BizTimes Milwaukee | December 14, 2020

Essentials The people who got us through 2020

BEST IN BUSINESS 20

NOTABLE HEROES IN HEALTH CARE 31

COMMENTARY: THE POSITIVES OF 2020 46

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BizTimes Milwaukee (ISSN 1095-936X & USPS # 017813) Volume 26, Number 14, December 14, 2020 – January 24, 2021. BizTimes Milwaukee is published bi-weekly, except monthly in January, April, May, 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 $3.25. Back issues are $5 each. Periodicals postage paid at Milwaukee, WI and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send all UAA to CFS. NON-POSTAL AND MILITARY FACILITIES: Send address corrections to BizTimes Milwaukee, 126 N. Jefferson St., Suite 403, Milwaukee, WI 53202-6120. Entire contents copyright 2020 by BizTimes Media LLC. All rights reserved.

Contents

4 Leading Edge 4 NOW

BY THE NUMBERS 5 BIZ TRACKER 6 BIZ POLL PUBLIC RECORD 7 IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD 8 THE GOOD LIFE

9 BizNews 9 THE INTERVIEW: OSSIE KENDRIX

COVER STORY

12

The Essentials The people who got us through 2020

Congregational Home, Inc. staff members: Lorita Hawthorne, BS, infection control assistant; Emily Alessi, RN, DNS-CT, director of nursing; and Ann Kehoss, RN, BSN, infection prevention.

Cover photos and table of contents photo by: Andrew Feller Photography

Special Report

10 Real Estate 31 Notable Heroes in Health Care 45 Biz Connections 45 NONPROFIT 46 GLANCE AT YESTERYEAR COMMENTARY 47 MY TOUGHEST CHALLENGE

20 Best in Business

BizTimes Milwaukee’s annual staff picks for the biggest newsmakers of the year are profiled, including the corporation, CEO, small business, family-owned business and community leader of the year.

26 Manufacturing: Food and Beverage Coverage includes a report on the ups and downs local food and beverage startups have experienced in trying to gain wider exposure for their products, and a report on how the local craft beer industry has fared during the COVID-19 pandemic.

PARTNER WITH

WISCONSIN’S BANK FOR BUSINESS ® $19,000,000

$1,500,000

Acquisition financing FOOD MANUFACTURER

Working capital financing FOOD MANUFACTURER

townbank.us

biztimes.com / 3

Leading Edge

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

NOW

A Rinka rendering of The Couture.

The Couture finally nears construction

By Alex Zank, staff writer The Couture, a long-planned $188 million, 44-story luxury residential tower development near downtown Milwaukee’s lakefront, has been approved for a $103.5 million loan guarantee from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the federal agency announced recently.

The loan guarantee is the last crucial piece The Couture developer, Rick Barrett of Milwaukee-based Barrett Lo Visionary Development, sought in putting together the project financing.

The developer said construction is slated to begin in January. A spokesperson for Barrett Lo added

BY THE NUMBERS Gurnee, Illinoisbased packaging manufacturer Nosco Inc. announced that it plans to move its headquarters 10 miles north to Pleasant Prairie, and bring

300 jobs with it.

4 / BizTimes Milwaukee DECEMBER 14, 2020

the firm expects to close on the project financing this month.

“HUD’s firm commitment marks the final financial commitment required for us to begin construction on The Couture,” Barrett said in a statement. “We are thrilled to be working with the city, county and HUD on this catalytic development that will transform this vacant site into a dynamic public space that improves access to the lakefront, creates thousands of new jobs and adds a signature building to Milwaukee’s skyline.”

The successful application comes nearly three months after Barrett reapplied for the HUD loan guarantee, after letting a previous loan application lapse. It has been about six months since Barrett announced he had secured enough investor equity.

The 700,000-square-foot development is to include approximately 300 apartments, 50,000 square feet of commercial space, 900 parking spaces and a transit center for The Hop streetcar line and Milwaukee County’s planned bus rapid-transit system.

Vertical construction could begin six months from groundbreaking, according to a timeline provided by a spokesperson for Barrett Lo. Construction will initially focus on the removal of an existing sewer line and groundwork.

Groundwork should take about

three months, and then it will be another three months for crews to work back up to ground level to begin vertical construction.

Plans for The Couture were first announced in 2012. It was delayed by a lawsuit over the development rights of the site, and then could not collect enough investor equity to satisfy the requirements of its first application for a HUD guarantee.

A modified development agreement between the city of Milwaukee and the developer of The Couture sets new deadlines for the project, including that construction begins no later than Feb. 1.

The agreement also requires construction of the tower and related public infrastructure to finish no later than 42 months after work commences. The public transportation concourse that’s part of The Couture project also needs to be functional by the end of June 2022 so the city can have the streetcar’s lakefront line in operation by that time.

The city has a development agreement in place with Barrett Lo because the city is contributing up to $50.5 million through tax incremental financing.

According to the amended agreement, the city has until July 31, 2022 to get the streetcar line extension operating in order to receive a federal grant.n

The latest area economic data.

Home sales in southeastern Wisconsin were up

28.4%

in October, year-over-year, according to the Greater Milwaukee Association of Realtors.

NOTABLES 2021 Keep up with BizTimes’ 2021 roundup of the leaders making a difference throughout southeast Wisconsin.

5.7%

Wisconsin’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in October was

while the U.S. rate was 6.9%.

61.96

The Milwaukee-area manufacturing index in November was

up from 59.42 in October. Any reading above 50 indicates growth.

For the first 10 months of the year, passenger traffic at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport declined by

61%

compared to the same period in 2019.

At companies across southeast Wisconsin, notable executives are running businesses, navigating company restructurings, serving on boards, running HR and marketing departments, and investing in growth throughout the region. These notable individuals also mentor, teach and volunteer in their communities. The leaders profiled in these categories are nominated by their peers at work and in the community.

NOTABLE WOMEN

NOTABLE

These accomplished professionals represent all aspects of human resources. The common denominator: They went into HR to help people and have staked out paths to make an impact.

BizTimes Media announces BizTimes Media 2021 Notable Minority Business Executives, recognizing minority senior leaders in firms across the metro-Milwaukee area.

Nomination deadline: December 16, 2020

Nomination deadline: January 4, 2021

Issue date: January 25, 2021

Issue date: February 15, 2021

IN HUMAN RESOURCES

MINORITY EXECUTIVES

Nominations open in 2021: Notable Credit Union Leaders Nomination deadline: February 26, 2021 | Issue date: April 12, 2021 Notable Executive Assistants Nomination deadline: April 9, 2021 | Issue date: May 24, 2021 Notable Women on Corporate Boards Nomination deadline: May 7, 2021 | Issue date: June 21, 2021 Notable Women in Education Nomination deadline: June 4, 2021 | Issue date: July 19, 2021 Notable Marketing Executives Nomination deadline: July 2, 2021 | Issue date: August 16, 2021 Notable Women in Insurance Nomination deadline: September 10, 2021 | Issue date: October 25, 2021

The Milwaukee region’s net employment outlook for the start of 2021, which subtracts the percentage planning to decrease staffing from those planning an increase, is

13%

up from 9% heading into the fourth quarter, according to ManpowerGroup.

Notable Commercial Real Estate Leaders Nomination deadline: September 24, 2021 | Issue date: November 8, 2021 Notable Food & Beverage Executives Nomination deadline: October 29, 2021 | Issue date: December 13, 2021

To view this year’s winners and nominate, visit biztimes.com/notable biztimes.com / 5

Leading Edge BIZ POLL

@BIZTIMESMEDIA – Real-time news

THE

A recent survey of BizTimes.com readers.

Will construction of The Couture finally begin in 2021?

YES:

69.8%

NO:

30.2%

PUBLIC

RECORD Milwaukee lands high-paying jobs in Molson Coors deal

By Arthur Thomas, staff writer

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

J A N U A R Y

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E C O N O M I C

2 0 2 1

T R E N D S

I S S U E

I N S I DE the INDUSTRY INSIDE THE INDUSTRY

SPONSORED CONTENT

CONSTRUCTION Associated Builders & Contractors of Wisconsin

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ASSOCIATED BUILDERS AND CONTRACTORS (ABC) actively promotes merit – or performance-based – construction. ABC was founded nearly 70 years ago by six Baltimore contractors to defend and promote their right to be free from organized labor. Since the day it was founded, ABC members have shared the belief that construction projects should be awarded based on merit – not labor affiliation – to the lowest qualified bidders. ABC members believe free enterprise does not exist when unfair constraints are placed on merit contractors by the government or organized labor.

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biztimes.com / 33

DEADLINES: Space: January 6, 2021 Materials: January 8, 2021

IN THE JANUARY 25, 2021 ISSUE, BizTimes Milwaukee will kick off the year with a look at top local businesses in a wide variety of industries. Our readers learn about the past, present and future of industry standouts as each continues to make their mark in the Greater Milwaukee marketplace.

We invite you to showcase your company as an exclusive industry leader in the Inside the Industry pages. Positions are limited.

For more information contact Linda Crawford at 414-336-7112 or advertise@biztimes.com

Molson Coors executives said in October 2019 that the company would bring functional support roles to Milwaukee as part of a restructuring initiative aimed at streamlining its operations. The plan also included cutting 400 to 500 jobs globally and closing the company’s Denver offices. Molson Coors didn’t specify the number of jobs coming to Milwaukee, although Mayor Tom Barrett said at the time the plan included hundreds of new jobs in the city.

The details of the company’s plans became clearer in November as the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. submitted a plan to the state Legislature for a $25 million tax credit contract with Molson Coors.

The agreement called for the company to create 377 new jobs and retain 1,290 jobs in the state.

Here’s a breakdown of how Molson Coors would earn its tax credits, according to the WEDC staff review for the project:

$13.86 MILLION FOR JOB CREATION Earned at a rate of 7% of wages paid to employees in 377 newly-created positions at the company’s new corporate center at its Miller Valley campus. Credits are earned over eight years and only on wages between $30,000 and $100,000 annually. The maximum tax credit in this category is $1.82 million in most years.

$10.86 MILLION FOR JOB RETENTION Also earned at a 7% rate for wages paid to existing full-time employees in the company’s Wisconsin facilities. These credits are earned over five years with a maximum of around $2.17 million per year.

$280,000 FOR CAPITAL INVESTMENT Molson Coors would be eligible for a 10% tax credit on capital investments made in its corporate center to support the new jobs. The company planned to spend $1.6 million on renovation and around $1.2 million on equipment.

The jobs Molson Coors is bringing to Milwaukee are predominately high-paying positions, with more than 60% bringing in an annual salary of more than $100,000.

Also, as part of the agreement, Molson Coors would withdraw from two 2017 tax credit awards it received. The company was supposed to create at least 150 new jobs over four years in exchange for $2.45 million in tax credits. None of the credits were paid out because the 45 jobs the company created were paid by a different entity within the company that was not part of the contract. n Source: Wisconsin Economic Development Corp.

6 / BizTimes Milwaukee DECEMBER 14, 2020

IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

LAKESIDE NATURAL MEDICINE 3510 N. Oakland Ave., #203 NEIGHBORHOOD: Shorewood FOUNDED: 2011 OWNER: Sarah Axtell EMPLOYEES: 7

What services do you provide?

Axtell: “Lakeside’s naturopathic doctors work with patients on nutrition, diet, and lifestyle changes to address chronic health conditions such as autoimmune diseases, thyroid disorders, hormone imbalances, gastrointestinal disorders, and weight loss resistance.

To help identify the root cause of illness, they utilize several labs, such as food sensitivity testing and salivary hormone testing.”

What will your larger space now allow you to do that

you couldn’t before?

“The 2,000-squarefoot space is more than double our previous space and includes a teaching kitchen where patients can learn firsthand how to make easy, nutritious meals.

(Lakeside) holds virtual group cooking workshops to share the ‘food is medicine’ philosophy with a broader audience.”

How did you choose your current location in Shorewood?

“Originally located further north on Oakland, (Lakeside) moved the business to its current loca-

tion this past spring to take advantage of newly renovated space in a historic brick building at the corner of Oakland Avenue and Edgewood Avenue.”

What do you like most about the neighborhood?

“I love the walkability of Shorewood.

And, of course, the people. Shorewood residents are forward thinking and open-minded.

We want to empower people to take their health into their own hands, and Shorewood has really embraced our message.” n

We help you give...

...so you can help nonprofits grow.

Siebert Lutheran Foundation is partnering with donors to bring more collaborative support to Lutheran nonprofits and ministries.

Learn more: siebertfoundation.org/serves biztimes.com / 7

Leading Edge THE GOOD LIFE Spring Bank president and chief executive officer David Schuelke at Lambeau Field.

Spring Bank president works side gig at Lambeau Field

By Brandon Anderegg, staff writer

I

t was 1994 when the National Football League officially allowed coaches to communicate with players via radio. Before then, most teams used hand signals and player substitutions to make play calls.

the

Good LIFE

It was around this time that David Schuelke, president and chief executive officer of Spring Bank in Brookfield, started his gig as an NFL official, in an era many consider to be the renaissance of the Green Bay Packers franchise.

More than 25 years later, Schuelke still travels to Lambeau Field for home games where his primary responsibility is to control communication between the coach and the quarterback – toggling the line off and on at the snap of the ball or when 15 seconds remain on the play clock.

However, he is not privy to their conversations.

“No, that would be way too cool,” Schuelke said. “Again, it’s all secure, every team has their

own frequency and they’re very conscious of that.”

Schuelke loves the Packers and is a huge sports fan in general. And while he certainly gets to watch the game, it’s important for him to stay focused, because he can’t miss a second.

“You get to see the game, but you’re not high-fiving or watching replays; you’re focused on the game,” he said. “You can’t get sidetracked.”

NFL officials are often the subject of criticism, but Schuelke pointed out that many officials do not see the same angles viewers at home see on the television. The group of officials that Schuelke works with receives exceptional ratings, which is why he and his team have been asked to officiate multiple playoff games.

“My takeaway from the experience is how detail-oriented the National Football League is,” Schuelke said. “You think of some duty or some aspect of game day, they’ve got someone responsible for that and a protocol in place.” n

Cut through the noise.

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Vistage: 1,265 companies. D&B: approximately 1M U.S. companies.

BizNews

the

Interview

OSSIE KENDRIX, the president and chief executive officer of the African American

Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin, recently moved to the Dallas area with plans to continue leading the Milwaukee-based organization remotely in 2021 while maintaining dual residences in both cities. The chamber this fall announced it has reached a $1 million fundraising goal to fund its new Legacy Co-Working and Innovation Space, which is under development at 1920 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and slated to open early next year. Kendrix recently reflected on the Legacy campaign and his move in a conversation with BizTimes associate editor Lauren Anderson.

How do you feel having completed the Legacy campaign goal?

