Milwaukee Commerce - Winter 2022

MILWAUKEE COMMERCE Talent

THE ISSUE

Powered by data, MMAC helps you define and solve your workforce challenges

Moving

Look Outside the Line for Talent

Go On, Be Brave — The World is Your Oyster

Looking for a diverse group of motivated, highly educated and hard-working individuals to help fill your organization’s hiring needs for high-skilled and professional positions? If yes, then you should consider looking outside the line. And I am talking about the line that makes up the border of the United States, because just outside that line is a vast group of individuals capable of bringing to your workplace an incredible array of new talents, ideas, perspectives, excitement and global connections. Fortunately, looking outside the line does not always mean having to look far here in Southeastern Wisconsin. The exceptional network of colleges, universities and vocational schools in our region already attracts and educates an extensive number of individuals from outside the United States. This group of well-educated, motivated and global youth is more than ready and willing to make significant contributions to your workforce. There is also a vast array of equally talented, bright and dedicated workers still residing in their home countries who know about our region because of the many globally respected employers based in Southeastern Wisconsin (of course, it also helps that our area is widely known for its festivals, educational community, research institutes, sports teams and Bronze Fonz).

talent. It also provides an introduction to a larger segment of the population willing to consider living in the Midwest because of the opportunities it provides to them for mobility into a better life and a segue into the American dream. Augmenting your workforce with well-educated foreign-born talent also draws more diverse perspectives about how to do business on a global scale, new technologies that may be emerging in international markets, possible expanding global markets for your products, and additional interpersonal skills that individuals from other cultures can provide.

Benjamin T. Kurten Labor & Employment Shareholder

Considering individuals born outside of the United States for your high-skilled and professional positions literally opens a whole new world for your place of employment. And with the proper guidance, venturing into the world of hiring foreign-born talent does not have to be as scary as you may think. Exploring and embracing the world of global immigration for talent acquisition allows your organization to tap into a broader and more diverse skill-set and educational background pool than considering only native-born

Admittedly, navigating the complex world of federal immigration law is not always for the faint-of-heart. But those willing to take the plunge into these often-unexplored waters will find themselves well-rewarded with exceptional talent who make significant contributions to their workforce along with that “well, that wasn’t that bad” feeling. However, like any successful adventure, proper planning, preparation, and map checking are required before you set off. Employers will want to ensure that they are first aware of all the possible avenues for bringing into their workforce the great array of foreign-born talent out there, as well as the limitations, timing and potential roadblocks that exist within each avenue. Being aware of the realistic possibilities, limitations, and potential pathways beforehand will help ensure that precious hiring resources are not wasted and that both internal and external expectations are properly focused. Employers are more often than not surprised at how broad their hiring horizons can expand once they are aware of all the pathways that exist for allowing them to lawfully recruit and hire foreign-born talent. Employers will then want to develop a strategic plan for how to pursue this extensive pool of talent as well as develop an organizational culture that will be welcoming and supportive to those who may not know yet what the “Lambeau Leap” is or how to start a snow blower (hint: go with electric start—it really saves your back). Lastly, employers need to be prepared for the amazement they will feel once they see the exceptional contributions that foreign-born talent can bring to their workforce, as well as a little bit of chagrin for not having started this journey across the line sooner.

bkurten@reinhartlaw.com · 414.298.8222

Turn to MMAC for resources to address your talent challenges

At MMAC, we know that talent challenges and formulating strategies to mitigate those challenges will continue to rank among your greatest concerns. This issue of Milwaukee Commerce is dedicated to how we can help, from providing extensive labor market data to sharing best practices and solutions – and how you can get connected.

FEATURING 07 10 15 18 24 28

Top 20 unique job postings

What are the Milwaukee Region’s hottest jobs?

The right skills to move MKE’s economy forward Lightcast provides market specific intelligence on high-demand jobs

Want to attract new employees? Strengthen your story with Bob Wendt, Cultivate Communications

How does talent decide to relocate?

Top triggers for people including quality of life, cost of living and employment opportunities MMAC’s people-powered solutions How you can connect with MMAC to help solve your company’s talent challenges

Region of Choice update

MMAC Region of Choice companies remain on track to meet or exceed diverse hiring and advancement goals

Additional content:

Retaining college talent 30

Leadership Council survey 32

M7’s regional talent pitch 35

Membership Appreciation Tour 38

Startup story: Humanworks8 45

In every issue:

MMAC Event photos 48

New MMAC members 57

Member milestones 60 Staff directory 61

Thank you to our advertisers:

Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren 2 InCheck 6

HUB International 8

Associated Bank 16 Wintrust Commercial Banking 22 Wells Great Lakes 34

SVA Certified Public Accountants 36 CG Schmidt 44

Spectrum Reach 46 Building Advantage 52

Delta Dental 54

WICPA 58

JCP Construction 59

UnitedHealthcare 62

Volume 101, No. 4 - Milwaukee Commerce (USPS 546-370, ISN 0746-6706) is published four times a year by the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce (MMAC), 275 W Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 220 | Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53203 Periodicals postage paid at Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Subscriptions $5 per year for members, included in dues.

POSTMASTER send address changes to: Milwaukee Commerce - MMAC/Andrea Medved 275 W Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 220 Milwaukee, WI 53203

Cathy Jacobson, MMAC Chair

Tim Sheehy, MMAC President

Chris Jenkins, Editor (cjenkins@mmac.org)

Anna Reaves, Graphic Design (areaves@mmac.org)

Jane Backes, Advertising (jbackes@mmac.org)

MMAC is working for you by:

Investing in data: We’ve partnered with Lightcast, the global leader in labor market analytics, for proprietary insights Building and maintaining relationships with employers, K-12 education institutions and elected officials to stay up to date on trends and best practices

Attracting, retaining and advancing employees from diverse backgrounds through the Region of Choice initiative

How MMAC helps your business meet talent challenges

We’ve heard it from you consistently for several years now: A lack of candidates to fill open positions has risen to become the No. 1 challenge facing most businesses today.

It started before the pandemic, intensified remarkably during the “Great Resignation,” and shows relatively few signs of easing up -- even amid significant economic uncertainty.

And we know these issues won’t fix themselves. If anything, they’re going to become more challenging: Migration to the Milwaukee Region has been relatively flat in recent years, and our population is aging. A recent report by Forward Analytics, the research division of the Wisconsin Counties Association, found that the number of working-age residents in our state will decline by about 130,000 by 2030.

As always, MMAC is here to support you in this historically challenging environment.

In this issue of Milwaukee Commerce, we provide an overview of our ever-broadening capabilities to help you and your business address talent challenges.

It all starts with data: We’ve made a significant investment in a proprietary labor market data tool through Lightcast, the global leader in labor market analytics. You’ll have the opportunity to see how we can apply that data inside this issue.

It continues with relationships: We work with you as employers to stay on top of trends and discern best practices, with K-12 and higher education institutions to inspire the next generation and help align curriculum with future skills needs, and with business leaders and elected officials to ensure that Milwaukee can compete as a destination for talented employees. This, of course, includes a unique effort to attract, retain and advance employees from diverse backgrounds through our Region of Choice initiative.

Ultimately, the knowledge we uncover and the relationships we build directly benefit you, our members. Read the remainder of this issue to find out more about how you can participate.

Tim Sheehy MMAC President

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sent updated text

Creatively Attracting Talent: HUB Construction Outlook 2023

The construction business is booming. Across the country, the industry is short 650,000 workers to meet current demand.1 And right here in Milwaukee, employment in the construction industry increased 7% between June 2021 and June 2022.2

Indeed, the single biggest issue facing the industry in 2023 will be worker availability. Construction firms fighting to attract the limited supply of workers will need to come up with new approaches to onboarding, training and benefits.

Finding the Best

In this market, there is no choice: Enhance benefits or risk being left behind. Construction firms looking to attract the best and the brightest are offering benefits previously unheard of in the industry, including:

Safe workplaces: The construction industry accounts for the largest number of fatal work injuries of any industry.3 Yet everyone would prefer to work with a firm that prizes safety. A Safe workplace is a more profitable and productive workplace.

Competitive benefits: Firms with a non-unionized workforce are beginning to offer dental and vision plans, as well as paid time off – including vacation and sick days.

Personalized benefits: As part of a benefits strategy centered on delivering quality employee experiences (QEX), personalized benefits increases worker satisfaction and engenders greater loyalty.

Retirement plans: Companies are adding employersponsored retirement plans, including auto-enrollment and an employer contribution match.

Employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs): A newly popular option, ESOPs allow company owners to strengthen their capital structure while increasing worker loyalty. Nearly 20% of the nation’s top contractors have opted for ESOPs4— a trend that is expected to snowball in 2023.

About the author

Making the Plan

In this uncertain economy, innovation will be the key to success. Follow this approach to create a plan to attract and retain talent:

1. Select the right benefits. Only you and your workers know which benefits are the most important. But companies that prioritize health, safety and well-being demonstrate that they care about their employees through their benefits offerings.

2. Prioritize training. Proper training emphasizes the company’s commitment to protecting the workforce and serves to reduce the number of incidents. Make safety a priority, and ensure workers understand expectations and commit to maintaining a safe work environment.

3. Work with your broker. Your broker is your strongest ally and should have the experience and resources to help. Share any business changes you introduce with your broker so there are no surprises at renewal time. Consider your insurance and risk management needs early so your broker can identify the best options and partner with you to develop a plan to move forward.

John Wallen Vice President and Wisconsin Construction Practice Leader

Hub International www.hubinternational.com

John Wallen is Vice President and Wisconsin Construction Practice Leader for global insurance brokerage Hub International. He has more than 30 years of experience providing risk management consulting, effective insurance solutions and innovative risk and cost reduction strategies for the construction industry. John is active in multiple construction industry trade associations including ABC, AGC, ASA, Plumbing and Mechanical Contractors Associations as well as the Construction and Financial Management Association. John has been a featured speaker for several of these and other construction associations on various risk management topics.

