’re willing to work harder, and obviously we’re paying them more, and they’re willing to give more to help with our important mission. But especially in a pandemic, people can only give so much,” Halverson said. n

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Inflation has been on nearly everyone’s mind for months, and it seems every metric in place verifies growing concerns.

In August, the Federal Reserve’s favored inflation gauge rose to a 30-year high of 4.3%.Thirty years ago was long, long before there was anything like social media, which often shapes consumer beliefs and ideas.

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Jack Dorsey, the billionaire tech entrepreneur and CEO of Twitter, recently took to his own social media platform to note his belief that “Hyperinflation is going to change everything. It’s happening.”

Dorsey may have been staggered by his most recent grocery bill (although I doubt he does his own shopping). However, his use of the term “hyperinflation” is – for now – an exaggeration. Hyperinflation is defined as an increase in prices anywhere from 50% per month to 1000% a year.

While we’re observing some of the highest inflation rates in decades, we haven’t yet seen anything that approaches 1000%.

Steve Hanke, a Johns Hopkins economist, responded on Twitter, saying “There have been 62 certified hyperinflations in world history. At present, no country is experiencing hyperinflation. @jack should know better than to tweet irresponsible public statements.”

Hanke may be critical of Dorsey’s comments, yet Hanke endorsed the platform where the comments were made by responding on Twitter.

While America has seen inflation before – it reached double-digits as recently as 1980 – this is our nation’s first experience with significant inflation where the population communicates through social media.

Andre Kostolany, a stock market investor who made his fortune in the 1940’s, said, “Facts only account for 10% of the reactions in the stock market; everything else is psychology.”

Couple Kostolany’s comments with studies indicating that social media use may be related to signs and symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress, we are living in truly extraordinary times.

Perhaps the best path for you, if you have inflation concerns, is to avoid the social media “economists” and become an expert in what you own, and why. It’s a simple challenge – but it isn’t easy. I regularly run into people who have a significant amount of wealth but who lack genuine clarity in what they own.

For example, until you review the holdings of your mutual funds, you don’t really have a firm grasp on what you own. And that lack of knowledge could present problems during inflationary times.

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biztimes.com / 19

PRESENTS:

2021

CORPORATE CITIZENSHIP

CELEBRATING OUR REGION’S NONPROFITS MEET THE 2021 WINNERS AND FINALISTS For eight years now, BizTimes Media has proudly recognized the work of southeastern Wisconsin nonprofits and corporate citizens through our Nonprofit Excellence Awards, held this year on Nov. 5.

We recognize that a strong and sustainable nonprofit sector is needed to help our city and region flourish.

That’s why we highlighted 25 organizations, leaders, donors and companies each doing their part to make our community better as winners and finalists at our event. We hope the stories of the work these organizations and individuals do in areas like mental health, veterans issues, hunger, education, trauma and more inspire you to make a difference in any way you can.

Award winner and finalist profiles written

by Catherine Jozwik and Lauren Anderson.

Photos taken by Jake Hill Photography.

This year’s program also included two panel discussions focused on workforce development programs having success in connecting people to work and addressing the talent needs of employers. The first panel focused on programs serving high school students and the second highlighted programs working with young adults. Both discussions highlighted the collaboration taking place among for-profit and nonprofit organizations. You can watch the program on demand at biztimes.com/npea.

Thank you to our sponsor, Wegner CPAs, for helping us put the spotlight on these model citizens.

Dan Meyer,

Publisher, BizTimes Media

PRESENTED BY:

GOLD SPONSOR:

biztimes.com / 21

Jeremy Joecks of GPS Education Partners

Jim Johnston of Bradley Corp.

Mark Farrell of Froedtert Health

Amy Leahy of Cristo Rey

Stories from nonprofits and businesses making workforce development work

BY ARTHUR THOMAS, staff writer IT IS NO SECRET many employers across different industries are finding it difficult to find the employees they need to operate and grow their business. One way companies are addressing the challenge is through relationships with area nonprofits, especially with organizations skilled in reaching communities some businesses have struggled to tap into in the past.

“I think everyone is starting to get more and more creative on how to fill those gaps,” said Eric Wynn, general manager at J.H. Findorff & Son. As part of its Nonprofit Excellence Awards program earlier this month, BizTimes Media held two panel discussions focused on workforce development that works. The event was sponsored by Wegner CPAs. The first panel focused on organizations primarily serving high school students and featured Jeremy Joecks, director of partner services at GPS Education Partners; Mark Farrell, executive director of talent delivery at Froedtert Health; Jim Johnston, vice president of operations at Bradley Corp.; and Amy Leahy, director of corporate work study at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School Milwaukee.

The second panel focused on programs primarily helping young adults and featured Bill Caraher, chief information officer and director of operations at von Briesen & Roper s.c.; Blanca Gonzales, executive director of i.c. stars Milwaukee; Karen Higgins, executive director of Mil22 / BizTimes Milwaukee NOVEMBER 22, 2021

waukee Christian Center; and Wynn.

Farrell said the health care industry has known it would face workforce challenges as baby boomers retired, but the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated those issues as the mental and physical toll of the work pushes employees out of the industry.

“It’s really a challenge because now we’re also competing with other industries where we never thought that was going to happen. Because of the pandemic, we’ve had a large number of individuals who’ve said, ‘Maybe I don’t want to be in health care right now, maybe I want to try something different,’” Farrell said.

One way to address Froedtert’s workforce needs into the future is working with Cristo Rey, which requires all of its high school students to participate in a work-study program. Farrell said some students are able to work in the clinical setting, helping with patient transport, discharges and even the pharmacy, while others work in the administrative setting, including human resources.

“You get to know the students, and you get to talk with them a little bit about what they want to do and where they want to go, and you see them grow throughout the year. Usually, they come in really shy and quiet and then as the year goes along, they’re talking with you and engaging,” Farrell said.

Leahy said partner retention is an important measure of success for Cristo Rey. “Taking high school students in the

workplace is no small feat. It’s a commitment,” she said, noting around 85% of partners return each year.

Joecks said partner retention is important at GPSEd, too. The organization hosts education centers at manufacturers where students spend time on both academics and a youth apprenticeship.

He added that the hire rate is also an important measure to track.

“When a company like Bradley invests in our program, one of the reasons they do it is they want to have a future workforce come out of the program, they want to be able to hire as many as possible,” Joecks said, adding around 60% of students are eventually hired on with the company they apprentice at.

Johnston said it can be challenging to attract people to manufacturing, especially as every industry struggles for talent, but added it can be fun to just talk with students.

“I think the most important thing … is just get to know them first,” Johnston said. “Don’t talk about your company, don’t bring them in there and overwhelm them with details.”

When it comes to young adults, i.c. stars and Milwaukee Christian Center are helping the people in their programs develop the skills needed to enter the workforce. The former provides training in technology while the latter exposes people to construction trades.

“The key here is opportunity,”

Bill Caraher of von Briesen & Roper

Karen Higgins of Milwaukee Christian Center Blanca Gonzales of i.c. stars

Higgins said.

She explained that many program participants start out feeling “demoralized” about their prospects, and MCC works to “instill a culture that gets them to begin to believe.” i.c. stars partners with local employers on its training, but Gonzales said the hiring process can still exclude people

Eric Wynn of Findorff

who develop their skills in non-traditional ways. She said she understands applications are filtered to simplify the process, but employers looking to expand their pool of talent need to be intentional.

