BizTimes Milwaukee | February 3, 2020

Supporting American Heart Month

BizTimes Milwaukee

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FEB 3 - 16, 2020 Âť $3.25

BizTimes Media presents the 13th annual:

Thursday, March 12th, 2020 7:00 - 11:00 AM | Milwaukee Marriott Downtown

BUILD LOCAL. GROW GLOBAL. NOW IS THE TIME TO BUY OR SELL.

Concurrent Breakout Sessions:

Business is strong and the greater Milwaukee region is enjoying a renaissance. Take advantage of the attention focused on Milwaukee as you consider buying a business or selling your business.

The economy is still growing but with global instability and uncertainty, what should your next move be?

Prepare with the right tools and knowledge. The M&A Forum will include a keynote presentation followed by a panel discussion with buy and sell side panelists. The program continues with breakout sessions focused on the hows and whys of building value, creative financing that maximizes cash flow and why cyber security is a key area of due diligence.

Keynote: Key Strategies to Build Sustainable Scale • Paul Stillmank, Founder & CEO, 7Summits

Creative Financing that Maximizes Cash Flow In this session you’ll learn about available acquisition financing enhancements that can help overcome challenges in leveraging less expensive senior financing while minimizing the debt service strain on cash flow.

This will be supported by real life examples from the perspective of the business owner, investor, SBA and banker.

Session Speakers: • Gerard Benz, Director of SBA, SVP, Old National Bank • Steve Kohl, Vice President, WBD Inc. • Frank Lotter, President, Lotter Enterprises • Tommy Olson, SVP Commercial Banking, Old National Bank • Dan Phlegar, Founding Partner, Mezzanine Investor, Oxer Capital, Inc.

Companies seeking capital infusion, PE partnerships or longer-term M&A outcomes should focus on building sustainable scale. Paul Stillmank, Founder and CEO of 7Summits, will discuss the importance of three key strategies within your business: 1) a focused go-to-market; 2) a defined offering set; and 3) a predictable bookings motion. Paul will describe how each of these, combined with a great company culture, set the foundation for building a local business that can reach global proportions.

Panel discussion topics include: • • • •

Growing your workforce through strategic business acquisition Developing an effective company culture to accelerate growth Recapitalization and its advantages and lessons learned Selling to a strategic buyer and transitioning to an ESOP

Panelists: • • • •

Andrea Bukacek, CEO, Bukacek Construction (1) Paul Grunau, Chief Learning Officer, APi Group (2) Ryan Martin, CEO, Midwest Composite Technologies (3) Moderator: Ann Hanna , MBA, CPA, Managing Director & Owner, Taureau Group (4)

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2

3

Secrets to Unlocking Business Value There are actions you can take today to help you realize the greatest value at market. This session will provide: • Insights on the market for private businesses • What creates value from the buyer’s perspective • Exit options • Deal structures that can maximize proceeds • Non-financial considerations Session Speakers: • Ann Hanna, MBA, CPA, Managing Director & Owner, Taureau Group • Corey Vanderpoel, MBA, Managing Director & Owner, Taureau Group

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Avoiding Data Privacy Traps in the M&A Process Attend this session to learn about the importance of sound cyber security and privacy practices in maximizing the value of your business. Proper Cyber Security is a key area of diligence. You’ll hear about both - the buyer and seller perspective, and the horror stories about ransomware attacks, stolen wires and identity thefts, and what you need to do to protect yourself as a buyer or seller.

Session Speakers: • Martin McLaughlin, Corporate Shareholder and the Chair of Reinhart’s Data Privacy and Cybersecurity Practice, Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren • Melissa Zabkowicz, Corporate Attorney and a member of Reinhart’s Data Privacy and Cybersecurity Practice, Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren

REGISTER TODAY! BIZTIMES.COM/MAFORUM Sponsors:

Event Partner:

HANDCUFFED

| NEW I-94 INTERCHANGE WILL BOOST

FRANKLIN’S PLANNED INDUSTRIAL PARK 18

| DNC CAUSES EVENT-PLANNING RIPPLE EFFECT 25

| 5 MINUTES WITH MILWAUKEE TOOL GROUP PRESIDENT STEVE RICHMAN 42

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FEB 3 - 16, 2020 » $3.25

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16th Annual

At BizExpo you won’t just discover new leads, you’ll make the deal.

With over 2,400+ annual attendees, BizExpo is the place where businesses grow. Exhibitors leave feeling inspired, energized and confident to take their business to the next level of success. With the right combination of powerful business leaders and potential customers, BizExpo will give your company the brand exposure it needs to be a leader in your industry.

THURSDAY

May 28, 2020 RESERVE YOUR BOOTH! 9:00 A.M. - 4:30 P.M. | Potawatomi Hotel & Casino | biztimes.com/bizexpo2020

Join past exhibitors like: 14 West 360 Direct 88Nine Radio Milwaukee AARP Community Programs AbbyChristopher CBD Oil Acuity Insurance Aflac Alliance Tax USA American Heart Association-Milwaukee Applied Tech AT&T BizTimes Media Blue Harbor Resort & Conference Center Brehmer Agency, Inc. Butters-Fetting Co., Inc. Cardinal Stritch University - College of Business Carefree Boat Club of Wisconsin Casino Party Planners Central Office Systems Share My Number Charles Schwab Citizens Bank Commerce State Bank Computer Technologies, Inc.

Concordia University Wisconsin Culligan Water of Waukesha Data Holdings Datum Consulting Digital Media Lab Edelweiss Cruises and Boat Tours Employee Health Centre Engineered Security Solutions, Inc. Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) Wisconsin Epic Color Everdry Waterproofing EWH University for Small Business eWomenNetwork EXACTA Corporation Family Business Leadership Partners FitTech Hosting Fred Astaire Dance Studios of Wisconsin Gibraltar Industries Inc. Granville BID Greater Brookfield Chamber of Commerce Green Bay Packers Greenfire Management Services GSC Hatch Staffing Services Herzing University

Make connections

Imperial Service Systems Innovative Signs, Inc. Insperity ISC Fax ITP - Information Technology Professionals J.H. Findorff & Son Inc. James Imaging Systems, Inc. JP Cullen Keystone Click Lakeside Painting, Inc. Lands’ End Business Lauber Business Partners Lumber Axe Majic Productions MalamaDoe - A Coworking Community for Women Marquette University High School MC Services Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce (MMAC) Midwest College of Oriental Medicine Milwaukee Bucks Milwaukee Pedal Tavern MKE Leaders, Inc. New Horizons of Wisconsin

News Talk 1130 WISN Office Furniture Resources Office Furniture Warehouse of Milwaukee Ogden & Company, Inc. Olive Promotions Optima Associates LLC Pavlic Vending & Modern Coffee|Avanti Markets Port Washington State Bank Potawatomi Hotel & Casino Profile by Sanford Promotion Pros Renewal by Anderson Milwaukee Rodizio Grill The Brazilian Steakhouse S.J. Janis Company, Inc. SafeGuard Saturn Lounge Saz’s Hospitality Group SCORE SE Wisconsin Spectrum Enterprise Spring Bank Stamm Technologies Stellar Blue Technologies Strategic Business Center Summit Credit Union

Build your network

SVA Certified Public Accountants The Delafield Hotel The Ingleside Hotel The Prudential Insurance Company of America T-Mobile Town Bank | A Wintrust Community Bank U.S. Cellular University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, College of Business and Economics Upper Iowa University Viking Communications, Inc. Vistage Vivial VR Lakes Business Group War Memorial Center Waukesha County Business Alliance Waukesha State Bank Wegner CPAs WFA Staffing Group WhirlyBall Wisconsin Institute of CPAs (WICPA) Wisconsin Veterans Chamber of Commerce Women Business Owners Network (WBON)

Grow your business

CONTACT LINDA CRAWFORD TODAY! (414) 336-7112 | BIZTIMES.COM/BIZEXPO2020

LOCALLY OWNED FOR 25 YEARS

» FEB 3 - 16, 2020

biztimes.com

BizTimes Milwaukee (ISSN 1095-936X & USPS # 017813) Volume 25, Number 20, February 3, 2020 – February 16, 2020. BizTimes Milwaukee is published bi-weekly, except monthly in January, 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 $42. Single copy price is $3.25. Back issues are $5 each. Periodicals postage paid at Milwaukee, WI and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send all UAA to CFS. NON-POSTAL AND MILITARY FACILITIES: Send address corrections to BizTimes Milwaukee, 126 N. Jefferson St., Suite 403, Milwaukee, WI 53202-6120. Entire contents copyright 2020 by BizTimes Media LLC. All rights reserved.

Contents

6 Leading Edge 6 NOW

BY THE NUMBERS 7 JUMP START 8 IN FOCUS 9 PUBLIC RECORD 10 INNOVATIONS 11 BIZ LUNCH 12 BIZ POLL COFFEE BREAK

18 Real Estate 34 Strategies 34 MANAGEMENT Jim Lindell 35 INNOVATION Dan Steininger 36 LEADERSHIP KAREN VERNAL

39 Biz Connections 39 NONPROFIT

COVER STORY

20

40 GLACE AT YESTERYEAR COMMENTARY 41 AROUND TOWN

Handcuffed

42 5 MINUTES WITH…

State regulations hamper licensing of ex-offenders

Special Report

25 Corporate event planning Coverage includes a look at the ripple effect the 2020 Democratic National Convention is having on event planning in Milwaukee this year, and a report on the conversion of a downtown church into an event venue.

A RCH DIO CESE O F M ILWAU KEE

BOOKWORM G A R D E NS PHONE: (920) 287-7895 WEB: bookwormgardens.org

PHONE: (414) 769-3300 WEB: archmil.org

To enrich the mind, body, and spirit of the young and young at heart through exploration in a garden environment based on children’s literature. Bookworm Gardens does not charge an admission fee for individuals and families so as not to have any barriers to access of the experience.

To proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ through his saving death and resurrection by calling, forming and sending disciples to go and make new disciples. As a people, we are called to encounter Jesus and grow as disciples through the sacramental life of the Church.

2020 GIVING GUIDE FEATURED NONPROFIT

To learn more, visit biztimes.com/giving PRODUCED BY

2020 GIVING GUIDE FEATURED NONPROFIT

To learn more, visit biztimes.com/giving PRODUCED BY

biztimes.com / 5

Leading Edge

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

Carmex maker to build new HQ in Franklin

By Alex Zank, staff writer Carma Laboratories Inc., the manufacturer of Carmex lip balm, announced it intends to construct a new global headquarters in Franklin, the same city where its headquarters currently resides.

The company said in a news

release that it has narrowed its search to Franklin and has begun negotiating with the city for approvals and possible incentives.

Carma Labs is located in the Franklin Business Park. It has a production facility at 5801 W. Airways

BY THE NUMBERS Viking Cruises is launching a new Great Lakes division expected to make

20

port calls a year in Milwaukee, and bring 8,000 tourists here annually, starting in 2022.

6 / BizTimes Milwaukee FEBRUARY 3, 2020

Ave., and has a distribution center and offices about a half-mile away at 9750 S. Franklin Drive.

Although the company did not go into details in the news release about possible locations for the headquarters, there are at least a couple of possibilities.

Recent Common Council action suggests the company could be eyeing a site at the northeast corner of West Ryan Road and South 76th Street. In December, council members approved an agreement with Minnesota-based accounting firm Ehlers Inc. to study the feasibility of a new tax incremental financing district there. The site is located south of Croatian Park.

Also, an entity affiliated with the owners of Carma Labs owns a vacant parcel just east of its distribution center, at 4710 W. Basswood Drive.

“As home to the Carmex brand for over 80 years, the Greater Milwaukee area has played a significant role in our continued success,” Rich Simonson, chief operating officer of Carma Labs, said in the release. “We want our new global headquarters to reflect our long-term commitment to our employees and the city of Franklin.

We very much appreciate the ongoing support from the community and look forward to this exciting next chapter of our family compa-

ny’s history.”

Mayor Steve Olson said in the release, “Carma Laboratories has been a great part of Franklin for more than 50 years. We value the company as well as its employees. We are excited that they continue to be successful and are expanding here in their home city of Franklin. It’s been a pleasure to work with the Carma Laboratories owners and management on this major expansion of a brand that stamps ‘Franklin, Wisconsin’ on millions of products used all over the world.”

In a 2017 BizTimes cover story, company officials acknowledged their 44,000-square-foot production facility is the product of several additions over the years, making it difficult to move product through the facility. Its distribution facility being a half-mile away also means the product has to be trucked over for additional processing before it is distributed.