“Fairly relieved. I remember it was July of 2019 when we kicked off the campaign. I got anxious, it was my first time ever running a capital campaign and a first for the African American Chamber. I had developed a list of prospects, and in one day I had gotten three ‘no’s.’ So, besides crawling up into a ball and crying to my wife about what to do next, I then developed another list of prospects and hit the ground running.

“And on that second list was (former Milwaukee County executive) Chris Abele, who I had met with for about two and a half hours and walked away with a ‘yes,’ that he would invest in the capital campaign. He didn’t really share an amount until maybe a week before Christmas in December, he called and donated $300,000 of his personal dollars in support of the campaign. That really jumpstarted the campaign to raise additional funds. … It was a bumpy ride but I’m excited that we made it to the finish line.”

How have you seen COVID-19 affect Black entrepreneurs in Milwaukee?

“It’s kind of a double-edged sword. When COVID first hit, my heart went out for entrepreneurs. I was well aware of the federal resources that were available for entrepreneurs, but it just didn’t come soon enough. So, we started a recovery fund that raised just over $150,000 to award … African American business owners in the greater Milwaukee area grants of up to $2,500 to help them reopen their doors. … When COVID hit, we had two cohorts going through the (AACCW’s) RISE entrepreneurial program faceto-face and within two weeks we transitioned that to virtual. We found that our business owners continued to be engaged and continued to find ways in which they could pivot their revenue streams in order to stay afloat.”

How are you handling remote work from Dallas?

“It’s been about two months now. … The biggest thing is the remote work and extreme commute isn’t unusual for business execs and definitely it is not unusual in this COVID pandemic era. What I’ve found is that the board is very comfortable with me continuing to lead the organization to ensure that Legacy is executed in a meaningful way. ...

Later in 2021, I’ll work with the board to determine when the right time is to consider a leadership transition as well as a possible successor and identify or engage a consultant to assist in a search.”

Now that you’re in a different city, have you gained a new perspective on Milwaukee’s entrepreneurial and business climate?

“What I’m finding is that, when I do have a chance to travel around here in Dallas, the ecosystem relative to African American entrepreneurs is fairly fragmented. And it takes me back to Milwaukee – and not to say that Milwaukee does it well – but what I do think is that the ecosystem of African American entrepreneurs in Milwaukee is getting stronger and I’m happy to be part of that strengthening effort. I don’t think we’re there yet, but I do think it’s stronger than where I now reside in Dallas.” n

Ossie Kendrix President and chief executive officer African American Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin 633 W. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee Employees: 4 aaccwi.org biztimes.com / 9

Real Estate

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

4 2

5 6

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ING

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7

N. SANTA MONICA BLVD.

WHO OWNS THE BLOCK? SILVER SPRING DRIVE, FROM SANTA MONICA BOULEVARD TO MARLBOROUGH DRIVE, WHITEFISH BAY

306-338 E. Silver Spring Drive (two parcels) Owner: Fox Bay Building SPE LLC, registered to Tim Gokhman of New Land Enterprises Tenants: Elements Massage, Fox-Bay Cinema Grill, Just Kidding Kids Cuts, Mathnasium, Milan Laser Hair Removal, The Navy Knot, Starbucks, Wagner Pediatric Dentistry

5 501-513 E. Silver Spring Drive Owner: Diversey WFB LLC, registered to David Decker of Decker Properties Inc. Tenants: Beyond Full Spectrum, Cutting Group Milwaukee, Hounds Around Town, MOXIE Food + Drink, Rustam’s Gallery of Fine Rugs, Thiet Jewelers 10 / BizTimes Milwaukee DECEMBER 14, 2020

2 342 E. Silver Spring Drive Owner: Silver Fox Properties LLC, registered to Vladimir Shuk of New Land Enterprises Tenant: The Bay Restaurant

6 421 E. Silver Spring Drive Owner: AMP Holdings LLC, registered to Jerome Mahalick of AMP Wealth Management Tenants: AMP Wealth Management, Jessica Jubelirer Design, Salon Rex, Spartak, Werner Law Group

3 400 E. Silver Spring Drive Owner: Ramlal LLC, registered to Parag Patel Tenants: Bayshore Dental, Gerhard’s Kitchen & Bath Store

7 401-415 E. Silver Spring Drive Owner: Tov Lanu LLP, registered to Martin Katz of Atid Properties Tenants: Atid Properties, Burn Boot Camp, Herslof Optical Co. Inc., Home Care Assistance Corp., Indulge Salon and Skin Inc., Yellow Wood

4 530 E. Silver Spring Drive Owner: Sendik’s Investments LLC Tenant: Sendik’s Food Market

8 325 E. Silver Spring Drive Owner: BV/B2 LLC, registered to Robert Schmidt of Boulder Venture Tenant: Aurora Health Center

ALEX ZANK

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JON ELLIOTT OF MKE DRONES LLC

E. S

ILV

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SPR

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FEATURED DEAL: 72 5 -72 9 N . M I LWAU K E E S T. Oak Creek-based SURG Restaurant Group recently sold the downtown Milwaukee building that houses its Lucid Light Lounge night club and The Garden banquet space to the owner of the Maharaja Indian restaurant.

According to state records, a SURG affiliate sold the building at 725-729 N. Milwaukee St. to Bell Super LLC in early November for $2.4 million. Bell Super is owned by Balbir Singh, who also owns Maharaja, which is located on Milwaukee’s East Side.

Lucid Light Lounge and The Garden are both closed due to COVID-19. Singh was not immediately available for comment on his plans for the building.

The building totals 15,700 square feet, was built in 1881 and is assessed at $1.6 million, according to city records.

BUYER: Bell Super LLC SELLER: SU Real Estate Group LP SIZE: 15,700 square feet PRICE: $2.4 million

MILWAUKEE REHABILITATION HOSPITAL IN GREENFIELD A pair of Texas developers, WB Development Partners and New Era Companies, in November announced they had broken ground on a new inpatient rehabilitation hospital in Greenfield.

The three-story hospital building will include 40 private rooms and two therapy gyms.

The hospital is being built at 3200 S. 103rd St., the site of a former Knights of Columbus building. It will be operated by Allen, Texas-based Nobis Rehabilitation Partners. There, Nobis will treat people with debilitating illnesses and injuries such as strokes, brain injury and other complex neurological and orthopedic diseases.

It is expected to open in the fall of 2021 and employ about 120 people.

SIZE: 48,000 square feet STORIES: Three ESTIMATED VALUE: $18.2 million

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firstbusiness.com/mke biztimes.com / 11

STORY COVER

The

Essentials The people who got us through 2020

O

ne of the biggest takeaways of 2020 is just how essential our economy’s essential workers are.

During the COVID-19 pandemic many em-

ployees are working from home in an attempt to limit the spread of the virus. But some jobs can’t be done at home, and some of those are absolutely essential to keep our economy and our world moving forward.

So, this special report is a tribute to those essential workers who

this year did the jobs that had to be done, in person and in some cases putting their own health at risk. We thank them and we salute them.

In this report, read Q&As with essential workers from the health

care, senior living, grocery and trucking industries, and an educator.

Liz LaSelva, a registered nurse at Aurora Sinai Medical Center in Milwaukee, talks about her experience of working in a COVID-19 unit at the hospital. Emily Alessi, director of nursing for Congregational

Liz LaSelva

RN, charge nurse, Aurora Sinai COVID-19 unit

Home in Brookfield, talks about working in a senior living facility,

YEARS IN INDUSTRY:

serving an at-risk population during the pandemic. Don Ficht, a

YEARS WITH AURORA HEALTH CARE:

5 5

truck driver, driver trainer and driver liaison for Oak Creek-based Aim Transfer & Storage Inc., talks about the vital service truckers have provided during the pandemic. Charlene Osheim, a special education teacher at Engleburg Elementary School in Milwaukee, talks about how teachers have done their jobs in 2020. Tony Myers, assistant store manager for Outpost Natural Foods, talks about the vital role of grocery stores and their employees.

This report also includes a look at the banking industry and its employees, who stepped up this year to administer the massive volume of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans provided by the federal government to help businesses get through shutdowns during the early days of the pandemic.

12 / BizTimes Milwaukee DECEMBER 14, 2020

How much does the challenge of caring for COVID patients add to the work day for you?

“It adds a lot. It was a shift for us as far as our instincts went. Normally, when we would get a call from a patient … it’s just our instinct to jump up and to go to them, and we had to shift that very quickly to, no, we have to put on all of this PPE first before we go into the room, you have make sure that you have everything that you need. You can’t go in and out of the room all that easily. It’s very time-consuming. And it’s difficult, too, because we can’t spend as much time with our patients as we would like to.”

our treatments, so it’s still stressful, but it’s a little more comforting at least having an idea of knowing what we’re doing.”

ANDREW FELLER PHOTOGRAPHY

What does the public not understand about the challenge of treating COVID patients?

“I don’t watch television that often, but recently I’ve been watching a little bit more of it and I’ve seen these portrayals and I think they’re very interesting. I’m like, ‘That’s not what’s going on in our hospital.’ … I’ve gotten a lot of ‘Thank you so much for what you’re doing, I bet you it’s very difficult what you’re going through,’ and as a nurse, I almost feel like I want to say ‘Yeah, but it’s even harder for me because I hurt more watching my patients have to go through it.’ I just feel very sad for them. It’s lonely. It’s a lonely, sad, scary process for them to go through and I don’t know if the public realizes that. It looks kind of neat when you see it on TV. ... It looks like everybody is hustling around and there’s all these people around you.There’s really not, you’re really just kind of stuck there by yourself.”

When did you realize COVID was going to be different?

“I want to say around mid-March I had my first COVID medical emergency and it was the oddest thing that I had ever seen, really, in nursing. I had a patient whose oxygen level kept dropping. ... No signs of distress at all.

Her respiratory rate is normal. Her respiratory pattern is normal. She’s talking to me like nothing is wrong. So, I thought there was something wrong with the machinery. I went and got a different machine and I’m still checking and same thing. She just keeps dropping. I called a STAT team and everybody that’s allowed to comes into the room and I kind of looked around and realized that I wasn’t the only person that didn’t understand what was going on. … There was that split moment where I looked around and realized none of us really know

what’s going on and then it hit me, this is going to be bad.”

As this has dragged on, how has COVID shaped your unit and your colleagues, the stress and the burnout of it?

“There are definitely days where I sit in my car before work, in the parking garage and I have to talk myself into going in to work. Can I do this again for another 12, 14, 16 hours? And that never really happened before. It wasn’t a thing before and it’s a thing now.

“I think the anxiety is different than it was before. I think in the beginning it was a little chaotic, we didn’t really know what we were doing, information was changing, not on a weekly basis or a daily basis, it was changing every hour. ... Now we’re able to anticipate things as they come along. … We’re better with

Is there anything else you would want people to know about your work? Ways the public can support you?

“A lot of people in my neighborhood and then family and friends know that I’m a nurse, so I get a lot of questions all the time, which is fine. I mean there are days where I just don’t feel like talking about anything that has to do (with COVID), I just need a break, I don’t want to talk about the virus right now, but I understand that people want information. It’s been very difficult for me and I’ve talked to a lot of my coworkers and they feel the same, just the amount of misinformation that has been out there, people ask us questions but I feel like they don’t like our answers. They want us to answer questions in a way that’s going to support what they’re feeling or what they’ve heard or what they want to hear, and we’re not able to do that. We’re just going to tell you what we see and what we know. “…I would suggest to really follow the science. The virus really couldn’t care less about politics, about money, about our egos, it’s going to go on its course as it’s going to go, and I would just ask people to have patience.

Science takes time, it takes experience. I realize that some of our recommendations now are not the same as what they were two months ago, four months ago, in the beginning, but that’s OK, because we’re learning and as we learn our recommendations are going to be different and that’s a good sign. That means that we’re doing our jobs as medical professionals and epidemiologists, virologists. I would just ask that people pay more attention to that as opposed to the politics and the media that are surrounding it. And just to be kind to yourself, be kind to each other, there’s really no point in arguing about this, it’s here.” biztimes.com / 13

What remains challenging?

“Now, as we’ve gotten deeper into this thing, the challenge is running a business that’s a people business, which is really what retail is.

Our biggest asset to the co-op is our staff, and our people. As people get sick and quarantine or get the virus, we have no control over that.

And so, there are some days where we’ll have two, three, four people out of the store at once because of exposure to the virus. It’s hard to run a business when you don’t know if you’re going to have enough staff to do the things that need to get done.

“Also being short staffed. In spite of high unemployment in the state, we’re not able to find enough people to work. I suspect it’s because of the nature of being a customer-facing job that people are afraid to take a job like that during a pandemic.”

Tony Myers

ANDREW FELLER PHOTOGRAPHY

STORY COVER

Assistant store manager, Outpost Natural Foods YEARS AT OUTPOST:

4

How did the pandemic initially impact your work?

“In March, right before the governor issued the mandatory stay-at-home order, all of our stores were crushed with customers. … Essentially, we were being exposed as everyone just rushed into the stores. We were doing record sales – higher sales than holiday season sales in that week before the mandatory shutdown.

“The aisles were packed. Store staff were already required to wear masks, customers were not. There were just people everywhere, and you’re trying to stack shelves – you’re down there stocking shelves, and there’s people over you, reaching, grabbing, taking things, filling 14 / BizTimes Milwaukee DECEMBER 14, 2020

up carts. It was unnerving, to put it lightly.

“All of us, from our clerks up to store managers, were all very concerned about our wellbeing, mainly because of what was happening around us with customers. We still wanted to take very good care of our customers and see to it that their needs were met, but our safety was certainly compromised before the panic buying finally settled down.

“I lost 20 pounds because of an overactive thyroid that was triggered by the stress. And then when you went home, not knowing whether or not you were exposed to someone and then bringing that home to your family – it’s frightening, really frightening.”

What’s kept you motivated when things get tough?

“When retail employees were dubbed as essential workers, I felt like there was a duty that we still need to show up and do as much as we could to try and push down that fear, and do what we needed to do to keep the shelves full and keep our owners and customers happy.

“We really felt it was our duty to our customers and to our community where we operate to come in and ensure that we’re able to keep the stores running, in spite of the risks that were involved. If it was just a paycheck, I think a lot of folks would have said ‘This isn’t for me,’ but there was a real commitment from our staff and management to make sure that we’re here for our community that needs us.”

Has the pandemic shaped the store’s holiday season preparation?

“As a co-op we didn’t know what to expect going into this holiday season. One of the most predictable things is the cycle of product that’s coming in and out of the stores, the buying that we need to do of certain items, even the end caps and displays, because it’s what we do every year. All of that goes out the window because we just don’t know what to expect.”

What’s one takeaway from this experience?

“There was always this joke in high school that if you don’t get good grades, if you don’t go to school, if you don’t go to college, you’re going to end up working in a grocery store the rest of your life. It was kind of looked upon as this thing that one should be ashamed of.

