Fox Cities Business Magazine - November, 2012

CHAMBER

NOVEMBER 2012 Volume 13, Issue 11

FOX CITIES

Displaying Your Holiday Business Style Seasonal Hiring Advice Plan the Perfect Holiday Party

www.foxcitieschamber.com

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this issue

Volume 13, Issue 11 | NOVEMBER 2012

EVERY ISSUE

Fox Cities Board of Directors

3 President’s perspective Views from Chamber President/CEO Shannon Meyer Full

11 New members 14 Accolades, Advancements, Announcements

Chairman of the Board Greg Bell, Woodward Communications, Inc. Chairman-Elect Kip Golden, Miron Construction Co., Inc. Past Chairman Linda Kennedy, Business Lending Group, Inc. Secretary/Treasurer Bruce Zak, JPMorgan Chase, N.A.

Displaying Your Holiday Business Style; p 4

features

Corey Brumbaugh Miron Construction Co, Inc.

4 Displaying Your Holiday Business Style

Kevin Eismann Epiphany Law, LLC

6 Temporary Staffing: Seasonal Hiring Advice for Small Business 8 Plan the Perfect Holiday Party 10 Octoberfest

Daniel P. Ferris SECURA Insurance Companies Robyn Gruner AT&T Sharon Hulce Employment Resource Group, Inc. Dennis Jochman The Bechard Group Lyssa King Venus Jewel USA John Krause Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP Marty Lenss Outagamie County Regional Airport

Temporary Staffing: Seasonal Hiring Advice for Small Business; p 6

Vic Lutz McMahon

Highlights 12 Economic Development 13 Business of the Month 17 Save the Date 18 Department Updates

Bill Mann ThedaCare/Ingenuity First John Milanowski Innovative Machining, Inc. Bill Mundy West Corporation Robert Pedersen Goodwill NCW Jen Wagner Mauk Affinity Health System Monica Vomastic Landmark Staffing Resources, Inc.

Plan the Perfect Holiday Party; p 8 Octoberfest Gives Back, page 14 Publisher: Shannon Meyer Full Editor: Melody Lane Buller Design: Coalesce, Inc. Printing: Northeast Wisconsin Printing Co. Advertising Sales: Susan Vanden Heuvel, 920-734-7101

Fox Cities Chamber Business (v 259180). Published monthly by the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce and Industry, 125 N. Superior Street, Appleton, WI 54911. PH 920-734-7101. WEB www.foxcitieschamber.com. Periodical postage paid at Appleton, WI. Annual subscription fee to members for Fox Cities Chamber Business is $9 and is included in dues. Publisher: Shannon Meyer Full. Editor: Melody Lane Buller. Design: Coalesce Inc. Printing: Northeast Wisconsin Printing Co. Advertising Sales: Susan Vanden Heuvel, 920-734-7101. Postmaster: Send address changes to: Fox Cities Chamber Business, PO Box 1855, Appleton, WI 54912-1855.

president’s perspective Dear Members, As we enter into this fabulous fall season, I see changes all around me and I find myself constantly analyzing changes in my life both personally and professionally. As many of you know, my husband Travis and I are expecting our first child on November 17th so we know that many changes lie ahead for our lives, but we are extremely excited and a little anxious about this new adventure. We absolutely love the Fox Cities and have now had the opportunity to truly experience it.

Professionally, the team here at the chamber is constantly looking at ways that we can enhance our programs and services and increase the overall value proposition to our members. Capturing feedback from our members is key to our success and I am excited to let you know that every one of our members will now be receiving at least one face-to-face visit from a staff team member during the course of the year. It is critical that we keep our finger on the pulse of the business community and outreach to our members will allow us to adapt to the ever-changing needs of the business community.

One of the pieces of feedback that we have already gathered from our members is that many of you look to the chamber for professional development for yourselves as well as for your employees. Based on this information, we are excited to be launching our professional development series, “Cultivate – the Business Growth Series.” This high impact, tactical, practical tips series is dedicated to business growth. We will be featuring a regional/national keynote speaker on a broad but relevant business topic and then we

SHANNON MEYER FULL PRESIDENT/CEO

It is critical that we keep our finger on the pulse of the business community and outreach to our members will allow us to adapt to the ever-changing needs of the business community.

Continued on page 20 ...where

professionals emerge as

leaders.

One MBA, two paths: Professional or Executive.

MBA Information Sesions: Nov. 6 Fond du Lac Nov. 13 Oshkosh Nov. 14 Appleton Nov. 19 Green Bay Sessions begin at 6 p.m.