“Think about all the talent that sits out there because they don’t have a college degree,” she said.

“We coach our people as much as we

can, but we need the HR process to be more friendly,” Higgins added.

Wynn, a board member at MCC, said Findorff does not want a degree to be a barrier to employment and is focusing on finding individuals with a passion for the industry.

“We can teach them the rest once we get them in house,” he said. n

Non-Profit Resources Access to useful resources that support your mission is important for a non-profit, especially during these uncertain times. Visit our website for a wealth of free resources and sample templates we have developed specifically for non-profits, and subscribe to our email list to receive invitations to future webinars and non-profit trainings.

WEGNERCPAS.COM/INDUSTRIES/NON-PROFITS biztimes.com / 23

2021 PRESENTED BY:

Winner CORPORATE CITIZENSHIP

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

KEITH MARDAK AND MARY VANDENBERG

BY LAUREN ANDERSON, staff writer FORMER HAL LEONARD CORP. executives Keith Mardak and Mary Vandenberg say their desire to see Milwaukee youth flourish motivates their extensive philanthropic endeavors.

Mardak and Vandenberg, this year’s recipients of BizTimes Media’s Nonprofit Excellence Lifetime Achievement Award, have supported many nonprofit and educational initiatives in

Keith Mardak and Mary Vandenberg

the Milwaukee area for decades.

They are longtime supporters of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee, providing funding to establish the organization’s headquarters, the Mardak Center for Administration & Training at 1558 N. 6th St., and the Daniels-Mardak club on the north side.

When a lease dispute threatened to close the club in 2018, Mardak and Vandenberg swooped in at the eleventh hour with a $300,000 donation to subsidize a portion of its operating costs and keep the doors open.

The couple also financed the MarVan Scholars Program, a cooperative between the Boys & Girls Clubs and Milwaukee Public Schools that provides after-school help, support and enrichment to over 17,000 kids at 44 clubs with a certified, accredited teacher at each location.

They also recently committed to providing scholarships to help 30 Boys & Girls Clubs students complete college in partnership with All-In Milwaukee.

“Their generosity is a game changer for our collective efforts and underscores the value of working together to better position Milwaukee’s youth for great futures,” Kathy Thornton-Bias, president and chief executive officer of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee, said of the donation.

The couple have also devoted their efforts to providing Milwaukee youth with greater access to the arts and music. This fall, Mardak and Vandenberg donated $5 million to help fund the expansion of Milwaukee Youth Arts Center’s building at 325 W. Walnut St. In recognition of the gift, MYAC’s main facility will be named the Mardak|Vandenberg Building.

They were founding supporters of the MYAC, which is the home of First Stage and the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra, and have been principal program partners since its inception.

“We are extremely grateful for this generous donation from Keith and Mary,” said Del Wilson, executive director of MYAC. “The completed construction of the Mardak|Vandenberg Building will feature two new re-

hearsal halls, six studios and six small group instruction rooms and will preserve the legacy created by the couple in connecting students, families and neighborhoods for generations.”

Mardak, a native of Milwaukee’s south side, retired last year as chairman and chief executive officer of Milwaukee-based sheet music publisher Hal Leonard LLC. Vandenberg, who grew up in Green Bay, was formerly vice president of business affairs for the company.

Mardak said he and Mary wish to see others in the city have the same opportunities they have enjoyed.

“Why do I give? … Because the youth of our city are its future, and I want that future to be bright. Because all of our citizens should have the opportunity to enjoy access to education and art and music and beauty. Because I need to pay it forward,” Mardak said.

In addition to supporting youth programs, Mardak and Vandengberg have supported various health care initiatives. In 2018, they endowed a chair at Children’s Wisconsin with a $1.5 million gift – a donation that stemmed from their personal connection to the hospital. When their granddaughter was four years old, she received care at Children’s for a brain condition that ultimately required surgery.

Mardak also made a $2 million challenge grant in 2018 to Glendale-based nonprofit ABCD: After Breast Cancer Diagnosis, which provides peer-to-peer support for people with breast cancer. Mardak’s ties to the organization trace back to his decades-long friendship with its founder, the late Melodie Wilson Oldenburg, and her husband, Wayne Oldenburg.

Mardak, an avid handball player throughout his adult life, also set up a scholarship program with the United States Handball Association to give financial help to college students in return for them becoming teachers of handball to youth to introduce them to the sport.

Other beneficiaries of the couple’s philanthropy include the MSO, Milwaukee Ballet, UPAF, the Milwaukee Art Museum, St. Marcus Schools, Running Rebels, and the Phoenix Society for Burn Victims. l

Winner

NONPROFIT COLLABORATION OF THE YEAR

LATINO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF SOUTHEASTERN WISCONSIN A PUBLIC-PRIVATE COLLABORATION has The organizations have offered culturally enabled the Latino Chamber of Commerce of and linguistically relevant classes and coaching Southeastern Wisconsin to become the first to more than 60 entrepreneurs, providing needLatino-led community development financial ed information to a thriving but underserved institution in the state.

The Latino Chamber worked “ Collaborations take a lot of effort to develop trust, with Brookfield-based North a lot of work, but most importantly a shared Shore Bank, the Wisconsin Ecopurpose, a shared mission.” nomic Development Corp. and -Nelson Soler, president and CEO of the Latino Chamber of Commerce the Milwaukee Economic Deof Southeastern Wisconsin velopment Corp. for over two years on the effort.

With the goal of addressing the financial Latino population. needs of small businesses in the Latino com“After nearly two years of planning, all entimunity, the organizations partnered to seed a ties are now eager for the community to fully utirevolving loan fund that provides financial sup- lize and benefit from the revolving loan fund to port and loans to small businesses looking to support Latino small businesses,” said Margaret grow or expand that might not otherwise qualify Capper, senior vice president and commercial for commercial loans. banking manager for North Shore Bank. l

Nelson Soler

inalist inalist inalist F F F NONPROFIT COLLABORATION OF THE YEAR NONPROFIT COLLABORATION OF THE YEAR NONPROFIT COLLABORATION OF THE YEAR ARCHDIOCESE OF MILWAUKEE, MILWAUKEE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND DIVISION OF MILWAUKEE HOUSING

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, Division of Milwaukee County Housing and the Milwaukee Health Department partnered to offer shelter to homeless individuals testing positive for the virus.

In March 2020, Clare Hall, located on the grounds of Saint Francis de Sales Seminary in St. Francis, opened as temporary housing for these individuals.

“This allowed shelters for housing vulnerable people to stay open, and for COVID-positive homeless to heal and transition to permanent housing,” said Lydia LoCoco, director of community relations for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.

Several other organizations and individuals – including the National Guard, United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County, and volunteers – were involved in making the initiative successful, LoCoco said.

“The Clare Hall project reflects the creation of an alliance of government and church,” she said. “This joint collaboration points to the shared mission of both parties for the welfare and common good of our citizens.” l

COLLEGE POSSIBLE AND MILWAUKEE AREA TECHNICAL COLLEGE

MILWAUKEE INSTITUTE OF ART & DESIGN, TRUE SKOOL AND HANSON DODGE

College Possible Milwaukee and Milwaukee Area Technical College have teamed up to support under-resourced students in an effort to address the degree divide.