“For the first time, I think ever, the nation recognized retail employees as being essential to the economy. … We are an essential part of your survival in this pandemic and I think it’s finally hit home. Now, people really won’t look down upon the kid that’s stocking the shelf or the woman who’s cutting meat or running the register. It kind of casts us in a different light now, and I think that’s good for everybody.”

ANDREW FELLER PHOTOGRAPHY

Charlene Osheim

Special education teacher, 4th and 5th grade, Engleburg Elementary School YEARS IN EDUCATION:

Paraprofessional assistant for 28 years; teacher for 8 years.

YEARS WITH MILWAUKEE PUBLIC SCHOOLS:

36 years

Before COVID hit, what did an ordinary day look like for you and how is it different now?

“Get the kids off the bus, come in, have breakfast, some kids would go to regular ed classes with support, some would stay in here and I would teach in whole group. … Now I split the kids up into three groups online. It’s working out really well. In the summer, when we found out we weren’t coming back (in person), I lost a lot of sleep. Because I was like, ‘How am I going to make this work better for my kids?’ …

They need hands-on (work). It took me a little while to figure this out, but we did.

“We do a lot of hands-on work, but in order to do that, I have to deliver materials to them.

So, I run everything off (on the copier) and I do it every two weeks now. We do reading curriculum, we do math, we do science and social studies. A lot of the science and social studies I have been buying. I buy booklets and workbooks that go with it. … I go to each and every child’s house. And I don’t only service those

children, but I service a couple of the siblings. I want it to be a family thing.”

Are you still coming into school even though your students are learning from home?

“I come in every day so I have my materials on hand. I’m here by 8 in the morning. I start my groups at 9.

“I also deliver the lunches to the children.

Every Friday that I deliver the materials, I deliver meals too. And sometimes (the cafeteria staff) are gracious enough that they have vegetable bags that they have left over and I can take those to the families too.”

How has communication with your students’ families changed?

“I love it. The parents are so welcoming.

They’re very welcoming. … We communicate on the phone. I text, they call; I call; they text.

Communication is so open. There are some years I never get to meet the parents. Not this

year. A lot them have been sitting right there next to their kids the whole time, helping them.

I text my parents on weekends, they’ll text me. I always tell them I’m available until after midnight when I’m sleeping. I have fantastic parents, they have been awesome.”

How has it been to balance your work and life?

“I love it. This is my life. These are my kids until I retire, which will be in about four to five years.

“I spoil my children. They’ll get stockings for St. Nick and they all get a gift for Christmas, even the siblings. It’s all ready for them.

At Halloween, I took them all a pumpkin. We were learning (about) the life cycle, so we did the life cycle of the pumpkin and they all had their own pumpkin to carve at home and we could talk about the life cycle and how many seeds were in there. These kids had a blast.

You have to do a little bit over and above to keep your kids engaged.” biztimes.com / 15

STORY COVER sleepless nights. I think we have all struggled to balance work and home, but when a nurse calls for reassurance that she made the right decision for a resident, I can’t ignore that. It is my job to support my team.”

Emily Alessi

ANDREW FELLER PHOTOGRAPHY

How have you changed the way you care for your residents?

“A lot of our time is spent connecting our residents with their families through window visits or video calls. We all know seniors are the most vulnerable to COVID, so we have unfortunately had to implement tough visiting restrictions, only letting residents see family through a closed window or video screen. We were able to support some heartwarming socially distanced reunions during the summer, but that was short-lived as it was canceled when the surge hit Wisconsin. Having to see our residents and families separated for so long is the most heartbreaking part of this pandemic. Can you imagine not seeing family since March?

This is a reality for many of our residents.”

Director of nursing, Congregational Home, Brookfield YEARS AS A NURSE:

9

YEARS AT CONGREGATIONAL HOME:

3

How would you describe your past 9 months?

“Challenging and rewarding. I don’t think anyone has imagined something like this would occur within our lives and it has definitely changed us all in some way. For me, it has shown me what I truly am capable of as a nurse and as a leader. It has taught me a new respect for my team. They were also challenged with 16 / BizTimes Milwaukee DECEMBER 14, 2020

this pandemic, but they continued to put our residents first even though they were scared. It has taught me a new respect for my residents and families as they adapted to every change we made and trusted our decisions. It made me look at my team differently and has brought us all closer together.

“Personally, there have definitely been days that I have struggled. There have been many

What have you had to do to keep yourself and your family healthy?

“I don’t go to social gatherings, only leave the house for essential reasons and wear my mask everywhere. I do many grocery pickups as well to avoid having to go into a store where I may be at risk. I have spent a lot of time educating my kids on what is best to protect ourselves and everyone around us.

Even my 3-year-old will tattle on people if she sees them without masks. Kids adapt well to change and mine have never complained about any of the new precautions. I don’t plan to attend any holiday gatherings this year. But it is OK. I would rather follow these protective guidelines than not be here and able to help my team through this. Or worse, bring it in here and expose our residents.”

What would you like the community to know about your experience this year?

“If anything good comes from this, it’s that this disease has really highlighted our support for one another. More specifically, support for long-term care. We are often forgotten in health care and I believe this pandemic has highlighted the amazing work that we do. We have stepped up and taken many patients from the hospitals, to empty their beds. We have made an extreme effort to provide hospital level care within our walls, to avoid having to send people to the hospital where they risk exposure and take up a bed needed by a COVID patient.

We have served as temporary families while our residents are away from theirs. Most importantly, we have worked tirelessly to protect the most vulnerable and we have shown what we are capable of.”

ANDREW FELLER PHOTOGRAPHY

Don Ficht

Driver, driver trainer and driver liaison, Aim Transfer & Storage Inc. YEARS IN INDUSTRY:

About 30

YEARS AT AIM TRANSFER:

7.5

In what ways has your job changed since the pandemic?

“Like everybody that’s doing this, I’m sure, as an essential worker we have to follow the guidelines (as recommended by health officials). And we as a company put in place extra guidelines.

Of course, we have to keep moving freight, so everybody has to know what the guidelines are.

“Our drivers use tablets for signing and logging, and everything just comes through that.

Before, we could come into (customers’) buildings, but they don’t allow that anymore. So, our customers are taking precautions as well.”

Can you give a sense of how much busier drivers have been this year during the outbreak?

“With the pandemic going on, it takes more to prepare and to do it the proper way. What I mean by that is there are more guidelines to follow, which can add more to your day. Whereas something would normally take five minutes, now it takes 10. It puts stress that way on a driver. They have to follow all those rules and

handle their business, (while) following the customer guidelines, whether it’s wearing gloves, using hand sanitizer, washing your hands.

“All this, it adds to their day, and more stress.

But we’ve got a good base of guys, and those guys know how to rock it. When I’m out there driving, I follow everything that has to be followed.”

What would you say the biggest challenge is of working in the COVID-19 era?

“As of right now, there’s a lot of people working from home but they still need to go out and do their daily functions. So, there’s more traffic at places on the road, I feel, because people get quarantined in their home.

I’ve noticed more drivers, walkers and runners.

You have all those distractions of people who normally are in a business working for nine to 10 hours, they’re now out on the road. So, it adds to the stress level, because you have more people out there who normally wouldn’t be.”

How do drivers ensure you’re keeping yourselves healthy and

motivated to continue working?

“Communication and talking together is a big help to all of us. … If they’re feeling a little down and out, I’ll pick up the phone and call them. You just stay in touch with them because they are lone rangers out there. And they sit in a truck 11, 12 hours a day. I just try to stay in contact with them, and make sure everything is OK. A lot of times if I’m not in the truck, I’ll go out in the yard and have a conversation with them. Talk with them and see how things are.

I deal with all the equipment, so I’m always in touch with them. They like knowing somebody is watching out for them.”

What’s it like for drivers knowing they’re essential workers and that they’re keeping the economy moving even during a shutdown?

“It makes us feel good knowing that we’re keeping things rolling, that we’re helping people. We’re trying to keep the economy going. … It’s very important, and we all understand that. I’ve got to say, that is our pride and our push. Because, if you don’t have truckers, you don’t have product. You don’t have a way to keep the economy going. I give our guys a lot of credit for doing what they do. It’s not easy, but they know what they’ve got to do and how they’ve got to do it. And they’re looking out for their families, too. It’s very important, and they understand that. So, my hat’s off to them.” biztimes.com / 17

STORY COVER

Financial services industry helped guide businesses through sharp downturn Banks hustled to meet massive PPP demand

BY BRANDON ANDEREGG,

staff writer

When the federal Paycheck Protection Program was announced earlier this year to help sustain businesses through an economic shutdown to slow the spread of COVID-19, Carpet Town USA owner Wendy Werner scrambled to connect with peers in her industry and consult with her banker.

West Allis-based Carpet Town USA, Inc. is a flooring and design center specializing in floor coverings and interior design. When Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers’ “Safer at Home” order took effect in March, it was a challenging time for the business. Carpet Town was closed, and while Werner was able to keep busy with several inhouse projects, the safety of her employees and the future of her business were top of mind.

“The first three to four weeks of the shutdown were very scary,” Werner said. “We didn’t know what would happen.”

While the health risk of COVID-19 had many focused on the present, the economic impact of the pandemic also created worry about the future.

Some business owners, by their own volition and ingenuity, learned to thrive in this new landscape. But to bring their plans to fruition, the financial services industry helped business owners navigate the complexities of the PPP. Financial institutions throughout the country processed 4.9 million PPP loans for a total of more than $521 billion, which supported 51 million jobs and over 80% of all small business employees, according to the U.S. Department of Treasury.

At the onset of the pandemic, many business owners, including Werner, had more questions than answers. Like many other businesses, Carpet Town shut its doors. But it was unknown at the time how long the closure would last. If the business reopened, what would the day-today operation look like? If Carpet Town was not approved for a PPP loan, what would happen to the business, its employees and their families?

“When this first hit, it was overwhelming,” said Lynn Carlson, Johnson Financial Group vice president regional retail sales manager.

“Clients shared their fears and uncertainties with us, and they were looking to us for answers and solutions as their financial partner.”

18 / BizTimes Milwaukee DECEMBER 14, 2020

CARLSON

Financial institutions across the state mobilized, deploying federal funding to Wisconsin businesses as WOODSON-JONES fast and as efficiently as possible. In most cases, PPP was not business as usual for lenders. The program, built by the federal government, was an entirely new system that was not without its flaws.

“I think the frustrating part for everybody is that it was brand new,” Werner said. “Every day, the government would change the requirements for the PPP loan. Sometimes within two hours we had to have different documents for what they needed.”

Understanding the nuances of the program was just part of the battle. Financial institutions had to align their systems and at times build new processes to coincide with the PPP, which meant late nights and weekend hours for many employees, said Wendy Woodson-Jones, Summit Credit Union branch manager.

“Behind the scenes, what people didn’t realize is that we were quickly moving employees into positions in our business department where we could quickly train them to help with the overall process,” Woodson-Jones said.

Not only did the industry shift its own internal processes to accommodate the PPP, several financial institutions also launched new or improved digital solutions to adjust to the

Carpet Town USA, Inc. owner Wendy Werner, designer Lauren Frank and designer Dianne Adam. growing demand of customers.

As lenders altered their delivery models, education became even more critical with customers now relying more heavily on digital solutions, Carlson said.

“We would meet with them and get mobile banking set up on their smartphone or we would go online and show them how to do a wire transfer, for example,” Carlson said. “It was very much one at a time, solution by solution, and our bankers teaching them how to use it.”

Thinking back to the first weeks of the pandemic, Werner recognizes just how critical it was that her business had established a relationship with Spring Bank, which facilitated her PPP loan.

“You want your banker to have that relationship with you of open communication and support,” Werner said. “Like I said, I’m lucky to have that.”

The challenges posed by the pandemic only strengthened the level of trust between banker and client, Carlson said, adding that educating clients was particularly rewarding for her team.

“When you can help someone reduce their anxiety, when you can reassure them ‘don’t worry, we’re here and we’re going to help you through this,’ that feels good,” Carlson said.

“When someone takes the time to really listen to you, help you and then presents the solution and teaches you how to use it, that bodes well for any relationship, regardless of what industry you’re in.” n

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STORY COVER

best BIZTIMES

 IN BUSINESS 

2020

THE TOP AREA NEWSMAKERS, MOVERS AND SHAKERS OF THE YEAR 2020 was supposed to be Milwaukee’s big year. The Democratic National Convention was going to put Milwaukee in the national and international spotlight. The NBA Finals was a possibility, too. The Ryder Cup in Sheboygan County also would have been a big deal and attracted attention to the region.

But it didn’t work out that way at all. The COVID-19 pandemic led to a virtual DNC and much of the economy was shut down in an attempt to reduce the spread of the virus. Economic activity plunged, then improved significantly as the economy reopened, but has not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels and some industries, especially the restaurant industry, remain in peril.

Summerfest and all of the other annual events that make life in the City of Festivals special were canceled. The Brewers played a partial season without fans in the stands. The Ryder Cup was postponed.

Civil unrest, sparked by violent confrontations between police officers and suspects, including the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis and the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, led to rioting and looting that damaged or destroyed several businesses in Kenosha, Wauwatosa and Milwaukee.

In February, a mass shooting at the Molson Coors brewery in Milwaukee resulted in the death of six individuals, including the gunman. Eight people were wounded in a mass shooting at Mayfair mall in Wauwatosa in November.

So, many of us are eager to move on from a very difficult year. But, before we do, there are still some things to celebrate about 2020.

BizTimes Milwaukee continues its tradition of recognizing the top businesses and leaders of the year with its annual Best in Business selections.

This section honors our staff’s picks for southeastern Wisconsin’s corporation, chief executive officer, small business, family-owned business and community leader of the year.

This year’s honorees are: Milwaukee Tool, which unveiled plans for a second corporate campus and a new manufacturing facility in the area; Mark Irgens, whose commercial real estate firm completed a new office tower in downtown Milwaukee and made progress on other projects; Fiveable, a Milwaukee startup that saw a surge of business during the pandemic; Rite-Hite, which announced plans for a new headquarters in Milwaukee; and Wisconsin Center District president and CEO Marty Brooks, who found a way to finally advance the longplanned convention center expansion.

Read all about these accomplishments in this special report.

20 / BizTimes Milwaukee DECEMBER 14, 2020

CORPORATION OF THE YEAR:

BY ARTHUR THOMAS, staff writer ASK MILWAUKEE TOOL group president Steve Richman for an update on the company’s expansion projects and he’s quick to turn to why the projects are needed and what has made them possible.

“When you grow 20% per year like we have for over 10 years, you have a choice as a business,” Richman said. “Your choice is either stay where you’re at and take away from resources that are currently working on the areas of the business we’re working on, or continue to grow and expand to really drive that objective, which for us is delivery of solutions towards our core users on a global basis.”

In recent years, Milwaukee Tool has continually chosen to continue growing. Growing its sales. Growing its facilities. Growing its workforce.

In the past year, the company announced plans for a new hand tool manufacturing facility in West Bend and a $100 million multi-purpose campus in Menomonee Falls.