1Construction Dive, “Construction faces over half-a-million-worker shortage,” Feb. 23, 2022.

2Mortenson, “Milwaukee Construction Cost Index, Q2 2022,” accessed November 7, 2022.

3U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Number and rate of fatal work injuries, by industry sector, 2020,” accessed November 7, 2022.

4Forbes, “Why Construction Companies Are Leading The ‘Decade Of ESOPs’ Trend,” February 21, 2022.

Talent is a key driver of the Milwaukee region’s economic growth. To better understand talent in our market, MMAC invested in a proprietary labor market data tool from Lightcast, the global leader in labor market analytics. On the next few pages we will look at 3 of our top-posted jobs: registered nurses, software developers and industrial engineers. These examples show what MMAC’s investment in Lightcast can do in terms of providing market-specific, actionable intelligence on high-demand jobs.

With better insights, we are well-positioned to refine our regional talent attraction and retention strategy, foster more effective industry alignment with higher education and help employers better understand the landscape. Other new capabilities include:

• Understand the immediate and future workforce needs of regional employers

• Gauge how industry trends are impacting skills needs

• Stay focused during times of market disruptions

• Align regional education and workforce development efforts

Real-time job postings data available through Lightcast provides a snapshot of current labor market demand and the difficulty employers have filling key positions.

Consider the top 10 jobs posted within the M7 region between May and October 2022 (see right.) Notable in this list are the number of jobs that generally don’t require a high school diploma, postsecondary education, or training. Frontline roles like these were hard to fill before the pandemic - and now have employers asking “where did all the workers go?”

Companies successfully filling these jobs are tapping into nontraditional talent pools, speeding up their hiring process, offering signing bonuses and “stay” bonuses, as well as flexibility and advancement opportunities previously reserved for professional employees.

the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of

Recruiting becomes more specialized for jobs that require at least a postsecondary credential or degree, and it’s important to understand how key talent pipelines are cultivated - in higher education, through on-the-job training or professional development programs.

For any role listed to the right, Lightcast can help us understand:

• The current supply of talent in the region

• Projected future increase/decrease in demand for the role

• Top employers hiring for the role & the estimated number of hires per month

• How local compensation measures against the national average

• Specific skills that employers are requesting in job postings for the role

• The Automation Index, or how susceptible the role is to the effects of automation

• The percentage of current workers approaching retirement age

• Whether racial or gender equity gaps exist

• Amount of workers in roles that could be upskilled to meet demand

• State of the region’s education pipeline producing newly-skilled entrants to the job market

• Markets outside Milwaukee where alumni with the right skills live

• Markets outside where candidates would experience a relative wage gain by relocating to Milwaukee for a similar role

The Milwaukee region’s supply of Registered Nurses (24,394) is currently higher than the national average. And while demand grew 11% between 2016 and 2021, the pace of growth is expected to slow to 2% in the next four years. Top employers are the region’s large hospital systems, medical clinics, and long-term care facilities. Over the past year, there have been an average of 504 successful hires each month.

With 6,300 Registered Nurses 55 or older, retirement risk is equal to the national average. 92% of Registered Nurses are female, and 81% are white, pointing to untapped potential within the community.

Additionally, the region has a large pool of Nursing Assistants (11,361), Medical Assistants (4,998) and Licensed Practical Nurses (2,146) who could be upskilled and licensed as RNs over time to fill future openings.

In the 2020-21 academic year, 1,958 nursing degrees were conferred in the M7 region. Of those 1,958 degrees:

• 481 were Associate’s

• 1,200 were Bachelor’s

• 265 were Master’s

• 12 were Doctor’s

Where needs are immediate and the candidate supply is low, employers may have to look outside the Milwaukee market to attract key talent. With an emphasis on markets where there are a number of local alumni and where candidates would experience a relative wage gain by relocating to Milwaukee – Lightcast identifies the following high-target areas and can generate a list of potential candidates including direct contact information:

• Cook County, IL

• New York County, NY

• Maricopa County, AZ

• Dane County, WI

• Hennepin County, MN

• DuPage County, IL

• Salt Lake County, UT

Software Developers

The Milwaukee region’s supply of Software Developers (8,497) is lower than the national average and while demand grew 31% between 2016 and 2021, the pace of growth is expected to slow to 6% in the next four years. Over the past year, there have been an average of 296 successful hires each month.

There are multiple degrees and certifications that qualify an individual to work as a Software Developer. Lightcast takes a more expansive look at education and training programs that produce eligible talent. In the 2020-21 academic year, 1,088 degrees and certificates related to software development were conferred in the M7 region. Of those 1,088:

• 84 were certificates

• 100 were Associate’s

• 748 were Bachelor’s

• 148 were Master’s

• 8 were Doctor’s

Lightcast can help us break down the requirements of a job that isn’t tied as directly to a degree program, like nursing. For this type of role, the right skills are developed through a combination of education, experience and on-the-job learning. Outside of a degree program, software development skills can be acquired in stackable certificate programs, bootcamps and continuing education programs.

Using Lightcast’s intelligence, we can help guide learners to credentials that really matter to employers and make sure their investments pay off.

Where needs are immediate and candidate supply is low, employers may have to look outside the Milwaukee market to attract software developers. With an emphasis on markets where there are a number of local alumni and where candidates would experience a relative wage gain by relocating to Milwaukee – Lightcast identifies the following high-target areas and can generate a list of potential candidates including direct contact information:

• Cook County, IL

• Dane County, WI

• New York County, NY

• Los Angeles County, CA

• Hennepin County, MN

• King County, WA

• San Francisco County, CA

Supply is lower than the National average

Jobs to upskill over time to fill future

Computer user support specialist (4,291)

Network & computer system administrators (3,458) Web developers (1,521)

Another role, that’s key to the Milwaukee region’s advanced manufacturing sector is Industrial Engineers. The Milwaukee region has a deep supply of Industrial Engineers (4,428) - significantly higher than the national average. Demand grew 40% between 2016 and 2021, and is expected to grow 2% more by 2026. Over the past year, there have been an average of 106 successful hires each month.

The role has a low Automation Index (92.0), reflecting the importance of human skills that are difficult to automate. Specific skills in high demand include Manufacturing Processes, Continuous Improvement Process, Lean Manufacturing, New Product Development, Auditing, Tooling, Automation, Root Cause Analysis, Process Improvement, Quality Management Systems, Six Sigma Methodology, and ISO 9000 Series.

With 1,300 Industrial Engineers 55 or older, retirement risk is about equal to the national average. 79% of Industrial Engineers are male, and 82% are white, pointing to untapped potential within the community.

In the 2020-21 academic year, 53 Industrial Engineering degrees were conferred in the M7 region. Looking downstream in the talent pipeline, 122 technical certificates were awarded related to Industrial Engineering.

Where needs are immediate and the candidate supply is low, employers may have to look outside the Milwaukee market to attract key talent. With an emphasis on markets where there are a number of local alumni and where candidates would experience a relative wage gain by relocating to Milwaukee – Lightcast identifies the following high-target areas and can generate a list of potential candidates including direct contact information:

Cook County, IL · Dane County, WI · Los Angeles County, CA · New York County, NY · Hennepin County, MN

Maricopa County, AZ · Suffolk County, MA · Santa Clara County, CA · Orange County, CA

Want to attract new employees?

Strengthen your story.

In today’s marketplace, attracting employees is just as critical as attracting new customers. Many businesses in our region are limited in their ability to grow because they’re not able to attract the employees they need. Successful companies realize that they need to apply the same marketing efforts they deploy to grow sales and revenue to attract the employees they need.

Bob Wendt President Cultivate Communications

Customers want to align themselves with progressive partners. They are looking for companies that build a product or service that is impactful and can make a difference in how they grow. Prospective employees have those same aspirations. Here are some thoughts on how to build an impactful story to attract new employees.

3 ways to build your story

1. Start by answering the question, “Why?” Why should a potential employee choose you? Clearly define why the opportunity to work for your organization will be truly beneficial to them. Marketing teams are great at articulating value to customers. You need to apply the same effort to attract new employees. Companies need to go beyond talking about how they are a great place to work and begin to redefine themselves from the perspective of employees. Your story must reflect how your company can help employees achieve their goals.

2. Great programs built to attract employees include strong statements of the organization’s values. Employees are looking to apply their skills to companies that have a purpose greater than the bottom line. Often, successful companies have leaders who exemplify those values, not only within the company but also in the community. Make a part of your story about those values and what they mean to create a more holistic experience for employees.

3. Finally, promote Milwaukee. We are no longer the home of Laverne and Shirley. Milwaukee is an incredible place to live, great for foodies, with an exceptional arts culture, and perfect for anyone who appreciates an active outdoor lifestyle. Milwaukee and the region surrounding it needs to promote its incredible environment, vibrant culture and humble Midwest work ethic to effectively compete for talent. A larger universe of talented workers need to see Milwaukee as an unmatched option for work, family and play.

Learn more about MMAC member Cultivate Communications at cultivate-communications.com

Thinking of making key hires to grow your business?

With the multitude of talent available through remote employees, expanding your business by hiring the best candidates regardless of geography has never been more accessible. But expanding your business and hiring new talent takes capital. Let Associated Bank help you advance to the next level by growing your future with quality talent and the working capital you need through a Small Business Administration loan.

Associated Bank is one of the top SBA lenders in Wisconsin, and our loan specialists know our great state and your local community. You’ll meet with a real person face-to-face who can help you find the right loan and guide you through the appropriate process. You’ll receive the kind of personalized care that ensures your success and supports you every step of the way.

“Our team of SBA experts at Associated Bank will learn the inner workings of your business and work with you, as a valued partner, in developing a plan to assist in the growth of your company,” notes Josh McCann, SBA Sales Officer – Consumer and Business Banking.

Guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration, SBA loans* range from $500,000 to $5.5 million and are designed to make it easier for small business owners to expand and grow for the future. An SBA loan can help you open or acquire a business, buy land and equipment, hire new talent or renovate your location. You can also use an SBA loan to refinance existing loans, acquire inventory or expand your working capital.

Don’t put off plans to make your business grow—make it happen starting today. For immediate assistance on all your SBA lending needs, call our SBA Specialist Josh McCann or visit AssociatedBank.com /SBA.

Josh McCann

Vice President – SBA Sales Officer

Associated Bank (262) 946-6392 associatedbank.com/SBA

*Loan products are offered by Associated Bank, N.A., and are subject to credit approval and determination of SBA eligibility. Loans may involve interest and other costs. Please ask about details on fees and terms and conditions of these products. Relevant insurance coverage, if applicable, will be required on collateral. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender.

How does

talent decide to relocate?

What are people looking for?

Talented employees with the right skills to fill open positions are in shorter supply than any time in recent memory. Many Milwaukee Region employers already are adapting to fully remote positions. In a recent MMAC Business Outlook Survey, 41 percent of companies said they are employing workers who live outside the seven-county Milwaukee region for roles that can be fully remote.

Recently, Susan Koehn, Vice President of Talent and Industry Partnerships, presented at Young, Smart and Local, a talent attraction and retention-themed conference in Greensboro, N.C. Here, we summarize some key takeaways from her presentation.

of

outside the seven-county Milwaukee region for roles that can be remote.

But, of course, there are a wide variety of roles that cannot be performed remotely. To fill in-person or hybrid roles, more companies may renew their focus on attracting talent from outside our region to relocate. And as companies refine their sales pitches to out-of-market employees, it’s important to understand how potential employees approach these decisions.

To be clear, Milwaukee has far too many citizens on the sidelines of the workforce right now, and MMAC remains engaged in efforts to expand the number of quality seats in our K-12 education systems, plus new efforts in the areas of upskilling and reskilling. But companies need to fill roles right now, meaning that out-of-market talent attraction is a necessary piece of the puzzle.

Top factors in making a move DCI, a national firm that specializes in destination marketing, recently published the sixth annual edition of TALENT WARS: What People Look for in Jobs and Locations, which identifies the top factors that talent considers when making a career or location change – including new and unique considerations driven by the COVID-19 pandemic.

For this study, DCI surveyed more than 1,000 people between the ages of 21 and 65 across the U.S. who moved to a new location at least 100 miles away from their previous residence in the past 24 months. The survey results provide a clearer picture of how people make relocation decisions.

companies said they are employing workers who live

DCI depicts the decision process as a funnel, where talent first experiences a trigger to consider moving, explores and evaluates one or more markets for relocation, then makes a final decision. It’s important to understand how relocation prospects work through this funnel and what information they need at various points to increase the likelihood they’ll consider a move to Milwaukee.

Note it is difficult to define what “quality of life” means to different people and understand how our region’s assets line up. DCI asked an open-ended question to get at specific features related to a positive quality of life. Good K-12 schools, outdoor recreation, safety, attractions/amenities, low cost of living, a vibrant nightlife, no congestion/traffic, and a sense of community were the most-cited features contributing to quality of life.

DCI surveyed more than 1,000 people between the ages of 21 and 65 across the U.S. who moved to a new location at least 100 miles away from their previous residence in the past 24 months. The survey results provide a clearer picture of how people make relocation decisions.

Evaluating a prospective new home town

As prospects move down the funnel, they tend to prioritize more practical factors about a location. Cost of living continues to be the top consideration, followed closely by the availability and cost of housing in a new market. Does Milwaukee have an advantage here over large metros like Chicago or Minneapolis?

Another key area where the business community can help provide information is availability of alternate career opportunities within a prospect’s field and also for trailing partner/spouses. To make the leap to a new job and new city, prospects want to see an abundance of “plan B” options as well as long-term career advancement opportunities within the market.

DCI’s survey data continues to show that jobrelated factors are still top considerations in talent’s decision on whether to relocate but – since the pandemic and the blurring of lines between work and home – characteristics about the location and work/life balance have grown in importance.

Quality Healthcare & friendly population (8.0)

Outdoor recreational opportunities (7.6)

Job opportunities for partner (7.3)

Proximity to friends/ others in same age/ demographic groups (7.1)

Arts/cultural amenities, public transporation/walkable, higher education opportunities, political & social climate aligns with beliefs (6.8)

Housing cost & availability (8.4)

Safety/crime rates (8.3)

Climate (7.7)

Alternative job opportunities in new location (7.5)

Proximity to family (7.2)

Diverse population (7.0)

Quality of K-12 education system (6.7)

Nightlife/active social scene (6.3)

whitepaper

Perspective of the region

The Milwaukee Region already has several employers that do out-of-market talent attraction fairly well. But as we expect more employers to focus in this space, MMAC and the Milwaukee 7 Partnership for Economic Development have a role to play.

Internet research has long been an important factor for prospective employees considering relocation, and that only became more important during the pandemic.

With this in mind, MMAC and M7 currently are developing a website – or “digital front door” – to help sell the

Baird has been successful in recruiting talent to Milwaukee, particularly when we have positions or programs that provide opportunities not widely offered at other firms or other cities. We find that once we attract talent to Milwaukee, they come to appreciate and love the lifestyle.

We believe Milwaukee’s value proposition as a place to live and work is its uniqueness and its ability to welcome and cater to everyone. It is an old city with a young heart ready to welcome and embrace all.

Steve Martin Marcus Corporation and Marcus Hotels & Resorts

Rodney Jones-Tyson Baird

Partner with Wisconsin’s Bank for Business

COMPANY NEEDS

Expansion of existing facilities to accommodate future growth

OUR SOLUTION

Construction financing for new real estate expansion

DEAL HIGHLIGHT $7,500,000

JAY MACK

President & CEO, Town Bank, N.A. Wintrust Wisconsin Market Head jmack@wintrust.com 262-369-8800

CHRIS HABJAN

Vice President

Wintrust Commercial Banking at Town Bank, N.A. chabjan@wintrust.com 414-255-1009

COMPANY NEEDS Larger facilities to keep up with future demand

OUR SOLUTION Construction financing for new real estate expansion DEAL HIGHLIGHT $6,500,000

COMPANY NEEDS

Business and real estate acquisition

MEET THE TEAM

GLENN MARGRAFF

Executive Vice President

Wintrust Commercial Banking at Town Bank, N.A. gmargra @wintrust.com 414-255-1002

RAHIM KEVAL

Vice Present Wintrust Commercial Banking at Town Bank, N.A. rkeval@wintrust.com 414-255-1010

BILL STONE

Group Senior Vice President

Wintrust Commercial Banking at Town Bank, N.A. wstone@wintrust.com 262-369-8833

LAUREN HESS

Vice President

OUR SOLUTION Term loan to purchase competitor’s assets and real estate DEAL HIGHLIGHT $4,000,000 townbank.us/partnerships

Wintrust Treasury Management Wisconsin Team Lead lhess@wintrust.com 262-443-6344

Fraud 101: How to Prepare Your Business Against Email Attacks

For businesses to thrive, employees must communicate. Among a growing number of platforms that facilitate business communications, email is the primary vehicle. Since email makes an employee reachable, cybercriminals often use it to commit fraud and/or breach a company’s IT defenses. This article will describe how cybercriminals take over email communications for their benefit and the steps your organization can take to protect itself.

Educate yourself about phishing and business email compromise schemes

Phishing is a particularly dangerous attack perpetrated via email. An employee can be tricked into revealing sensitive information, such as their login credentials, bank account numbers, or any other form of data that criminals can then monetize.

Business email compromise (BEC) schemes are a leading source of losses. BEC schemes involve criminals sending an email that appears to come from a known source making a reasonable request. To trick the recipient into trusting the email and acting on it, criminals might create email accounts with similar addresses or send personalized emails directly to their target. In more sophisticated scams, criminals might compromise an organization’s email system and assume direct control of a key individual’s electronic communications.

The goal of cybercriminals is to use your company’s email in an attack. Here’s how to make it difficult for cybercriminals to strike your organization.

Encourage employees to pause before opening emails

When opening emails, a healthy degree of skepticism can be the difference between an attack that fails and one that exacts a heavy toll. In a rush to open and respond to emails, many employees do not take the time to scrutinize their messages.

Test your employees’ security knowledge and hold them accountable

To help prevent an attack, many organizations require employees to participate in security training. If an employee avoids such training or earns a failing grade, you could require that they pass the class before they can return to their work. Additionally, your business could send emails to test employees’ ability to avoid opening and interacting with suspicious messages.

Monitor the threat landscape closely Make sure your security department keeps close tabs on cybercriminals’ latest tools and techniques. This includes reviewing your organization’s security policies and procedures along with how often employees comply with them.

Businesses should not overlook the role of the bank in preventing cybercrime. Your bank’s fraud department can share best practices to avoid phishing, BEC attacks, and other forms of cybercrime.

Vice President, Treasury Management Sales

Wintrust Commercial Banking at Town Bank, N.A. www.townbank.us

Lauren Hess

MMAC’s People Powered Solutions

The talent shortage is here in Southeastern Wisconsin - and it isn’t going to improve without significant efforts on many fronts. While our economy continues to grow at a healthy pace, our pool of workers is stagnating. It is an issue that requires interventions at every stage - and as employers, we can do more together than any one of us can do alone. MMAC helps your business attract, retain and advance your talent.

We work with education and workforce development organizations to ensure the region’s workforce is prepared for the jobs of tomorrow and to connect those on the sidelines to skills and jobs that provide economic mobility. We support this work with data, experts, proven models and by convening members to create collaborative solutions.

All MMAC talent initiatives are driven by data, including a significant investment in a proprietary workforce intelligence data tool. Lightcast provides real-time labor market data and workforce analytics to identify upskilling, reskilling and career pathways with the most opportunities.