The organizations have developed a “near-peer coaching model,” in which College Possible college coaches are embedded on MATC’s campus to support students in various ways, including with financial aid and student advising. The coaches – which are based out of a dedicated College Possible office on campus – also serve as a liaison between College Possible and MATC to assist with on-campus recruitment activities.

While students of color, first-generation students and low-income students are the fastest-growing demographics at college and universities nationally, disparities persist when it comes to graduation rates.

“A college degree changes everything. Every year, hundreds of thousands of under-resourced high school graduates could go to college, but won’t,” said Carolyn Muckelberg, development director of College Possible Milwaukee. “Through this partnership, College Possible and MATC are committed to providing the tools, strategies and support that scholars with limited incomes need to navigate and overcome systematic barriers to graduation.” l

Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design has partnered with TRUE Skool and Hanson Dodge to encourage more high school students of color to pursue careers in design and creative industries.

Earlier this year, MIAD teamed up with TRUE Skool during the organization’s Designed Awareness program, in which students conducted research on topics related to the theme of “How Does Water Connect Us?” Students then applied what they learned to creative projects, including creating 3D models, painting littered objects on the beach, writing songs and creating music videos. MIAD faculty and students were on hand to assist them.

Following that program, several of the TRUE Skool students were among 14 total from Milwaukee high schools invited to participate in a two-week, paid internship at Milwaukee-based ad agency Hanson Dodge, where they shadowed professional designers, took field trips, learned about the industry and eventually created their own branding campaign for real-world client Johnsonville LLC. As a follow-up to the internship, 13 interested students were provided a full scholarship to attend MIAD’s Summer Core Pre-College or Advanced Pre-College programs in July and were assigned a MIAD mentor to meet with throughout the academic year. l biztimes.com / 25

2021

CORPORATE CITIZENSHIP

Winner

PRESENTED BY:

NONPROFIT EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR

EDUARDO M. GARZA, JR., PRESIDENT AND CEO The Center for Veterans Issues, Ltd.

Eduardo Garza, Jr.

COLLEAGUES OF EDUARDO M. GARZA, JR. say ans of Foreign Wars Department of Wisconsin to he works tirelessly for veterans and their families. help launch a free web and mobile app, CVI Help, Since joining The Center for Veterans Issues, designed to help connect veterans, their families Ltd. as president and chief executive officer in and community members in need with resources 2019, Garza has worked to rebrand and revitalize the organization by “ As we move forward into 2022, we begin a new developing a more comprehensive initiative to develop a mental wellness center that fundraising plan, new initiatives to will address the needs of all veterans who need serve veterans in need, deeper corporate partnerships and new marketservices, especially those who can’t afford it.” ing campaigns.

– Eduardo Garza, Jr. In December 2020, CVI partnered with Milwaukee Tool and The Home Depot to ren- from across the state. ovate an existing facility and establish a woodGarza also developed a new property manworking shop that provides vocational training, agement division at CVI to help enhance the wraphands-on experience and therapeutic opportuni- around services for clients living within CVI housing ties for veterans living in CVI’s transitional facility, facilities. The new division led to CVI being selectVets Place Central. ed as property manager for the National Soldiers In January 2021, CVI partnered with the Veter- Home on the Milwaukee VA Medical Grounds. l

SaintA is becoming Wellpoint Care Network.

inalist F NONPROFIT EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR

MARK NIEHAUS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE MILWAUKEE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

After 171 years of caring for the children and families of Wisconsin, we’ve decided it’s time for a change.

Our mission, values, service array and talented workforce are staying the same, but our new name, Wellpoint Care Network, exactly captures what we’ve been doing successfully for years – creating wellness.

SaintA will off icially become Wellpoint Care Network on Jan. 1, 2022.

26 / BizTimes Milwaukee NOVEMBER 22, 2021

Mark Niehaus IT’S BEEN A BIG YEAR for the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra.

Coming out of a pandemic that forced the orchestra to cancel in-person performances and delay the opening of its new home, the MSO officially celebrated the opening of the Bradley Symphony Center this spring in what was formerly downtown

Milwaukee’s Warner Grand Theatre.

Niehaus simultaneously led the organization through a tumultuous time for the arts and culture sector while also overseeing the massive undertaking of restoring a historic gem in the city’s downtown – a project that took nearly two decades to come to fruition. Over 1,000 donors contributed to the $139 million project, which pays homage to the family of late Allen-Bradley co-founder Harry Bradley and Peg Bradley, which gave a combined $52 million to the project.

The new symphony center is recognized as a major catalyst for the greater revival happening in Milwaukee’s Westown neighborhood. Niehaus has said the building was designed intentionally, with many windows and an inviting exterior, so the public knows they are welcome inside.

“That’s why we designed our building to be lit and open to the public, so you can’t walk down Wisconsin Avenue without going ‘Oh, I want to go in there. That looks like a place that I can go,’” he said. l

Winner

NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION OF THE YEAR – LARGE

SAINTA

FOUNDED IN 1850 to care for children orA grant from the Oprah Winfrey Charitable phaned during Milwaukee’s cholera epidemic, Foundation allowed SaintA to serve some of SaintA has evolved over the years to meet the those hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic via changing needs of families in the city. telehealth mental health services and allowed The organization has revamped into a resi- students to participate in virtual learning. dential treatment facility, established and operIn August 2021, SaintA announced that a ated a public charter school, and grown to become a “ I’m excited to accept this award on behalf of our 313 multi-service human services employees who bring passion to their work every day, agency that offers prevenin the good times which are many, and in the tough tion, intervention and crisis resources. times, which are real as well.”

In that time, SaintA has - Ann Leinfelder Grove, president and CEO, SaintA become recognized as a national leader in trauma-informed care, an ap- $2 million grant from the Substance Abuse and proach to human services and healing practices Mental Health Services Administration will fund rooted in neuroscience findings about how trau- a new partnership with the Boys and Girls Clubs ma affects brain development and functioning. of Greater Milwaukee and the Medical College Its approach is used to train those in human ser- of Wisconsin to provide evidence-based trauvices nationwide and has been recognized by ma-informed assessment and treatment for chilthe likes of Oprah Winfrey. dren and families in Milwaukee’s central city. l

inalist F NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION OF THE YEAR – LARGE

FEEDING AMERICA EASTERN WISCONSIN

inalist F NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION OF THE YEAR – LARGE

ST. AUGUSTINE PREPARATORY ACADEMY

St. Augustine Prep staff and students.

WITH FOOD BANKS in Milwaukee and Appleton, Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin serves more than a half-million individuals in 35 counties and distributes 36 million pounds of food annually.

From March 1 to June 30, 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization provided communities with 11 million pounds of food, including fruits and vegetables, dairy products, meat and poultry, representing an 85% increase from 2019. Feeding America partnered with 379 Wisconsin food pantries and reported

60,000 volunteer hours in 2020.

The organization’s staff works together to realize its mission of solving hunger.

“Every department at Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin has a unique role in the fight against hunger, as each team uses their expertise to solve one problem at a time,” said Catherine Daly, communications content specialist with Feeding America.