Richman said the West Bend project is on track to be up and running in January 2022 and employees are already moving into an existing building on the Menomonee Falls site. He added the company continues to invest in people and resources for its Brookfield headquarters and in its Empire Level facility in Mukwonago, which is also making Milwaukee Tool-branded construction equipment.

For its continued growth, hiring and focus on innovation, Milwaukee Tool is BizTimes Milwaukee’s Best in Business 2020 Corporation of the Year.

Milwaukee Tool has a history of innovation, having launched products like the first right-angle drill and the Sawzall reciprocating saw in the 1940s and ‘50s. Its more recent success was kicked off by innovations in cordless power tools and expansion into new markets and verticals.

Richman doesn’t see the company as being defined by those products, however.

“We are a technology growth company,” he said. “Not a power tool company, not an accessory company and we will continue to grow and flourish to be able to solve our users’ needs and partner with distribution outlets throughout the globe to be able to accomplish those objectives.”

People and culture are the two fundamental pieces that have fueled the company’s growth, according to Richman. Even with the pandemic, Milwaukee Tool grew sales 13.3% in the first half of the year.

The company’s workforce has also grown dramatically. Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. records credit Milwaukee Tool with creating 821 new jobs as part of its 2016 tax incentive contract. The contract was updated last year with the Menomonee Falls project, setting a new job creation goal of 1,872.

Richman said the company is

LAUREN ANDERSON

MILWAUKEE TOOL

best BIZTIMES

 IN BUSINESS 

Corporation of the Year

Milwaukee Tool’s Brookfield campus.

currently recruiting 500 people for positions across software and firmware development, electrical and mechanical engineering, concepting, quality, reliability and more.

“Our needs right now, our appetite for people is larger than what is readily available of people in Wisconsin, no question about that,” he said. “That continues to be a challenge for us, and we’re looking at different ways to be able to deliver on that challenge.”

Milwaukee Tool’s culture has also been challenged in 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic has limited the ability to innovate and collaborate in person.

“Our teams, the creativity that they have used to be able to figure out how to get feedback from the various user segments, how to work together through social distancing … has been absolutely amazing,” Rich-

man said. “Our new product flow has not stopped at all. Our ability to innovate has not stopped at all. Has it been more difficult and more challenging? Absolutely.”

The company’s Brookfield headquarters has remained open with employees taking precautions and some working remotely. Richman acknowledged the company would prefer to have everyone on the same campus but the rise of remote work may change that.

“The reality is the world’s changing and we need to figure out how we’re going to adapt to make sure that we deliver on the objective of the most talented people with a diverse group, (the) most knowledgeable group, that fit our culture.

We’re evaluating what does that mean in 2021, 2022 and beyond,” Richman said.

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 IN BUSINESS 

CEO OF THE YEAR:

MARK IRGENS PAUL GAERTNER | WHITE DOG PHOTOGRAPHY

best BIZTIMES

CEO of t he Year

BY ALEX ZANK, staff writer THE MONTH BEFORE it was slated to be completed, the basement of the BMO Tower flooded, setting the finish date back by several months.

Developer Mark Irgens, chief executive officer and manager of Milwaukee-based Irgens Partners LLC, was on his way to Phoenix when the incident happened, and learned the bad news once he was off the plane.

It turned out the flooding incident was not the only major obstacle the new downtown Milwaukee glass office building had to overcome. And when construction did reach the finish line, the 25-story tower opened

22 / BizTimes Milwaukee DECEMBER 14, 2020

in April, during a global pandemic that dragged down a booming economy and cooled a red-hot real estate market.

But as uncertain as 2020 has been, Irgens has faced uncertain times before. Throughout his career, he’s witnessed previous recessions each decade starting in the early 1980s through the Great Recession.

They were all different, “but what they did do is throw you curve balls,” Irgens said.

That’s the perspective he has leaned on during the current downturn.

“If you look at the end of March all the way through April, we didn’t really know what was happening

with the pandemic and all our occupiers were stressed and calling us up, (saying) the sky was falling,” he said. “And being in these past experiences, I’ve seen a great deal of folks thinking the sky is falling and the end is at hand. What you have to do is look at it and realize, no, it’s not the end. We’re all going to figure it out.”

For his perseverance and vision, Irgens is BizTimes Milwaukee’s Best in Business 2020 CEO of the Year.

Despite the pandemic and anemic leasing activity, the BMO Tower managed to nab two more tenants in 2020, including another office user in Milwaukee-based Kahler Slater and a retail user in Thiensville-based Fiddleheads Coffee Roasters.

But the BMO Tower is only one component of Irgens’ big year.

His firm broke ground on Golf Parkway Corporate Center, which consists of two new office buildings at The Corridor mixed-use development project in Brookfield. A 45,000-square-foot building will be occupied by Brookfield-based Hydrite Chemical Co., and the majority of a 186,000-square-foot building will be taken up by Seattle-based Milliman Inc. Irgens Partners also landed two tenants for its new single-story, 37,200-square-foot office building in Mequon. Elm Grove-based Annex Wealth Management and Boston-based Gordon Bros. moved their Mequon offices there.

Glenn Roby, executive vice president of Kahler Slater, said two of Irgens’ strongest qualities are his tenacity and creativity.

Irgens’ 833 East Michigan office development in downtown Milwau-

Mark Irgens

kee, completed in 2016, is emblematic of his tenacity. Roby said the way in which Irgens worked through issues on that project — from attracting users to reaching a development agreement with U.S. Bank — inspired investors and future tenants alike.

“You know that Mark was going to make this work, he was so laser-focused on it,” Roby said.

And it was his creative thinking that set his development proposal apart from others BMO Harris Bank received for its new downtown Milwaukee office. Roby said whereas some developers looked for other open parcels, Irgens realized BMO already had the best piece of land downtown; it had just happened to be covered by its parking deck. So, he devised a way to turn that site into the BMO Tower.

“I give Mark a ton of credit for not just reading what was on the paper of that RFP, but really digging in and saying, ‘How could we do something better?’” Roby said.

At 65, Irgens has been thinking about the next chapter of the company. He said the company has for the past 10 years focused on building talent and having the right people, with the BMO Tower project being a “good testament we have recruited these folks for a great future.”

best

SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR:

BIZTIMES

JAKE HILL PHOTOGRAPHY

FIVEABLE

 IN BUSINESS 

Small Bus

Amanda DoAmaral

BY BRANDON ANDEREGG, staff writer FIVEABLE HAS CAPTURED a shift in the educational technology space, allowing the Milwaukee-based startup to carve out an even larger presence in the industry during 2020.

The company has found continued success with the platform it has built to connect teachers and students for virtual after-school help sessions via livestreaming.

Fiveable founder Amanda DoAmaral chose to remove the startup’s paywall earlier this year, a decision made before it was publicly known that COVID-19 was in the United States or that K-12 schools would close across the country.

“We felt like it was best for the business and ultimately we were right,” DoAmaral said. “If we could get more students using Fiveable and connecting with us, then we were just going to continue our growth.”

By April and May, Fiveable attracted one million users for the two months combined. During the summer, Fiveable gathered feedback

from its students, which DoAmaral said ultimately fueled a $2.3 million funding round, which was completed in October.

For its growth and timely services in the midst of the pandemic, Fiveable is BizTimes Milwaukee’s Best in Business 2020 Small Business of the Year.

With the help of students, Fiveable decided that by focusing on building communities and connections across education, it would generate the most value at a time when both students and teachers were feeling especially unengaged, DoAmaral said.

“Students pointed to feeling unmotivated, isolated, frustrated and generally disconnected from school,” DoAmaral said. “That’s definitely something that COVID made worse, but I know that it existed before that.”

Fiveable has now shifted its focus to revamping its content to include social threads where students can engage with other students and teachers can collaborate with other teachers.

“Instead of thinking class to class or school to school, think of students as a massive web that can be interconnected in a way that lifts them all up outside of the structures and bureaucracies that schools create,” DoAmaral said.

While Fiveable and Ed Tech companies in general have been challenged to gain investor backing in the past, the company’s latest funding round drew the support of multiple investors, including Metrodora Ventures, a venture fund led

by Chelsea Clinton, the daughter of former U.S. President Bill Clinton and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.

So, what changed? DoAmaral thinks there are multiple factors, but a primary one is that parents are becoming more involved in their children’s education and spending money on educational apps or different schooling experiences entirely.

“That was one of the biggest shifts that COVID ignited,” DoAmaral said. “It really did change the landscape of Ed Tech in the U.S. because our behavior is changing.”

DoAmaral came up with the Fiveable model after five years of teaching ninth- and 10th-grade history in Oakland, California. She had left teaching and moved near family in Maine.

A few of her former students were frustrated by a lack of resources for their Advanced Placement U.S. History class, so she offered to help them prepare for the AP test via livestream. The experience showed

iness of the Year

her there was a greater need among students, and that being online meant she could connect with people anywhere.

Fiveable started bringing in more teachers who were experts in other subject areas such as psychology, English and biology. Later, the company added professional development for AP teachers, interviewing textbook writers and creating livestreams covering each part of an exam and how to structure class time around the subject.

“When it all started, I didn’t sit down and think about what kind of company to build,” DoAmaral said.

“I just started helping the kids that were asking me for help and one thing led to another.”

The once four-person Fiveable team has grown to 16 full-time, part-time and contracted employees, some of which have been paid to uproot their lives and move to Milwaukee, DoAmaral said.

“Now that we have traction, resources, a team, and so many more creative minds thinking about this, we’ve really been able to see the bigger picture,” DoAmaral said. “AP feels like the first way that we can support students and open up access, but we start to get giddy when we think about other ways to do that too.”

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best

FAMILY BUSINESS OF THE YEAR:

BIZTIMES

RITE-HITE HOLDING CORP.

Fam i ly-

Owned Business of the Yea

EPPSTEIN UHEN ARCHITECTS

 IN BUSINESS 

r

BY LAUREN ANDERSON, staff writer FOR GLOBAL INDUSTRIAL equipment manufacturer and supplier Rite-Hite Holding Corp., innovation and development has been core to the company’s operations from the start.

The family-owned business, founded in 1965, initially gained traction as a manufacturer of loading dock equipment, including levelers and vehicle restraint systems. Over the years, through acquisitions and developing new products internally, Rite-Hite has evolved to become a holding company for several subsidiaries that produce a large family of products and employ nearly 2,500 people worldwide.

This year, it unveiled plans for the next stage in its evolution: developing a new headquarters facility in Milwaukee’s Reed Street Yards business park to house more than 300 employees. For its plans to bring hundreds of jobs and grow in the city of Milwaukee, Rite-Hite is BizTimes Milwaukee’s Best in Business 2020 Family Business of the Year.

To continue to innovate and grow as a company, Rite-Hite leaders see its planned move from its Brown Deer headquarters to the Walker’s Point neighborhood as a strategic decision.

A rendering of Rite-Hite’s planned headquarters in Reed Street Yards.

One of the main goals of the new campus – envisioned as a four-story, 158,300-square-foot office building and 103,000-square-foot, two-story research and development building – is to consolidate employees into one location and foster more collaboration, said Rite-Hite chairman Michael White.

“The Reed Street Yards location was one of the few remaining, multi-acreage sites in the downtown area where this could be accomplished,” he said. “Our company culture is focused on innovation, collaboration and relationships, and being together in an appealing location with connected buildings that can foster these things is important to our future growth.”

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will house Rite-Hite’s office employees and a customer experience center, while the other building will be devoted to research and development, a technical training center, a live loading dock and warehouse demonstration space, and the Milwaukee office of Rite-Hite subsidiary Arbon Equipment Corp.

With the company facing looming retirements and a competitive labor market, leaders expect that planting a headquarters near downtown Milwaukee will help attract a new generation of workers, White said.

“We expect our businesses to grow over the next decade at a pace exceeding inflation. That will necessitate adding people,” he said. “We also expect that acquisitions will add to our stable of products, bringing more employees into Rite-Hite. Our Reed Street Yards plans anticipate that growth. At the same time, automation and technology should make the business more efficient.”

Rite-Hite had been considering relocating its offices since 2017, when the village of Brown Deer initiated an eminent domain action to seize six acres of land near the company’s headquarters for a new public works facility. The company and village settled the dispute and the village eventually acquired the land from the company.

The company has not yet an-

nounced a groundbreaking date for the Reed Street Yards project, though city infrastructure work is ongoing.

As the company has its eyes on the future, the current e-commerce surge amid COVID-19 has driven more demand for Rite-Hite’s products and services. The company’s manufacturing facilities – deemed “essential” under Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers’ “Safer at Home” order in the spring – continued running throughout the pandemic, while employees who were able transitioned to working from home.

“Our products and services play a major role in keeping supply chains operational. We have all seen how COVID has accelerated consumers’ use of e-commerce, and that has resulted in ongoing demand for our products and services, since many of our customers are making investments in that area,” White said.

White, the son of Rite-Hite’s late founder, Arthur White, said being a family-owned company has been an advantage for the business throughout the years, offering greater flexibility to navigate industry headwinds and challenges.

“We don’t have a quarter-by-quarter mindset,” he said.

“We can live with softer profits in lean times and we can share more, by way of benefits, because we don’t have thousands of shareholders to satisfy.”

best

COMMUNITY LEADER OF THE YEAR:

BIZTIMES

MARTY BROOKS

CONTRIBUTED

 IN BUSINESS 

Commun

Marty Brooks

BY MAREDITHE MEYER, staff writer AFTER YEARS OF delay, plans to expand Milwaukee’s downtown convention center have finally been set in motion.

The Wisconsin Center District’s $420 million expansion project, which will double the size of the Wisconsin Center, got the green light in April, even as the COVID-19 pandemic rocked the nation. Its financing package was later approved in October as the final step needed for WCD to issue bonds to fund the project.

Garnering necessary support from both its 17-member board of directors and governance committee – plus backing from the city of Milwaukee to rely on the state’s

moral-obligation pledge – was a heavy lift for WCD, especially during a year plagued by uncertainty and loss.

But with president and chief executive officer Marty Brooks at the helm, the project gained the momentum it had never been able to muster, at what was considered an especially pivotal moment for the potential success of the Wisconsin Center and its impact on the surrounding community.

“What was most important for us to do was to provide our board members with the information that supported the need for the convention center and how the project itself, both short- and long-term, serves as an economic engine – a real catalyst – especially now with the impact COVID has had on the economy,” said Brooks, calling the project “shovel-ready.”

In recognition of his central role in advancing the Wisconsin Center expansion project, Brooks is BizTimes Milwaukee’s Best in Business 2020 Community Leader of the Year.

WCD, along with local groups VISIT Milwaukee and Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, have long pushed for a Phase III expansion of the 22-year-old venue as an effort to attract more large-scale

events and sharpen Milwaukee’s competitive edge against peer cities.

In the face of an economic downturn and concerns over a sluggish recovery for the meeting and convention business, Brooks and his team had to strengthen that case and make a “passionate plea” that the project couldn’t wait any longer.