If you’re on the front line of filling positions today, MMAC can help. We bring real-time data, subject matter experts and peer insights to meet demands. Our series of virtual and in-person events, plus our online Talent Solutions Directory, saves you the time and legwork it would take to investigate available resources on your own.

Access to full suite of service providers by categories to support your needs. Over 50 members are ready to help source candidates, staff contract positions, create an employer brand or manage compliance and legal issues. MMAC.org/TalentSolutionsDirectory.html

This online resource provides an overview of the MKE region’s talent market, an introduction to programs and resources to drive your company’s talent pipeline strategy and helps you connect to the MMAC network. MMAC.org/Calendar.html

The Recruiters Roundtable gives talent acquisition professionals a forum to share perspectives, learn about trends and crowdsource solutions to talent acquisition challenges. Drop-in discussions/4x a year. No cost for MMAC members.

The Talent Solutions webinars feature dialogue with experts on topics such as, “Weathering the ‘Great Resignation’” and “Growing Your Own Talent Pipeline Through Internships.”

RETAIN ADVANCE

According to the Pew Research center, 2.5% of U.S. workers – about 4 million people – switched jobs on average each month in early 2022. This share translates into an annual turnover of 30% of workers, or nearly 50 million. One in five workers (22%) say they are very or somewhat likely to look for a new job in the next six months. How can you build a culture that keeps your employees on board?

Talent Solutions Series

CHRO Roundtables

In addition to being a go-to resource for attracting talent, the virtual Talent Solutions series features dialogue with experts on retention-related topics.

MMAC regularly convenes a roundtable of CHROs from large Milwaukee Region companies with national footprints to collect information on emerging HR trends and best practices.

Supporting pathways for growth and opportunity not only enhances your company’s ability to attract and retain talent — it strengthens the region’s overall prosperity. MMAC works closely with key industry sectors to determine the intersection of future jobs and needed skills.

Emerging Leaders Program

This program takes place twice a year and provides a multi-faceted approach for high-performing individual contributors who have not yet moved into a formal leadership role. It includes 6 core workshops and small group coaching.

MMAC.org/Emerging-leaders-series.html

Professional Development Bootcamp Business Outlook Survey

Region of Choice Culture

Survey

We survey our members on their responses to employee retention trends with our Business Outlook Survey.

MMAC.org/business-outlook-survey.html

Talent challenges can be even more acute for professionals of color. The Region of Choice Culture Survey gathers information from 1,200 local management professionals to compare and contrast the feedback from Black, Latino/ Hispanic and white managers on their company and community experience.

RegionofChoiceMKE.org

FUEL Milwaukee

FUEL’s events bring diverse professionals together to connect them to leaders and peers, to experience what Milwaukee has to offer and also provides a platform for transparent and substantive conversations on Milwaukee’s racial challenges.

FUELMilwaukee.org

This series is for continuous learners who want to explore a variety of topics with like-minded individuals in a condensed timeframe. Bootcamp takes place annually over 3 days both virtually and in-person. There are 9 one-hour workshops on leadership, management and career growth.

FuelMilwaukee.org

Preparing MKE’s Future Workforce

Of the region’s 1.5 million residents, 36% have a two- or four-year degree. The next generation of talent needs high-quality schools, innovative education, and participation in career-based learning so they can find their future right here at home. MMAC is engaged in several K-12 and higher education initiatives to build the pipeline between education and employment:

Advocating for high quality education

MMAC has been working to close the achievement gap in the City of Milwaukee, our greatest source of future talent, for more than 25 years. Adding choice and charter schools has increased quality education options for students and their families, but there is far more work to be done.

MMAC is focused on providing more students with access to a highquality school, as defined by the state report card. And we lobby for equity in funding across school systems – pubic, charter and choice – to ensure exemplary schools have the resources they need to grow. MKEschoolmap.org/map

Early engagement with employers

Preparing for a career starts with building awareness of career options, is strengthened through intentionally designed student experiences and ideally leads to more Milwaukee students staying in the region to build their careers with Milwaukee Region companies.

MMAC’s Be the Spark program builds career awareness and experiences in high-demand regional industries: finance, manufacturing, construction, digital technology and patient care. MMAC member companies work with MPS high schools to create projects that provide real-world context for classroom learning. The goal is to create sustained partnerships that include job shadows, internships, apprenticeships and job offers post-graduation. www.mmac.org/spark.html

Technology Education and Literacy in Schools (TEALS)

MMAC supports the TEALS (Technology Education and Literacy in Schools) program to build a pipeline of digital talent. TEALS places industry volunteers into high schools that otherwise would not have a computer science program to team-teach with classroom teachers. TEALS provides a short-term solution to the teacher shortage and helps schools build a long-term solution and sustainable computer science program. Find out more about the program, and how you and members of your team can serve as a volunteer teacher: MMAC.org/Technology-Education--Literacy-in-Schools-TEALS.html

Making Milwaukee a Region of Choice for Diverse Talent

Reducing racial disparities in Milwaukee is a top priority for MMAC and its board of directors. The region cannot reach its potential without all its citizens participating in and benefiting from an inclusive community. A 2018 research project revealed that Milwaukee ranks last among 20 peer metros for 7 indicators of prosperity among metro Milwaukee’s Black and Brown populations. Today, more than 125 companies have committed to collectively increase Black and Brown employment by 15% and management by 25% over the 2018 baseline by 2024.

In addition to the work outlined above, MMAC is helping companies develop, recruit, retain and advance diverse talent by:

Diverse internship programs

MMAC has partnered with the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development on an internship program that connects MMAC member employers with students from diverse backgrounds. The first cohort placed more than 50 interns with 19 Milwaukee area employers, and there will be additional opportunities to participate in the program and host interns. Intern wages are paid through a state grant at no cost to the employer.

UWM.edu/community/students/the-uwm-student-success-talentpipeline-initiative/

• Convening company representatives to share best practices and discuss common challenges.

• Conducting a semi-annual culture survey to measure experiences of inclusivity and belonging within companies and the greater Milwaukee community.

• Creating a dedicated DEI website: regionofchoicemke.org

• Sponsoring a half-day annual summit on local DEI successes.

• Holding CEO-only sessions to provide a peer group for discussion and commitment around DEI.

Region of Choice update

For the past three years, MMAC has tracked the progress of companies and organizations committed to making Milwaukee a Region of Choice by increasing the percentages of Black and Brown employees (by 15% over five years) and managers (by 25% over five years) at those firms.

Companies reported their employment data for 2021 this past October, and here are the results to date:

In total, 130 companies representing 125,000 metro Milwaukee employees are working toward this goal and working with each other to create a community of workplaces that are more diverse, equitable and inclusive.

While the data is trending in the right direction, MMAC Vice President of Community Affairs Corry Joe Biddle emphasized that there is much more work to do – both in our workplaces and in our communities – to create sustainable change for people of color in Milwaukee.

“Companies and talent acknowledge that hiring is only the beginning of an employee’s lifecycle,” she said. “Attention must be paid to retention, development and advancement in order for more Black and Brown individuals to rise to positions of leadership. Otherwise, we will always have the situation where a person of color is the ‘only’ in the room.”

MMAC convenes representatives from the ROC companies and the community to share and discuss strategies aimed at all of the above. “One company does not have all the answers, but among our 130 companies, there are a lot of great ideas, programs and playbooks,” added Biddle.

MMAC holds regular programs, both online and in person, for company leaders to learn from peers and subject matter experts. Additional resources can be found on www.regionofchoicemke.org

MMAC President Tim Sheehy said the 2021 data results from the ROC companies should be encouraging: “Everyone talks about the DEI process as a journey. As a business community and as a region, we need to keep putting one foot in front of the other.”

MMAC continuing to grow Milwaukee as a Region of Choice for Diverse Talent

“One company does not have all the answers, but among our 130 companies, there are a lot of great ideas, programs and playbooks.”

- Corry Joe Biddle Vice President of Community Affairs, MMAC

Region of Choice Representative Meeting

by Elis Moustafa for Campus Philly

Campus Philly:

How a region can unite to retain young talent

Jennifer Kebea President, Campus Philly

In the early 2000s, civic and business leaders in the greater Philadelphia region identified a significant issue: Area higher education institutions were bringing talented young minds into the city by the thousands every year, but only about 25 percent of them were staying after graduation to begin their careers there.

In response, they formed Campus Philly, an organization dedicated to connecting area college students to local culture, internships, jobs – and, ultimately, one another. Today, Philadelphia is retaining approximately 55 percent of its students after graduation.

The Campus Philly model has translated successfully to other regions – and, with the right amount of energy and investment, the Milwaukee Region is poised for a similar effort to retain more of its 125,000 college students after graduation. So what does it take?

Milwaukee Commerce recently spoke to Campus Philly President Jennifer Kebea:

Milwaukee Commerce: Why was Campus Philly founded? What problem you were trying to solve?

Jennifer Kebea: The initial problem was brain-drain. Greater Philadelphia was not retaining our college-educated talent in the region. We are a hub for higher education, with over 100 different institutions in our region and upwards of 350,000 college students who come here to study -- but they weren’t staying after graduation.

Photo

Photo by Olivia Brosky for Campus Philly

Photo by Rob Focht for Campus Philly

MC:

JK: In the early 2000s different thought leaders in Philadelphia came together to address this goal. They first discussed the need for a talent retention initiative, but it quickly became bigger than that. In order to reach the end goal of retaining collegeeducated talent in the region, a coordinated effort to help showcase this region as a great place to go to school and launch your career needed to be made. This included helping higher ed institutions market the region to prospective students, connecting current students to the incredible assets and amenities that Philadelphia offers, and finally, the lynchpin, let’s make sure that students connect to internships and then jobs in the region, so that they can stay here and really build a life for themselves.