“Altogether, every team at Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin makes up the foundation of a sustainable organization that works cooperatively in the fight against hunger.” l

Ann Leinfelder Grove

WHEN ST. AUGUSTINE PREPARATORY ACADEMY opened on Milwaukee’s south side in 2017, staff discovered students were coming to them two or more academic years behind.

Over the past four years, leaders have worked to move the academic needle for students who are often underserved and prepare them for today’s careers through STEM- and arts-based curriculum.

Today, the K4-12 school serves more than 1,500 students. Ninety-nine percent qualify for the Milwaukee Parental Choice

Program, 87% qualify for federal free or reduced lunch, and 96% are students of color.

In an effort to embed more math, science and arts into students’ curriculum, all Aug Prep high school students major in a STEM track, such as engineering, computer programming or biomedical science, and they are required to take four years of STEM courses in addition to basic math and science classes. All high school students also major in an arts track, taking three to four years of visual arts, music, theater or business.

Aug Prep’s first class of seniors saw a 5.6-point average growth rate in their ACT scores in 2.5 years, more than double the national growth rate, according to school officials. l biztimes.com / 27

2021

Winner

CORPORATE CITIZENSHIP

PRESENTED BY:

NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION OF THE YEAR – SMALL

SILVER SPRING NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER

Devin Hudson

AS PART OF ITS MISSION of building a stronto supporting the students and families in the ger and safer community on Milwaukee’s Westlawn neighborhood, where Browning Elnorthwest side, Silver Spring Neighborhood ementary and SSNC are located,” said Lynda Center has partnered with several local orgaKohler, president and chief executive officer of nizations to launch a new program that teaches SHARP Literacy. “The area is categorized as a youth about urban agriculture.

The neighborhood center “ When I really think about the people that have is now the site of the Urban come through our programs, the people that work Greenhouse Revitalization Projthere, there’s an awesome ability to create ect, a collaboration of SHARP authentic and genuine relationships and that’s Literacy, Milwaukee School really what has made us an excellent organization.” of Engineering, Teens Grow Greens and many other part– Devin Hudson, executive director, Silver Spring Neighborhood Center ners.

The center’s greenhouse and garden food desert, with few grocery stores and even beds provide opportunities for students to fewer options for fresh fruits and vegetables.” learn about urban agriculture, and the proThe program teaches elementary students duce grown there is donated to the center’s about the importance of fresh foods and healthy food pantry and is used in cooking classes. eating, while growing food in the greenhouse “All the partners in the Urban Greenand gardens teaches them important science house Revitalization Project are committed concepts and life skills, Kohler said. l

inalist F NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION OF THE YEAR – SMALL

AFRICAN AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF WISCONSIN

Ossie Kendrix Jr. IT HAS BEEN AN IMPORTANT YEAR for the African American Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin.

After completing a $1 million fundraising campaign last year, the chamber recently moved to its new headquarters, which leaders say will allow it to better serve aspiring entrepreneurs in the city.

28 / BizTimes Milwaukee NOVEMBER 22, 2021

The new Legacy Co-Working and Innovation space at 1920 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive on Milwaukee’s north side, includes a commercial kitchen for entrepreneurs in the food and beverage industry, co-working spaces and conference rooms for collaboration.

Entrepreneurs have already set up shop in the new facility, including Kenge Adams of Connect Business Consulting, Melissa Allen of Maures Development LLC, Jaquilla Ross Financial LLC and Adija Greer Smith of Confectionately Yours Bakery.

“The African American Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin has been a tremendous game-changer for minority businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs in the city of Milwaukee,” said Debbie Allen, president of DNA Network and co-chair of the AACCW’s Legacy Capital Campaign.

Under the leadership of president, CEO and executive director Ossie Kendrix Jr. since 2017, the AACCW has raised $3.4 million and has grown to include 225 members. l

inalist F NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION OF THE YEAR – SMALL HEAR WISCONSIN

HEAR Wisconsin’s Mobile Audiology Clinic.

FOR NEARLY A CENTURY, HEAR Wisconsin has offered health care, therapy services and technology to thousands of adults and children who are deaf or hard of hearing.

This summer, HEAR Wisconsin launched its Mobile Audiology Clinic, which provides free hearing screenings for schools, assisted living communities, health fairs and homeless shelters. The service allows HEAR to expand its reach, providing onsite hearing health care services for low-income and underserved populations. The clinic offers “360-degree care,”

covering hearing evaluations, hearing aids and assistive technology for low or no cost to qualified residents, said Samantha Panella, a financial advisor for Baird and a board member of HEAR Wisconsin.

HEAR Wisconsin plans to work with local companies to provide fee-based hearing conservation services as part of the OSHA compliance requirement for employees who work in environments with high noise levels.

The revenue from those services will help sustain HEAR Wisconsin’s nonprofit mission in underserved communities, Panella said. l

Winner SOCIAL ENTERPRISE

FRANCISCAN PEACEMAKERS IN 2012, FRANCISCAN PEACEMAKERS start- works to connect women to safe housing, meaned Gifts for the Journey, a social enterprise that ingful work and a healing network of support, as sells bar soaps and other bath and body prod- it works to end human sex trafficking through ucts made by women in Milwaukee who have service and advocacy. l survived sexual exploitation or trafficking.

In addition to the retail component – which pays for the jobs it pro“ Sex trafficking and sexual exploitation is very cruel vides – the program offers and degrading to the women that it’s affected. ... (This) a supportive workplace for the women to learn skills in social enterprise only succeeds to serve the needs of manufacturing, packaging, the women when people buy really good products.” marketing, sales and admin-Deacon Steve Przedpelski, executive director of Franciscan Peacemakers istration.

In late 2019, Gifts for the Journey opened a storefront at 3333 W. Lisbon Ave. in Milwaukee’s Walnut Hill neighborhood, where it sells its products.

Franciscan Peacemakers was founded by two Franciscan Capuchin priests in 1995 as an outreach ministry to women engaged in prostitution, the homeless and families in poverty. It

inalist F SOCIAL ENTERPRISE

CANNEDWATER4KIDS

ects in Zambia, Kenya, and Tanzania. CW4K has also assisted with relief efforts in the wake of natural disasters, sending canned CW4K founder Gregory Stromberg (at right) pictured with water to Haiti, Florida, students from Escuela Verde, who participated in the Puerto Rico and Texas. organization’s Water 101 education program.

Another pillar of the enterprise is SUSSEX-BASED SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR- water education. The CW4K Water 101 IAL CHARITY CannedWater4Kids uses the program is focused on informing the proceeds from its canned drinking water to community about how valuable water raise funds for water projects in disadvan- is to health, agriculture and the future. taged communities worldwide.

Its CW4K Canned Water Stand program Founded by chief executive officer provides youth with jobs, bankable life Gregory Stromberg, CW4K has funded and skills such as entrepreneurship, sales and delivered sustainable clean water projects marketing, and a means to earn income worldwide, including assisting Engineers by selling canned water.

Without Borders Milwaukee in bringing Ninety-five percent of the money sustainable water purification solutions to earned from the sale of its water helps the highlands of Guatemala, and support- fund its charitable work, and its aluminum ing well/water tank and bio sand filter proj- bottles and cans are 100% recyclable. l

Steve Przedpelski

inalist F SOCIAL ENTERPRISE

I.C. STARS MILWAUKEE

i.c. stars board chair William Caraher pictured with a cohort of program interns.