“Ultimately, we’d like to do a flow-through factory,” Paul Woelbing, president and co-owner of the company, said at the time. “If we had unlimited cash, I’d say let’s do it right now, but since we don’t, let’s do a meaningful thing; let’s really think about what we want (and) where we want to go.” n Associate editor Arthur Thomas also contributed to this report.

LOCATION: Milwaukee

JAKE HILL PHOTOGRAPHY

PUMP HERO, LLC FOUNDERS: Inge and Steve Plautz FOUNDED: 2017 PRODUCT: A mobile app for breast feeding mothers.

WEBSITE: pumphero.net EMPLOYEES: 2 GOAL: Increase partnerships with businesses and expand mobile platform service offerings.

EXPERIENCE: Inge Plautz is a senior vice president for Old National Bank. Steve Plautz is a Navy veteran and former firefighter.

Pump Hero helps working mothers find places to pump

By Brandon Anderegg, staff writer

Inge and Steve Plautz

WHEN INGE PLAUTZ returned to the workforce as a new mother in 2017, she found herself in an uncomfortable place – breast pumping inside her vehicle in a downtown Milwaukee parking garage.

Plautz, who is a senior vice president of Old National Bank, was attending a seminar in a facility where she was also hosting clients. After calling the facility, she discovered there were no accommodations for a nursing mother.

“On a personal level, for me, I never want my wife pumping in a car in a parking garage in Milwaukee,” said her husband, Steve Plautz.

“I don’t want that happening to anyone else’s wife, sister or mom.”

Shocked by how little people knew about the needs of a nursing mother and the lack of available resources for on-the-go breastfeeding mothers, the couple decided to develop a solution. They co-founded PumpHero, LLC in 2017.

PumpHero is a free mobile app that uses geolocation to offer nursing mothers a curated list of nearby mothers’ rooms or “pump sites.” The app specifically caters to nursing mothers who travel frequently or are returning to the workforce.

PumpHero generates revenue via ads and also charges businesses to appear on the app’s curated and vetted list. Businesses also pay a fee to PumpHero to have their app in-

cluded in a company’s wellness benefits package. However, the company also has plans to eventually create a subscription-based premium version of the app that will offer exclusive features.

A year after the app launched, PumpHero had 850 users, 40% of which are active, Inge Plautz said. Active users, she said, are those returning to the app not only to find nursing rooms, but also to add new pump sites and engage with other users on PumpHero.

While the app includes public facilities such as airports or museums, the majority of pump sites are in or around professional settings such as co-working spaces. Although users can submit locations, not all identified sites fit PumpHero’s strict criteria.

“Every location listed on the app is vetted and they are expecting moms so we can control and promise that consistent experience,” Inge Plautz said.

For a pump site to be PumpHero approved, the location must be a safe and secure space with a lockable door, a comfortable chair and an outlet, Inge Plautz said.

PumpHero, which graduated from gener8tor’s gBETA program in December, is in the process of establishing partnerships with businesses and corporations. n biztimes.com / 7

Leading Edge

inf cus

Slice of Ice at Red Arrow Park ON A RECENT mild winter’s day in downtown Milwaukee, the small ice rink located on North Water Street bustled with skaters of all ages.

Slice of Ice at Red Arrow Park has brought tens of thousands of visitors to the downtown area each winter for the past 20 years.

The rink last year drew an estimated 30,000 skaters and generated $156,472 in revenue from 19,593 total skate rentals, according to its operator Milwaukee County Parks.

2018 was a record-setting year for Slice of Ice with 30,000 total skaters, 19,969 skate rentals and $159,750 in skate rental revenue. Those totals were up approximately 58% from the 2017 season, which was cut short by a mid-February heat wave.

Refrigerated coils beneath several layers of frozen mist, which is painted white to reflect sunlight, allow the rink to stay open when temperatures are above freezing. But in a city like Milwaukee, daily crowds and the duration of the season ultimately rest on one important factor.

“It really is weather dependent,” said Joe Mrozinski, assistant director of business development for the Milwaukee County Parks. “On a weekend that is 30 degrees and there’s not much wind, it’s very busy.” n — Maredithe Meyer 8 / BizTimes Milwaukee FEBRUARY 3, 2020

THE

PUBLIC

RECORD OPEN FOR

BUSINESS.

Phase one trade deal and Wisconsin’s exports

By Arthur Thomas, staff writer Wisconsin’s exports to China climbed to a high of $1.73 billion in 2017 but declined the next year by 5.7% as the United States took aim at Chinese business practices and trade tensions escalated between the two countries. Exports declined another 17.6% though November of last year and were on pace for their lowest level since 2010, according to U.S. Census data.

The phase one trade deal signed by the U.S. and China in mid-January could reverse some of the downward trend. In addition to easing some tariffs and changing how the two countries do business with each other, the deal includes a pledge from the Chinese to – over two years – buy an additional $162.1 billion in goods and $37.9 billion in services from the U.S. above 2017 levels. The U.S. exported $129.8 billion in goods to China in 2017.

Wisconsin stands to benefit primarily from China’s pledge to buy an additional $77.7 billion in manufactured goods and $32 billion in agricultural products in 2020 and 2021.

Here are the top product categories included in the deal based on Wisconsin’s 2017 exports: Product Manufactured Goods

2017 WI Exports Percent (millions) of U.S. Total $912.3 1.8%

Announcing our new Milwaukee office.

Located at 611 East Wisconsin Avenue.

After more than 100 years in business, we’re opening an office in downtown Milwaukee. We may be new to downtown, but we’ve been working with business customers here for years.

Unlike other banks in southeast Wisconsin, we at Ixonia Bank have the luxury to be prudent with your financial future. The philosophy of Professional Ownership,® developed by Sheldon Lubar, is woven into our daily operations. Because we know success doesn’t just happen overnight, we focus on the long-term, building relationships, not transactions.

X-ray apparatus; tubes, panels, screen

$169.0

23.5%

Medical, surgical, dental or vet instruments

$118.8

4.9%

$64.2

3.7%

where you’ll find the greatest returns result from mutual respect and trust.

Sawn, chipped, sliced wood over 6mm Electrical transformers, static converters and inductors

$37.7

9.8%

Machines with individual functions

$35.9

6.2%

Transmission shafts, bearings, gears

$30.8

10.2%

Spark-ignition reciprocating or rotary internal combustion piston engines

$30.7

14.6%

Prepared unrecorded media (no film) for sound

$28.4

7.4%

$181.2

0.9%

Agricultural products Raw hides and skins of bovine or equine animals

$47.8

5.5%

Whey and milk products

$47.0

19.1%

Plants for pharmacy, perfume, insecticides

$14.1

59.9%

Prepared or preserved fruit and nuts

$11.1

10.0%

Odoriferous mixtures used as raw material for industrial and beverage manufacturing

$8.8

12.3%

Sugars including chemically pure lactose; caramel

$8.6

13.1%

Soybeans

$7.2

0.1%

Preparations used in animal feeding

$7.0

3.8%

Call or visit us at our new downtown Milwaukee office

414.763.2428 • ixoniabank.com

Source: U.S. Census Bureau data

biztimes.com / 9

Leading Edge

INN UW-Milwaukee professors’ discovery could disrupt battery, computer markets

By Brandon Anderegg, staff writer

Carol Hirschmugl and Marija Gajdardziska-Josifovska.

SafeLi LLC Shorewood

INNOVATION: Lithium-ion battery parts made from graphene monoxide FOUNDERS: Carol Hirschmugl and Marija Gajdardziska-Josifovska FOUNDED: 2016 safelimaterials.com 10 / BizTimes Milwaukee FEBRUARY 3, 2020

@BIZTIMESMEDIA – Real-time news

VAT I TWO PHYSICS PROFESSORS at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee have discovered a new material with properties that could disrupt the battery market and lead to a new generation of computer technology.

Using a transmission electron microscope, Carol Hirschmugl and Marija Gajdardziska-Josifovska discovered graphene monoxide, which is a 2D material and the first solid form of carbon monoxide that exists at room temperature and pressure.

The two physicists first made the discovery in 2011 via in-situ monitoring, often called the “look and cook” method, Hirschmugl said. This process allows physicists to actually watch atomic structures as they take shape.

At first sight, their new material was one millionth the size of the diameter of a hair. It signaled that what they had discovered was unique, but not enough to actually use, Hirschmugl said.

With a discovery on their hands, Hirschmugl and Gajdardziska-Josifovska had to make a choice: find satisfaction in their discovery and move on or realize its potential through research and product development.

Choosing the latter, the two professors co-founded SafeLi LLC, a startup incubated at UWM that produces lithium-ion parts. With its patented material, SafeLi can boost the storage capacity of li-ion batteries that exceeds current graphite-based li-ion batteries on the market.

“We made that choice because we thought it has potential,” Hirschmugl said. “We didn’t want it to be lost.”

NS

When Hirschmugl and Gajdardziska-Josifovska started SafeLi in 2016, they understood that graphene monoxide has similar conducting properties to silicon and structural properties to graphene, a wonder metal known for its flexibility, and a better conductor of electricity than copper.

It’s possible, Hirschmugl said, that graphene monoxide could be paired with graphene to build carbon-based microprocessors, a new generation of computer technology that researchers believe could be faster and more energy efficient.

These microprocessors and their transistors – tiny electronic switches that perform computations – are made from carbon nanotubes rather than their silicon-based predecessor.

“Graphene is potentially the future of computers and with that being the case, our material would be really critical,” Hirschmugl said.

Considering graphene monoxide’s potential, SafeLi has spent the past several years researching various markets where their material could be used. Last year, the Shorewood-based startup received a $1 million federal grant to further commercialize their product.

The grant, awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy through the Small Business Technology Transfer program, follows SafeLi’s completion of a phase one technical and commercial proof-of-concept grant award.

The phase two grant supports the scaled-up production of graphene monoxide to allow for the development of a battery prototype for electric vehicles. It will also allow SafeLi to grow to 10 employees and begin pursuing angel, venture or corporate capital funding.

SafeLi was incubated at the Milwaukee I-Corps program, a partnership of five area universities that allows academic participants to explore commercializing their

research ideas. Milwaukee I-Corps is administered by UWM and funded by the National Science Foundation.

Through the program, Hirschmugl and Gajdardziska-Josifovska were mentored by Loren Peterson, an entrepreneur in UWM’s Lubar Entrepreneurship Center. They were also accepted into the national I-Corps program.

As a UWM- incubated startup, SafeLi has access to a variety of resources, including the engineering department’s battery lab. It allows SafeLi to more accurately test and develop its products, which could accelerate the time it takes to reach commercialization, Hirschmugl said.

“It’s really important to have that turnaround of making a material and then testing it,” Hirschmugl said. “You get this quick feedback loop because you have the ability to make the material and test it all on one campus.”

While Hirschmugl and Gajdardziska-Josifovska may be on the path to commercialization, it could take years before graphene monoxide is fully commercialized.

Graphene was discovered in 2004 and, in 2010, the two University of Manchester professors who made the discovery were awarded a Nobel Prize. However, it wasn’t until 2019 that graphene was commercialized and used in certain products like golf balls, concrete and shoes.

Similar to graphene, scaling up production of graphene monoxide is difficult and will require baby steps, Hirschmugl said. However, graphene monoxide may have an accelerated route to market because of the path that graphene paved.

“Part of our trajectory is, because graphene has come such a long way, that may make it possible for us to get on that bandwagon and accelerate our path to commercialization,” Hirschmugl said. n

1

BIZ LUNCH

Lunch

Biz

BELFRE KITCHEN WEBSITE: belfrekitchen.com

CONTRIBUTED

2

A D D R E S S: 606 N. Genesee St., Delafield

CUISINE: New American with a focus on local C H E F: Jason Herbrand M O O D: Classic, yet comfortable PRICING: Lunch, $12-26; Dinner, $12-32; Brunch, $10-20 When Amy Quinn opened Belfre Kitchen in October 2016, she wanted to create a gathering spot for the local Delafield community. But she hoped the farm-to-table restaurant would also emerge as an area destination.

“We wanted it to be special enough that eventually people would start to hear about us further away and come to us from downtown Milwaukee,” Quinn said. “We’re seeing that happen now, which is pretty exciting.”

Belfre Kitchen occupies a renovated 150-year-old white steeple former Presbyterian church that seats 70 diners between its upper and lower levels. Its scratch-made menu features classic dishes with a local twist, incorporating ingredients sourced from local farms.

The weekday lunch crowd brings primarily business people, who are often seated upstairs in what was once the church’s choir loft.

“It’s a great space for more private conversations,” Quinn said. “It’s a little bit set aside from the restaurant, but it’s still very much part of the restaurant.” 

3

1 2 3

The popular Pan-Roasted Salmon has remained a menu mainstay for more than a year.