So that’s how we’ve changed and grown over the years. We have further sharpened our mission of helping colleges and universities recruit students. We’re engaging that group of students while they’re here. And then we’re really working closely with employers and sectors that are growing in Philadelphia to connect that talent to internships, to jobs and ultimately into retaining in the region.

MC: So what does that look like?

JK: We have a multi-faceted approach. For nearly 20 years, we have hosted a welcome celebration for college students in the fall called College Fest. There was a big concert, there were vendors, and there was lots of free swag. We would come out of that event thinking, “We had 5,000 students in attendance. That’s great.”

But the pandemic hit, and that wasn’t possible anymore. 2020 went by, and we weren’t able to host the event. In 2021 we completely reconceptualized the event. Now we’re focusing in on the goals: to get students out into the city to start to be able to understand how transportation works, start to be able to explore our wonderful museums and our cultural institutions, and experience all the fun things to do in Philadelphia.

We evolved what was just a one-day, fivehour celebration to an entire weekend celebrating college students. College students are welcomed into the city with free public transit. There are 25-plus museums, totally free and open to college students that weekend, plus a handful of other activations across the city including a big block party that we host. Attendance has grown from about 5,000 students in 2019 and years prior, to over 15,000 in 2021 and 17,000 in 2022.

MC: What challenges did Campus Philly face along the way, and how did you solve them?

JK: Funding is always a challenge! We’ve tried to circumvent that by making sure that our portfolio is diverse. But that also means there are a lot of relationships that we need to stay on top of and deliver results to. That has been an ongoing challenge but also a tremendous opportunity.

Another area where we have grown and adapted in is recognizing who the students are that most frequently make use of our services. We know that 70 percent of students who attend are career events are students of color and 40 percent are firstgen college students. We know we’re hitting a niche of students who benefit from more connection to and face time with prospective employers. That’s really where Campus Philly is continuing to provide value and where we will continue to invest resources.

MC: If people here Milwaukee wanted to launch something along these lines, what advice would you have?

JK: My main point of advice would be to convene all of the diverse stakeholders who care about attracting and retaining emerging talent: higher eds, corporations, civic and city leaders, to identify shared goals and a shared vision. This work needs to happen in collaboration with others.

MC: What else should we know?

MC:

JK: Campus Philly was founded as a small nonprofit with some seed funding and big ambitions. Over time we’ve worked to diversify and grow our budget that directly aligns with the stakeholder groups that we serve.

We have a model where higher education partners pay into the mission of Campus Philly. Corporate partners who want access to emerging talent also can contribute to Campus Philly’s mission. The city has the opportunity also to leverage their resources to support our mission, and certainly cultural and entertainment partners who want access to showcase their amazing assets to students have the ability to work with us as well.

But it doesn’t stop there. We program with students all year round. We show up when our colleges and universities ask us to be at their open houses to help showcase the region and talk about what an amazing place Greater Philadelphia is to be a college student. And when students arrive in the fall, we have our big welcome back celebration, CollegeFest. We’re also hosting programming year-round through a series of Philly Night Out events in partnerships with various organizations that want to highlight their organization to college students. We also have a full calendar of career programs to connect college students with internships and jobs at companies that are headquartered in the greater Philadelphia region.

JK: The importance of data. The importance of our work can be lost if we’re not leaning into some of the important indicators that demonstrate the economic health of a region. We have become very savvy at collecting and leveraging data to tell the story of emerging talent attraction and retention in Greater Philadelphia. This will be an important consideration for your region as well.

Learn more at:

What were some of the initial steps toward that goal?

How did that effort evolve over time?

MMAC Leadership Council: recruiting Employees Survey Results

By Barb Smith - MMAC Leadership Council Director

This quarter, we are asking the MMAC Leadership Council (LC), our most engaged stakeholders, to focus on how their businesses recruit employees.

Recruiting the best talent in your given industry has become more challenging than ever. Businesses across the U.S. are seeing diminishing returns on traditional talent acquisition methods and are choosing to establish long-term, proactive strategy for recruiting.

The LC is a voluntary, high-engagement member opportunity with more than 70 individuals. Join today to make exclusive connections, discuss ideas and be recognized for your leadership.

“The media and political environment has created a divide between staff and organizational leadership.”

“It’s more about prioritizing the development of our people vs. getting the job done. It’s understanding that developing people really pays off exponentially.”

SARIT SINGHAL

President/CEO Superior Support Resources, Inc.

MIKE

VEUM President/CEO IEWC “Eaton

JACKIE PRIDE

Communications Manager Eaton Corporation

JOHN

“The key for us is finding a way to build a pipeline of trade skills in our area. This requirement is not going away and will actually increase as many are currently close to retirement in the next five years.”

LAWRENCE

Using an Innovative Mindset to Overcome Supply Chain Issues and Labor Shortages

Nate Grachan | Vice President, Construction Services | Wells – Great Lakes nate.grachan@wellsconcrete.com | 414.290.9266

An uncertain economy, supply chain issues, and labor shortages are three of the most pressing challenges manufacturing and construction businesses are currently facing. Wells is involved in the entire building process –from preconstruction and design to manufacturing prefabricated products to field operations with erection and installation to finishing services of sealants and restoration. This requires a variety of specialty skilled employees, expounding on the labor shortage challenges. Thanks to the collaborative nature of regional economic partnerships and national construction organizations, our Wells team can engage with industry

partners exchanging ideas, and disovering enlightening, innovative approaches to overcoming economic uncertainty.

To address some of the supply chain obstacles, Wells continuously looks to leverage our geographic relationships to improve buying power while managing inventory levels. Additionally, we utilize our engineering resources to identify alternate or new material options while creating innovative solutions to support the construction industry.

Technology plays a major role as we look for new ways to automate processes. The more we can automate, like using robotic welders, the more flexibility we have in

redirecting our labor force. The biggest labor challenges in our industry right now are finding qualified drafting, engineering and skilled laborers. To support this, we are taking a proactive approach; when a qualified individual walks through our doors, we make every effort to take advantage of their talents and find them a home at Wells.

We are hopeful as the MMAC’s Region of Choice Initiative grows; it will attract talent from diverse communities, continuing to help us live our mission of providing transformative support to our partners and inspiring pride within our communities.

Inspiring change in every new project.

From discussing your vision to celebrating the grand opening, Wells is committed to surpassing expectations. As one of the nation’s leading prefabricated building solutions, Wells collaborates with architects, engineers, developers and owners, offering transformative construction solutions and creating structures that help communities thrive.

wellsconcrete.com 800.658.7049

When talent is top of mind,

how does M7 sell the Milwaukee Region?

Chris Jenkins Communications Director, MMAC

To some extent, workforce has always been a part of the Milwaukee 7 Partnership for Economic Development’s discussions with homegrown companies that want to expand in the Milwaukee Region, and out of market companies that are considering a move here.

The current labor market has made those discussions more complex and urgent. “It’s the first thing almost everybody talks about,” says Jim Paetsch, M7’s Senior Vice President of Corporate Attraction and Expansion and Executive Director.

Ten or 15 years ago, companies were content with information about the supply of workers with specific skills, paying more attention to traditional economic development factors such as site availability, the local and statewide business environment and the availability of incentives. Today, companies are far more focused on the labor market, requesting more – and more complex –information. If I need to hire workers with particular skill sets in the Milwaukee Region, what will the competition look like?

Photo credit: VISIT Milwaukee

Tax Planning – Estate Planning – Business Consulting – Succession Planning

One of the main drivers behind SVA Certi ed Public Accountants’ success is our commitment to providing all of our clients with Measurable Results. We like to think of this as the universal goal of every service we provide. When you hire us, we want to ensure you that you receive a quanti able outcome re ecting your goals.

Continued from page 35

While working on a recent request for information from a company considering new locations, M7 ended up filling twothirds of their report with labor market information. Beyond labor supply and demand, companies also want to know about adjacent skills – how many people in the market have skills that are close enough to what a company is looking for that they could make a career transition with a reasonable amount of training?

“The smart ones that we talk to, it’s not that they get scared off when they see that there’s strong demand,” Paetsch says. “What it helps them understand, though, is that if it’s a highly competitive market for talent, they had better have really granular knowledge about the labor market structure.”

Concerns about labor market constraints are not new. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, M7 Vice President of Corporate Attraction and Expansion Rebecca Gries heard companies express long-term concerns – looking perhaps five or 10 years down the road. Today, it’s more immediate.

“Now we’re asked to provide labor data pretty quickly in the attraction process,”

Gries says. “I would say, further down the process but sooner than in the past, we’re seeing a little more of that cost of living and culture play a role – ‘How are we going to convince our employees from outside the state to move to Milwaukee?’”

It’s tempting to think about this as a Milwaukee Region problem. But it’s not. Companies and regions across the country are having similar experiences. Milwaukee’s work force compares favorably to several Midwestern peers, but our region is facing new competition from locations in the Southwest and Southeast that have manufacturing expertise and have experienced significant population growth.

Milwaukee can compete with just about anyone on manufacturing expertise, but our population growth has been relatively flat.

“For us, that’s real competition,” Paetsch says.

Paetsch also is seeing more companies turn to automation not as a costsaving strategy, but rather as a labor strategy: I can’t find the people, so even though I’m not necessarily inclined to look at automation solutions, I have to now. To regain its edge in this fastchanging environment, Paetsch says, the Milwaukee Region could undertake a large-scale upskilling and reskilling program to prepare employees to work in a world with an increasing level of automation.

“We’ve got a great work ethic among our people,” Paetsch says. “They’re nimble, they’re loyal, they’re willing to learn. So how do we harness those things and figure out ways that at scale, we can reposition the work force for life in that automated lane?”

Such an effort would require even more alignment between industry and education.

“Companies want to see that your postsecondary institutions can be feeders of younger talent,” Paetsch says. “They’re hungry for those partnerships -- hungrier today than ever. And on

the other side, I think there’s also a receptivity among our post-secondary institutions that’s greater than it’s ever been.”