I.C. STARS MILWAUKEE TRAINS young adults for careers in information technology, serving as a source of talent for local companies looking to hire diverse employees.

The nonprofit program, which was founded in Chicago over 20 years ago and launched its Milwaukee branch in 2018, offers its interns four months of paid, immersive training and two years of coaching and support. Meanwhile, the organization works with area employers to place graduates in IT careers on both a contract-to-hire and direct hire basis. Alumni have gone on to work for the likes of Northwestern Mutual, Molson Coors, Paylocity, Accenture and others.

“We are answering the call that so many have made trying to make inroads

with diversity, inclusion and equity to make Milwaukee the ‘Tech Hub’ of the Midwest,” said William Caraher, board chair of the Milwaukee program. i.c stars is fully supported by the business community and does not receive government support.

In its two full years of operation, i.c. stars has more than 80 program graduates who earn an average full-time annual salary of $50,000. In addition to connecting more young people to careers in the technology field, the organization’s goal is to help break cycles of poverty, increase rates of homeownership, promote startup funding for entrepreneurs of color and encourage investment in the city. l biztimes.com / 29

2021

Winner

CORPORATE CITIZENSHIP

PRESENTED BY:

CORPORATE CITIZEN OF THE YEAR

YABUKI FAMILY FOUNDATION behavioral health crisis among children in WisIN JULY, the Yabuki Family Foundation announced a $20 million gift to bolster mental consin, where one in five children is living with a serious mental illness, according to Children’s and behavioral health care services at Children’s Wisconsin facilities. It’s the largest single Wisconsin CEO Peggy Troy. gift in the history of the pediatric health system.

“It’s OK. We’re all suffering in this together. We’re The gift will allow Children’s coming out of the worst crisis in the last 100 years to have as many as 36 full-time and we are absolutely going to make it better, master’s degree-prepared thertransform (and) redefine the way pediatric apists, who will work alongside pediatricians in every Children’s services are delivered.” primary and urgent care loca-Jeff Yabuki tion. It also supports the creation of an endowed mental and behavioral Jeff Yabuki, the former chief executive offihealth research chair and analytics team to cer of Brookfield-based Fiserv, said he hopes monitor program efficacy, improve the initiathe gift will create meaningful change for kids tive and share best practices with other health in Wisconsin and across the nation by reducsystems. ing the stigma associated with mental illness The donation boosts Children’s five-year, and better integrate mental and physical $150 million vision to address the mental and health care. l

Jeff Yabuki

inalist F CORPORATE CITIZEN OF THE YEAR KOHL’S

inalist F CORPORATE CITIZEN OF THE YEAR

MILWAUKEE BUCKS FOUNDATION

Bucks’ mascot Bango and a fan pose with the Larry O’Brien Trophy.

IN A DEMONSTRATION of its commitment to its hometown, Kohl’s partners with 20 local organizations that advance causes related to health and wellness, social services and the arts.

The Menomonee Falls-based retailer donated a total of $1 million in August 2020 to Milwaukee organizations that serve residents of color, including Milwaukee Urban League, Safe & Sound, Employ Milwaukee, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee and Acts Housing. Each organization received between $150,000 to $250,000.

“We strengthened our support to the 30 / BizTimes Milwaukee NOVEMBER 22, 2021

Milwaukee community and the company’s ongoing commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion,” said Tara Geiter, director of community relations for Kohl’s.

The company pledged an additional $400,000 to the Boys & Girls Club in February 2021.

“This nonprofit was a vital community resource during the pandemic for local families, who were deeply impacted by the events of 2020,” said Geiter.

The company says it has given a total of $140 million to nonprofit organizations in the Milwaukee area throughout its history. l

THE MILWAUKEE BUCKS Foundation has lent major support to hunger relief efforts over the past five years.

During the 2020-‘21 NBA season, Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer helped benefit Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin through Coach Bud’s Assists for Hunger program. For the third year in a row, the foundation donated $15 for each assist the team made, which totaled 1,834, good for 82,530 meals for the organization.

Milwaukee Bucks Foundation volunteers also assisted at the Feeding America

food bank, sorting items and packing them into boxes for recipients.

“We all now know of the recent team’s historic championship win, but the Milwaukee Bucks’ charitable arm also has reason to celebrate,” said Catherine Daly, communications content specialist for Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin. “Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin is extremely proud to be a partner of this outstanding organization. We are so thankful for the Milwaukee Bucks Foundation for helping us fight hunger every day.” l

Winner

CORPORATE VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR

JOSEPH SCALA, SALES REPRESENTATIVE, METALCRAFT AUTOMATION GROUP JOSEPH SCALA, a sales representative with final years.

Metalcraft Automation Group, has volunteered “Joseph used his love as fuel to become one with Alzheimer’s Association and other nonprof- of our state’s strongest advocates,” said Lamal. it organizations for decades.

“Scala is a tireless ad“I’m just going to leave you with some advice from vocate for the Alzheimer’s James Taylor: ‘Shower the people you love with love, Association and the many show them the way that you feel.’” other individuals and organi– Joseph Scala, singing the lyrics zations he has touched over the last 40-plus years, and on a daily basis,” said Maggie Lamal, developScala has used his marketing and business ment manager for the Alzheimer’s Association skills to promote the organization, serving as Wisconsin chapter. chair of its annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s.

Scala attributes his commitment to giving He has also performed the National Anthem back to his parents, who taught him, “even if for many nonprofit organizations over the past you don’t have much, you share what you have.” decade, averaging about 50 events per year, His mother, an immigrant who had eight chil- including Milwaukee IndiaFest and Lakeshore dren, suffered from Alzheimer’s Disease in her Chinooks games. l

inalist F CORPORATE VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR

MICHAEL LEVEY, PARTNER AND ATTORNEY, QUARLES & BRADY LLP MICHAEL LEVEY, a partner and attorney with Quarles & Brady LLP, has donated hundreds of hours to the Wisconsin Equal Justice Fund as a board member for the past five years, said the fund’s executive director Aly Lynch.

Levey, who prior to joining the board had been a donor since the WEJF’s founding in 1997, also gives generously of his time, attending meetings, organizing and serving on several committees, and working to obtain funding for the organization, Lynch said.

“Mike’s dedication to the cause, raising funds for free civil legal aid services for low-income individuals and families, as well as people living with disabilities, in Wisconsin, clearly shines through in his amazing efforts and successes,” Lynch said.

In 2019, Levey was selected as the board president.

“During his year as president, he led a major effort to increase sponsorship requests from Wisconsin-based corporations

Joseph Nelson Scala Soler

FOOD SHOULDN’T BE AN IMPOSSIBLE CHOICE.

Michael Levey and corporate foundations,” Lynch said.

In 2020, Levey was able to raise double the funds he raised from corporations and foundations in 2019, despite the COVID-19 pandemic. l

HELP FEED YOUR NEIGHBORS IN NEED. FEEDINGAMERICAWI.ORG

biztimes.com / 31

2021

CORPORATE CITIZENSHIP

Winner

PRESENTED BY:

IN-KIND SUPPORTER

GREAT LAKES ROOFING CORP.