Had the district waited to move forward, the bonds for the project may not have been issued until 2024, with construction not starting until the following year and the opening delayed until 2027 or 2028.

That timeline would miss the boat on the industry’s projected full return by mid-2023, said Brooks.

WCD estimates the expansion will attract an additional 100,000 out-of-state visitors to Milwaukee annually, generating an economic impact of $12.6 billion over 30 years and supporting approximately 2,300 full-time equivalent jobs statewide.

As the timeline stands, a groundbreaking is anticipated in December 2021, with the new addition opening in the first quarter of 2024.

Brooks was a newcomer to Milwaukee when he took over at WCD in January 2018. During the interview process, he was aware that the convention center expansion was a top priority.

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However, in his first couple months on the job, he noticed WCD was playing a backseat role in securing capital and political support for the expansion. The effort was largely being driven by MMAC and VISIT as well as its lobbying firm, even though the expansion itself would be funded and operated by the district.

“I got very involved to understand what had been done, the history of the project and, working shoulder-to-shoulder with the team that was in place over the next several months, took the leadership role in organizing the efforts to move this project forward,” he said.

About a year into his role, Brooks also set out to “to shake up the culture” at WCD. A 2019 employee engagement study found most staff – then 80 full-time and 175 part-time – didn’t have a personal connection with or pride in the organization, and there wasn’t much focus on the guest experience.

“While we may be a government agency, our business is hospitality and how we treat people and how we respond to people’s request is important,” he said.

Brooks said employees have embraced the change, which helped facilitate the recent progress of the expansion project.

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Special Report MANUFACTURING: FOOD & BEVERAGE

Cindy Poiesz, founder of Evolve Brands.

The challenges of taking a FaB startup national

BY STACY VOGEL DAVIS, for BizTimes CINDY POIESZ, founder of Evolve Brands has a classic entrepreneur success story. She started selling her granola mix, Supernola, at farmers markets in 2015. Sales grew tenfold after she partnered with a food industry executive and bought a facility in Jackson. In February, Supernola launched in Walgreens stores nationwide.

But her journey has been slower than she would like at times, with some bumps and detours. She has navigated issues of equipment, financing, the national retailing landscape and, of course, a global pandemic in 2020. Critically, she did not do so alone.

Poiesz advises local entrepreneurs to tap into available resources as they chart their growth.

“There is a network here, and you should really use it,” she said.

For Evolve, that network includes industry group Food and Beverage (FaB) Wisconsin, Madison-based Food Finance Institute and brokers who help her tailor its product to national retailers.

Taking a food or beverage business national is complicated, said Shelley Jurewicz, FaB Wisconsin executive director. It’s one thing to get into local grocery stores but getting into regional and national chains is another challenge entirely. In all cases, companies must follow food safety regulations and obtain the proper equipment and production capacity to meet increased sales, which often requires large capital injections.

It’s crucial that entrepreneurs develop a targeted growth strategy, said Tera Johnson, founder of the Food Finance Institute (FFI) at the University of Wisconsin System Administration.

“The clearer people can get earlier on about 26 / BizTimes Milwaukee DECEMBER 14, 2020

the scale of their ambition, the better,” she said.

FaB Wisconsin created the FaBcap Accelerator in collaboration with FFI and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. to help entrepreneurs untangle these issues. The program, now hosted by FFI, accepts 10 companies each year for coaching and mentoring along with a $10,000 award and participation in a pitch event.

Companies can participate in accelerator workshops even if not selected for the program.

Of the 40 companies that have graduated, 39 are still in operation, generating $35 million in annual sales, Jurewicz said.

The accelerator helped Milwaukee Pretzel Co. define its business plan and grow its network, co-owner Matt Wessel said. He and his wife, Katie, started the company in 2013 to bring Bavarian-style soft pretzels to Milwaukee. Its reach has since grown to 17 states.

Before 2020, the company saw annual growth of 25% to 30%, mostly in the food service sector, including restaurants, bars, festivals and stadiums, Wessel said. The COVID-19 pandemic crushed sales in that area but motivated the company to accelerate a different goal.

“We’ve always wanted to get into grocery, and this forced us to get into grocery faster,” Wessel said.

It quickly created its first grocery product, a 1-pound frozen pretzel called the Bavarian Beast. Palermo Villa Inc., another local food company that has gone national, added Milwaukee Pretzel Co. to its direct-store delivery network, and the product is now available in more than 200 stores in Wisconsin, Illinois and Minnesota,

Wessel said.

Grocery sales, along with a 500% increase in online sales, will help the business finish the year with an estimated 10% dip in revenue despite a steep drop in food-service sales, he said.

“When we get through (COVID), our company certainly will look back on it and will have built two stronger revenue channels than we had before,” he said.

The company will move into a 22,000-squarefoot facility on Milwaukee’s far northwest side in early 2021, Wessel said. It bought the $1.4 million facility three weeks before the pandemic hit with funding through BMO Harris Bank, the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Milwaukee Economic Development Corp. The financing included $600,000 for improvements and equipment.

The pandemic also struck at a critical time for Evolve Brands, Poiesz said. Walgreens started carrying Supernola in February 2020 after nearly two years of talks with the company.

Evolve worked with a broker specific to Walgreens on everything from packaging to production amounts.

“It’s very risky to launch into new retailers,” Poiesz said. “You can lose a lot of money if you don’t do it right, and so you need experts who have been doing it for a lot of years.”

Two weeks later, sales plummeted due to the pandemic. But the downtime allowed Evolve to update its growth plan and bring in necessary equipment to expand its capacity, she said.

Evolve added a West Coast distributor of Supernola in the fall, bringing it to 8,500 stores total. It’s now targeting convenience stores and has hired a broker to try to get into Costco.

In January, Evolve completed a Series A funding round.

“We were really focused on having the right investors who understood (the company),” Poiesz said. “COVID was a great test for that relationship, but they could not have been more supportive.”

A company that can scale up quickly through nationwide distribution, like Evolve, is attractive to private equity, Johnson said. Those funders are typically looking to grow sales to $10 million or more to attract a buyer to pay out their investment. Slower, steady growth is more likely to attract bank loans.

“I do a lot of work to try to get people to be clear about whether you want to be on that exponential growth plan or not, and that says a lot about the people that are going to invest in you,” Johnson said.

Kwadwo Owusu-Ofori, a 2020 graduate of the FFI FabCap Accelerator and founder of Wauwatosa-based Satori Food Project, aims for rapid growth. A doctor of pharmaceutical sciences, he developed a line of single-serving coffee and hot

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chocolate pods infused with vitamins that ease anxiety. He launched the product in June after years of research and consumer testing, including a previous startup that sold vitamin-infused coffee creamer.

He originally planned to sell the pods to businesses through office supply chains, but since people are staying home due to the pandemic, most of his sales come through Amazon. Production and sales have doubled each month, and he now sells hundreds of cartons a month, each with 12 pods, he said.

As the only full-time employee, he works with a contract manufacturer, marketing firm and sales consultant. He hopes to grow through digital sales, psychiatrist and psychologist referrals, and clinical trials that could prove the product’s effectiveness in treating anxiety.

Satori, based in the Milwaukee County Research Park in Wauwatosa, has raised $125,000 in funding so far, including $10,000 from the accelerator program; $10,000 from Project Pitch It, a local investment show; and $25,000 from Wauwatosa-based Global Capital Group LLC, Owusu-Ofori said.

“I think it’s going to be something that we’re

LILA ARYAN PHOTOGRAPHY

Special Report

eventually going to scale up and sell,” he said.

Brian Miller is on the other side of that process. His family owned Milwaukee-based Miller Baking Co. for decades, but it grew exponentially starting in 2007 when it introduced the Pretzilla pretzel-style bun.

The company has Kwadwo Owusu-Ofori, the founder of Wauwatosa-based Satori Food Project, pictured in his lab. grown by double digits each of the last five years, with Pretzilla products for sale at believes Benestar is the right partner to continue Whole Foods Market and other grocery stores Pretzilla’s growth. nationwide. In November, the company anHe will stay on for now as CEO and “brand nounced its acquisition by Benestar Brands cheerleader,” but he knows the company is enLLC, a portfolio of Dallas-based Highlander tering a new era.

Partners L.P. “It was a wild, scary and rewarding ride,” he Miller passed on several sale offers over the said. “I kept grinding every day to get better beyears because he wanted to make sure Pretzilla cause that’s what you instinctively do when you was the established market leader, he said. He love what you do.” n

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MANUFACTURING: FOOD & BEVERAGE

Good City Brewing’s downtown Milwaukee location.

Craft brewers ‘hanging in there’ during challenging year

BY STACY VOGEL DAVIS, for BizTimes DAN KATT, co-founder of Good City Brewing, clearly remembers the evening of March 11, 2020.

Business was booming at Good City’s new downtown location, boosted by the performance of the Milwaukee Bucks, who had the best record in the NBA. The Bucks were off that night, but their home arena next door was rocking to a Lumineers concert. There were no indications that Fiserv Forum would sit empty after that for at least nine months.

But that night, the NBA suspended play after its first player tested positive for COVID-19.

Good City closed the downtown location a couple days later, and thousands of local businesses followed in the coming days and weeks.

“It was really a bizarre few days, a sad few days,” Katt said.

The rest of the year has been equally bizarre for craft brewers, with struggles highlighted by some bright spots, including packaged beer sales.

“The operative phrase that I hear from brewers is, ‘We’re hanging in there,’” said Mark Garthwaite, executive director of the Wisconsin Brewers Guild.

Performance depends on size and business model, he said. Small brewers that rely heavily

on taproom sales have struggled the most, while brewers that had strong wholesale, packaged operations or were able to quickly scale up that side have done better and even grown in some cases.

“The big adjustment when the pandemic set in was for breweries to put as much as they could in cans and bottles rather than kegs,” Garthwaite said.

The closure of taprooms, restaurants and bars, along with the cancellation of sporting events and festivals, forced some brewers to dump kegs early on. Third Space Brewing, based in Milwaukee’s Menomonee Valley, was one of them, said Andy Gehl, co-founder and director of sales and marketing.

“The pandemic hit at one of the worst times for a production brewery like us, because you’re ramping up for summer,” he said.

But overall sales are up this year, Gehl said.

About 60% of Third Space’s sales typically come from packaged beer, but that number has shot up to 75% this year as people drink beer at home instead of at bars. The brewery also added distribution territory in Door County, Green Bay and the Fox Valley.

Brewers have gotten creative to boost sales and stay top of mind for customers, launching

new beers, creating virtual and drive-thru beer events, and even adding new products such as beer bread mix and hand sanitizer.

But the emphasis on packaged sales is tough on margins, Gehl said. Customers pay much more for beer by the glass than by the six-pack, and grocery and liquor store sales involve more costs, such as stocking and promotional fees.

Eagle Park Brewing Co. took advantage of the increased demand for packaged beer with its new Muskego facility, co-owner Jake Schinker said. It started production there in March and opened the taproom in July while retaining its location on Milwaukee’s East Side.

Previously, the company had focused almost entirely on taproom sales. But the new facility and distribution deals with Beer Capitol Distributing, Frank Beer Distributors and La Crosse Beverage, LLC this year allowed it to increase production by 300%, Schinker said.

“We have been able to get our beer into more hands than ever because people don’t have to travel to our taprooms to get it,” he said.

As packaged beer sales grow, the industry now faces a can shortage, Garthwaite said.

Many craft brewers switched to cans in recent years because they’re lighter and more sustainable than bottles. But the U.S. only has two major can manufacturers, and demand is outstripping supply.

“The smaller you are, the harder it is to actually get your hands on cans if you can’t buy in large quantity,” he said.

Adding to the uncertainty is a potential tax increase, Garthwaite said. Small brewers saw their federal excise tax reduced at the start of 2018 from $7 per barrel to $3.50 per barrel, but the reduction will expire at the end of the year if Congress doesn’t act. That would cause a $2 million hit to Wisconsin’s craft breweries in 2021, he said.

The changes and uncertainty have forced Good City to refocus on its core business, Katt said. The company will finish this year down about 50% in revenue and production, resulting in some furloughs and layoffs, but he doesn’t consider that a good measure of the company’s performance.

“We’ve been able to refocus on the fun, falling in love with beer again, and putting a ton of energy into making new beers and new brands,” he said. “That had maybe fallen off a little bit when we were opening downtown and juggling a lot of different balls there.”

The company plans to announce some longterm initiatives in the first quarter of 2021, Katt said.

“If we’re going to survive, we might as well come out of this better than we ever were before,” he said. “If our goal is just to survive and be the same, that’s probably not worth surviving.” n biztimes.com / 29

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IAN MARTIN SYSTEM CHAIRMAN - DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MEDICINE MEDICAL COLLEGE OF WISCONSIN

BizTimes Milwaukee is proud to present the inaugural showcase

As an internationally recognized expert in emergency care services, Dr. Ian Martin, system chairman of the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin, has been at the forefront of fighting COVID-19 since the pandemic hit.

of Notable Heroes in Health Care spotlighting accomplished professionals

across

the

region. The providers profiled in the following pages were

Martin’s expertise in infectious disease and emergency medicine makes him uniquely equipped to combat COVID-19. This spring, Martin helped lead MCW’s virtual Community Town Hall Series to help people stay safe and healthy and to answer their questions. Through the town halls and news media appearances, Martin also provided expertise on how COVID-19 disproportionately impacts African Americans in Milwaukee.

nominated by their peers at work and in the community and showcase the diversity of talent and dedication in our market. The work done by the individuals profiled here is setting an example to shape a better future for our region.

METHODOLOGY: The honorees did not pay to be included. Their profiles were drawn from nomination materials. This list features only individuals for whom nominations were submitted and accepted after a review by our editorial team. To qualify for the list, nominees must be based in southeast Wisconsin. They must be currently serving in a senior level role at their firm, must hold a leadership position in their industry outside of their own organization, have made a significant contribution to advancing workplace equality at their own workplace or beyond, and act as a role model or mentor.

Martin is professor with tenure of emergency medicine and internal medicine at MCW, and emergency physician-in-chief of the Froedtert & MCW Health Network.

He is also the immediate past president of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, the premier association representing emergency medicine researchers and educators.

KYLE BELLAIRE CARDIOLOGY LPN ADVOCATE AURORA HEALTH In times of crisis, some people are drawn to service. For Kyle Bellaire, his desire to help others took him to the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak in the U.S. Bellaire, 25, joined Advocate Aurora Health at the beginning of 2020 as a cardiology LPN at Aurora St. Luke’s Medical Center in Milwaukee. However, his journey to the front lines started before that. A Racine native, Bellaire also serves in the U.S. Army Reserves 945th FRST, or Forward Resuscitative Surgical Team.

In the spring, Bellaire received orders to deploy to a combat support hospital in Edison, N.J. In a time of national and global uncertainty, he said goodbye to his family and friends and went to help COVID-19 patients in New Jersey and the New York City area.