The New England Lobster Roll is served on a buttery split-top bun with French fries.

Belfre is the first restaurant to take over the former Presbyterian church building. It has housed a number of other local businesses, including a theater and a few retail shops.

biztimes.com / 11

Leading Edge BIZ POLL

@BIZTIMESMEDIA – Real-time news

COFFEE BREAK

A recent survey of BizTimes.com readers.

Will the Democratic National Convention cause a major disruption for Milwaukee businesses?

YES:

NO:

31.1%

68.9% DNC security footprint boundaries map.

Manuel Rosado President, partner Spectrum Investment Advisors Inc. 6329 W. Mequon Road, Mequon spectruminvestor.com Industry: Wealth management • Rosado has worked at Spectrum for 14 years. In June 2019, he was named president of the retirement planning and wealth management firm, succeeding founder and now-chairman James Marshall. In addition to growing the firm, Rosado’s goal: “One of the biggest things is to enhance the use of our technology as we are meeting with individuals and how do we improve upon our reporting (with technology).”

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

• Originally from Puerto Rico, he earned a bachelor’s in business administration from Taylor University in Indiana, which is where he met his wife, Kari. The couple has 19-year-old daughter and a 17-year-old son.

• Earlier in his career, Rosado was a relationship manager at Principal

Financial Group.

Presented by the

• “I transferred with Principal up this way, but this is also where my wife is from. So, we ended up moving back home for her.”

THE UNCERTAIN FUTURE OF

AMERICAN DEMOCRACY FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 2020 7:15 AM -10:00 AM

Rebecca Ryan

Adapt and align your business in a time when many institutions, including our government – are anything but certain. Rebecca Ryan, renowned futurist and author, will provide insights into the big questions facing our economy and nation and help bring the future into focus.

2020 Platinum Sponsors:

Register at

Harley-Davidson Museum The Garage 500 W. Canal St. - Milwaukee

2020 Media Partner:

WWW.MMAC.ORG/CALENDAR.HTML

12 / BizTimes Milwaukee FEBRUARY 3, 2020

• Rosado earned his MBA at

Concordia University Wisconsin in 2003.

• In his free time, he coaches his son’s volleyball team, hikes and plays golf. He likes the convenience of Mee-Kwon Park Golf Course, but when he has the time, he heads up to Sheboygan County for world-class golf at the Kohler Co. courses.

• Rosado “pretended to drink coffee” in Spectrum’s café for a commercial that aired at Gathering on the Green, a summer concert series the firm sponsors in Mequon.

• He takes his coffee light and sweet. n

a

Chances are we all know someone who has been affected by heart disease or stroke.

Nearly 1 in 3 Americans die of cardiovascular disease, and congenital heart defects are the most common birth defect in the U.S. But, together we can change that!

Let’s make a big impact! February is about more than just wearing red; it’s an opportunity to spread awareness, support those that we love, honor those that we’ve lost and unite together in the fight against our nation’s number one killer. There are lots of ways to make that happen and be a part of American Heart Month.

Ideas for Participation Wear Red on National Wear Red Day: Friday, February 7.

Show red – something on the exterior of your home or office building lighting, flags, etc.

Provide your co-workers, family and friends with information about heart disease, with materials provided by the American Heart Association.

Have fun! Help raise funds through donations and fundraisers, for lifesaving research, policy and educational programs.

Organize an event at work: have a jeans day or sell extended lunch hours for $5 each, host a healthy bake sale, compete against departments to see which one can show the best red pride.

Challenge your family, friends and co-workers to participate.

Show us how you go red on social media, using #GoRedMKE and tagging @AHAWisconsin.

biztimes.com / 13

Know Y ur Numbers Five numbers that everyone should know to take control of their heart health are:

Knowing these numbers can help you and your health care provider determine your risk for developing cardiovascular diseases. It’s time for everyone to learn the most critical numbers in your life – your heart depends on it. Here's how:

Understand Risk Factors There are some you can control, such as blood pressure, smoking, cholesterol, and some you can't control, such as: age, gender and family history. That's why it's important to know your numbers, learn your family history and discuss all risk factors with your health care provider.

Know Your Numbers Five numbers can change your life - Total Cholesterol, HDL (good) Cholesterol, Blood Pressure, Blood Sugar and Body Mass Index (BMI).

Take Action & Manage Your Numbers Schedule a separate visit with your health care provider to learn these numbers and commit them to memory, and work to improve your numbers, if necessary.

P R O U D LY P R E S E N T S

INNOVATE WISCONSIN MANUFACTURING & BEYOND

TOGETHER, WE

CONNECT The State of VC Funding in the Great Lakes Region Join us for lunch on Tuesday, February 11th at the War Memorial Center to hear Brookings Fellow John Austin, author of As the Venture Game Gets Bigger, the Midwest Keeps Losing Out. For more information and to register, email info@Milwaukeerotary.com

This new issue will highlight how the state’s industries are changing and will offer readers ideas to propel their own companies to greater heights.

Enhance your company’s brand Create awareness for your services Demonstrate your expertise and thought leadership Support your sales and business development team throughout the sales process Position your company as an employer of choice

PUBLICATION DATE: June 22, 2020 RESERVATIONS DUE: May 20, 2020

To sponsor or advertise, contact Linda Crawford at 414-336-7112 or email advertise@biztimes.com 14 / BizTimes Milwaukee FEBRUARY 3, 2020

MANUFACTURING MATTERS! 20/20

Agenda: Wednesday, February 26th:

Thursday, February 27th:

8:00am – 12:00pm Secrets of Successful Negotiations

8:00am - 8:30am

10:00am – 12:00pm How your Digital Brand is Impacting Talent Attraction

8:30am – 9:30am Keynote Speaker: Steve Brown – CEO, Possibility

and Purpose

1:00pm - 3:00pm Winning the War for Talent

Opening Remarks

9:30am – 3:15am Sessions

3:30pm – 5:30pm Best Place at Historic Pabst Brewery Private Tour 5:30pm – 7:30pm Celebration of Manufacturing Reception – Hyatt Atrium

3:15pm

Networking Reception

SESSIONS: Strategic Growth » Leveraging Voice of the Customer » Growth with a Focus » Increasing Sales Through Lead Qualification Improving Productivity » Making things better with Lean Six Sigma » Transformational Productivity Initiative (TPI) Assessments - Value

and Insights Gained » Assembly Teams and Smaller Batch Sizes Reduce Lead Times and

Increase Flexibility Workforce Excellence » Employer Branding – Winning at recruitment through messaging » Effective Onboarding - Decreasing new hires time to proficiency. » Developing a Data Driven Culture

Special event coverage

Industry 4.0 / Automation » Leveraging New Technologies to Address the Labor Shortage » Automation Implementation Panel » Driving Business Success Through Data, Analytics and Business Intelligence Improving Business Performance » Integrating Sustainability into Decision Making » What is the difference between a 5X and 10X Company? » Go-To-Market Strategy: Sales Channel Partners Leading for Success » Negotiating: Master strategies for giving and getting concessions » Wisconsin Works: The New Wisconsin Economy » Communicating and Operating Successfully Across Generations

in the Workplace

biztimes.com / 15

MANUFACTURING MATTERS! 20/20 WMEP Manufacturing Solutions will be presenting the 22nd Manufacturing Matters! Conference on February 26 – 27th at the Hyatt Regency in Milwaukee.

“Focus & Go” is this year’s conference theme, and Steve Brown, CEO of Possibility and Purpose who previously worked as a futurist and chief evangelist for tech giant Intel Corporation, will provide the keynote address.

WMEP Manufacturing Solutions CEO, Tim Wiora, explains, “The manufacturing landscape is exciting and filled with many opportunities and challenges. This dynamic nature favors companies that proactively change with the times.”

“This conference is designed to help companies visualize their future and determine what they can focus on now to take best advantage of upcoming opportunities”, said Wiora.

The conference features 18 breakout sessions in six tracks. Additionally, there are five pre-conference workshops and events on February 26th.

Keynote Speaker: Steve Brown, AKA, The Bald Futurist As the former Futurist and Chief Evangelist at Intel Corporation, Steve has over 30 years’ experience in high tech, half of that spent in strategic planning or as a Futurist. He helps his audiences to understand the major technologies that will shape the future five, ten, or fifteen years from now, and to determine which strategies they will need to follow to take full advantage of the opportunity that is being created.

Special event coverage

A GUIDE TO

A SUP P LEMEN T OF

made and built in southEASTERN Wisconsin FA L L 2 0 1 9

COVER STORY page 16

made and built in Wisconsin

made with pride in southeastern Wisconsin

WHAT IS IT?

WHO MAKES IT?

STUFF BLOWN UP pages 12 & 22 Inside look at local construction projects

Need help with hiring?

Northeast Edition:

Southeast Edition:

Deadline: February 17

Deadline: June 24

COULD I MAKE A CAREER OF THIS?

COST OF LIVING page 34 Personal budgets and finding a salary that works for you

check out our PROFILES - pgs 40-105 to learn about 30+ career opportunities!

CALL TODAY TO SEE HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED! Contact Media Sales today (414) 336.7112 or advertise@biztimes.com

16 / BizTimes Milwaukee FEBRUARY 3, 2020

Manufacturing Industry Insights

Measurable Results.™

With a deep knowledge of working with the manufacturing industry, the SVA team understands the challenges that business owners are facing this year. When asked what the focus of business owners will be, here’s what the SVA team has to say: Customer and Vendor Competition Being able to competitively price products to meet customer expectations, and also balance increased expenses from vendors, creates a give-and-take environment that can be difficult to manage.

Manufacturers are seeing their vendors increase prices to help drive their own revenue which creates a challenge for the manufacturer to maintain margins and profitability, while still pricing their products competitively.

Succession Planning We all know the Baby Boomer generation is looking to transition out of their businesses, and many have a desire to see their legacy continue by transferring ownership to the next level of management. However, often times the management team isn’t ready. Owners are outward-focused on the day-to-day operations, and not spending enough time focusing inward to prepare the next level of leadership.

Working with a CPA firm that really understands how to improve efficiency, while maintaining customer pricing and service expectations, is key. SVA’s team helps owners make the operational decisions to increase their profitability while still focusing on the future.

Norm Roller, CPA

Principal-in-Charge Manufacturing Services

We measure our success by your success. This has been the foundation of SVA’s model for helping our clients achieve their business and financial goals for the past 45 years.

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Real Estate

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

Map of future interchange at I-94 and Elm Road.

New full access interchange is being constructed at Elm Road

New free flow connection between 27th Street and West Frontage Road

I-94 entrance/exit ramps at 27th Street permanently closed

JON ELLIOT OF MKE DRONES LLC

New I-94 interchange just in time for Franklin’s planned industrial park

18 / BizTimes Milwaukee FEBRUARY 3, 2020

A LONG-PLANNED corporate park in the city of Franklin that’s finally taking shape will have the fortune of being located next to a new I-94 freeway interchange.

City leaders, who are moving forward with infrastructure improvements of their own to

facilitate the park’s development, expect the new freeway ramp will greatly aid their efforts.

The new Franklin Corporate Park is to be developed on land located south of West Oakwood Road, west of South 27th Street and north of South County Line Road.

Calli Berg, Franklin director of economic development, said the future park totals 520 acres. This includes existing businesses within its boundaries as well as 385 acres currently listed for sale. Factoring out woodland and wetland areas, at least 300 acres are developable, she said.

Work is about to commence to prepare the area for development.

Franklin’s Common Council in January awarded a number of contracts related to public infrastructure improvements there, including a new wastewater pumping station. It also directed staff to proceed with related land acquisitions. New roads are planned within the park as well.

Meanwhile, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation is working to finish construction of a new full-access interchange at Elm Road, which currently ends at

BIRD’S EYE VIEW: C LY B O U R N A N D B R OA D WAY, D O W N T O W N M I LWAU K E E The block northwest of East Clybourn Street and North Broadway in downtown Milwaukee has come alive in recent years.

Under construction at that corner is the 11-story Huron Building. Developer J. Jeffers & Co. broke ground on the project last spring. Husch Blackwell will move its Milwaukee office to the building as its anchor tenant. Along with office space, the building will include storefronts facing Clybourn and Broadway as well as indoor parking. Josh Jeffers, president and chief executive officer of J. Jeffers & Co., said the building will be topped off mid-February, and the core and shell will be completed mid-May. Husch Blackwell will move in by Dec. 1.

To its east is the historic Button Block building, which was redeveloped by Kenosha-based Bear Development LLC as a Homewood Suites by Hilton. The 94-room hotel opened its doors in fall 2017. And to the north are the Mackie and Mitchell buildings, which were rehabilitated in recent years by Jeffers.