Visit uwosh.edu/go/mba or call 920-424-3199 or toll-free 800-633-1430.

Holly Brenner, BBA ‘98, MBA ‘09 Director of Marketing & Business Development Agnesian HealthCare, Fond du Lac

Fox Cities Chamber Business NOVEMBER 2012

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featured story

Displaying Your Holiday Business Style Every business has a style – a foundational look and feel that both drives your business strategy and makes your customers feel a certain way. One way to express style in a retail environment this holiday season is through product displays that say something about you and your business.

Every January, while many homes and businesses are packing away their holiday décor, retail businesses are already busy thinking about the next big thing for the new holiday season. We travel to art galleries, markets and trade shows, we look for ideas and inspiration in product catalogues and speak with businesses in our community and others. All comes to a head when we are asked to place orders for products months in advance of the next season. It truly takes a year to prepare for each holiday season.

By Casee Meach Sales and Marketing Director, Branching Out & Company

At Branching Out & Company, we focus on offering a quality, unique product every holiday season – things you’re likely to find in larger markets like Milwaukee, Chicago and Minneapolis.

It is important for us to stay on the cutting edge with trends. Our goal is to bring high-style, home décor and gifts to the Fox Valley so that you don’t have to travel far to find these staples for your home.

Creating eye-catching holiday displays in our retail shop, located at 680 N. Casaloma Drive, Appleton, is a true showcase of our style, our heartbeat, our foundational beliefs.

When we create merchandising focal points for our customers, we make sure to use the right mix of textures and finishes. Every display should include something rustic. With the current trend of weathered wood and up-cycling, this makes an easy starting point for any display.

Continued on page 20

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Fox Cities Chamber Business NOVEMBER 2012

Fox Cities Chamber Business NOVEMBER 2012

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featured story

Temporary Staffing: Seasonal Hiring Advice for Small Business By: John Rossheim, Monster Senior Contributing Writer

Timing Is Critical to Temporary Staffing Needs Many small businesses build on the experience of their seasonal workforce from previous years. This allows them to bring on term-limited workers just in time to train them fully -- without wasting pay on days when business isn’t at its peak.

“We start on seasonal hiring right after Thanksgiving, looking to get people in here for training the first or second week in December,” says Karla Dennis, CEO of Cohesive Tax, an accounting firm in Cypress, Calif. To complement her full-time staff of 16, Dennis typically hires four part-time workers for the January-April tax preparation season.

Sourcing Seasonal Help “We’ve found that grass-roots referrals are valuable for seasonal recruiting,” says Jessica Barrera, human resources manager for Blue Plate Catering in Chicago. Blue Plate hires dozens of seasonal workers, from food servers to supervisors, for its high season, which runs approximately from April to October.

“We recruit via job boards and social media,” says Brian Keenan, president of the consulting and staffing division of Core Education and Consulting Solutions of Atlanta. Core Education provides administrators and staff to primary and secondary schools and colleges for 9- or 10-month academic calendar positions. The education segment of the seasonal staffing industry has gotten a boost from financially strapped school districts and private colleges that are pursuing every possible means of labor-cost containment.

Seasonal Tryouts for Permanent Jobs Millions of jobless workers and underemployed recent college graduates are flooding the emerging workforce; many small businesses are aggressively pursuing a strategy of taking on seasonal workers who can be converted to well-qualified permanent employees -- if the economy continues upward.

“We have two interns, college juniors or seniors majoring in accounting, plus two professionals who were laid off

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Fox Cities Chamber Business NOVEMBER 2012

DOMINATE YOUR ENTIRE DAY elsewhere,” says Dennis. The best of the interns will be given ongoing part-time work after tax season; the top seasonal accountants with experience may eventually be offered permanent full-time positions.

Hiring from within helps absorb the costs of seasonal hiring.

Value is more important than ever to small-business owners who are wary of overextending themselves in a tenuous recovery. “You can train college interns to process tax returns, and pay them $10 an hour,” says Alan Fiske, managing director of Fiske & Co., a Plantation, Fla., consulting and accounting firm.

Training is Key, Even for Returning Seasonal Workers

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Small businesses determined to maintain quality service through tough times are not cutting corners when it comes to training seasonal workers, as well as providing college hires with meaningful internship programs. “Businesses want their supervisors to be well-trained; they want their image and brand to be conveyed by employees, regardless of whether they’re full-time or seasonal,” says Wilson of Employco.