Meanwhile, M7 continues to have success helping homegrown companies expand, and attracting new companies to the region. What’s the message to our existing companies who already are struggling to find talent and now face additional competition?

“My argument against that statement is that it is well known our population isn’t growing organically, or at least not at a rate that is going to keep up with job growth,” Gries says. “By bringing in more opportunities like Formlabs, like Niche Cocoa, and expansion projects like Milwaukee Tool, it is an opportunity to pull in more people from outside Wisconsin who want to work for those or similar companies.”

For example, Boston-based 3D printer Formlabs is bringing a number of employees – and their families -- in from Boston to staff its new Milwaukee office.

“It’s talent attraction from a corporate attraction point of view,” Gries says. “The more exciting new companies we can keep here, or bring here, the more attractive career opportunities are here for younger people to stay, or new people to move here from another region.”

The more exciting new companies we can keep here, or bring here, the more attractive career opportunities are here.

- Rebecca Gries, M7

Photo credit: VISIT Milwaukee

“MMAC is the voice of the little guy.”

Maynard Steel Casting Co. Member since 1917 Foundry | www.maynardsteel.com

of MMAC members have 1-100 employees

“Membership gives you power and a voice.”

Ogden & Company, Inc. Member since 1936 Real estate management www.ogdenre.com

Pictured: Michael Testa, Sr. Brokerage Associate; Beth Sucevic, President; & Peter Ogden, Chairman of the Board

Glorioso’s Italian Market Member since 2019 Grocer www.gloriosos.com

Glorioso’s iconic Italian grocery store has been serving customers at its historic Brady Street location for 70 years.

Pictured: Michael Glorioso, General Manager

Cornell Communications, Inc. Member since 2008 Emergency alarm systems | www.cornell.com

Pictured: Phyllis Groff, Executive Assistant/ Marketing; Jessica Pearson, President; & Amy Wickland, Receptionist/Social Media Coordinator

Pictured: Donna Nagy, HR Director; Deb Sandahl Wabiszewski, President/CEO/Chairperson; & Michael Wabiszewski, CEO

Meissner Tierney Fisher & Nichols S.C.

Member since 1908 Attorneys www.mtfn.com

Pictured: Pamela Zacharias, Firm Administrator

Luther Manor, A Life Plan Community Member since 2015 Senior Living Community www.luthermanor.org

Pictured: Ron Harris, Security Officer; Stephanie Chedid, President/CEO; & Julia Sonnenberg, Welcome Center Receptionist

Community Warehouse

Member since 2016 Building materials/supplies www.thecommunitywarehouse.org

Provides job skills training for an untapped potential population through Partners in Hope.

Pictured: Dave Krause, VP of Donor Development & José Hernandez, CEO

As members, you trust MMAC to drive solutions for our region’s business challenges and keep Milwaukee a world class place to do business.

Thank you for your continued investment in the MMAC.

Read what your peers view as top opportunities & challenges

TOUR

The MMAC team started the Member Appreciation Tour by randomly selecting more than 100 businesses located across southeastern Wisconsin to discuss their views on the top opportunities and challenges facing their businesses and the Milwaukee Region.

We were welcomed into organizations of all sizes and industries including:

• Industrial & manufacturing

• Professional services

• Shopping & retail

• Restaurants

• Real estate & construction

• Education

• Health care

• Public utilities

Company

Size # of full-time employees

• Advertising, media & communications

Thank you for giving us your valuable time to connect in person. The following pages reflect what we learned and will help us continually improve our offerings.

Our members’ success is at the heart of everything we strive to accomplish in the Milwaukee region.

In 2023, be on the lookout for more visits from the MMAC team!

“Inflation has put upward pressure on our staff wages.”

Hunzinger Construction Company

Member since 2017 Construction Companies www.hunzinger.com

The hybrid work environment has negatively impacted some nonprofits, with fewer people volunteering at the end of the workday.

Junior Achievement of Wisconsin, Inc.

Member since 1981 Educational consultants www.ja.org

Pictured: Michael Frohna, President & Jenny Gryniewicz, Director of Philanthropy

Pictured: Chuck D’Amico, President/CEO Cheryl D’Amico Marketing & Human Resources Specialist

Jorgensen

Conveyors, Inc.

Member since 1961 Conveyors/Conveying equipment www.jorgensenconveyors.com

Jorgenson is challenged by a lack of public transportation near their location for their workers.

Borgman Capital

Member since 2019 Investment management services/Private equity www.borgmancapital.com

Pictured: Matthew Pikus, Associate; Sequoya Borgman, Founder & Managing Director; & Phil Lorge, Intern

Advent Member since 2019 Health care services | www.adventknows.com

The Advent team’s corporate office focuses on creating a fun work environment.

“We are busy now, but unsure how long it will last.”

Pictured: Mario Gonzalez, Eli Johnson, John Hunzinger, President & CEO; & Jon Jansen stand near donations ready to ship to active military.

Midwest

Member since 2013 Steel stairsMiscellaneous metals www.mwstairs.com

Home of the first bolt-on aluminum balconies, Midwest Iron has been involved in many iconic projects including the 777 NM building.

Pictured: Jim Hlasny, VP & Howard Wurgler, President/CEO

- Russ Klisch, President, Founder & Owner Lakefront Brewery, Inc.

Member since 2013 Brewers www.lakefrontbrewery.com

Top opportunities for their business:

•

Growing revenue & sales

•

Providing family supporting jobs in their communities

•

Opportunities created by work returning from overseas

Businesses are providing professional development or upskilling training for their employees even as they continue to search for additional talent.

Many of the businesses we visited are growing. Those hit hardest during the global pandemic – specifically in hospitality – are excited to see increased activity. Others, especially manufacturers, are encouraged to be finally tackling the backlog of projects and/or production that accrued.

Biggest

While finding talent remains on the top of everyone’s list, many cited other talent challenges such as hybrid working and the loss of tribal knowledge due to retirement. They also commented on the loss of potential sales/revenue opportunities due to lack of staff.

Due to the number of people working from home, volunteer involvement has also dropped significantly for many nonprofits across the region.

Bliffert Lumber & Fuel Co.

Member since 2017 Construction tool distributor www.bliffertlumber.com

Iron

“I could have lunch service if I could find the employees.”

challenges for their business:

Retaining current employees & finding more talent

Crime/safety of employees

Government regulations

Wixon, Inc. Member since 1999 Food Processing/ Manufacturing www.wixon.com

Pictured: Janice Williams, Administrative Assistant & Peter Gottsacker, President

- Dr. Isabelle Cherney, President

Pictured: Kevin Allebach, Principal; Jenny Miller, Business Development; Peter Balistrieri, Principal; Paula Verboomen, Design Principal / Office Director

Member since 1933

Pictured:

“We

Stephanie (Hall) Smith

Barbara Smith Director of Member Engagement

Denise Salamone Membership Concierge

HGA Architects & Engineers

Member since 1994 Design Firm HGA.com

Hurt Electric, Inc.

Member since 1999

Electrical contractors | www.hurtelectric.com

Hurt Electric grows their own talent through apprenticeships.

Pictured: Matt Pfeiffer, VP; Henry Hurt, President; Jodi Fellin, Office Manager; Bob Stark, Project Manager

BiltRite

Funrniture, Inc.

Member since 1971 Furniture-Retail www.biltritefurniture.com

Pictured: Randi Schachter, Marketing & Sales; Martin Komisar, President; Gail Komisar, CFO/HR

Top opportunities for the MKE Region:

•

Having businesses from outside the region relocate here

•

Freshwater resources

•

Impact of the RNC convention

The work of the Milwaukee 7 Partnership for Economic Development in supporting businesses moving or growing within the region was often mentioned, including its efforts to attract businesses from neighboring states.

Members also mentioned increasing the commitment towards our untapped workforce (those formally incarcerated or without a high school degree, etc.) During the appreciation tour, MMAC connected a member with Partners in Hope which provides job skills training for the untapped potential population.

Member since 1966

Real estate - Commercial & industrial www.barrycre.com

Pictured: David Buckley, SVP; Kyle Eckerman, Broker; Nicholas Zurich, Broker; James Barry III, President; David Barry, President; & Kasey Haggerty, Office Administrator

Biggest challenges for the MKE Region:

Recruiting talent

Crime

Higher inflation

Disrupted supply chains

Unsurprisingly, recruiting talent is not only an issue for your business but the entire region. Many remarked on potential candidates not having necessary skills or education needed to fill positions. Yet, overall student population continues to decline at several higher education institutions we spoke with.

Regional infrastructure also presents difficulties for commuters with deteriorating roads, lack of direct flights to large metros, and transporting employees to their production facilities.

Barry Commercial Real Estate Services, Inc.

As one of Wisconsin’s largest construction firms, we believe it is our responsibility to proactively grow our industry and to create meaningful employment opportunities for the people who live here. For over 100 years, our team of tradespeople and staff have lived our company mission, creating exceptional facilities that improve the lives of others, while investing their time and talents in the communities we serve.

Rebecca Swanson, AJ Kruse, Sarah Marshall and Shawn Gulyas, Humanworks8

What do people need?

Humanworks8 knows

fter 25 years as a leader in the human resources industry, Shawn Gulyas began to reflect on what people needed to be successful. His experience led him to determine that whether people are inside or outside of the workplace, everyone needs the same things to thrive.

He determined each human being shares eight key qualities and that success is achieved when those qualities are understood and acknowledged.

The philosophy guided him to launch his business management company, humanworks8

Launched three years ago, Gulyas was joined in the endeavor by fellow human resources veterans AJ Kruse, Sarah Marshall and Rebecca Swanson. Together, they have grown their business many times over while meeting the needs of a national roster of clients.

From newly launched companies to established firms that have existed for more than a century, the humanworks8 team prides themselves on finding what they call

A“people solutions” for every business. MKEStartup.news (MSUN) spoke with Kruse, Marshall and Swanson about their experiences launching a startup company that helps other startups successfully grow.