27th Street.

The timing couldn’t be better for preparing the new industrial park and marketing it to developers, who had already shown interest in the area, Berg said.

“We are uniquely situated to capitalize on businesses looking for relocation (and) consolidation opportunities,” she said.

The city has for decades viewed this area as a future corporate park.

Franklin Mayor Steve Olson said the site was studied in 1999 as part of a citywide economic development plan. A consultant working on that plan determined this area was the city’s best opportunity for a business park.

“So, we started planning for that, rezonings, that kind of thing back in 2000,” he said.

The park’s first industrial developments will likely take place on 80 acres owned by JHB Properties.

Plans for that site include four lots, three of which would contain a 150,000-square-foot speculative industrial building each. The fourth would contain a 124,000-squarefoot industrial building.

The lots will be prepared for development by ZS Enterprises. Scott Biller, a senior project architect with Milwaukee-based Plunkett Raysich Architects, is also the owner of JHB Properties and ZS Enterprises.

Biller said two of the lots will be sold to and developed by Chicago-based HSA Commercial Real Estate, while the remaining two will soon be made available to developers. HSA is expected to close on the properties in June, he said.

Biller said his family has owned this land since the 1970s, when his grandfather purchased it with the intention of farming the land after retirement. While that never happened, the family has waited for the right time to develop it, knowing the city’s long-term vision, he said.

What finally got things moving was the construction of the Elm Road Interchange.

The reconstruction for the I-94 north-south corridor expansion project was fast-tracked after Tai-

wan-based Foxconn Technology Group announced its plans for a massive Mount Pleasant manufacturing campus in 2017. That meant construction of the Elm Road interchange was also put into motion, Biller said. It was around this time that representatives of HSA reached out to him with interest.

“They were interested in our land because there was a direct link (with the interchange),” he said. “Elm Road basically terminated at our property.”

WisDOT spokesman Michael Pyritz said the interchange, set to finish in late spring, will replace the partial interchange on 27th Street immediately south, noting the old freeway ramps were inefficient. It also made sense to build a full interchange given the potential developments occurring nearby, he added.

“The projected growth of the area warranted having access at that location and not just a half interchange,” Pyritz said.

Olson said the city would like to see that the park isn’t developed in a fragmented way. It is seeking to work with landowners to ensure a more unified approach. He said the city wants to avoid a large number of small spec buildings, and would prefer light manufacturing uses over warehouse or storage space.

“We’re looking for high-value business uses down there,” he said. “Not to say a warehouse isn’t high value to someone, (but) we’re looking for high property value uses rather than a warehouse.” n

UGLY BUILDING: 324 - 326 W. S TAT E S T., M I LWAU K E E To the north and west of the building at 324-326 W. State St. lie the boundaries of the Deer District, to the east is the busy commercial hub of Old World Third Street, and to the south are the Journal Sentinel buildings, which were recently purchased by Milwaukee developer Josh Jeffers for an adaptive reuse project.

But, at least for now, nothing is happening with this roughly 2,000-square-foot building.

In 2017, owner Athina Properties unveiled plans to convert it into a tavern, but that project hasn’t moved forward. A representative of Athina Properties said in January they are actively and aggressively looking to come up with something meaningful for the site. They didn’t provide specifics beyond that.

The building was constructed in 1885 and for many years was home to Accurate Key & Lock.

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STORY COVER

HANDCUFFED

STATE REGULATIONS HAMPER LICENSING OF EX-OFFENDERS

BY LAUREN ANDERSON, staff writer

20 / BizTimes Milwaukee FEBRUARY 3, 2020

I

N LATE 2014, Trista Pomella was charged with a misdemeanor cannabis possession offense in Tampa, Florida.

Pomella made her court appearance, paid a $280 fine, and, when she moved several months later with her boyfriend to Wisconsin to be near his family, she assumed the incident was behind her.

“I don’t even have a booking photo,” she said.

“I was never handcuffed. There was just a paper, ‘Here’s your court date. Come see us.’ No big deal. At least I thought it wasn’t.”

Pomella had seven years of experience as a licensed hairstylist by the time she arrived in Wisconsin. After taking some time off work, she began the process of getting her credentials to resume her career here.

But when Pomella applied for her cosmetology license through the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services, her misdemeanor reared its head.

Under state law, anyone with a previous conviction must account for their past infractions on their professional license application.

“Our paramount concern is protection of the public,” said Al Rohmeyer, chief legal counsel for DSPS. “We don’t want to be issuing licenses where the public may be harmed by us doing that. We take that very seriously and that’s obviously why the process takes so long.”

Pomella was puzzled by the list of documents she was required to submit, including certified copies of the police report, criminal complaint, judgement of conviction and sentencing, sentencing verification, along with a personal statement detailing the circumstances of her conviction. She had difficulty knowing where to find those documents – complicated by the fact that they were housed in an out-of-state clerk of courts office – and how to submit them to DSPS. “I got the paperwork. I called DSPS. They sent me a bunch of links,” she said. “But a lot of it didn’t make sense.”

In the meantime, she took a $9/hour retail job at Sally Beauty in Greenfield, earning a little less than half of what she would make as a stylist. After she enlisted the help of a local salon owner to navigate the process, it took six months before she was approved to cut hair.

“I was getting to a point where I was about to give up on my career, which was heartbreaking,” said Pomella, who today manages Cost Cutters in Greenfield. “This is what I was meant to do. I can’t see myself doing anything else.”

LENGTHY, COMPLEX CREDENTIAL PROCESS Pomella’s story is familiar for those with a conviction on their record who have been in the position of seeking a professional license in Wisconsin.

Several cosmetologists and barbers interviewed for this story recounted similar experiences, describing the process of getting credentialed in the state as convoluted, costly and perplexingly long. After completing the required 1,000 or more hours of training and paying tuition for schooling,

some said they nearly abandoned their professional plans because of licensing challenges.

One Milwaukee-area hairstylist said that when she enrolled at Empire Beauty School, she was never warned that an eight-year-old felony conviction from when she was 16 might be a hurdle to her eventually obtaining a license. But when she completed school in 2017, she faced roadblocks trying to obtain court documents to submit to DSPS. Some of her classmates did too, she said.

“I had to get a whole bunch of paperwork from the court, spend money on each copy,” she said. “It’s lengthy and time-consuming. No one was aware of that when they started school. I even know people who gave up trying to get their licenses because it was so challenging.”

Facing $35,000 in student loans, she couldn’t afford to wait.

“It’s embarrassing and stressful,” she said. “It gave me a lot of anxiety. It was like ripping off a Band-Aid of some old wounds. You already did what you’re supposed to do and all of the sudden you’re told it’s not enough and you possibly can’t get your license. I had a lot of sleepless nights. I cried.”

It took three months for her license application to be approved.

BIPARTISAN GOALS As companies struggle to find talent in a labor market with a 3.3% unemployment rate in Wisconsin, some argue it’s an opportunity for employers to cast a wider net to those with criminal backgrounds.

Whether it’s seen as a matter of social justice or a pragmatic solution to pressing workforce shortages, the push to reduce barriers for job-seeking ex-offenders has largely enjoyed bipartisan support.

Former Gov. Scott Walker’s administration oversaw the expansion of programs that prepare prison inmates with specific job skills, such as computer numerical control machining and welding, to help them find work upon their release. Gov. Tony Evers’ first biennial budget included an expansion of correctional facility-based job centers to ease inmates’ search for employment. A new program for inmates to earn a barbering license is also planned.

In recent months, Department of Corrections secretary Kevin Carr and Department of Workforce Development secretary Caleb Frostman have implored employers to consider hiring ex-offenders.

Dave Hagemeier, owner of nine Milwaukee-area salons, said he wants to, but burdensome state licensing procedures have tied his hands as an employer.

Four years ago, Hagemeier, who with his wife Carol co-owns Signature Two Company, received a call from a job candidate who was preparing for her release from Milwaukee Women’s Correctional Center.

“I had never as an employer engaged with a felon before; it just wasn’t something that had occurred to me,” he said. “But she was just so determined and compelling. I hired her … It really clicked for me that some people can put difficulties behind biztimes.com / 21

A 2014 misdemeanor offense caused complications for Trista Pomella when she sought her professional cosmetology license. them and move forward strongly and confidently.”

Since then, he’s committed to hiring ex-offenders, and has worked with about 20 license-seekers as they navigate the state’s credentialing process. For the uninitiated, it can be intimidating and discouraging, he said.

“It can take months for a license applicant to track down all of this documentation; it can cost hundreds of dollars,” Hagemeier said. “It can be hard to travel across the state, or in some cases to other states, to convince police departments and court clerks to dig up records that can be 15 years old or more. And then it takes several months more for the DSPS to review and approve.”

While screening is necessary to protect the public, Hagemeier said, the burdensome processes are blocking employment for some while disincentivizing employers from taking a chance on hiring ex-offenders.

“The state is asking us to do our duty, but employers are being punished for it,” he said. “In my experience, the State of Wisconsin itself is the single biggest obstacle to licensing for ex-offenders.”

22 / BizTimes Milwaukee FEBRUARY 3, 2020

State Sen. Dale Kooyenga, R-Brookfield, calls it a case of the “left hand not talking to the right” among state government agencies.

“The objective of the DOC is to get these people trained and reacclimated and reduce recidivism, which comes with job training,” he said. “And the objective of DSPS is to protect the public … If you’re involved with the DOC and in for drug abuse, that doesn’t substantially relate to cosmetology, and yet they require all the details of it.”

LENGTHY APPROVAL PROCESS Stephen Dale saw barbering as a way to turn over a new leaf.

The 58-year-old Milwaukee resident has a lengthy criminal record and for years struggled with mental health conditions that made it difficult for him to maintain steady employment. For a time, he found work doing home improvement projects, but the jobs were inconsistent and increasingly wearing on his body.

“I decided to reinvent myself and go to barber school,” Dale said.

He’s found stability with the help of medication. In 2018, he completed the barbering program through Milwaukee Area Technical College, which was paid for by the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development’s Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, completed 1,000 training hours and passed both state-mandated licensing exams.

DVR connected Dale with Hagemeier, who hired him on the spot to work full-time as a barber under Dale’s six-month temporary license granted to new graduates.

Securing a permanent license was more difficult. The application required Dale to account for his conviction history, tracing back three decades.

It cost more than $200 for him to print the police and court documents from his convictions.

He was also required to produce written statements about each of his offenses, the facts that led to the incidents, who was involved, what happened and why, penalties and verification that he completed all sentencing requirements. Nine of his offenses happened more than 20 years ago and he didn’t remember some of the incidents

JAKE HILL PHOTOGRAPHY

STORY COVER

JAKE HILL PHOTOGRAPHY

from his 20s.

“Every time I see this stuff, I hate to even look at it,” Dale said. “I read it and I’m like, ‘dumb, dumb, dumb. What was I thinking? What was I thinking?’

I have a lot of anxiety filling out these papers and having to write statements and remember what I did 27 years ago.”

While Dale waited on his pending application, his temporary license expired. Hagemeier kept him on as a receptionist. Legally, Dale couldn’t cut hair, but Hagemeier didn’t want to lose him as an employee.

“I paid him to push a broom,” Hagemeier said.

“The salon’s not that big; we don’t have that much sweeping to do.”

Dale couldn’t earn tips or commission. He looked for part-time work to pay his bills in the meantime.

“I like earning my pay; I don’t like sitting around,” Dale said. “I don’t like not bringing in any revenue.”

Dale said he might have given up altogether without Hagemeier’s help.

“The majority of people like me wouldn’t even bother to go through all that stuff,” he said. “They wouldn’t even know where to start, so they’re dead in the water. So they won’t get their licenses and they’ll end up cutting hair illegally.”

From the time he submitted his paperwork, it took 14 weeks for Dale’s permanent license to be approved.

APPLICATION REVIEW BACKLOG With the volume of license applications DSPS receives, ensuring public safety and issuing credentials expediently can be in competition with one another.

DSPS issues about one million professional licenses in Wisconsin annually. Its oversight includes more than 240 professions, ranging from cosmetologists and barbers to doctors to matchmakers to funeral directors – each regulated by different statutes that require fine-tooth-comb reviews of applicants.

With a staff of 250, DSPS has two full-time attorneys and a paralegal, along with several limited-term employees, dedicated to working on credential applications that require legal review.

“It’s a lot of responsibility and a lot of information for our attorneys to master, but it’s statutorily required of us,” said DSPS secretary Dawn Crim. “...We realize it does take a bit of time because our attorneys apply the law to the individual unique factors or circumstances and then they make determinations based on the interest of the public.”