“Leaving is never easy, but I had tremendous support. I was really excited to have a part in treating those impacted by COVID-19,” said Bellaire.

KATIE AND KYLE BELLAIRE

Bellaire headed out in early April, as he and 85 fellow soldiers treated patients at the Combat Support Hospital based at the Edison Convention Center. Later, he and others were

pulled into JFK Medical Center in Edison to work in their COVID-ICU. There, the patients Bellaire treated were often much worse off. Many were on ventilators, feeding tubes and IVs for meds and fluids. Some of these patients did not survive.

While he was away, Bellaire stayed in touch with friends from St. Luke’s, and he says the support he got from colleagues helped keep him going.

“I learned how important it is to be flexible, especially when dealing with a poorly understood disease. Resilience is essential in these situations, and it’s even more important to check on your peers throughout,” said Bellaire.

In mid-May, Kyle came home to Milwaukee, greeted by his wife, Katie, at the airport after a grueling, emotional experience. While he doesn’t treat COVID patients currently at St. Luke’s, he carries with him the lessons he learned on the front lines of the pandemic.

“My main advice is to be flexible,” said Bellaire.

“We should do our best to stay united and do what’s best for the world.”

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PATRICIA GOLDEN D.O., REGIONAL MEDICAL DIRECTOR PRIMARY CARE ASCENSION MEDICAL GROUP WISCONSIN Dr. Patricia Golden has served as a primary care physician in Milwaukee for more than 20 years. She exemplifies what it means to be a compassionate caregiver.

DR. LAUREN HOLLANDSWORTH, FAMILY MEDICINE

At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Golden took on the role of ambulatory section chief at Ascension Wisconsin’s statewide emergency preparedness incident command structure. She led the development of the COVID-19 drive-through testing sites and respiratory sites across the state.

ASCENSION WISCONSIN CLINICIANS

MATERNAL HEALTH INITIATIVE

400 W. RIVER WOODS PKWY, GLENDALE

ASCENSION WISCONSIN

Under her leadership, Ascension Wisconsin was the first to market a drive-through COVID-19 testing plan. She shared that plan with other health systems and federally qualified health centers so they could implement similar measures in the fight against COVID-19.

SPECIALIST FOR ASCENSION WISCONSIN

ST. JOSEPH’S HOSPITAL – MILWAUKEE At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, health systems scrambled to optimize virtual care to continue caring for patients during a unique time of social distancing.

To proactively reach patients most at risk, Ascension Wisconsin clinicians coordinated with IT to sort medical records and identify people who were at higher risk for hospitalization if they contracted COVID-19.

Using the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) and certain diagnosis codes, the technology team scored patients and the clinical team contacted patients based on their risk score.

Those who had not been seen recently were encouraged to set up a virtual visit with their provider.

Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, exacerbating the problems that already existed.

From mid-March to June 1, Ascension Wisconsin clinicians provided more than 107,300 virtual care visits. That number is even higher today.

The team quickly shifted their focus and continued to care for their patients by routinely calling them, even providing care for them in their homes. They brought supplies like food, diapers and cleaning supplies with them.

ASCENSION WISCONSIN COMMUNITY SERVICES 3132 N. DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DRIVE, MILWAUKEE

CRITICAL STAFFING TRAVEL PROGRAM ASCENSION WISCONSIN

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ascension Wisconsin Community Services has been a vital resource for the Milwaukee community for everything from hygiene products to food to additional care. They banded together to reduce barriers to care for people who need it most.

To support the provision of safe, comprehensive care, hundreds of Ascension front-line nurses and respiratory therapists have traveled to other Ascension hospitals or taken on new roles to help during this crisis.

The organization’s Social Resource Navigation Team supported inpatient case managers to provide real-time updates on available community-based resources to address food insecurity, access to medical/dental care and family resources.

The teams are part of the Ascension Critical Staffing Travel Program, designed to mobilize associates not currently experiencing surges to areas of the country most in need as a result of the COVID-19 health emergency. Ascension caregivers share deep connections with each other across the country.

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Maternal morbidity rates have dramatically increased over the past 20 years, with significant disparities for women of color, uninsured or underinsured women and women living in lower socioeconomic areas.

Prenatal care is a key determinant in maternal morbidity and infant mortality. In late 2019, Ascension St. Joseph in Milwaukee established the Ascension Maternal Health Initiative to help understand why women missed prenatal appointments and help them overcome any barriers they may experience.

AN ASCENSION TRAVELING NURSE TEAM

When Florida and Texas were experiencing unprecedented surges of COVID-19 in July and August, 14 Ascension Wisconsin nurses and respiratory therapists from Milwaukee headed south to help patients and colleagues at Ascension Texas and Ascension Florida facilities. Caregivers traveled in three teams on July 5, July 19 and Aug. 8 for two-week sprints. Some chose to extend their stay up to a month.

ASCENSION ST. JOSEPH MATERNAL HEALTH TEAM

When household cleaning supplies, toothbrushes and toothpaste were identified as significant community needs early in the pandemic, the team supported the community with a $10,000 donation of household cleaning supplies and dental hygiene kits to 15 community organizations and neighborhood associations in Milwaukee.

ASCENSION SETON DENTAL CLINIC TEAM MEMBERS

When many food pantries closed in the city during the pandemic, the team expanded the pantry at the Ascension Ebenezer Health Resource Center.

Thank you to all who are called to serve We are grateful for the courage and unwavering commitment that defines our caregivers and caregivers everywhere.

They truly make a difference in the lives of others and in the communities in which they serve. Please join us in celebrating the 2020 BizTimes Notable Heroes in Health Care.

Ascension Wisconsin Š Ascension 2020. All rights reserved.

METROPOLITAN MILWAUKEE ASSOCIATION OF COMMERCE

It was during his time in quarantine that he read about the benefits of convalescent plasma for critically ill patients with COVID-19.

He reached out to Dr. Jerry Gottschall, lab director of Versiti Blood Center of Wisconsin, to see if there was a need for donors, and if he would qualify.

Lal was first in line to donate to Versiti Blood Center of Wisconsin’s convalescent plasma program, and a large part of the reason more people have donated. In total, Lal donated eight times until he reached the limit set by the FDA. “I (had) a unique opportunity to help others,” he said.

“Even in my own community, I know people who are really struggling and who are critically sick. If I can help any one of those people, it would give me so much joy.”

DR. DAVE R. LAL DONATING TO VERSITI BLOOD CENTER OF WISCONSIN’S CONVALESCENT PLASMA PROGRAM.

The convalescent plasma program uses special blood donations from recovered COVID-19 patients to help patients who are critically ill with the infection. In theory, the antibodies Lal made could be used to fight the virus in someone whose own immune response was failing.

DAVE R. LAL, MD, MPH PEDIATRIC SURGEON CHILDREN’S WISCONSIN Dr. Dave R. Lal tested positive for COVID-19 in early March, prior to COVID becoming a household word and the subsequent creation of travel restrictions.

As a pediatric surgeon at Children’s Wisconsin and professor of pediatric surgery at the Medical College of Wisconsin, Lal knew how important it was for him to quarantine.

The now FDA-approved treatment offers hope to the thousands of patients who continue to be diagnosed with COVID-19. It is used by hospitals for the most severely affected patients. Lal didn’t stop there though. Through local media and social media, he encouraged others to donate as well.

Thanks in large part to Lal, his donation and his example, Versiti has received several dozen donations to its convalescent plasma program, which has helped many people diagnosed with COVID-19.

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH:

DR. JOHN RAYMOND, SR.

THE MEDICAL COLLEGE OF WISCONSIN

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the Medical College of Wisconsin has partnered with the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce to help guide businesses, providing actionable information and expert advice through regular webinars and various resources.

“The MCW and MMAC partnership is vital to addressing COVID-19 as both a health crisis and an economic disruptor,” said Dr. John Raymond, Sr., president of the Medical College of Wisconsin.

During Wisconsin’s “Safer at Home” order, Raymond joined Tim Sheehy, president of MMAC, for daily webinars, providing updates on COVID-19 case numbers, PPE shortages and hospital capacity concerns, and answering audience questions.

Now biweekly, these webinars help people understand the realities of the pandemic and make informed decisions.

MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, DIGITAL HEALTH AND EXPERIENCE AND INFORMATION SERVICES TEAMS MULTISYSTEM INFLAMMATORY SYNDROME IN CHILDREN (MIS-C) TEAM

MULTISYSTEM INFLAMMATORY SYNDROME IN CHILDREN (MIS-C) TEAM CHILDREN’S WISCONSIN From the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, a main understanding was that it usually doesn’t affect children as seriously as adults. While that remains true, in early May reports of a “mysterious illness” in some kids who have been exposed to COVID-19 started to emerge.

Known as “Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children” (MIS-C), kids can present with many different symptoms, including a persistent high fever, swelling of the hands and feet, rash and red eyes and tongue. Some have also been found to have inflammation of many organs, includ-

34 / BizTimes Milwaukee JUNE 29, 2020

ing the heart.

As the region’s only pediatric health system, Children’s Wisconsin put its expertise to work and created a multidisciplinary MIS-C team comprised of 35 physicians from critical care, infectious disease, hospital medicine, immunology, emergency medicine and cardiology.

To date, Children’s Wisconsin has reported 33 suspected cases of MIS-C to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services — 12 cases were confirmed and 11 remain under review — and all have been successfully cared for at Children’s Wisconsin.

CHILDREN’S WISCONSIN

MEMBERS OF THE CHILDREN’S WISCONSIN MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, DIGITAL HEALTH AND

Some children in EXPERIENCE AND INFORMATION SERVICES TEAMS. Wisconsin are facing a mental and behavioral health crisis.

Prior to April, Children’s did not have Their rates of anxiety, depression and suithe ability for telehealth visits for mental cide are alarmingly high and there is not and behavioral health. But since April, its enough access to care.

150 providers have completed more than When COVID-19 hit, the issue only be30,000 telehealth connections. came more pronounced with new stresses In fact, even as the hospital restarted and anxieties placed on kids and medical in-person visits, telehealth still accounts appointments being postponed. for the majority of its mental and behavChildren’s Wisconsin took this crisis as ioral health appointments. While telea call for rapid innovation. Children’s health may not be new or innovative, the knew mental and behavioral health issues speed with which Children’s responded weren’t going to wait for COVID-19 to to the pandemic, got a platform up and end, so the hospital’s mental and behavrunning and worked with its Information ioral health, digital health and information Services and security teams to expand technology teams got to work quickly to its network capabilities is remarkable in a create telehealth services for kids in need. health care environment.

Congratulations to all the Children’s Wisconsin heroes fighting COVID-19

Fighting a pandemic takes courage and expertise. As the region’s only pediatric health system, Children’s Wisconsin staff and providers are helping confront COVID-19.

When Dr. Dave Lal, a pediatric surgeon, contracted COVID-19 in April, he knew he had a unique opportunity to help others. Once recovered, he was the first person to donate to Versiti Blood Center of Wisconsin’s convalescent plasma program. In doing so, he helped care for countless other people who had COVID-19.

In May, when a “mysterious illness” in kids who have been exposed to the COVID-19 virus emerged, our experts quickly got to work.

A team of 35 physicians from critical care, infectious disease, hospital medicine, immunology, emergency medicine and cardiology got together to develop a treatment plan for what is known as Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C).

They worked with state and federal officials to ensure these kids receive the best possible care.

When COVID-19 forced hospitals all over to postpone non-time sensitive appointments, that was especially challenging for kids with mental and behavioral health issues. At Children’s Wisconsin, we took this crisis as an opportunity to innovate rapidly. Our Mental and Behavioral Health, Digital Health and Experience, and Information Services teams rapidly created a telehealth service. Since April, our 150 mental and behavioral health providers have completed more than 30,000 telehealth visits, making sure these kids continue to have their needs met during the pandemic.

To all the winners and health care heroes responding to COVID-19 — thank you!

childrenswi.org

PENELOPE RANSOM CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER NETWORK HEALTH, INC. Penelope Ransom, chief administrative officer of Network Health Inc., has remained a constant source of composure and leadership for the company the last 10 years.

Network Health had ownership and leadership changes, and now is faced with the challenges of COVID-19.

To minimize internal disruption throughout this time, Ransom spearheaded the recruitment of 11 executives in a 12-month window without engaging external recruiters and built a government programs division from the ground up to manage governance and implement regulated products.

She established the “co-creation methodology” to engage customers in both process improvement and product development functions.

NOU THAO

COMMUNITY CARE, INC. TEAM

Thao only had an ill-fitting mask and gloves, she said.

Following her fifth shift she collapsed in the elevator of her hotel. She crawled to her room, but did not have the strength to dial 911. Hotel management called her an ambulance.

COMMUNITY CARE, INC.

Once recovered, she returned to her work assignment.

As the reality of the COVID-19 pandemic set in, colleagues at Brookfield-based Community Care Inc. – particularly those assigned to the Milwaukee-area convents that Community Care serves — met the challenge of caring for members under incredibly stressful and challenging circumstances.

“If you know you aren’t feeling right, quarantine, regardless of a test result,” she said.

36 / BizTimes Milwaukee JUNE 29, 2020

March 12, 2020 is a day Ted Klumb will never forget.

Klumb, an agent at First Weber Realtors, arrived at Froedtert Menomonee Falls Hospital feeling dizzy and numb. While checking in, Jennifer Thiede, an emergency department nurse, immediately recognized his symptoms and knew he needed immediate care.

After receiving the critical care he needed, Klumb spent many months in rehab and recovery. Today he is back at work and enjoys spending time with his wife and his children.

While in New Jersey, Thao contracted the disease after working days without the proper personal protective equipment.

Thao stresses the importance of wearing masks and social distancing and cautions anyone who believes they might have contracted COVID-19 to listen to their body.

FROEDTERT MENOMONEE FALLS HOSPITAL

“Jennifer is my hero,” Klumb said. “She absolutely saved my life.”

Nou Thao, a respiratory therapist, has worked with COVID-19 patients since the beginning of the pandemic in hospitals in New Jersey, Texas, Florida and her home state of Wisconsin.

She returned home to Wisconsin in June and currently works with long-term care patients at Select Specialty Hospitals in St. Francis and West Allis. She also plans to return to work with local COVID-19 patients.

EMERGENCY ROOM NURSE

Klumb underwent a 12-hour operation for an aortic dissection and survived.

SELECT SPECIALTY HOSPITALS

Thao, a respiratory therapist trained at Milwaukee Area Technical College, continued her work in New Jersey and then moved on to Texas and Florida as COVID-19 cases continued to climb.

JENNIFER THIEDE

Her voice yelling for a bed is the last thing he remembers.

RESPIRATORY THERAPIST

“Everyone called me crazy, but my job was not done,” Thao said. “I decided I’d go home to my family when they didn’t need me any more at the hospital. If I left to go home after I recovered from the virus, I’d feel I hadn’t done my job.”