Nick Schliepp

GLRC employees also collected and donatGERMANTOWN-BASED Great Lakes Roofing ed over 3,400 pounds of food and household Corp. has been offering free roofing assistance goods, which volunteers unpacked, sorted, and repairs to home and commercial building owners through its Helping Hands program stocked and shelved at the free grocery store since 1987. “ Great Lakes, since we’ve started, has done what we call “GLRC co-owners Don Puc‘Helping Hands.’ … It was a bunch of employees who ci and Chris Lampien believe in would say ‘Hey, I know somebody that needs something,’ living our values every day, in and we would help them out. We’ve built it to what we do every customer and employee today. … We as a whole company bring different projects, interaction,” said Kris Moran, and we vote on it throughout the whole company to get marketing project manager for everybody involved in this.”

GLRC. In August 2021, GLRC do– Nick Schliepp, senior territory manager at Great Lakes Roofing nated a new roof, valued at $58,730, to the Veterans Outreach of Wisconsin’s SC Johnson Community VOW operates.

Center at 1624 Yout St. in Racine. The VOW’s “This project was so much more than a Veteran Villages, which are located in Racine roof,” Moran said. “It was a way for all of our and Milwaukee, offer small-scale housing to employees to engage in Helping Hands and veterans who are facing homelessness. build community.” l

NOTABLES & RISING STARS 2022 Keep up with BizTimes’ 2022 roundup of the leaders making a difference throughout southeast Wisconsin.

At companies across southeast Wisconsin, notable executives are running businesses, and investing in growth throughout the region. Rising Stars are mentoring, teaching and volunteering in their communities. The leaders profiled in these categories are nominated by their peers at work and in the community.

NOTABLE WOMEN IN LAW

Recognizing women who have a track record of setting legal precedents, winning big cases for their clients and mentoring the next wave of women in law – all while finding ways to give back to their communities.

Nomination deadline: December 10, 2021 Issue date: January 24, 2022

Look for these Notable and Rising Stars nominations in 2022!

Rising Stars in Wealth Management Nomination deadline: Jan. 7, 2022

Notable LGBTQ+ Executives Nomination deadline: Apr. 22, 2022

Rising Stars in Law Nomination deadline: July 29, 2022

Notable Women in Engineering Nomination deadline: Feb. 4, 2022

Rising Stars in Technology Nomination deadline: May 6, 2022

Notable Women in Manufacturing Nomination deadline: Aug. 26, 2022

Notable Commercial Banking Executives Nomination deadline: Feb. 25, 2022

Notable CFOs Nomination deadline: June 10, 2022

Notable Veteran Executives Nomination deadline: Sep.23, 2022

Rising Stars in Real Estate Nomination deadline: Mar. 25, 2022

Notable Office and Operations Managers Nomination deadline: July 8, 2022

Notable Women in Health Care Nomination deadline: Oct.28, 2022

Visit biztimes.com/notable for information and deadlines 32 / BizTimes Milwaukee NOVEMBER 22, 2021

Winner

NEXT GENERATION LEADERSHIP

WES WARNE, DIRECTOR OF TICKET SALES AND CAREER ADVANCEMENT, MILWAUKEE BUCKS WES WARNE, director of ticket sales and ca- ed to do the same thing with his two employee reer advancement for the Milwaukee Bucks, is a tickets for Game 6 of the NBA Finals and raised founding member of Young Wishmakers of Wis- an additional $68,000. The final total of over consin, Make-A-Wish Wisconsin’s “ Being seen as an emerging leader is not something I young professionals board. take for granted. This is truly an honor and motivates He is currently vice chair and me in my work. I hope to continue to spread the gift of previously chaired the events comgiving and to plant the seeds of compassion, love and mittee, leading numerous fundraisunderstanding in those in my life.” ing events benefiting Make-A-Wish – Wes Warne Wisconsin.

Warne created a fundraising opportunity for Make-A-Wish in which he used his $80,000 resulted in more than 10 wishes granttwo employee tickets to Game 4 of the NBA Fi- ed for kids battling critical illnesses. nals for a drawing. For every $20 donation to “Wes remains engaged with the mission by Make-A-Wish Wisconsin, participants were en- meeting Wish kids and their families, spending tered in a drawing to win the tickets. The effort time with them, and talking with them,” said netted over $12,000 for the organization.

Forrest Doolen, director of marketing and comWith the success of the fundraiser, he decid- munication for Make-A-Wish Wisconsin. “It’s

inalist F NEXT GENERATION LEADERSHIP

SORRINA BEECHER, OWNER, THE WHITE AGENCY AND WRITE MKE INK SORRINA BEECHER, owner of The White Agency and Write MKE Ink, uses her content marketing, SEO and public relations expertise for a good cause.

Beecher is a member of Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin’s Grateful Plate Committee, which organizes the organization’s signature annual fundraiser event, and host of News Bites, its monthly video series.

As a committee member, she serves as a digital content strategist, drafting social media posts to help advertise the Grateful Plate Gala. Her skills have been particularly helpful as the fundraising event was hosted on a virtual platform over the past two years.

“Sorrina consistently comes to the table prepared with ideas to improve Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin’s video series, social media presence and marketing strategies,” said Catherine Daly, communications content specialist for Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin. “With the reoccurring video series, she regularly looks for ideas to keep it fresh. Sorrina is always up for interviewing

Wes Warne one of his favorite aspects of working with Make-A-Wish Wisconsin, as he sees the courage and tenacity these kids have.” l Nelson Soler

inalist F NEXT GENERATION LEADERSHIP

KARTHIK PALANIAPPAN, LEAD ENGINEER, MILWAUKEE TOOL

Karthik Palaniappan

Sorrina Beecher guests, and even running around in a sandwich costume. While she is often mistaken as an employee because of her hard work, she is now described as ‘a friend of Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin.’” l

KARTHIK PALANIAPPAN, lead engineer for Milwaukee Tool, is not only talented at his own work, but also helps mentor others and gives back to the community, according to Chris Lambrou, chief information officer for Metro MLS. “Karthik leads with an open and caring, inquisitive approach,” said Lambrou. “He is known for his amazing ability to foster new employees into the work environment with a low-stress coaching style.”

Palaniappan volunteers with the executive committee of the Milwaukee charter

of Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, a professional organization which aims to advance technology for the good of humanity. He was elected as the charter’s chair in 2021.

“Karthik has a passion to help in whatever way he can,” Lambrou added. “He’s a problem solver and respected leader in his environment, whether it be in his management role at work, his volunteer leadership role at IEEE, or his hardest role of all: father and husband.” l

biztimes.com / 33

BUILDING PROJECT Q&A

SPONSORED CONTENT

ST. AUGUSTINE PREP

By: Pat Antkowski, Vice President for Construction, Lemberg Wisconsin commercial real estate is developing rapidly. With so many projects, contractors are seeing the advantages of engaging key players early. Lemberg offers early integration through several delivery methods, specifically design-build/design-assist, integrated project delivery (IPD), and guaranteed maximum price (GMP).

WHAT EXACTLY IS EARLY TRADE INVOLVEMENT? Trade partners are invited to the planning table to collaborate with general contractors, owners, architects, engineers, and other trades. This is referred to as the Design Team. Lemberg offers the in-house expertise of electrical engineers, building information modeling (BIM) experts, safety director, field foreman, and project managers to help shape the project timeline and budget, solidify manpower scheduling, and mitigate safety risks.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF HAVING TRADE EXPERTS AT THE TABLE EARLY IN A PROJECT? Critical to the success of a project are safety, an ontime schedule, constructibility, and an air-tight budget.