The agency had a backlog of pending applications when Crim was appointed in early 2019 to lead the agency, and it continues to wade through the pileup, she said.

Late during Walker’s administration, DSPS had one attorney and one paralegal, along with several limited term employees, working in that area. It has since added one additional full-time attorney and has diverted several other attorneys, paralegals and staff to work part-time or overtime to pro-

When he applied for his professional barbering license, Stephen Dale spent months and hundreds of dollars assembling legal documents from offenses he committed as far back as three decades ago. biztimes.com / 23

Dale works as a licensed barber with Signature Two Company.

cess credentialing legal reviews more quickly. Crim said she requested 20 additional employees during the biennial budgeting process but was approved for just six of those positions, none of which were in the agency’s credentialing legal review area.

“We’re making some headway, but (the backlogs) do still exist because we’re terribly understaffed,” Crim said.

Meanwhile, potential changes to state law could offer some relief.

Crim worked with Kooyenga on a bill that would establish “look-back limits” in the agency’s licensing processes. Under the proposal, DSPS could choose not to investigate a number of nonviolent and common offenses that don’t substantially relate to the profession. Those offenses include a first-offense OWI that occurred more than five years ago, underage drinking-related violations that occurred more than five years ago and nonviolent ordinance violations or other nonviolent offenses that occurred more than five years before the application date.

“We recognize that certain offenses committed long ago and in the absence of any subsequent legal issues are almost never a barrier to licensure, and yet our attorneys are required to review the facts and law at hand in every instance,” Crim said.

“I believe in second chances. Our agency opens doors to careers in rewarding professions, and this legislation gives us the tools we need to open those doors quickly.”

It would eliminate what Kooyenga said are unnecessary barriers for people whose past mistakes have no bearing on their ability do their job. He cited an example of a woman in her 30s who needed to provide documents regarding an underage drinking ticket from her teens in order to get her cosmetology license.

“You don’t keep a scrapbook of this stuff,” he said. “(It’s) going beyond and above the original letter and intent of the law, saying you’re going to (pro24 / BizTimes Milwaukee FEBRUARY 3, 2020

Pomella manages Cost Cutters in Greenfield.

vide) an underage drinking ticket from when you were 16,” he added. “I don’t see where in the law you need to do that. “ Another bill would allow DSPS to issue provisional licenses with the goal of allowing license seekers to begin work right away. Currently, licenses must be approved by a professional credentialing board, some of which meet only quarterly.

That waiting period can put people who live paycheck to paycheck in a tough spot, Kooyenga said.

“This is an absolute necessity for many Americans at that (income) level,” he said.

A third proposal is aimed at streamlining the professional licensure process by providing passive review, meaning if a credentialing board doesn’t take action within 10 days on a license that DSPS has recommended for approval, the license would automatically be approved.

The initial proposals have bipartisan support, Kooyenga said, with Democratic Sen. LaTonya Johnson of Milwaukee, along with Democratic Rep. Kaylan Haywood of Milwaukee and Republican Rep. Warren Petryk of the Town of Washington (near Eau Claire), sponsoring the legislation.

The changes would give some flexibility to her department, Crim said.

“We really are working hard to control what we can,” she said. “We’re looking at people and processes, being responsive and assisting those applicants. The fair and balanced approach is what we’re trying to do.”

In the meantime, Crim said her agency is doing what it can to work with the DWD and DOC’s efforts to find ex-offenders gainful employment.

She encourages inmates who are enrolled in apprenticeship programs to get started early on the license application process so they can start their careers as soon as possible.

“When the governor (Evers) took office, he talked about connecting the dots,” she said. “We are constantly talking with one another as secre-

taries to ask how do we work together to improve efficiencies, to improve processes and do the appropriate handoffs. This is an example of a way for us to work closely together for a smooth transition.”

DEPT. OF CORRECTIONS ASSISTANCE Jonelle Todd considers her story a case study in reentry programs working the way they should.

While serving time in Taycheedah Correctional Institution in Fond du Lac County, Todd completed the facility’s cosmetology and barbering program, including the 1,800 required training hours, and set up job interviews with salons in preparation for her release, while DOC largely handled the paperwork associated with getting her license.

“A big concern for me was, as I walk out the doors, what was I going to do?” she said. “How was I going to get my life back and my kids back? … What they intended to do worked perfectly in this situation. I came out with a skill the day I walked out the door that I never had before. I was able to find an employer that was willing to work with me.”

She was hired as a stylist, and within a year, moved into a manager role with one of Hagemeier’s salons. Four years after her release, she’s now a senior manager with Signature Two Company, overseeing its Mequon, Germantown and West Bend locations. In that time, she said she’s seen other stylists face challenges getting their credentials, delaying their shot at “remaking their lives,” like she did.

“The whole point of what we do in the (corrections) system is trying to hope we can rehabilitate people and get them back in the community,” she said. “If we don’t give people a chance to be rehabilitated and our goal is to do that, it’s hard to kind of move forward. I can’t think of a single case that making it harder for someone to get a job has ever been beneficial to society or improved people’s lives.” n

JAKE HILL PHOTOGRAPHY

STORY COVER

Special Report

UNDERWOOD EVENTS LLC

CORPORATE EVENT PLANNING

DNC causing event-planning ripple effect

BY MAREDITHE MEYER, staff writer THE 2020 DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION will take over southeastern Wisconsin this year with an estimated 2,000 ancillary events before and during the high-profile political affair, taking place July 13-16 at Fiserv Forum.

Local venues, event planners, caterers and production companies have been preparing for months to cash in on the DNC boom, hiring additional employees, blocking off availability and listing their services on the local organizer’s search portals.

Given the hype and scope of the DNC, it’s expected to have an effect on the city’s event ecosystem.

Some corporate events annually held in July have been rescheduled. Northwestern Mutual pushed back its 2020 Annual Meeting to August.

“That has a ripple effect,” said Mike Underwood, president of Underwood Events LLC, a Milwaukee-based corporate event planner and destination management company. “If (companies) move their event from July to September, they’re also displacing (a company) who’s always had their

event (that) week of September.”

Underwood expects Milwaukee’s event scene will likely feel the DNC’s impact all year long, not just around the time it takes place. Even November, which is typically a slow month, will be busier than years past as events are shifted around, he said. Those who are planning events unrelated to the convention are encouraged to start the process early to ensure they capture the same level of attention from local venues and planners.

Underwood Events has three corporate clients who have large-scale events booked during the weekend preceding the DNC. Of those three events, one is likely to be rescheduled: a 6,000-person annual company picnic. The main concern is lack of availability and increased price of tents, tables and chairs as well as other services, Underwood said.

The other two, a 4,000-person company picnic at the Milwaukee County Zoo and a 100th anniversary celebration in Kenosha, will go on as scheduled.

The company itself has proactively hired 12 senior event planners, who are contracted through July to attract and handle DNC-related business. It is also getting a head start on 2020 holiday event planning.

For the local events market, the DNC is seen as a lucrative opportunity, but it’s not necessarily a sustainable one, Underwood said.

“I think it’s in our best interest not to lose sight of the fact that when the DNC packs up and leaves, along with all of those business opportunities that came along with it, we’re still going to do business here in Milwaukee,” Underwood said.

It’s no different for Milwaukee-based Zilli Hospitality Group, which is behind the events at a number of well-known area venues, including Coast, Boerner Botanical Gardens, the Milwaukee Public Museum and the Mitchell Park Domes.

“We’ve got some very loyal and consistent clients that we take care of and they’re going to be our first priority because they’re here forever, whereas the DNC is a one-stop option,” said Charmaine Gunther, event designer at Zilli Hospitality Group.

But the company isn’t snoozing on the July convention. It’s designated a group of planners from its 20-person event planning team to work specificalbiztimes.com / 25

Special Report

UNDERWOOD EVENTS LLC

CORPORATE EVENT PLANNING  EXPECT LESS FLEXIBILITY “I think a lot of us take for granted sometimes that given the amount of venues, and the amount of hotels and the amount of restaurants, we can sometimes call on short notice and find available space or find a block of hotel rooms or eke out a little space in the Wisconsin Center for a program that popped up. What will be difficult in 2020 is we just aren’t going to have the flexibility to do that as much.”

 BE PATIENT WITH VENDORS “That doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your ideal or sacrifice the quality of your event. It just may mean your vendors are going to be really hard to get ahold of those first couple weeks of July. So maybe don’t save all your questions and requests until then.” ly with DNC-related clients, Gunther said.

As soon as it was announced that the DNC would be held in Milwaukee, corporate clients who had yearly events scheduled within a 10-day window of the convention were given the option to pick a new date.

“A good portion of them did reconsider the timing of their events and chose to move it either a week prior or a week after, just so that the week could be enjoyable for their group,” she said.

Underwood suggested some ways companies can prepare when holding an event this year:

 BEGIN PLANNING SOONER RATHER THAN LATER “If you wait too long for some of these things, there’s a very real chance that the venue you want is not available, the caterer’s not available, the event planning company is not available.” n

FOR N E P O S TION A N I M O N

NOTABLE

LGBTQ EXECUTIVES BizTimes Milwaukee is launching the BizTimes Media’s 2020 Notable LGBTQ Executives feature in the April 13 issue of BizTimes Milwaukee. This special editorial feature will profile LGBTQ executives in the Milwaukee area.

Your company, and its executives, are invited to submit a nomination that will help us determine this year’s honorees. The special section will run in print and online, recognizing the chosen individuals for their leadership and accomplishments.

DEADLINE IS FEBRUARY 28TH

To learn more and nominate, visit biztimes.com/notable

Katie Crowle at St. James 1868.

New event venue St. James 1868 leans into Milwaukee’s history

BY MAREDITHE MEYER, staff writer WHEN IT COMES to selecting a venue to host a corporate event, Milwaukee-area companies have plenty of options.

Hotel ballrooms, conference centers and banquet halls have traditionally provided standard-rate, turnkey spaces for large groups. For those seeking something unique, Milwaukee has seen an increase in unconventional event spaces popping up in recent years.

Some are newly constructed developments, such as the 350-person Good City Commons at the brewery’s new downtown location, and some have taken over and modernized existing buildings, such as a former industrial warehouse now home to The Ivy House in Walker’s Point.

Milwaukee’s newest events space will open in May in one of the city’s oldest community gathering places: a 152-year-old church.

Construction is currently underway to convert the former St. James Episcopal Church, located at 833 W. Wisconsin Ave. near Marquette University, into an event venue and business called St. James 1868.

The $7 million project aims to preserve the bones of the building and the church’s original European-style architecture, which is what owner and designer Kate Crowle believes will set it apart from other venues in the city.

With 50-foot ceilings and original accents,

such as Tiffany stained-glass windows, 15th Century hand-carved monastery panels, hardwood floors and antique lighting, the space speaks for itself, she said.

Crowle, who is a real estate investor and former director at Macy’s and Kohl’s Corp., left a longtime career in retail to take on her dream of renovating an old church.

“I’ve traveled a lot throughout Europe and you see all of these historic buildings being repurposed,” she said. “I think this property now will have new life and bring new people to the church.”

She has flipped a number of residential properties through her business Hidden Homes Interiors LLC, but those renovations were not nearly as extensive, she said. As a female entrepreneur, Crowle said, she has a unique perspective on how the project should be carried out, from securing partnerships with other female-owned businesses to paving the outdoor patio with stone that won’t be an issue for walking in high heels.

The ability to utilize St. James both as a ceremony and reception space is a huge selling point for weddings, Crowle said. But the venue is also designed to accommodate corporate functions, meetings, themed parties and other “unexpected” events.

“What’s very unique about the project is there’s two venues in one location, so we can have two

events going on simultaneously,” she said.

The 25,000-square-foot property includes the former church, now known as The Abbey, with a 250-person seating capacity, and the second-floor parish hall, or The Hyde, which can seat 150 people.

Each space includes a designated outdoor area as well as smaller rooms that could function as bride and groom suites, VIP lounges or meeting rooms depending on the nature of the event.

And groups won’t have to worry about finding a caterer, florist or renting equipment because Crowle recently hired Gracious Events as St. James’ in-house catering and event designer. The Milwaukee-based business is owned by sisters Vesna and Marija Madunic and has been around for 25 years. It operates Wauwatosa restaurant and event space Firefly and puts on weddings, and corporate and private events at a dozen venues in the area.

“Everything is under one roof,” Crowle said.

The St. James project has been in the works since February 2017, when Crowle said she found the property. It had been on the market for a few years as the former church’s membership declined and operating costs increased.

Milwaukee-based developer Joshua Jeffers had been involved in the initial purchase of the property, but Crowle purchased Jeffers’ share in July 2018 for $514,018, according to state records.