TED KLUMB AND JENNIFER THIEDE

BROOKFIELD

Some Community Care employees care for retired Catholic nuns from the Schools Sisters of Notre Dame, the School Sisters of St. Francis and the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi.

The sisters, most of whom are in their 90s, live, eat and worship together. While fundamental to their way of life, communal living also created risk for the sisters.

Staff had to find new and creative ways to engage the sisters, physically, mentally and spiritually. With each new development, the Community Care staff became stronger and more confident. They have always been extremely protective of the sisters, but never more so than during this crisis.

HEIDI CHRISTIANSON ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF PSYCHIATRY, HEALTH PSYCHOLOGIST MEDICAL COLLEGE OF WISCONSIN As the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage on, doctors and nurses throughout the state are focused on, the wellbeing of patients’ physical health, but mental health providers are focused on addressing the psychological impact of the pandemic.

Heidi Christianson, psychologist and associate professor of psychiatry at the Medical College of Wisconsin, knew the health challenges associated with a global pandemic would encompass far more than just the physical, and she wasted no time in preparing an effective system for patients, frontline workers and students seeking psychological services.

In one week, Christianson quickly pivoted the practice to a virtual system for patients seeking psychological services, allowing everyone to safely receive care without disruption.

Congratulations to Penny Ransom for being recognized as a health care hero.

“

For more than 37 years, Network Health has provided highquality, affordable health care coverage to communities across Wisconsin.

Chief Administrative Officer, Penny Ransom

networkhealth.com | 800-276-8004 HMO plans underwritten by Network Health Plan. POS plans underwritten by Network Health Insurance Corporation, or Network Health Insurance Corporation and Network Health Plan.

Self-insured plans administered by Network Health Administrative Services, LLC. 2166-02-1120

PATRICK O’MALLEY MEDICAL DIRECTOR OF PRIMARY CARE FOR THE SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN REGION ROGERS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH In a year like no other, it’s abundantly clear that heroes really do walk among us. At Rogers Behavioral Health, a provider of mental health and addiction treatment, one such hero is medical director of primary care for southeast Wisconsin, Patrick O’Malley, DO. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, O’Malley stepped up as point for Rogers without hesitation, even living at Rogers’ Oconomowoc campus to help mitigate the spread of the virus and to be on site, around the clock, during the height of uncertainty.

“Dr. O’Malley’s tireless work has allowed Rogers to continue to be fully open to patients who need psychiatric care now more than ever,” said Jerry Halverson, MD, Rogers’ chief medical officer. “His commitment 24 hours a day, seven days a week is ensuring our patients and staff stay safe throughout this global crisis.”

ARUNA TUMMALA

ERICKA SINCLAIR

ADULT AND GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRIST

FOUNDER AND CEO

TRINERGY CENTER FOR INTEGRATIVE PSYCHIATRY As the COVID-19 pandemic wears on, many adults are reporting negative impacts on their mental health. Dr. Aruna Tummala is a unique pioneer in her field because she can help those suffering from both a physical and mental standpoint.

Using her expertise in Functional Medicine and Ayurveda, she is able to boost her patients’ immunity so their bodies are better able to cope and fight the disease. As an integrative psychiatrist, she works to find the root cause of a mental wellness issue — including nutritional deficiencies, hormonal imbalances and digestive system health — so her patients can better cope with the impact of the pandemic.

DANNY WALRATH RN WAUKESHA MEMORIAL HOSPITAL Danny Walrath works in the Waukesha Memorial Hospital cardiac care unit with COVID patients. He has a gentle, compassionate demeanor and positive attitude — always concerned about his patients’ comfort and well-being. He also frequently assumes a mentoring role with less experienced nurses.

BRENDA NDIAGE, CNA, AND CONNIE BAARS, CNA.

LUTHER MANOR 4545 N 92ND ST., WAUWATOSA

Walrath has received a Nurse Excellence Award as an educator and mentor from Aurora Health Care. He has great communication skills with his patients. He especially enjoys sharpening his Spanish skills with Hispanic patients. Whenever possible, he makes a point of keeping the family of his patients in the communication loop.

DANIELLE CERVANTES REGISTERED NURSE

For 60 years, Luther Manor has served older adults in the Milwaukee area, caring for them in mind, body and spirit.

Luther Manor has a senior living complex in Wauwatosa and a facility in Mequon.

Nobody in the senior living industry could have predicted a global pandemic, but the employees and staff at Luther Manor have risen to the occasion this year.

Under the direction of its clinical team, led by chief clinical officer Julie Jolitz, Luther Manor opened up one of the first COVID-19 care units in southeastern Wisconsin.

ADVOCATE AURORA HEALTH “From Green Bay to Park Ridge, we are one,” said Danielle Cervantes, registered nurse for Advocate Aurora Health who answered the call for nurses to help out during the COVID-19 surge in Green Bay.

“As the hospitals started filling up, we knew we could assist them as well,” said Holly Ivans, manager of community relations and admissions at Luther Manor.

When the staffing effectiveness team at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, Illinois asked a pool of float nurses to relieve staffing needs at Aurora BayCare Medical Center, the response was overwhelming.

To date, Luther Manor has cared for more than 100 COVID-19 patients.

Cervantes was one of many Illinois-based Advocate Aurora Health nurses who stepped up to help.

38 / BizTimes Milwaukee JUNE 29, 2020

HEALTH CONNECTIONS, INC. Ericka Sinclair, MS, MPH is a health care visionary who, as the founder and CEO of Health Connections, Inc., has made a tremendous impact on countless lives in the greater Milwaukee area. Health Collections Inc. is a collective of community health care professionals (The Milwaukee Black Coordinated Community-Driven COVID-19 Response Think Tank), for strategizing and planning how to educate and reduce the impacts on people of color. Health Connections is dedicated to providing and coordinating primary care, behavioral health, and social services to vulnerable populations that traditionally experience barriers to accessing health care. These are the very populations now facing a disproportionate burden of COVID-19.

O’RELL WILLIAMS VICE PRESIDENT OF MEDICAL AFFAIRS ASCENSION ST. JOSEPH HOSPITAL Dr. O’Rell Williams works as a physician and serves as vice president of medical affairs at Ascension St. Joseph on Milwaukee’s north side. As a former Milwaukee firefighter and physician, he uses his skills, courage and compassion to improve the health of the community.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit early and hard, Williams became increasingly concerned about the disproportionate number of minority patients battling the virus.

He quickly jumped in, using his voice and his role in the community to dispel disinformation and educate the community that COVID-19 was real and serious.

BETH GRIFFIN EMERGENCY MEDICINE DIRECTOR ASCENSION WISCONSIN When COVID-19 first hit southeastern Wisconsin, Dr. Beth Griffin, emergency medicine director at Ascension Wisconsin, was home on maternity leave with a newborn baby and her three school-age children.

Unable to treat patients in the hospital, and unable to remain on the sideline, she took on the role of surge section chief.

Working from home, often while holding her baby close, Griffin led a multidisciplinary surge team that coordinated and managed available space, staff and equipment statewide for Ascension Wisconsin.

The leader

in specialized mental health and addiction treatment

As the COVID-19 pandemic evolves, Rogers Behavioral Health remains committed to providing our patients, colleagues, and communities with highly specialized, evidencebased mental health and addiction treatment that is critically needed at this time.

From virtual treatment now available through Rogers Connect Care, inpatient and residential care, and expanded career opportunities in locations throughout southeastern Wisconsin, Rogers is answering the call for increased access to high-quality, compassionate treatment.

Congratulations

to our Notable Hero in Health Care honoree, Dr. Patrick O’Malley!

rogersbh.org | 800-767-4411

ALICE HATZENBELLER

PASTORAL CARE TEAM CLEMENT MANOR For the 250 older adults who call Clement Manor home, their much-needed sense of community is significantly challenged by social distancing measures that put their mental and spiritual well-being at risk during an already trying time.

Clement Manor’s Pastoral Care team recognized the toll social distancing was taking on residents soon after the pandemic’s onset. Led by director of pastoral care and

mission Alice Hatzenbeller, Chaplains Father Bill Stanfield, Sister Nancy Sell, Karyl Daluga and Sharon Hanson developed fresh approaches to the in-person ministry inherent in the organization’s mission.

ANNAMARIE STREHLOW

When Clement Manor’s chapel closed to residents, the team created spiritual growth resource packets that replaced opportunities to gather and draw encouragement and comfort. Each packet helps residents draw strength from their spiritual beliefs and cope with increased isolation. The packets, which are delivered each week, contain scripture readings, inspirational quotes, poetry, perspectives on social justice, illustrations and prayers.

FROEDTERT & THE MEDICAL COLLEGE OF WISCONSIN

The team also ensures chapel services are offered daily through Clement Manor’s in-house cable channel. The channel is also used to provide inspirational music and time for reflection. The team created a special playlist that was streamed on Election Day and additional offerings were planned for Advent and Christmas.

When surveyed, more than 80% of respondents indicated they read the packets regularly and find them very helpful. Residents often express gratitude to the team for the extra effort.

Nothing can replace the warmth of a hug or holding someone’s hands to pray. But, for now, the masked Pastoral Care team members visit residents regularly on the phone and at a safe distance to strengthen connections and spirits through empathetic listening and caring words of encouragement.

F E B R U A R Y FA M I LY

PHYSICAL THERAPIST

When Robert Goll was Annamarie Strehlow’s physical therapy patient, he was in bad shape following an extended hospitalization.

Just when they were making progress, COVID-19 hit and Strehlow told Goll that Froedtert Hospital wasn’t going to allow outpatient appointments for a while.

“I was very depressed at this news, not only because I knew I would physically start going downhill again, but because Annamarie was being temporarily assigned to work on the front lines with COVID patients admitted to the hospital,” he said.

Strehlow dove right in to her new assignment. She was in the proning and mobility team that worked to prevent patients from being admitted to the ICU. She created innovative methods of “flipping,” which benefited her patients greatly. She saw them improve and even be discharged.

Goll was eventually allowed to resume seeing Strehlow to finish his treatment.

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DEADLINES: Space: January 27, 2021 Materials: January 29, 2021

40 / BizTimes Milwaukee JUNE 29, 2020

FAMILY BUSINESSES play an enormous role in the southeastern Wisconsin economy. Most family businesses have a longer-term view of investment, they’re more stable, and inspire more trust and commitment in their employees.

Highlight the business you’ve grown in “Faces of Family Business” pages.

We invite you to showcase your family business in the February 15th issue of BizTimes Milwaukee.

Positions are limited.

For more information contact Linda Crawford at 414-336-7112 or advertise@biztimes.com

Thursday, January 28, 2021 Networking – 12:00PM Program - 12:30- 1:50PM Breakout sessions – 1:50 – 2:30PM

Presents:

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Register Today!

2021

biztimes.com/trends Attendance is Free – compliments of our sponsors

Economic Trends 2021: Seeking a Shot in the Arm What lies ahead in the new year?

The economic shutdowns had a devastating effect on the economy in 2020. Although the economy showed significant improvement in the second half of the year, it is still not performing at pre-pandemic levels.

The hope is that a vaccine will bring the public health crisis to an end, allowing consumers to resume normal activity and giving the economy a shot in the arm.

In addition, the new presidential administration will result in economic policy changes from the federal government and likely have a big impact on trade, taxes and stimulus proposals.

Learn how these factors and others will determine how the economy fares in 2021 by attending the 20th annual Economic Trends event on January 28th.

Featured speakers: - Michael Knetter Ph.D., Economist, President & CEO, University of Wisconsin Foundation (1) - Ryan Festerling President & COO - QPS Employment Group (2) - Blake Moret, CEO – Rockwell Automation (3)

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Breakout Sessions to Follow Presentations: Please refer to registration site for details. biztimes.com/trends

Econonomic Outlook | Employment Trends | Innovation | Manufacturing Sponsors:

MELANIE GRAY

SIXTEENTH STREET COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS

FACULTY/CLINICAL INSTRUCTOR MATC Dr. Melanie Gray has distinguished herself in the Milwaukee community as a premiere educator and champion for excellence in nursing. Born and raised in Milwaukee’s 53206 zip code, Gray was a first-generation college student who has earned a master’s degree in nursing education and a Ph.D. in e-learning.

Gray has served as part of the nursing faculty in the associate degree program at Milwaukee Area Technical College for 14 years. She often rises at 4 a.m. to prepare to instruct prospective nurses at MATC to begin their day at 7 a.m. Nursing instruction is an intense experience. Each student must be guided, observed, and monitored to provide safe, quality care. Nursing students must maintain the quality standards of practicing nurses.

According to Gray, “I care for 16 patients a day, my eight students and their eight patients.”

1032 S. CESAR E. CHAVEZ DRIVE, MILWAUKEE VIRGINIA HERNANDEZ

Just one week after COVID-19 hit the Milwaukee region, Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers began offering drive-through testing and quickly opened two additional sites. Since March, Sixteenth Street has tested more than 15,400 people for COVID-19. Approximately 30% of those tests came back positive.

Sixteenth Street serves the south side of Milwaukee and Waukesha from 12 clinic locations in the region, including four full-service clinics, a behavioral health clinic, a satellite geriatric clinic and six in-school clinics.

“As trailblazers, the tent team adapted to changing guidelines and unknowns to create a seamless, safe drivethrough process,” said Alison True, director of communications at Sixteenth Street. “The team has been outside, rain or shine, day in and day out. They have weathered literal storms, extreme heat and tents flying away.”

MORELAND OB-GYN ASSOCIATES 1111 DELAFIELD ST - #311, WAUKESHA Pregnancy can cause unprecedented levels of worry and anxiety DR. MEGAN TRESTER for women in normal times. One out of every eight women will experience symptoms of postpartum depression; add in a global pandemic and those numbers get even bigger.

Not knowing the effects of COVID-19 on pregnant women just adds to that worry.

The dedicated team of physicians and nurses at Moreland OB-GYN Associates quickly reimagined patient care during the pandemic.

Moreland OB-GYN clinics continued to safely conduct examinations under new protocols. That meant adapting appointments to telemedicine when appropriate, which was completed in a two-week timeframe. Nearly 80% of all appointments were managed virtually and the remaining were completed in office following all recommended protocols and guidelines.

Congratulating our Healthcare Heroes!

MATC instructors bring real-world experience to the classroom – and our graduates serve in our community and beyond, meeting critical public health and workforce needs.

Instructor Melanie Gray, Ph.D., RN

Support future heroes at matc.edu/foundation

Alumna Nou Thao Heros_8x4.875 fall2020.indd 42 Healthcare / BizTimes Milwaukee JUNE 29, 2020 1

12/2/20 2:27 PM

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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! biztimes.com / 43

BizConnections BIZ UPDATE

Advertising Section: Press Releases, etc.