There are variables and unknowns that can affect them

all. With early integration of trade partners, contractors can take advantage of the expanded expertise during the planning stages, where issues can be mitigated easily.

In the past, trade partners were brought in during the construction phase. When issues occurred, there was little opportunity to avoid costly changes or save the project schedule from delays. » Enhances all areas of the building process and final product » Increases productivity; reduces conflicts » Saves money; protects budget » Protects and streamlines project schedule » Reduces time spent on non-value-added tasks HOW DOES PREFABRICATION HELP CREATE A SAFER JOBSITE? Lemberg uses building information modeling of project drawings to provide a 3D digital representation of a project. This allows the teams to predict times or areas of congestion on the jobsite, uncover opportunities for off-site prefabrication, and determine the best location for assembly and materials deliveries. Job sites stay free of clutter and on-the-job manpower stays lean, reducing

on-site labor, improving labor productivity, reducing costs, and lessening the potential for safety incidents.

WHAT ROLE DO TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATIVE THINKING PLAY IN PROJECTS LIKE THESE? Technology like building information modeling software allows Lemberg and the early integration team to visualize a project before breaking ground. In IPD, software is used to enhance communications and easily share documents. Lemberg also provides early recommendations from our data communications team for energy-saving building automation and our signage professionals for integrated wayfinding.

4085 N. 128th Street • Brookfield, WI 53005 lembergelectric.com • (262) 781-1500

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biztimes.com / 35

BizConnections BIZ PEOPLE

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

MANUFACTURING

Perlick Welcomes New VP of Marketing

Perlick is pleased to announce Rebecca Smith Edwards joined Perlick, as the new Vice President of Marketing.

Rebecca has over 20 years of experience from prior product management, marketing, and sales roles, including her most recent role as Vice President of Sales at Master Lock. Rebecca’s prior experience will be incremental in transforming Perlick into a more consumer-focused and innovationdriven organization.

Based in Milwaukee, WI, for over 100 years, Perlick designs, engineers, and manufactures luxury refrigeration equipment and systems for both homes and the bar, restaurant and beverage industries.

MEDIA & MARKETING

Trivera welcomes Jeff Skocir as EVP of Strategy, Services and Partnerships

Trivera, one of Milwaukee’s oldest and most respected digital agencies, is proud to announce the addition of industry veteran Jeff Skocir to their Executive Leadership team.

In his new role, Jeff will provide leadership and strategic direction for the development, implementation, and execution of digital marketing plans for Trivera and its clients.

He joins Team Trivera with over 25 years of Digital Marketing and Advertising experience including 15 years as SVP at one of the area’s largest ad agencies working with a diverse group of clients from local small businesses to Fortune 100 companies.

LEGAL SERVICES

Edric S. Bautista is a Shareholder in the Chicago office of von Briesen & Roper, s.c. Bautista focuses his practice on insurance coverage matters and he also has substantial experience in civil litigation and appellate representation.

LEGAL SERVICES

Griffin E. Bliler joins von Briesen & Roper, s.c.

Griffin E. Bliler is an Associate in the Milwaukee office of von Briesen & Roper, s.c. Bliler focuses his practice on business and corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, business formation and real estate.

New Hire?

Share the news with the business community!

Announce new hires, promotions, accolades, and board appointments with BizPeople.

Visit biztimes.com/bizconnect to submit your news!

36 / BizTimes Milwaukee NOVEMBER 22, 2021

Edric S. Bautista joins von Briesen & Roper, s.c.

LEGAL SERVICES

Katie L. Bireley joins von Briesen & Roper, s.c.

Katie Bireley is an Associate in the Milwaukee office. Her practice focuses on commercial contract disputes and litigation. Prior to joining von Briesen she served as in-house counsel for a New York property management firm and real estate developer.

LEGAL SERVICES

David P. Ruetz joins von Briesen & Roper, s.c.

Attorney David P. Ruetz has over 30 years of experience and focuses his practice on corporate, commercial and industrial law matters regarding environmental due diligence and risk assessment in mergers and acquisitions and real estate transactions.

NONPROFIT BETHESDA, LUTHER GROUP PLAN $31 MILLION RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT IN TOSA A $31 million residential and commercial development is planned for Wauwatosa that will include apartments for adults with developmental disabilities, a bank branch, retail space and opportunities for its residents to explore assistive technology.

Watertown-based nonprofit organization Bethesda and Elm Grove-based real estate firm Luther Group LLC purchased for $2.85 million the two-acre site at 7501 W. North Ave., where the Cornerstone Village project will be developed.

Plans for the development include 92 apartments and four townhome units. To serve people with disabilities, up to 23 units would be set aside for affordable rates, not to exceed

80% of median county income.

The remainder will be available to young professionals and families, Bethesda said.

A new BMO Harris Bank branch will be developed to replace its current branch onsite, along with two retail spaces and a “Discovery Lab,” which would be designed to provide opportunities for people with disabilities to learn life skills, explore assistive technology to increase independence and potentially be employed in a community-based businesses, Bethesda said.

If it receives city approvals, the project would break ground next year.

nonprofit

SPOTLIGHT

HE AR WISCONSIN

—Lauren Anderson, staff writer

10243 W. National Ave., West Allis (414) 604-2200 | hearwi.org Facebook: @HEARWI

c alendar Mental Health America of Wisconsin will host its 90th anniversary

celebration from 6-8 p.m. on Dec. 3 at The Gage, 1139 S. 70th St., Milwaukee. More information is available at mhawisconsin. org/90-Years.

PEARLS for Teen Girls will host its PEARLS Jam Fundraiser from

6-8 p.m. on Dec. 8 at The Cooperage, 822 S. Water St., Milwaukee. The event, hosted by local musician and emcee, B~Free, will feature musical performances by B~Free, PEARLS alumna, Donna Re’nee and local musician Keshena Armon. More information is available at one.bidpal.net/pearlsjam.

United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County will host

its virtual campaign closing celebration from 5-6:30 p.m. on Dec. 15. The celebration will include an announcement of the Give & Win Sweepstakes winners and the 2021 fundraising total. More information is available at unitedwaygmwc.org.

D O N AT I O N R O U N D U P Milwaukee-based Professional Dimensions announced Nia Imani Family Inc. as its signature Charitable Fund recipient, pledging to raise $100,000 over two years. Funds will be collected from a mix of donations from individual members, corporate sponsors and via proceeds from the Professional Dimensions Imprint Awards. | Spectrum recently awarded $25,000 to support Digital Bridge’s Bridge Milwaukee program and $15,000 to support YWCA Southeast Wisconsin’s integration of expanded digital skills training into its adult education services. | Bank Five Nine has pledged to match all gifts to the Wisconsin State Fair Foundation up to $10,000 during its holiday ornament sale and membership drive. | Revitalize Milwaukee’s Roaring ‘20s Gala raised over $100,000 for the organization’s emergency home repairs program. | The Milwaukee Brewers’ and Sargento Foods Inc.’s Double Helping for Hunger campaign raised a total of $51,600 to Hunger Task Force this season.