The project has picked up financing along the way from private investors as well as an SBA loan and federal and state historic tax credits.

“Historic building owners across the state have really embraced the fact that there’s a 20% federal income tax credit and an additional 20% state income tax credit,” said Jen Davel, deputy state historic preservation officer at the Wisconsin Historical Society. “So 40% of their rehab costs will be returned to them in the form of tax credits, which makes great economic sense.”

She said historic rehabilitation projects in Milwaukee and across the state have been successful, in part because they attract visitors.

“People inherently love historic buildings,” Davel said.

And an influx of visitors means more development and economic growth in the area.

“Ultimately it just leads to more attractions for people, for tourism to highlight some of these venues and still get people interested in the whole history of Milwaukee,” said Megan Makowski, rentals manager at Villa Terrace, another historic venue and art museum on Milwaukee’s East Side.

Makowski said the city’s handful of 19th century restored event venues, such as Villa Terrace, St. James, the Grain Exchange and Best Place at the Historic Pabst Brewery, are icons that set Milwaukee apart from other metros.

“You can see how Milwaukee has aged gracefully,” she said. n biztimes.com / 27

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

HOSPITALITY & EVENT PLANNING

Lake Lawn Resort MAKE IT MEMORABLE, lakeside! Two miles of Delavan Lake’s shoreline and 270-acres of natural beauty make Lake Lawn Resort the ultimate destination for group events and meetings, year-round. The charming resort features 32,000 square feet of newly renovated, flexible meeting space in 22 meeting rooms, along with 271 spacious, well-appointed guest rooms and hosts groups of up to 600. Additional amenities include Majestic Oaks, an 18-hole championship golf course, three onsite restaurants for a variety of dining tastes, three pools, a fitness center and Calladora Spa. Planners and guests will enjoy the new addition of the Lake Lawn Queen, a dual-level 76’ cruise boat, offering private excursions and lake tours for up to 78 passengers, as well as a variety of watersports, boat rentals and tours, and 170-slip marina.

Planners have come to rely on Lake Lawn Resort as a trusted partner in creating high-value, high-impact meetings and conferences in a comfortable, natural and accessible setting. Best yet, Lake Lawn Resort’s unique and natural lakeside setting creates countless opportunities to match wellness objectives while keeping meetings interactive, experiential, and highly memorable. Lake Lawn Resort will be hosting the Health & Wellness Forum for meeting professionals in May where options, ideas and concepts for health and wellness programming will be shared and discussed with meeting planners and wellness enthusiasts.

Visit www.lakelawnresort.com for complete details.

Contact: Terri Bain, Director of Sales, 262.725.9147 or tbain@lakelawnresort.com

2400 E. Geneva St Delavan, WI 53115 (262) 728-7950 lakelawnresort.com

HOSPITALITY & EVENT PLANNING

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Milwaukee Admirals US BANK CLUB 50-65 Tickets on ice level at the north end of rink Dinner buffet featuring multiple menu options 2 Drink Tickets (Beer, Wine and Soda) per person Cost: $75 per ticket/min of 50 ANNEX DIFFERENCE ICE BOX Ten (10) Tickets immediately between the Admirals and Opponents Bench $250 in concession/merchandise cards Cost: $750/$1000 for premium dates FIFTH THIRD FRIDGE 20-30 Tickets Dinner buffet featuring multiple menu options 2 Drink Tickets (Beer, Wine and Soda) per person Cost: $65 per person TICKETS AND HOSPITALITY The Admirals can tailor any group event with a unique experience starting at $15 per person and can utilize spaces in the WCD and Panther Arena for Corporate Events and Hospitality. We make it feel like YOUR event with the amount of control and customization we can do and we can handle 10 to 9,000 people.

For more info, availability or to book a premium area call 414-227-0550 and ask for premium sales or email us at premiumseats@milwaukeeadmirals. com.

Milwaukee Admirals 510 W Kilbourn Ave., #B Milwaukee, WI 53203 (414) 227-0550 milwaukeeadmirals.com

HOSPITALITY & EVENT PLANNING

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

War Memorial Center MILWAUKEE’S LAKEFRONT boasts many beautiful attractions one of them being the War Memorial Center. Here at the center we have spaces where we best engage our veterans, community members and school children. But the War Memorial Center is not just for veterans; as one of Milwaukee’s prized landmarks, the WMC is an unforgettable space for your wedding or business event.

This fabulous lakefront site has both indoor and outdoor event facilities. Memorial Hall; with scenic views of downtown Milwaukee can accommodate up to 300 guests while our unique outdoor plaza situated above Lake Michigan can accommodate more than 800 guests. WMC offers three meeting rooms on the fourth floor with breathtaking views of Lake Michigan. Rooms are equipped to ensure maximum productivity in a comfortable, unique setting.

Our experienced and professional staff is committed to helping you plan an occasion that will be a truly memorial experience for you and your guests.

So much of what you need is on site – chairs, tables, risers, dance floor, AV including sound system and projectors/screens. These amenities as well as setup and tear-down are included in the rental price.

Now is the time to come experience all that the War Memorial Center has to offer. Contact us today to book your special event, meeting, or conference and let us help you make your event stand out!

Jennifer Wallner, jwallner@warmemorialcenter.org 414-273-5533

War Memorial Center 750 N. Lincoln Memorial Dr. Milwaukee, WI 53202 (414) 273-5533 warmemorialcenter.org

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

HOSPITALITY & EVENT PLANNING

Henry Maier Festival Park HOST YOUR EVENT at one of Milwaukee’s premier venues! Henry Maier Festival Park is a 75-acre facility with $150 million in permanent infrastructure updates including the New American Family Insurance Amphitheater, seven permanent stage areas, two covered pavilions, five hospitality decks, and more.

Offering a lakeside setting with view of Milwaukee’s skyline, there are multiple venue options throughout the park to host events from 100 guests to 23,000 attendees. Experience a world of possibilities for your event with flexible event space, parking directly adjacent to the venue and hotels nearby.

Full-service event production and talent booking services are available. As the producers of the World’s Largest Music Festival Summerfest, Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. understands what world-class events entail and the best practices it takes to produce them. From conceptualization to design, sourcing to staging, talent to timelines, the team thrives on exceeding our clients’ and customer’s expectations by creating unforgettable live event experiences.

Better yet, we do it on time and on budget.

Henry Maier Festival Park is the perfect setting to ensure your event’s success. Start your event planning or visit the venue by reaching out to Matt Leibham at mleibham@summerfest.com today.

Henry Maier Festival Park 639 East Summerfest Place Milwaukee, WI 53202 414-287-4515 mleibham@summerfest.com

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

HOSPITALITY & EVENT PLANNING

Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts LOCATED IN BROOKFIELD’S beautiful Mitchell Park, the Wilson Center offers a spectacular setting for any gathering, while Engberg Anderson Design Partnership’s “lodge in the park” design provides an intimate and sophisticated atmosphere.

Featuring almost 20,000 square feet across nine different spaces (including two outdoor venues), the Wilson Center is designed to accommodate a variety of events: corporate meetings, large receptions, trade shows, client appreciation events, dinner parties, exhibitions, trainings, workshops, seminars, staff celebrations, and more. With exposed wood beams and artwork integrated throughout the venue—including Susan Falkman’s floor-to-ceiling hand-carved limestone fireplace and a beautiful window featuring a life-sized etched tree created by artist Conrad Schmitt—the Wilson Center offers an open, airy environment that is as inspiring as it is inviting.

The Wilson Center has a list of preferred catering vendors that clients are welcome to use, as well as an in-house bar and bartenders. A wide array of equipment—including tables, chairs, linens, screens, projectors, microphones, and various other sound and lighting equipment—may be provided to clients.

Ample free parking is available.

Let us help you to celebrate your successes! To learn more about renting our space, please visit wilson-center.com/rent-our-spaces, or contact our Events Team at 262-373-5028.

Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts 3270 Michell Park Drive Brookfield, WI 53045 (262) 373-5028 wilson-center.com

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

HOSPITALITY & EVENT PLANNING

The Ingleside Hotel WITH OVER 40,000 square feet of renovated meeting and banquet space, The Ingleside Hotel in Pewaukee, WI provides a meeting experience like no other. In addition to the renovated indoor space that accommodates meetings from 2 to 720 people, the property boasts great outdoor space. Business events can be something special with wide open spaces for team building right outside the door.

A new program, Experience Ingleside, has been developed to create unique opportunities for guests to explore everything the property and local community has to offer. Onsite experiences include options like nightly s’mores roast, personalized team building competitions, oversized games, and themed scavenger hunts. Additional options incorporating local venues or charitable giving options are available to make your next event or overnight stay truly memorable.

The 192 remodeled guest rooms and suites feature beautifully appointed glass and tile bathrooms, flat screen televisions, and refrigerators. To make doing business easier, guest rooms and suites also include a work station with complimentary wireless internet. Guests appreciate the numerous property amenities such as the indoor pool, newly renovated fitness center, and onsite dining.

Now is the time to experience why so many meeting planners and corporate travelers are meeting, staying and playing at The Ingleside Hotel. We invite you to contact one of our experienced meeting specialists to schedule a tour. For additional information, please visit theinglesidehotel.com.

The Ingleside Hotel 2810 Golf Road Pewaukee, WI 53072 262.547.0201 theinglesidehotel.com

Strategies MANAGEMENT

The importance of alignment What you can learn from clean restrooms HAVE YOU EVER used a dirty bathroom in a gas station?

If so, you most likely recall faucets that don’t work, filthy floors and overflowing wastebaskets.

Would you ever go back to that station if there was an alternative? Would you go to a different chain of gas stations based on that one experience?

Most people would choose a different one. For example, there’s a popular chain of gas stations/ convenience stores/truck stops in Texas called Buc-ee’s, known for clean restrooms.

Everyone I spoke to who had been there gave glowing testimonials about the shopping, the food, and, most importantly, the restrooms.

Customers have been described as “cult-like” because they’re committed patrons. One billboard in Texas says, “It’s only 262 miles to Buc-ee’s – You can hold it.” Others say, “Restrooms so clean we leave mints in the urinals” and “Our aim is to have clean restrooms – Your aim will help.”

That type of humorous advertising appeals to customers directly and states clearly what makes Buc-ee’s unique.

In the Midwest, we have Kwik Trip, a similar chain of gas stations that sell excellent food and offer clean restrooms. When I travel throughout the Midwest, it’s the only station I use.

The cost of gasoline is irrelevant. The experience is why I go.

ALIGNMENT MEANS SUCCESS

These two chains are perfect examples of alignment, which results when all employees are 34 / BizTimes Milwaukee FEBRUARY 3, 2020

working to achieve the same objective efficiently.

The janitorial crews at a Kwik Trip or Buc-ee’s keep the restrooms clean so customers return and, like me, keep spending money for gasoline and food.

The janitors create enduring customer loyalty and drive revenue. The moment the restrooms become unacceptable, the chain loses business.

Alignment also means everyone in an organization must understand how their job fulfills the mission, the strategic objectives and the desired profitability.

HIRE THE RIGHT EMPLOYEES

The process of teaching employees this attitude begins with the job interview. Just as job descriptions typically illustrate the responsibilities of specific jobs, I recommend that each job posting also explain how the job supports your company’s mission, strategic objectives and profitability.

By emphasizing and driving the significant relationship between the employee’s position and company goals, you’ll encourage alignment and your company’s success.

For another example of alignment, consider the game tug-of-war. Can you remember the last time you participated in it? Each person must pull in unison with each other, and in a straight line. Small deviations in alignment will reduce pulling power and could hinder other team members.

Effort, consistency and perseverance result in success.

The tug-of-war team members can represent cultural issues, policies and procedures, good and bad employees, bureaucracy, etc. When employees pull against one another, have different priorities, or are hampered by policies and procedures, they aren’t pulling together.

Chaos can occur from too much bureaucracy, inappropriate team members, or restrictive policies and procedures. Any of those will constrain the effectiveness of the tug-of-war and the business team. It will result in the team pulling in multiple, conflicting directions, which will result in a failed project.

ADD A TEAM LEADER

Consider adding a team leader to help create alignment.

Leaders can look down the tug-of-war rope and identify employees who are out of line, or business practices that hamper the team. The leader can coach team members to pull in harmony, and remove restrictive or bureaucratic rules and regulations.

Each improvement brings team members closer to alignment with the other participants. When the team members pull together, they will have a uniform motion and be more successful.

Leaders must ensure your business is aligned appropriately so that the vision, mission, values, and strategic and operational goals are in sync.

Employee compensation must reinforce alignment. Emphasize activities that will help meet the goals and objectives of your business.