ACU I T Y ’S BEN S A L Z M A NN N A M ED TO P INSU R T ECH E X ECU T I V E

Acuity Insurance President and CEO Ben Salzmann is ranked #2 on the Top 25 InsurTech Executives of 2020 by The Financial Technology Report.

Salzmann was named Acuity’s President and CEO in 1999.

Under his leadership, Acuity has completely transformed its home-built technology platform, first to a service-oriented architecture and then to a true headless architecture built upon an enterprise data foundation.

This design, with a robust suite of

internal and external facing APIs, has catapulted the company’s achievements in supporting single-entry, multi-company interface (SEMCI) with Acuity’s independent agency salesforce, helping drive a more than seven-fold increase in topline revenue over his tenure.

Acuity Insurance, headquartered in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, insures over 100,000 businesses, including 300,000 commercial vehicles, and nearly a half million homes and private passenger autos across 29 states. Rated A+

by A.M. Best and S&P, Acuity employs over 1,400 people.

BIZ PEOPLE

Advertising Section: New Hires, Promotions and Board Appointments

LEGAL SERVICES

Buelow Vetter Buikema Olson & Vliet Welcomes New Attorney

Buelow Vetter Buikema Olson & Vliet welcomes a new attorney, Lauren Burand, to expand its growing labor and employment law practice serving corporations, schools, and municipalities throughout Wisconsin. Lauren joins the firm after serving as a Law Clerk in the First and Sixth Districts of Iowa, working with trial judges to research and write opinions on civil matters, including employment discrimination and workers’ compensation review claims. Lauren’s practice focuses on advising private employers, school districts, municipalities, and not-for-profit organizations on a variety of aspects of labor and employment law.

ARCHITECTURE

Advertise in these upcoming special reports and get your message in front of area business executives.

Economic Trends 2021 January 25, 2021 Space Reservation: January 6, 2021

Jenny Miller, AICP, has joined HGA as Associate Vice President and Business Developer in the Milwaukee office. She will lead new business opportunities and client relations for the Arts, Community, Education (ACE) and Public | Corporate market groups.

BANKING

Family Business February 15, 2021 Space Reservation: January 27, 2021 Contact Linda Crawford today!

Phone: 414.336.7112 Email: advertise@biztimes.com

HGA Welcomes Jenny Miller as Business Developer

LEGAL SERVICES

Buelow Vetter Buikema Olson & Vliet Welcomes New Attorney

Buelow Vetter Buikema Olson & Vliet welcomes a new attorney, Emily Turzinski, to expand its growing labor and employment law practice serving corporations, schools, and municipalities throughout Wisconsin. Emily’s practice focuses on advising public and private schools. She counsels clients on topics such as: employee and student handbooks and school board policies; student discipline; special education due process; employee discipline and dismissal; issues arising under the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Family Medical Leave Act; and issues arising under Title IX.

BANKING

Rick Beutler Hired as VP of Consumer Banking for First Federal Bank of Wisconsin

First Federal Bank of Wisconsin is proud to announce the hire of Rick Beutler as VP of Consumer Banking. He will lead and direct our consumer banking functions while training, managing, and coaching our consumer banking team.

MANUFACTURING Steve Wierschem Hired as Chief Financial Officer for First Federal Bank of Wisconsin

First Federal Bank of Wisconsin is proud to announce the hire of Steve Wierschem as Chief Financial Officer.

He will manage the accounting and finance functions of the bank that are responsible for budgeting, forecasting, and regulatory filings.

A. O. Smith Names Holly Haseley Director of Corporate Communications.

Haseley will develop and execute the Company’s internal and external communications strategy, manage and implement communications programs, and lead the Corporate Communications department. She will also serve as media spokesperson for the Company.

To place your listing, please visit biztimes.com/bizconnect 44 / BizTimes Milwaukee DECEMBER 14, 2020

NONPROFIT MSO’S FIRST SEASON IN BRADLEY SYMPHONY CENTER WILL BE MOSTLY VIRTUAL The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra’s first season in its new home will be largely virtual, with the possibility of some in-person performances if city regulations allow.

Work is nearing completion on the Bradley Symphony Center, and the organization expects to have occupancy by mid-December. But at this point, live performances will be available virtually only when the new season kicks off in January due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under the current phase of Milwaukee’s public health order, gatherings are limited to 25% of a location’s total occupancy, one person for every 30 square feet of floor space, or 10 people indoors.

MSO recently announced the lineup for its “reimagined” 2021-’22 season, saying there could be opportunities for in-person experiences for current 2020-’21 subscribers if city regulations allow.

“In partnership with our musicians’ union, the construction team at C.D. Smith, and Milwaukee’s public health officials, we are poised to launch the MSO’s reimagined season in a safe environment with rigorous health protocols in place,” the MSO said.

“We will also maintain flexibility and transparency as the pandemic evolves, adhering to all local health guidelines, and keeping the health, safety, and well-being of our patrons in mind.”

For new subscribers, the

season will be offered as a $200 virtual-only package that includes 12 “Classics” and four “Pops” performances.

“This reimagined season is our answer to how we uphold our commitment to connecting audiences with live, transformative music,” said Mark Niehaus, president and executive director.

“Our promise to our patrons is that we will navigate the future together. And we look forward to the day when we can safely welcome everyone into the Bradley Symphony Center and fill every seat in joyous celebration.”

The organization said having complete operational oversight at the new symphony center gives it the ability to ensure “the highest standards of health and safety measures throughout the building.” The MSO has previously held its performances at the Marcus Performing Arts Center, which is also closed to in-person events amid the pandemic.

MSO initially aimed to complete the $139 million renovation of the former Warner Grand Theater by September, but later pushed that date back to January 2021 due to flood damage during a rainstorm and a steam tunnel failure in May. The first event of MSO’s season will be a Classics performance on Jan. 23, called “Welcome Home,” which will feature a half-dozen musicians.

— Lauren Anderson, staff writer

D O N AT I O N R O U N D U P Johnson Financial Group is donating $300,000 to support hunger relief efforts at Feeding America, Second Harvest and Feed My People to feed families across several Wisconsin communities over the holidays. | The Sisters of Charity of St. Joan Antida raised $182,000 to support the students of St. Joan Antida High School through its “Bring the Tradition Home” event on Nov. 1. | Vivent Health has received a $50,000 grant award from Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation. | The Green Bay Packers awarded City Year Milwaukee with a $25,000 social justice grant through the NFL Foundation. | Northwestern Mutual recently awarded a $5,000 renewable scholarship to Milwaukee resident Elizabeth Kuhlman, a cancer survivor, through its Childhoold Cancer Survivor Scholarship. | The Dominican Center received a $2,500 grant from The Starbucks Foundation for work supporting racial equity and creating a more inclusive community in the Amani neighborhood of Milwaukee.

nonprofit

SPOTLIGHT

ER AS SENIOR NET WORK

2607 N. Grandview Boulevard, Suite 150, Waukesha (414) 488-6500 (Milwaukee County) | (262) 549-3348 (Waukesha County) eras.org Facebook: Facebook.com/erasWaukesha | Instagram: @ErasSeniorNetwork Linkedin: Linkedin.com/company/eras-senior-network-inc.

YouTube: Eras Senior Network Year founded: 1981 Mission statement: The mission of Eras Senior Network is to engage and support seniors, adults with disabilities, and family caregivers in leading meaningful lives.

Primary focus of your nonprofit organization: Creating communities where seniors and adults with disabilities are fully embraced through collaborative partnerships, coordination of services, and intergenerational volunteer activities.

Other focuses of your nonprofit organization: Transportation services, outdoor help, minor home repairs, supportive services, community service, volunteering opportunities, S.T.O.P. Senior Frauds and Scams program, education partnerships and community outreach.

Number of employees at this location: 29 Key donors: United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha County, ProHealth Care, Capri Senior Communities, Froedtert & Medical College of Wisconsin and Vrakas CPAs. Executive leadership: Kathy Gale, executive director; Sandi Ammerman, associate director; Heather Uzowulu, development director; Judith Amorsen, program director Waukesha County;

Sophia Franklin, program director Milwaukee County Board of directors: Jim Holmes, president; Angela King, vice president; Steve Dombrock, treasurer; Cindy Murdock, secretary; Glen Choban; Tim Rennicke; Donna Dziewik; Shay Sherfinski; Diane Ehn; Michael Wahoviak; Mike Kruse and Pam Paulson Is your organization actively seeking board members for the upcoming term? Yes What roles are you looking to fill? We are seeking Milwaukee County representation, specifically individuals with expertise in public relations, older adult services, or fundraising. Our board is committed to increasing the diversity of our board and staff and welcome prospective board member interest from individuals who are part of the LGBTQ community, and individuals who represent minority populations.

Ways the business community can help your nonprofit: Please encourage employees to consider becoming a volunteer with Eras Senior Network. We are currently looking to fill volunteer driving positions for our Drive. Give.

Serve. program, which includes transportation to medical appointments for seniors and contactless grocery deliveries for seniors and people with disabilities.

biztimes.com / 45

BizConnections VOLUME 26, NUMBER 14 | DEC 14, 2020

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 Brandon Anderegg brandon.anderegg@biztimes.com

An aerial view of Milwaukee County Hospital

REPORTER Maredithe Meyer maredithe.meyer@biztimes.com REPORTER Alex Zank alex.zank@biztimes.com

COMMENTARY

2020 … it wasn’t all bad YES, this has been a horrible year and we can’t wait for it to be over.

But there actually were some good things that happened in 2020. So, here in our last issue of BizTimes Milwaukee for this year, I want to highlight some of them.

2020 is the year of the essential worker, especially health care workers. The cover package of this publication highlights some local essential workers, including a couple of health care workers, and this issue also includes our list of Notable Heroes in Health Care. Be sure to check out both features. We all should be so grateful for essential workers, but especially the frontline health care workers who put the health of themselves, and their family members, at risk every day to treat those with COVID-19 and fight the pandemic head-on.

One of the most exciting local business stories in 2020 is the continued growth of Milwau46 / BizTimes Milwaukee DECEMBER 14, 2020

kee Tool. The company’s extraordinary growth continues and this year it announced plans for a new corporate campus in Menomonee Falls, in addition to its existing Brookfield headquarters, and for a new manufacturing facility in West Bend. In our last issue of the year, we traditionally pick the top area companies and leaders for our annual “Best in Business” and we named Milwaukee Tool our corporation of the year. Check out our report on the company and our other picks for the Best in Business of 2020.

Milwaukee Tool wasn’t the only company unveiling big growth plans this year. Two others of note include GE Healthcare and Geneva Supply.

GE Healthcare this year announced plans to invest $50 million in its West Milwaukee facility and bring more than 1,500 jobs to that facility and its Wauwatosa location. Although most of the jobs will be moved from Waukesha, the company’s planned investment is a big win for the region as GE has faced financial challenges in recent years. The company has been working to cut costs and reduce its debt, but clearly will maintain Wisconsin as an important base of operations. The investment into the West Milwaukee plant, built in 1947, would represent

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

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

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

This undated photo shows the Milwaukee County Hospital at 8700 W. Wisconsin Ave. The hospital primarily served the city and county’s poor residents. It was later renamed John L. Doyne Hospital and was closed in 1995. It was demolished in the early 2000s.

— Photo courtesy of Milwaukee Public Library/Historic Photo Collection

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

Independent & Locally Owned — Founded 1995 —

one of the largest one-time investments in a U.S. GE Healthcare site.

Meanwhile, Geneva Supply continues its impressive growth. The Delavan-based company, one of the fastest growing businesses in southeastern Wisconsin, has purchased the former American Girl Doll facility in western Kenosha County for its Chicago-area operations.

The 385,000-square-foot facility in the town of Randall has been vacant for almost two years. Geneva Supply, a third-party logistics provider specializing in e-commerce, plans to employ more than 100 people at the facility.

Check out BizTimes.com on Dec. 31 for my annual look at the biggest local business stories of the year. Yes, I’ll cover all of the bad stuff of 2020 but I’ll also hit the highlights including these stories, and some others. n

ANDREW WEILAND EDITOR

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

my TOUGHEST

Challenge

DR. MADAN K ANDUL A Position: Founder and president Company: ADVENT What it does: A medical practice that focuses on providing in-office sinus and snoring solutions.

Career: Dr. Madan Kandula founded ADVENT in 2004 with his wife, Dr. Gwen Kandula, an audiologist, as an independent medical practice in Wauwatosa. It has since grown to include 10 clinic locations across southeastern Wisconsin, Appleton and the Chicago area. Kandula is credited with pioneering innovations in sinus surgery, including being the first in Wisconsin to perform balloon sinuplasty.

THE CHALLENGE ADVENT worked throughout the spring and summer to open its new clinic, located in The Loop in downtown Chicago, when it ran into several obstacles along the way.

“We made the decision to build out on Jackson Street. There were hurdles right out of the gate because of COVID, getting permits, just simple things that you take for granted. … It was definitely an obstacle course coming right out of the gate, as in every single day here’s a new situation we weren’t planning on. Construction dragged out to almost a ridiculous end,” Kandula said.

“This was in the midst of the lockdowns and, as we got further along with construction, then came the civil unrest that was happening right at our doorstep down there. As we had just gone through some of the construction obstacles, there are literally thousands of people protesting on Jackson Street, in that area. That unfortunately devolved into looting, window smashing and all that stuff. This was all leading up to when we were planning to open, which was back in August. So, we’re coming toward the end of construction and they’re pulling up the bridges in Chicago. … How do you finish your project when you literally can’t get there?”

When construction was finally completed, on the night before ADVENT planned to open its new clinic, a boiler leak damaged the entire office.

“All that new construction, all the medical equipment, everything we had just put in there was ruined. We basically just had water dropped from the ceiling and it drowned the location,” Kandula said.

THE RESOLUTION “Going through the things we went through to get to that point, you’re at the one-yard line about to walk in and then all of the sudden you get blindsided and you’re down. … What are you going to do there? This is true of our company: The more you go through together as a team, the more dedicated to the mission you become. So even though everything we had just done got ruined, it was obvious what we were going to do. We’re going to find a way to get it done. And we did do that. And, finally, in November we were able to open up that location and, lo and behold, patients are flocking to that location, which is awesome.”

THE TAKEAWAY “As we’ve gotten bigger, we have gotten resilient. Coming through this, it was a sense of purpose and mission … and part of it was optimism. From a business standpoint, even in the worst of times, there’s always a glimmer of hope. I know we are very capable but for me on the back end, coming through this, I’d say what I knew in my heart I know now with my eyes and ears because I’ve seen it firsthand (how we) respond to a challenge.” n biztimes.com / 47

SOUTHEASTERN WISCONSIN HAS PLANS. FIRST MIDWEST BANK HAS IDEAS.

At Park Bank, we know the business market, because we helped shape it for more than 100 years. This commitment to local leadership and decision making will continue as we become part of First Midwest Bank, creating greater resources, products and services.

If you have plans to grow your business, we have ideas to help. Give us a call.

David P. Werner Market President 414.270.3231