Life in the

Even returning seasonal employees, always a boon with their experience and proven performance, may require annual training to keep their skills sharp and their product knowledge up to date.

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FAST

Lane

Cellcom Retail Locations ations

3428 W. College Ave., Appleton W3178 Van Roy Road, Appleton Ave Appleton 528 W. Northland Ave., 2241 Westowne Ave., Oshkosh www.cellcom.com

Continued on page 18

1.800.236.0055

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(920) 2 224-6370 (920) 2 224-6360 (920) 731-1000 (920) 230-1200

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Fox Cities Chamber Business NOVEMBER 2012

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featured story

Plan the Perfect Holiday Party It’s becoming that time once again for holiday parties. With so many different options, what kind of party is right for your group? First and for most, you need to decide what kind of atmosphere you want to portray. Do you want this to be a laid back, fun party or something more formal? Some of the best events, in my mind, are a little of both. The best way to achieve both is to do a semi-formal cocktail party with great appetizers. This allows your guests to dress up and feel upscale, but the mingling atmosphere with an appetizer bar lets your guest feel open to create their own destiny at the party.

By CHELSEA SPANBAUER RED & WHITE, INC.

When it comes to appetizers, setting up either tables or an appetizer bar is the best route in my mind. This way, as a host or hostess you have one place to look to make sure you aren’t low or running out of anything. Also, this is a great place to show off your creativity. Decorating the table, plating, and garnishing your appetizers can make the table your own art gallery.

Next you need to think about drinks. Do you want to do an open bar or just beer and wine?

This can be a touchy subject. However, whichever you decide, make sure you have bottled water available for your guests and possibly even cards with phone numbers for cabs in the area.

Lastly, always remember to enjoy yourself! Not every aspect of your party will go exactly as planned. The best host is one that can think on their feet. If you don’t fret your guest won’t know the difference. Sit back and watch your magic unfold.

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Fox Cities Chamber Business NOVEMBER 2012

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Fox Cities Chamber Business NOVEMBER 2012

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We Can’t Do It Without You! The Fox Cities Chamber strives to create programs of value available to all our members at the lowest fees possible. To that end, we acknowledge and thank the many sponsors that enable us to keep providing the services, programs and training our members expect from us.

Octoberfest The 2012 Octoberfest was a huge success hosting more than 100,000 guests. The streets were full of family and friends enjoying each other’s company, listening to the many live bands that were performing, enjoying some tasty regional foods, and shopping together in the blocks of fine handmade gifts. None of these wonderful memories could have been made possible without the support of our family of sponsors. A big thanks goes out to Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce, Budweiser, Cellcom, Coalesce Marketing and Design, Copps & Pick n’ Save, Faith Technologies, Papa John’s Pizza, Packerland Home Improvement and West Business Services. Other sponsors include: Appleton Downtown, Calmes Customs, Cars.com, Express Convenience Centers, Insta Print Plus, N.E.W. Printing, The Post Crescent, Van’s Waste, WYDR: The Drive 94.3 and 99.7 FM, 101.1 WIXX, 105.7 WAPL, 100.3 WNCY, 95.9 KISS WKSZ FM, 103.9 WVBO and WNAM 1280 AM. Again thank you to all of Octoberfest’s sponsors, without you Octoberfest could not be possible.

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Fox Cities Chamber Business NOVEMBER 2012

new members We welcome new members to the Chamber

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Fox Cities Chamber Business NOVEMBER 2012

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economic development

Hit the Ball; Throw the Ball; Catch the Ball …

When the 2012 Major League Baseball regular season ended, the Colorado Rockies found themselves atop the National League in team hitting percentage with a .274 average for the year. They were tied for first in the total number of hits, and third in the league in runs scored.

If one were to look no further, one might surmise from these statistics that the Colorado Rockies enjoyed a very successful year. After all, with numbers like these—outhitting every team in the league, scoring more runs than all but two teams—certainly the Rockies must have been a strong contender for post-season play.

In fact, the Rockies finished dead last in their division. Only the Chicago Cubs and the Houston Astros had a worse won/loss record. How could this be, when the offense had performed to such a high level?

horizontal logo

Contributed by: Larry Burkhardt, CEDO

The answer lies in the fact that although the Rockies had excelled offensively, they finished dead last in both team pitching and team defense. No team in the league allowed more runs to the opposition, and no team in the league committed more errors on the field than the hapless Rockies. The result was that with such an imbalanced performance, the Rockies proved to be doormats this year.