Identify your customers’ needs, like consistently clean bathroom facilities. Then align your employees’ jobs to exceed customers’ expectations.

Aligned organizations will achieve their goals and objectives more frequently. The result? Greater profitability. n

JIM LINDELL Jim Lindell is a CPA, a chartered global management accountant and a certified speaking professional. He is president of Thorsten Consulting Group, Inc. He can be reached at (262) 392-3166 or jim@ ThorstenConsulting.com.

INNOVATION

Tennis anyone?

Kay Yuspeh innovated to grow Elite Sports Clubs IN THE LATE 1980S Kay Yuspeh, owner of the Highlander Tennis Club in Brookfield, began evaluating whether to expand her club to include recreational facilities and swimming pools.

This would be a big step for her so she decided to consult with a group of her male colleagues in the recreation business to get their take.

Their advice: either sell the facility or turn it into condos.

They underestimated Kay, entrepreneur at heart and daughter of the well-respected business leader Harold Sampson.

Instead, she decided to visit successful athletic clubs on the coasts and study the demographic trends in fitness. She learned that fitness and healthy lifestyles were beginning to grow in popularity among Americans in every age group.

At the time Nike was only beginning to discover that jogging could become a serious endeavor for many Americans.

So she took a risk and decided to double down and create a family-centered approach to fitness centers. She added an outdoor pool at the Highlander that very few people used the first summer it was available.

But that did not stop her. Instead, she added 35,000 square feet of space, which included a gym, fitness center, expanded playroom, an indoor pool and in the process transformed the tennis-only club into an all-encompassing recreational facility.

She had discovered the true “blue ocean” in the market, the untapped need by existing tennis facilities.

She expanded programs that offer services to

every member of the family. Building on her experience as a camp counselor in northern Wisconsin in her youth, she added day camps for children to her sports facilities.

Those camps proved very successful and led her to start purchasing other tennis facilities.

That included locations in Brookfield, Glendale and Mequon.

Every one of her clubs, now known as Elite Sports Clubs, offers robust programs for men, women and children in virtually every sport, from soccer to basketball to yoga, swimming, tennis, weightlifting, jogging and on and on.

Recently, her success attracted interest from the private equity world and she sold her successful clubs to Peter Goldman, owner of Lakeshore Sports & Fitness clubs in Chicago, who will continue her tradition of never-ending innovation in the various sports facilities that he now owns.

What can we all learn from Kay when we are in an industry that is being disrupted? (These days there’s hardly an industry that doesn’t require dramatic change to survive.)

1. Do not evaluate your market from the perspective of traditional players. Do your homework. Look for trends in your industry that are just beginning but seem to capture new approaches.

2. Examine the demographics of the market you serve and ask yourself, “Can it be expanded?” A target market should capture expanding target demographics that provide new sources of customers.

3. Attract and retain employees who relish the idea of constant innovation and are willing to contribute their own ideas. So many of the creative ideas that are now offered by her clubs originated because her staff was listening to customers.

4. Expect pushback from existing customers. Most of us are creatures of habit. We don’t necessarily want change. But who 20 years ago thought we’d be checking out our own groceries? Henry Ford once said, “If I had asked my customers what they wanted, they would have said, ‘faster

horses.’” He identified potential customers who would be willing to take a risk on new technology embodied in the automobile.

5. Innovation does not mean that you have to abandon core products or services. To date the Elite Sports Clubs are known for the state’s largest professional tennis program.

6. Don’t hesitate to visit up-and-coming players in your industry and do on-site visits.

Those are real learning experiences. Remember when Japanese executives used to visit American car companies and now lead the auto industry in the United States with three of the best-selling car brands in Toyota, Nissan and Honda?

Kay deserved to have a big pay day for her hard efforts and determination to be innovative.

We could all learn from her, especially the men who thought they knew their industry! n

DAN STEININGER Dan Steininger is an author and a national and international speaker. As president of Steininger & Associates LLC he helps companies drive innovation. He is also president of BizStarts, and can be reached at Dan@BizStarts.com. biztimes.com / 35

Strategies LEADERSHIP

A ‘Beautiful Day’ Leadership lessons learned from Mr. Rogers THE MOVIE “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” recently played in theaters across the country. The movie calls up childhood memories for many of us. We believed that the TV show “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” was for children.

What we did not appreciate was the remarkable wisdom he offered to adults.

Having grown up in Pittsburgh, where it was produced, I have particular affection for that TV show. While we may not have considered Mr. Rogers a leadership guru in the past, we have come to realize that he offers critical wisdom for leaders in any field or discipline.

The recent movie invites us to consider what we might learn from a man whose wisdom continues to shape the minds and hearts of children of all ages. He teaches us the power of forgiveness, presence and acceptance.

In the movie, Tom Hanks plays Fred Rogers.

He said that the hardest thing about playing the part of Mr. Rogers is slowing down.

LEADERSHIP LESSON #1: SLOW DOWN

Many leaders suffer from Time Distortion Disease. We create unrealistic expectations with unrealistic timelines for ourselves and our teams. We find ourselves racing from meeting to meeting, catching a cup of coffee here and there, passing those with whom we work as though they and we are invisible.

We lose sight of what is important. We forget that the “what we do” is enhanced by the “how we 36 / BizTimes Milwaukee FEBRUARY 3, 2020

do and be.” As a result, more and more employees feel alienated and unappreciated by their leaders.

“You know, I feel so strongly that deep and simple is far more essential than shallow and complex. In the end, life isn’t about material things. It’s about the relationships you have with one another and yourself,” Fred Rogers once said.

What would slowing down mean for us?

What would happen if leaders invested as much energy in presence as strategy? Would we be more focused? Would we have more ability to support one another? Would the work we do be done with more intention?

LEADERSHIP LESSON #2: I LIKE YOU JUST THE WAY YOU ARE

Leaders have an opportunity to lift others up. We have the ability by our words and our actions to affirm the best in others or to focus our energy on what doesn’t go well. Affirming others does not mean that we don’t call out mistakes, challenges, poor performance. It does, however, give us an opportunity to decide where we want to shine the light. It invites us to forgive one another when we haven’t measured up.

This notion of appreciation was so important to Fred Rogers that he often invited others into a quiet reflection with him. In fact, during the Emmy Awards ceremony in 1997, when he received the Lifetime Achievement Award, he asked that everyone take 10 seconds with him to think about the people in our lives who have “loved you into being.” He asked that we think about those who cared for us and wanted only the best for us. It was quite an uncommon way to receive an award, yet it was so consistent with how Fred Rogers lived his life. It was a powerful lesson for those present and for his TV audience.

I suspect this exercise was not only to remember the love given to us, but to encourage us to pay it forward.

What might happen in the workplace if leaders learned to affirm more than criticize, focusing their energy on what goes well?

LEADERSHIP LESSON #3: IT’S ALL ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS

Fred Rogers believed that human relationships are the active ingredient essential to development and success … at any age.

When we consider the number of times in business that projects have failed or were derailed because there was a breakdown in relationships, we appreciate the significance of investing in the development of relationships and effective teamwork, focusing on strengths and diversity as keys to success. Like Mr. Rogers, we know that it takes time to build trust. It takes a willingness to risk vulnerability. It requires us to recognize the invisible blinders that keep us from seeing ourselves the way others see us.

So much more is possible!

What skills, then, do leaders need in order to foster a culture in which human relationships are valued as the active ingredient for success?

What difference will it make when leaders and employees work together in harmony to support the mission and vision of the business?

We have received the invitation from Mr. Rogers: “Won’t you be my neighbor?” If we accept the invitation, we will engage in helping to build a beautiful neighborhood … in our workplace, our community and our world.

Slow down. I like you just the way you are.

It’s all about relationships. n

KAREN VERNAL Karen Vernal is a consultant and close advisor for Vernal LLC, a Milwaukee-based leadership and organizational firm. She recently sold the business. She can be reached at Kvernal@vernalmgmt.com.

Marketplace

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BizConnections BIZ PEOPLE

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

HEALTH CARE Lutheran Home & Harwood Place in Wauwatosa has appointed Kathy Cavers as President & CEO. Cavers previously served as Administrator & COO of the Lutheran Home for the past eight years and has been in the industry for more than 24 years. She was instrumental in the 2020 grand opening of Elaine’s Hope, the new memory care assisted living facility within the Lutheran Home. Her recent success also includes the Lutheran Home being named a “Top Workplace” and “Best Nursing Home.” As CEO, Cavers will be responsible for setting and executing the organization’s strategic plan and stewarding this important community asset.

LAW

ARCHITECTURE Eppstein Uhen Architects is pleased to announce the promotion of Teresa Wadzinski to Learning Environments Studio Director.

ENVIRONMENT Katie Stewart has 12 years of administrative experience ranging from health care to automotive dealerships. She uses what she has learned to further her career here at Balestrieri working with Project Managers as she is now a Project Coordinator.

LAW

Jason Childress, a Madison-based Public Affairs Director for Foley & Lardner LLP, has been elected to serve as president of the Association of Wisconsin Lobbyists. AWL is the organization for government relations professionals in Wisconsin.

SCIENCE Michael McCoy recently became a Diplomate of the American Board of Toxicology. McCoy is experienced in environmental health, safety, and toxicology, and is a Certified Industrial Hygienist and Certified Safety Professional.

38 / BizTimes Milwaukee FEBRUARY 3, 2020

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE Ben Adank joins Cushman & Wakefield | Boerke as a member of the Investment Sales / Capital Markets team. Ben brings 15 years of commercial real estate experience primarily focused on office and industrial assets.

TOURISM Leslie Johnson joined VISIT Milwaukee as director of sales, leading the convention sales department.

Johnson directs, trains, and monitors convention sales efforts and related activities to promote Milwaukee as a leading events destination.

Evan Nickodem, PE joined Clark Dietz as a Project Manager in our Municipal Services in Wisconsin and is based out of the Milwaukee office. He brings over 25 years of experience in design and construction in both the public and private sectors.

MEDIA & MARKETING

INSURANCE Patti Blaschka is the 1st winner of the Jack Ryan Community Service Award recognizing her excellence in the community. Her dedication of both time and treasure to an array of non-profits support Robertson Ryand Associates’ mission of making a positive community impact.

Derse, a complete face-to-face marketing company, appointed Eric Preston to president on January 1st. Preston, formerly Derse’s senior vice president, has been with the company for 11 years and is a 33-year veteran of the face-to-face industry.

LAW

LAW Amy A. Ciepluch has been elected to the partnership of Foley & Lardner LLP.

ENGINEERING

John T. Dunlap has been elected to the partnership of Foley & Lardner LLP.

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Kathleen E. Wegrzyn has been elected to the partnership of Foley & Lardner LLP.

NONPROFIT JOSEPH PROJECT TO PROVIDE JOB TRAINING TO SHEBOYGAN COUNT Y RESIDENTS The Joseph Project, a program that for the past five years has provided job training and transportation for Milwaukee County job seekers, is expanding to serve Sheboygan County residents.

Under a new partnership of the Sheboygan County Economic Development Corp. and Pentecostals of Sheboygan County, the program will provide county residents with soft-skills training and transportation to job opportunities within the community.

Joseph Project began in 2015 as an initiative of Greater Praise Church of God in Milwaukee with help from U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson’s office. Until now, efforts

have been primarily focused on transporting Milwaukee County residents to jobs in Sheboygan County.

The first Joseph Project Sheboygan County class ran from Jan. 27-30. The classes will be offered quarterly.

Joseph Project Sheboygan County is being spearheaded by POSC with assistance from Johnson’s office, the Job Center of Wisconsin, Department of Workforce Development, Johnsonville Sausage, Nemak, Plymouth Foam, Consumer Credit Counseling Services, Sheboygan County Health and Human Services and the SCEDC. — Lauren Anderson

c alendar Historic Milwaukee will host its annual fundraising event on Thurs-

day, Feb. 20, beginning at 5:30 p.m., at Discovery World, 500 N. Harbor Drive, Milwaukee. More information is available at historicmilwaukee.org.

The PowHER Network will host PowHER 10 Red Carpet Award Ceremony and Fundraiser on Sunday, Feb. 23, from 3-7 p.m. at 88Nine Radio Milwaukee, 220 E. Pittsburgh Ave., Milwaukee. More information is available at powhernetwork.org.

Wisconsin Veterans Chamber of Commerce will host the fourth an-

nual Veterans Light Up the Arts event on Friday, March 6, beginning at 6 p.m., at the Milwaukee Art Museum’s Windover Hall, 700 N. Art Museum Drive., Milwaukee. More information is available at wiveteranschamber.org.