Year founded: 1926, incorporated

Key donors: HEAR Wisconsin

in 1944

has been a proud partner of United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County for over 74 years. HEAR Wisconsin also receives generous support from a broad base of dedicated donors, foundations, and corporate giving programs.

Mission statement: HEAR

Wisconsin is a nonprofit organization that helps infants, children and adults with hearing loss by eliminating communication and language barriers through personalized services, technology and education.

Primary focus of your nonprofit organization: With 95 years of

services, HEAR Wisconsin is the most comprehensive nonprofit organization in the state providing services to d/Deaf (culturally Deaf) and hard of hearing clients.

We serve approximately 6,000 people each year. Many of our clients, both children and adults, come from disadvantaged, at-risk backgrounds and lowincome households. Read more about Hear Wisconsin’s five core programs at hearwi.org.

Number of employees at this location: 22 employees, 14

freelance interpreters.

Executive leadership: Jill Van Calster, president and CEO Board of directors: Samantha

Panella (president), Jason Kuwayama (first vice president), Susan York Jeide (past board president), Shannon Burns (treasurer), Cody Ampomah, Franz Backus, Steve Duback, Robert Frisch, Scott Genz, Daryl Hudnall, Kira Lafond, James W. Meisser, Angela Pintar, Judy G. Scott and Rachel Smith.

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

is actively seeking board members, including those with HR and marketing backgrounds.

biztimes.com / 37

BizConnections VOLUME 27, NUMBER 14 | NOV 22, 2021

GLANCE AT YESTERYEAR

126 N. Jefferson St., Suite 403, Milwaukee, WI 53202-6120 PHONE: 414-277-8181 FAX: 414-277-8191 WEBSITE: www.biztimes.com CIRCULATION: 414-336-7100 | circulation@biztimes.com ADVERTISING: 414-336-7112 | advertising@biztimes.com EDITORIAL: 414-336-7120 | andrew.weiland@biztimes.com REPRINTS: 414-336-7100 | reprints@biztimes.com

PUBLISHER / OWNER Dan Meyer dan.meyer@biztimes.com

SALES & MARKETING

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

EDITORIAL EDITOR Andrew Weiland andrew.weiland@biztimes.com ASSOCIATE EDITOR Lauren Anderson lauren.anderson@biztimes.com ASSOCIATE EDITOR Arthur Thomas arthur.thomas@biztimes.com REPORTER Maredithe Meyer maredithe.meyer@biztimes.com REPORTER Alex Zank alex.zank@biztimes.com

North and Lisbon

— Photo courtesy Historic Photo Collection / Milwaukee Public Library

Despite issues, CRE brokers are optimistic THE COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE market is facing several major headwinds: supply chain challenges and inflation driving up the cost of construction materials, the work-fromhome trend established during the COVID-19 pandemic resulting in lower demand for office space, brick-and-mortar retail competing with online shopping, restaurant spaces that went vacant during the pandemic, and more.

Despite all of that, the industry’s wheelers and dealers in the Milwaukee area seem mostly upbeat about the market and its immediate future. That’s based on the results of BizTimes Milwaukee’s annual survey of members of the Commercial Association of Realtors Wisconsin (CARW). The survey results were unveiled at our annual Commercial Real Estate and Development Conference.

When asked what their current impression is of the commercial real estate market, 69% 38 / BizTimes Milwaukee NOVEMBER 22, 2021

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 GRAPHIC DESIGNER Alex Schneider alex.schneider@biztimes.com

This undated photo shows the intersection of Lisbon and North avenues in Milwaukee.

Facing west, the Northwestern National Bank is at the center of the photo, and the Walter G. Truettner Building takes up a large part of the block on the right side of the photo.

COMMENTARY

DIRECTOR OF SALES Linda Crawford linda.crawford@biztimes.com

of CARW members said “improving.” That’s a huge improvement from last year, when only 23% said the market was “improving,” as new COVID-19 cases in Wisconsin reached a peak of 6,500 per day, compared to 2,800 per day recently.

Looking ahead, 85% of CARW members are predicting the southeastern Wisconsin commercial real estate market will improve in 2022 – again, an improvement from a year ago when 72% said they expected improvement in 2021.

However, the strength of the market varies widely by real estate type. Of the CARW members surveyed, 89.7% say the industrial market is “improving.”

“The industrial market, specifically distribution and warehousing, is the strongest we have ever witnessed in Wisconsin,” one survey respondent said.

But the office market is in much worse shape as work-from-home practices have put a significant hit on office space demand. Only 22% of CARW members surveyed say the local office market is “improving,” 45.6% describe it as “flat,” and 32.4% say the office market is “declining.”

Also, 39.7% of CARW members surveyed said office space is the most over-developed

ART DIRECTOR Shelly Tabor shelly.tabor@biztimes.com

Independent & Locally Owned — Founded 1995 —

real estate sector in the region.

The good news for the area’s office market is that bleak outlook is an improvement from a year ago when 54.5% of CARW members said it was “declining” and only 4.5% said it was “improving.”

Like many segments of the economy, the area’s commercial real estate industry is facing huge challenges but also opportunities in some areas, including obviously the industrial market as well as the housing market.

“CRE has never faced so many headwinds from so many challenges – labor force quality and quantity, high construction costs, increasing interest rates in the not-too-distant future, uncertain federal tax changes, etc.,” one survey respondent said. “At the same time, there are real needs for emerging uses, such as workforce housing (and) detached rental housing, that require developers to deviate from past business practices.” n

ANDREW WEILAND EDITOR

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

LILA ARYAN PHOTOGRAPHY

MY BEST ADVICE

“ Take

your cues from your customers.”

STEPHANIE HORNE Owner AGE: 50

Stephanie L. Horne LLC dba SoHo Boutique Milwaukee sohoboutique.com Industry: Retail Employees: 17 “WHEN I WAS STARTING OUT, someone in the business told me, ‘As long as you concentrate on not buying just what you like, you’ll be successful. If you only buy what you like, good luck to you.’

“And it’s really true. Over the years, I have learned to focus on what the customers in my market want. The vendors I work with know that. When they ask if I want to see their bestsellers I say, ‘Absolutely not, because you don’t know my market.’

“I’ve also learned to pivot. When I hit an obstacle carrying all high-end brands, I had two choices: I could do it differently, or I could close. But I did it differently, pivoting from Stephanie Horne Boutique to SoHo Boutique. Now we’ve got a price point that everybody absolutely loves. When COVID-19 hit, I put a website together in two weeks.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: Horne graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in 1994 with a bachelor’s degree in fashion merchandising and briefly worked for a large retail brand before realizing it wasn’t for her. She switched to sales, working for Pitney Bowes and Smart Mail. Horne was still working full-time when she decided to return to fashion, launching an e-commerce apparel site and shipping items from her home.

When customers started asking to try things on, she opened the first Stephanie Horne Boutique in the Third Ward in 2007. Ten years later, she transitioned her business to SoHo Boutique. Her two daughters are active in the business when not attending college.

IN THE NEWS: SoHo Boutique recently opened a third location at the Galleria West Shopping Center in Brookfield, in addition to shops in Lake Geneva and the Third Ward.

“Throughout it all, I take my cues from my customers. That advice from years ago is still serving me well.” biztimes.com / 39

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