MSUN: When should startups begin focusing on human resource practices?

SM: A post-launch startup where they’ve gotten their name out there, they’ve gotten some of their base stuff done, and now they’re in a period of growth, that’s the time for us to come in and look at strategic planning or core values and their people practices. Most organizations when they first start aren’t focused on “How do I take care of the people?,” it’s “How do we take care of the idea?” So, when it’s time to start taking care of the people is when we pop in.

MSUN: When is the right time for a startup to establish its corporate culture?

AK: That’s one of the things that we tell anyone, your culture already exists. How are you defining it? Are you finding the right way to define it accurately, so you’re telling the truth of what that culture is? How are you extending that or continuing that into all of those people practices that you never had to have when you were that group just scratching around to survive as a founder group, but now it’s time to start adding people?

When you start growing the team, or you’re experiencing the growth you wanted, how do you start making sure that culture is there and alive and all of what we would call the people touch points of a business?

SM: I’ll add one thing to that. With a founder or partners, or founder group, they play a huge role in what that culture will be. It’s there, but five years from now, or 10 years from now the original values should still be reflected in how the business is carried out.

MSUN: Many startups are primarily focused on growth and creating returns for investors. Why should they care about ‘people practices’?

SM: I think that’s so simple to us. It’s, “If you take care of your people, they will take care of your business.” If you want your organization to grow and be successful, if you want happy clients or customers, start with happy employees. Start with employees that care and really, really can share that message and share that passion with your clients and customers.

RS: To build that strong cultural foundation you want employee number two to feel it as well as employee number 20 and employee 100. … It really helps with retention. Certainly, things will change, and they’ll grow as that company grows, but having that strong foundation really sets the stage.

Anna Lardinois Startup Storyteller MMAC

Connecting to Multicultural Audiences through Culturally Relevant Creative

The growing media landscape is providing advertisers and marketers with unprecedented opportunities to reach multicultural audiences with authentic, relevant creative across multiscreen platforms. Focusing on two key priorities will help them achieve success:

First, business owners should work with advertising partners who can help them identify and reach multicultural audiences within their markets. Harnessing the power of data is key. They also should partner with an advertising solutions provider that can locate intended audiences through cutting-edge, audience-based tools and capabilities that include aggregated and de-identified first-party viewership data, as well as robust third-party data sets. Combining privacy-focused first-party viewership data with third-party data on car ownership, home ownership, income level, selfidentified ethnicity, and other demographic information creates a wealth of well-defined, relevant audience segments for brands to target authentically.

Second, once the intended audiences have been identified, business owners need to find partners who also can produce creative that will reach their desired demographics and resonate with multicultural audiences. Work with trusted professionals who thoroughly understand local markets and can source creatives and talent from the community businesses are trying to reach.

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MSUN: The humanworks8 team have worked with each other in the past before launching the company. How did it feel to take the leap into entrepreneurship?

RS: I’ve been really lucky. I’ve reported to Shawn since January of 2006, which is like a lifetime. I never came to work thinking I don’t want to go to work or let me look elsewhere. Constant challenge and constant change with the culture that we came into and helped to build and support and keep growing.

Honestly, when Shawn left, for me it wasn’t even a question. It was that Jerry McGuire moment. I’m like “hey, let me go pack my box. Where are you going?” because I believed in it so much.

AK: I wasn’t worried about it one bit. Not once. To Rebecca’s point, I was willing to go anywhere with Shawn, he’s a fantastic leader. But what we were doing was what I believed in. And could it fall apart? Sure, but it wouldn’t make me stop believing in what we were doing.

SM: My only question was when do we start? I echo what AJ and Rebecca said. I don’t think we ever questioned our decision … We knew it would work. It had to because we know how to work with people, and we know how to help leaders grow and develop their people.

MSUN: What lessons have you learned over the years?

SM: I think one of the major learnings is sort of just a reinforcement. There is a system that’s at the core of who we are, the Kolbe system. It’s really all about how you naturally take action, your natural strengths.

The four of us leaned into that so much over the last three years we’ve really realized … the strength that each of us bring to the table that is overlooked, especially with startups, when everybody’s trying to wear a business development hat.

All four of us do that, but we do it in our own unique ways and I think that’s really important for growing startups to really evaluate individual strengths and lean into them, as opposed to trying to do it all and not pulling in the right people for the right tasks or roles.

RS: Let’s make sure that all of our prior business relationships know what we’re doing because they have networks … tapping into our own families and relationships. But then taking it beyond there because of course you can’t just use your current network.

It’s really leaning into the Chambers and Associations that we became part of by getting out there and speaking about what we were doing and passionate about … really leaning into those relationships and making new relationships too. Having the relationship and what the good and service that we can provide, versus the sale at hand.

AK: Right person in the right seat is such a big deal. It is the make or break for any startup.

Be willing to use whatever tools you can get to learn about those people and have those really open, honest conversations, be willing to shift, change, shuffle responsibility roles.

Not being afraid to meet, talk with and dream with people. Even if they weren’t going to be a prospective client. We did a lot of getting out there and just meeting and talking with as many people as you possibly could, getting out in the community through all those Chamber relationships.

We called it an abundance mindset when we started. Not everybody is going to be a client, but maybe there’s something there. Maybe they know somebody, who knows somebody, who knows somebody who might need us, or maybe they need us to be pitching them out to the next person we meet, and we can connect the dot for someone else.

Our reach, our growth, and a lot of our ability to be outside of this region only happen because of this region. It only happened because of the relationships and connection and people that we met right here in Milwaukee, right here in southeastern Wisconsin.

I think (that) is such a cool thing about being in Milwaukee and being in southeastern Wisconsin, is all of those relationships. We went down the list of people who are well outside of this bubble. (Meeting them) It wasn’t by accident. It was all because of what we did here locally. There are a lot of great roots locally.

The 8

The 8 represents a new way to understand people and what they need – at work, at home and everywhere in between. Every solution, every service, every relationship we have begins with this understanding. It is the foundation of everything we do.

Elevation Process

The Elevation Process brings us shoulder-to-shoulder with your team, working together to extend and elevate your practices by building upon the talents, values and purpose that already exist within your organization. The change we create is sustainable because it’s grounded in what makes you truly unique.

Find out more about MMAC member humanworks8 on their website, humanworks8.com.

Read this and other stories from our startup scene on MKEStartup.news, an MMAC initiative to promote the Milwaukee Region as a destination for startup founders and funders.

Milwaukee Night in Washington D.C.

year celebrated the 32nd annual Milwaukee Night in D.C. hosted by MMAC President Tim Sheehy, Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley. This event highlights the economic strengths of the region and gives members a chance to thank their legislators for continuing to make Milwaukee a world-class location.

6. Commissioner Lafayette Crump, Milwaukee City Development; Sequanna Taylor, Milwaukee County Board Supervisor; Robby Montgomery, Office of Gwen Moore

Scott Mickelsen & Jim Lombardo, Bell Ambulance, Inc.

Jason Tolleson & David Martin, Harley-Davidson Motor Co.

Jennifer Abele, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee; Moira Fitzgerald, Fitzgerald Consultancy; Lindsay Punzenberger, Children’s Wisconsin; and Shunda Leecost, Microsoft

Reception with MMAC Board Chair Cathy Jacobson

were invited to be one of the first groups to see the tallest timber structure in the worldAscent Luxury Apartments. Attendees heard from MMAC Board

John Swallow, Carthage College and Chris Campbell, PPG Industries

Brian Grossman, Chase and Andy Harmening, Associated Bank

Union Construction’s Investment in Apprenticeship is Paying Off

Recent data backs up the fact that union construction is doing a better job of meeting workforce needs even in today’s challenging environment. An Associated General Contractors of America’s (AGC) survey of more than 5,000 of their member contractor firms found that “the skilled labor shortage is much less severe in the union segment of the industry”.

This is no accident. For decades, local unions and contractors have worked in tandem to develop a strong pipeline of highly trained trade apprentices through Joint Apprentice Training Centers which develop and build up the next generation of highly skilled workers. This investment is paying off. According to analysis by the Illinois Economic Policy Institute, the union construction industry is better prepared for any workforce shortages compared to their non-union counterparts.

In an industry where time is money, having a reliable workforce is crucial to every project schedule. The union advantage is evidenced by further analysis finding, “Union contractors are 21 percent less likely to experience delays in project completion times due to shortages of workers compared to nonunion contractors.”

When you partner with the union construction industry, you can expect a highly-skilled workforce with contractors that are prepared for every project’s needs. Experience the union advantage on your next project. Visit buildingadvantage.org to learn more.

Chris Mambu Rasch

Executive Director Building Advantage buildingadvantage.org (414) 897-1146

UNION CONSTRUCTION IS BETTER AT

MEETING WORKFORCE

NEEDS

Union contractors are 14% less likely to experience difficulty in filling craft worker positions.

Union contractors are 21% less likely to experience delays in project completion times due to shortages of workers compared to nonunion contractors.

Union contractors are 10% more likely to employ Black and African American workers and 8% more likely to employ military veterans

Visit buildingadvantage.org for more information about partnering with Milwaukee’s Union Trades and Contractors

Networking Reception and Export Awards

Guests interacted with session speakers and peers as WTA concluded their Global Business Insight Series over drinks and appetizers. WEDC’s Deputy Director and COO, Sam Rikkers presented awards to the State’s outstanding exporters during the program.

Sam Rikkers, Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. and Mark Coduti, Winsert, Inc. (Export award winner)

Bundling Dental & Vision

It’s hard to believe that 2022 is drawing to a close, and this is my fourth iteration this year of discussing vision benefits! All of this information might beg the question: is there an advantage to packaging vision with dental coverage?

First, we acknowledge the many hours that go into finding the best coverages for your business. By bundling your vision and dental plan, there is less disruption to your employees if you need to make a change with your medical coverage; employees will only experience change in one area of their benefit package.