D O N AT I O N R O U N D U P Johnson Controls recently committed to giving $7.5 million to Milwaukeearea nonprofits in 2020. | Kohl’s recently donated $750,000 to Hunger Task Force. | TruStone Financial recently gave $10,000 to the City of Greenfield Parks & Recreation department to sponsor the warming area of an ice skating rink at Konkel Park. | Black Arts MKE, Inc. received a $10,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to support the production of a new musical theater work. | Milwaukee Art Museum received a $25,000 NEA grant to support the exhibition “Scandinavian Design and the United States, 18901980.” | RUACH Inc. received a $10,000 NEA grant to support concerts and community outreach activities. | Wisconsin Conservatory of Music received a $10,000 NEA grant to support an artist residency program for low-income middle and high school students. | Racine Symphony Orchestra received a $10,000 NEA grant to support a series of music concerts.

nonprofit

SPOTLIGHT

H I S T O R I C M I LWA U K E E , I N C .

235 E. Michigan St., Milwaukee (414) 277-7795 | historicmilwaukee.org Instagram: @historicmilwaukee | Twitter: @historicmke

Year founded: 1974 Mission statement: Increase awareness of and commitment to Milwaukee’s history, architecture and the preservation of our built environment.

Primary focus: We offer educational programs and tours including Doors Open, Spaces & Traces and daily and weekly walking tours. Our Hop streetcar tour is our newest tour and is offered on Thursdays and Saturdays.

Other focuses: » Historic Milwaukee operates a Milwaukee-themed gift shop in the Mackie building on the corner of Michigan Street and Broadway downtown. We carry over 150 book titles, art prints, neighborhood posters and more, all related to Milwaukee’s history and architecture. This is also where the majority of our walking tours begin. » Historic Milwaukee received a grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation to promote the Historic East Side Commercial District, the area that contains dozens of the city’s oldest commercial structures, including the Mackie and Mitchell buildings. » We also installed our first public art last summer, a Before I Die chalkboard wall on Broadway that received more than 4,900 interactions.

Number of employees at this location: Four full-time Key donors: National Endowment for the Arts, Wells Fargo, Koeppen-

Gerlach Foundation, Greater Milwaukee Foundation, Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren, the Zilber Family Foundation, Johnson Controls Foundation and the Milwaukee Arts Board.

Executive leadership: Stacy Swadish, executive director; Grace Fuhr, events director; Julia Griffith, program director.

Board of directors: Sarah Greenberg, Margaret Howland, Stewart Dempsey, Tim Cotter, Dan Sweeney, Karin Censky, Gregory Davis, Madeleine Gordon, David Griggs, Brian Hatzung, Ahmad Omari, Krisann Rehbein, Jayne Rodenkirk, Tamara Smith-Kroupa, Kirsten Thompson, Zach Wambold.

Our advisory board includes John Gurda, Joshua Jeffers, Bruce Block, Dan Cooper, Rick Donner and Kathy Kean.

Ways the business community can help your nonprofit: Employee volunteerism, providing financial support via sponsorships, grants and memberships. Another great help is to open up your business for a hard hat tour or as a Doors Open site. We are seeking sponsors for the 10th annual Doors Open, set for Sept. 26-27. Email grace.fuhr@historicmilwakee.org or learn more about being a sponsor at historicmilwaukee.org/doors-open.

Buildings and business can apply to be part of Doors Open here: historicmilwaukee.org/doors-open/ building-participation.

Key fundraising events: Remarkable Milwaukee dinner gala on Feb. 20 at Discovery World Pavilion. We are honoring C.G. Schmidt. John Gurda is the dinner speaker.

biztimes.com / 39

BizConnections VOLUME 25, NUMBER 20 | FEB 3, 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

St. Josaphat Basilica takes shape This 1898 photo shows the Basilica of St. Josaphat during construction. Framing of the dome had begun and much of the exterior stone on the first floor was in place. Designed by architect Erhard Brielmaier, the church was completed in 1901. The St. Josaphat Basilica Foundation has worked to restore the building since 1991 and last year used $400,000 in private donations to illuminate the dome.

— Photo courtesy of Milwaukee Public Library

COMMENTARY

Am Fam makes an impact in Milwaukee “How does American Family Field sound?”

That’s what I wrote in this space a year ago, commenting on the Milwaukee Brewers’ decision to sell the naming rights for its stadium to a new sponsor. Recently, American Family Insurance announced that the new name for Miller Park will be…American Family Field.

Hey, sometimes you just get lucky.

A lot of Brewers fans are upset about the name change because we are all used to the Miller Park name, which has been the stadium’s title since it opened in 2001. Change is hard. Plus, the Miller Park name just seemed perfect for a Milwaukee baseball team called the Brewers.

But we should all be excited about the investments American Family, a Fortune 500 company based in Madison, is making in Milwaukee.

Besides the naming rights sponsorship for the stadium, providing revenue to help the Brewers remain competitive, American Family is also the naming rights sponsor for the largest 40 / BizTimes Milwaukee FEBRUARY 3, 2020

stage at Henry Maier Festival Park, and the presenting sponsor for Summerfest.

Announced in 2017, the Summerfest sponsorships led to a $53 million project to rebuild the American Family Insurance Amphitheater, which will be completed this year. The roof of the amphitheater has been raised 26 feet, to accommodate equipment needs for modern concerts. Other improvements will include a new seating bowl, new restrooms, accessibility enhancements, hospitality areas, new and wider concourses and increased food and beverage options. Originally known as the Marcus Amphitheater, the 18,000-seat (plus lawn seating for 5,000) venue cost $12 million to build and first opened in 1987.

Last year, Summerfest operator Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. announced it had entered a preferred promoter agreement with Madison-based Frank Productions Concerts to promote concerts at the American Family Insurance Amphitheater and BMO Harris Pavilion.

The moves to upgrade the amphitheater and hire an outside promoter appear to be paying off. So far five concerts have been announced for the amphitheater this year, in addition to the concerts that will be held there during Summerfest. That is a significant

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

DIRECTOR OF SALES Linda Crawford linda.crawford@biztimes.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Paddy Kieckhefer paddy.kieckhefer@biztimes.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Molly Lawrence molly.lawrence@biztimes.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Maggie Pinnt maggie.pinnt@biztimes.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Christie Ubl christie.ubl@biztimes.com INSIDE SALES ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Dylan Dobson dylan.dobson@biztimes.com SALES ADMINISTRATOR Meggan Hau meggan.hau@biztimes.com

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

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

Independent & Locally Owned

ART DIRECTOR Shelly Tabor shelly.tabor@biztimes.com

— Founded 1995 —

increase in activity for the venue.

Less visible to the general public, but even more impactful for Milwaukee, American Family plans to establish an office downtown, moving 200 to 250 employees there from Pewaukee and creating an additional 150 jobs. The company will renovate and expand the 110-year-old former Mandel printing building, near Fiserv Forum, to create its downtown Milwaukee office location.

And that’s not all. American Family also recently committed $50,000 to support the new STEAM & Dream program at Sherman Phoenix in Milwaukee. The funds will be used to help K-12 students and young adults pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, arts and math.

American Family says it is committed to partnering with organizations in Milwaukee to create meaningful economic and social impact.

That’s outstanding. Can’t wait to see what other initiatives the company will engage in here. n

ANDREW WEILAND EDITOR

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

Prevent Blindness Wisconsin

AROUND TOWN

Prevent Blindness Wisconsin recently hosted its 39th Annual Celebrity Waiters Dinner on the ice at the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena.

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ANGELA WILLIAMSON, KATINA FULLER-SCOTT of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee and PASTOR MONICA PARCHIA PRICE of Mt. Zion.

2.

NANCY TRIMBLE, TAMI RADWILL of Prevent Blindness Wisconsin and CARL TRIMBLE of Milwaukee Capital.

3.

HARRIS TURER of Milwaukee Admirals and PAMELA TURER.

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Representing Milwaukee Capital: GREG JOHNSON, CARL TRIMBLE, TAMI RADWILL of Prevent Blindness Wisconsin, RUSS TRIMBLE, JAMES BAUMAN, JOHN DEVINE, STEPHANIE MARIANO and TYLER TRIMBLE.

5.

ROSS KUESEL, BIRHANI KIFLE of Milwaukee County Behavioral Health, AMY MIHELICH and KURT MIHELICH of M3 Financial.

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MARY HOPPA, ANDY HOPPA and JEFFERY SCHROM, all of Baird.

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BRIAN BERLIN of The CKB Firm, MICHAEL BAIM of The CKB Firm, SCOTT COENEN of Wisconsin Conservative Energy Forum, JAN COENEN, BILL PAGE, JULIE PAGE, SHANE REED of Medline Industries, MICHELLE LAHEY REED of Froedtert Health, SUE MALEK and DARREL MALEK, both of Starfire.

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Photos courtesy of Prevent Blindness Wisconsin

2020 Economic Trends The 19th annual BizTimes Economic Trends conference was held Jan. 24 at the Italian Conference Center with nearly 500 attendees

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JIM HAYES of GRAEF-USA and AL KRUEGER of Kahler Slater.

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JAY ROSENCRANTZ of Pappas DeLaney and STEVE POLLOCK of MGROUP Holdings, Inc.

10. NICK ZINNIEL of V&F Roof Consulting and Service, RICH LONGABAUGH of Vistage and STEVE RAASCH of Zimmerman Architectural Studios.

11. DEB ROESNER of BMO Harris and ALEXANDER KASPRZAK of PNC.

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12. BARB ECKLOND and BONNIE LILLEY, both of SVA.

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13. ABBY WARDENBERG and TARA O’BYRNE, both of Marquette University.

14. INGE PLAUTZ of Old National Bank, DAN KRAMER of BDO and DAN PETERSON of VRC. 15. PATRICK DESMOND and HAILEY HOFF, both of New Resources Consulting.

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16. JAMIE DOWNING of The Sleep Wellness Institute and GEOFF MCCLOSKEY of the UW Foundation.

Photos by Brandon Anderegg and Alex Zank biztimes.com / 41

JAKE HILL PHOTOGRAPHY

BizConnections

5 MINUTES WITH…

STEVE RICHMAN Group president, Milwaukee Tool

HAVING INVESTED MILLIONS in two major expansions at its Brookfield headquarters, Milwaukee Tool is now planning a $100 million campus in Menomonee Falls that could eventually grow to 2.5 million square feet and a $26 million manufacturing facility in West Bend that could employ 100 people by 2025 making hand tools for electricians and utility linemen.

Steve Richman, group president of Milwaukee Tool, recently talked with BizTimes Milwaukee about the company’s plans.

to win. We’ve been able to do that on a global basis … and we’re winning because we think about the user in that way.

“It’s about this relentless focus on the user; it’s about the combination of recruiting, retaining the best people and having the right culture. The combination of all of that allows us to be able to really deliver what that user wants and needs.”

INVESTING IN WISCONSIN “For us … it’s clearly been over these past 13 years how do we recruit, retain and invest in the best people and drive a culture that is viewed as best in class by our workforce. That’s what we believe has led to the success that we’ve had, year after year after year with 20% plus growth for the Milwaukee Tool business. That leads right to why Wisconsin, because of the ability we’ve had to recruit, retain and invest in the best people and keep that culture going.”

CAN THE MENOMONEE FALLS CAMPUS REALLY GROW TO 2.5 MILLION SQUARE FEET? “If we do the things we need to do and focus on recruiting, retaining and investing in the best people, keeping the culture that we have … then our opportunity for space and requirements will continue to grow … If you went back 10 years and asked me did I think that we would have the amount of square footage on the (Brookfield headquarters) campus that we do today, I would have laughed at you, but you’ve seen what the strategy, what the people, what the culture and what the focus on the user have driven and we view all of that as opportunity.”

GROWTH THROUGH INNOVATION “We’re not a tool company; we’re a solution provider that drives productivity and safety for our core users. With that, it allows us the opportunity where we can innovate in new categories of those same users to provide them productivity and safety on their job. It allows us to be able

DID YOU SEE THIS COMING WHEN YOU JOINED MILWAUKEE TOOL IN 2007?

“We thought there was a lot of opportunity. I’d be lying if I thought that we would be able to disrupt as many markets as we have as quickly as we have.” n

42 / BizTimes Milwaukee FEBRUARY 3, 2020

BIZTImeS MKE

P O D C A S T

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CATCH UP ON RECENT EPISODES: MONDAY, JANUARY 27, 2020

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Kimberly Kane: Creating the Type of Company You’d Love to Work For MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2020

Steve Glickman: The opportunity created by Opportunity Zones MONDAY, JANUARY 6, 2020

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Lyle Landowski: Keeping culture as a differentiator amidst change and growth

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