Second, with 92% of employers and their employees stating they are satisfied or very satisfied* with their Delta Dental experience, you can rest easy knowing you’re in good hands with your dental and vision coverage!

In fact, 99% of businesses* stay with Delta Dental of Wisconsin because of our long-term rate stability, so there are no “gotcha” increases in your rates.

Lastly, when you package dental and vision together, the price of those two coverages combined becomes very affordable. We know cost is important for both employers and employees, and that a strong benefits package including both dental and vision will assist with retention and recruiting of quality employees. Let us provide you the coverages your employees are looking for from one name you can trust, and service you can count on.

*Delta Dental of Wisconsin employer satisfaction surveys

INSURANCE MADE SIMPLE

How do we make managing your employee benefits easy? By providing a dedicated account manager, offering combined administration, and helping keep rates stable. Plus, we’re known for our responsive service and large provider networks. Who partners with you to make your employees happy?

#DefinitelyDeltaDental

Delta Dental of Wisconsin | deltadentalwi.com

Jackie Bloomer Sales Executive

Delta Dental of Wisconsin

CEOs OF GROWING BUSINESSES

Year-End Market Outlook

Guests saw the newly renovated Milwaukee Athletic Club and heard an overview of the year-end economic outlook for Southeast Wisconsin and the U.S. Economy. Speakers included: Manuel Rosado, Spectrum Investment Advisors; Andy Gallion, InCheck; and Buckley Brinkman, WI Center for Manufacturing & Productivity (pictured).

New MMAC Members

2100 Digital Ben Page, CEO

11220 W. Burleigh St., Ste. 100 Wauwatosa, WI 53222 (414) 301-3683

2100digital.com Digital Agencies

Ambrosia Events

Jasmin Lagarto, Event Department

5110 W. Lincoln Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53219 (414) 546-2854 ambrosiaeventsmke.com

Events

American Petroleum Institute

Elizabeth Van Holt Region Director, Midwest 445 Minnesota Ave., Ste. 1500 Saint Paul, MN 55101 (630) 607-4160 api.org

Associations

B2E Solutions, Inc.

Janelle Emanuele, Executive VP 1020 James Dr., Ste.O Hartland, WI 53029 (262) 563-5170 b2esolutionsinc.com

Payroll Preparation Services

Brady Corporation

Kate Venne, Director of Corporate Communications 6555 W. Good Hope Rd. Milwaukee, WI 532231 (888) 250-3082 bradyid.com/corporate Manufacturers

Broken Bat Brewing Company

Tim Pauly, Owner, Managing Member 135 E. Pittsburgh Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53204 (414) 316-9197 brokenbatbrewery.com Brewers

City Tours MKE

Meghan Miles, Owner 1130 N. 9th St. Milwaukee, WI 53202 (414) 209-4808 citytoursmke.com/Tours-Operators

Promoters

Discovery Behavioral Health

Amanda Vogt, Chief Executive Officer

312 E. Wisconsin Ave., Floors 3-6 Milwaukee, WI 53202 (844) 374-8067 discoverybehavioralhealth.com Health Care Services

Evolution Business Management

Bill Scallon, President 1945 Wauwatosa Ave. Wauwatosa, WI 53213 (414) 550-9644 evolutionbizmgmt.com Sales Force Development

Eyes on the Lake

Vaugn Schneider, Optometrist 2134 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53207 (414) 293-1180 eyesonthelakemke.com Health Care Services

Forward Service Corporation

Michael Hermsmeier, Job Developer 4600 American Parkway, Ste. 301 Madison, WI 53718 (608) 665-9362 fsc-corp.org Human Services Organizations

Gallo Law Donald Gallo 7140 County Rd. O Hartford, WI 53027 (414) 507-6350 dgallolaw.com Legal Services

Gigawatt Media

Adam Parikh, President/Founder 5919 W. Vliet St. Milwaukee, WI 53208 (414) 375-0465 gigawatt.media Digital Agencies

Glenn Rieder

Benjamin Gover, COO 6520 W. Becher Pl. West Allis, WI 53219 (414) 449-2888 glennrieder.com Manufacturers

Hempel Real Estate

Courtney Morris, President - Milwaukee 275 W. Wisconsin Ave., Ste. 5 Milwaukee, WI 53203 (414) 224-0384 hempelcompanies.com

Real Estate

Interstate Parking Company

Tony Janowiec, President & CEO 710 N. Plankinton Ave., Ste. 700 Milwaukee, WI 53203 (414) 431-6555 interstateparking.com Parking Stations/Garages

Ivarson, Inc.

Ryann Prom, Finance & Admin Manager 3100 W. Green Tree Rd. Milwaukee, WI 53209 (414) 351-0700 ivarsoninc.com

Packaging Machines

J. Jeffers & Co.

Joshua Jeffers, President 207 E. Michigan St., Floor 1 Milwaukee, WI 53202 (414) 501-5610 jjeffers.com Real Estate Developers

Leader Paper Products

Steve Hipp, President & CEO

901 S. 5th St. Milwaukee, WI 53204 (414) 645-5760 leaderpaper.com

Manufacturers

Milwaukee APA

Stephanie Oxley, Owner/ Operator

519 Green Bay Rd. Cedarburg, WI 53012 (262) 421-8478 milwaukee.apaleagues.com

Events

Milwaukee Cylinder

Douglas Lacina, President

5877 S. Pennsylvania Ave. Cudahy, WI 53110 (414) 769-9700 milwaukeecylinder.com/ Hydraulic Equipment/Supplies

Milwaukee Film

Dana Reinoos, Executive Assistant

1037 W. McKinley Ave., Ste. 200 Milwaukee, WI 53205 (414) 755-1965 mkefilm.org

Performing Arts Organizations

Milwaukee Magazine

Katie Williams, Associate Publisher 1345 N. Jefferson St., Ste. 307 Milwaukee, WI 53202 (414) 287-4325 milwaukeemag.com

Magazine Publishers

Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra

Michele Fitzgerald, Executive Assistant 212 W. Wisconsin Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53203 (414) 291-6010 mso.org

Performing Arts Organizations

New Land Enterprises

Jodi Hogerton, Marketing Manager

1840 N. Farwell Ave., Ste. A Milwaukee, WI 53202 (414) 271-5263 newlandmke.com

Real Estate

PTG Live Events

Frankie Tesch, Accounting Manager 710 N. Plankinton Ave., Ste. 900 Milwaukee, WI 53203 (414) 242-8235 pabsttheatergroup.com

Entertainment

Rare Steakhouse Milwaukee

Isaac Barendsen, General Manager 833 E. Michigan St., Ste. 100 Milwaukee, WI 53202 (414) 273-7273 raresteaks.com Restaurants

Discounted rates, quality employee benefits and surplus refund*potential when medical claims are lower than expected. They’re all possible with a UnitedHealthcare Level Funded health plan for your business through the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce (MMAC). *Among the UnitedHealthcare Level Funded plan sponsors who were MMAC members, 28.7% received a surplus refund in 2021, the average of which was $9,300. UnitedHealthcare internal reconciliation analysis, Jan. 1, 2021 through Dec. 31, 2021. Please consult a tax and/or legal advisor to determine if, by receiving this refund, there are any restrictions or obligations. Surplus refund available only where allowed by law. Administrative services provided by United HealthCare Services, Inc. or their affiliates, and UnitedHealthcare Service LLC in NY. Stop-loss insurance is underwritten by All Savers Insurance Company (except CA, MA, MN, NJ and NY), UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company in MA and MN, UnitedHealthcare Life Insurance Company in NJ, UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company of New York in NY, and All Savers Life Insurance Company of California in CA. B2B EI221554556.0 5/22 © 2022 United HealthCare Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 22-1424434-B

1

Emerging Strategies to Help Employers Build More Innovative Health Benefit Packages

By Dr. Donna O’Shea, Chief Medical Officer of Population Health, UnitedHealthcare

While encouraging a healthier workforce has long been a priority for many employers, several recent trends have sparked a renewed emphasis for some organizations.

A competitive labor market, high inflation, and lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have many employers focusing on offering more innovative benefits packages to help attract and retain team members, spur productivity, and reduce the incidence of preventable medical events and costly chronic conditions.

While many employees are now making benefits decisions for 2023 during open enrollment, employers in Wisconsin are already making health benefit decisions for 2024 and beyond. Here are three emerging health benefit strategies employers can consider:

Reward Employees for Wellness Activities. Most U.S. employers offer well-being programs1, and some include financial incentives for meeting certain health targets, such as reaching a daily steps goal or maintaining a healthy body mass index. To make these initiatives more appealing and engaging, some employers are incentivizing a growing number of healthy activities, including filling out a health survey, selecting a primary care physician, getting a biometric screening, meeting certain movement goals, or tracking sleeping.

Expand Access to New Types of Virtual Care. Nearly 90% of Americans surveyed2 said they want to continue using virtual care for non-urgent health needs, while 76% of employers3 grew their virtual care offerings in response to the pandemic. Virtual care, also called telehealth, has expanded from treating urgent care issues, such as allergies, rashes, or seasonal flu, to now providing access to other types of care, including primary, specialty, and behavioral. Leaders can also look to add emerging virtual care resources such as those for physical therapy4, dermatology, and women’s health.

Employers are in a unique position to help improve the health of employees. By considering these emerging health benefit trends, employers may help support the well-being of employees now and in the future.

https://www.shrm.org/ResourcesAndTools/hr-topics/benefits/D

2 https://www.sykes.com/resources/reports/how-americans-feel-about-telehealth-now/

3 https://ww2.businessgrouphealth.org/acton/attachment/32043/f-0aa13496-1d38-4d0f-b606-cb57d8aa922b/1/-/-/-/-/2022%20Exec%20summary.pdf

4 https://newsroom.uhc.com/experience/virtual-physical-therapy.html