Baseball fans among readers of this article may have found all of this quite fascinating, as sports often involve much more than what meets the eye on the surface. Readers who are not baseball fans are probably wondering why I have chosen to spend time on any of this, rather than focusing on the topic of economic development.

stacked logo

So here’s the point. The Rockies overall performance in 2012 provides a lesson in how we need to be competitive in all major facets of our game in order to be successful. In the world of economic development, we are engaged in retaining and attracting quality primary jobs in order to enhance the local economy and provide an environment where local residents have the opportunity to secure gainful employment.

Just as with professional sports, economic development is a highly competitive activity. With more than 5,000 economic development organizations across the country vying for new jobs, companies are able to be very selective when evaluating locations for an expansion facility or a new factory. In the past, many communities became complacent with regard to a focus on job creation, believing that the “quality of life” in their community was sufficiently attractive to bring any new company knocking.

Over time, they have learned that “quality of life” is a highly subjective term dependent on the interests and circumstances of those who choose to live in a given area.

As a result, those communities that have been successful in economic development—in expanding their primary job base, are those that have conducted an honest assessment of their community—attempting to scrutinize it and see it as outsiders would see it.

Typical areas of examination include: Continued on page 17

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Fox Cities Chamber Business NOVEMBER 2012

business of the month

Congratulations Verus Investment Advisory Group, Inc BUSINESS OF THE MONTH | NOVEMBER 2012 Address: 5765 Grande Market Drive, Appleton, Wisconsin 54913 Established: 2009 Telephone: (920) 882-5299 Jim ALLAN Verus is a locally owned, completely independent investment advisory firm focused on active, long term, personal client relationships. Our goal is to provide honest and objective investment advice for our clients. In addition, we feel strongly about the importance of education and transparency of fees while providing measurable results toward our client’s goals.

Though the primary function of our firm is investment management, Verus recognizes the importance of comprehensive personal planning. We have established numerous, great working relationships with other Fox Valley professionals in the areas of law, accounting, retirement plan administration, insurance services, etc. We work closely with these professionals to enhance our client’s financial health.

Tom SUTTNER

What sets Verus apart from other investment firms is that our staff is truly dedicated to consistently providing exceptional service and an extraordinary experience. This comes from the high level of care and concern we have for the well being of our clients and the satisfaction in being part of a team to work toward our client’s objectives. Verus understands that change is constant in all facets of our lives. Our commitment is to listen to, and understand the changes our clients are experiencing and to provide helpful guidance to our clients through these events.

We strongly believe in financial education and regularly communicate with our clients the results of our technical analysis supporting our recommendations. Through the use of sophisticated software Verus actively monitors every position and overall allocation of each client at least quarterly. This process helps ensure “you have an asset manager working for you.”

The Chamber proudly salutes Tom Suttner and Jim Allan and their team for being the November Business of the Month.

If you know of a Chamber member that deserves recognition, please nominate them at: http://applications.foxcitieschamber.com/

Fox Cities Chamber Business NOVEMBER 2012

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accolades, advancements and announcements

accolades Daniel E. Neufelder, FACHE, president of Affinity Health System and senior vice president for hospital operations for Ministry Health Care received the American College of Healthcare Executives Senior-Level Healthcare Executive Regent’s Award at the recent American College of Healthcare Executives Wisconsin Chapter Annual Meeting in Madison, Wisconsin. The award was bestowed on Mr. Neufelder by Mark Hamilton, ACHE’s Regent for Wisconsin and Vice President of Ambulatory Operations for University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics in Madison, Wisconsin.

The Senior-Level Healthcare Executive Regent’s Award recognizes affiliates who are experienced in the field and have significantly contributed toward the advancement of healthcare management excellence and the achievement of the goals of ACHE. Affiliates are evaluated on leadership ability, innovative and creative management, executive capability in developing their own organization and promoting its growth and stature in the community, participation in local, state, or provincial hospital and health association activities, participation in civic/community activities and projects, and participation in ACHE activities and interest in assisting ACHE in achieving its objectives.

Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP was recently named as one of the 2012 Best Accounting Firms to Work for.

This annual list was created by Accounting Today and Best Companies Group to identify, recognize and honor the best places of employment in the accounting industry. “We are honored that our employees recognize Baker Tilly as a best place to work,” said Timothy L. Christen, CEO of Baker Tilly.

“We work hard to create an environment where our people know they are highly valued and able to perform at their personal and professional best. We are very proud of our employees and our firm and are grateful for this recognition.”

Accounting firms from across the country entered the twopart survey process to determine the Best Accounting Firms to Work for. The first part consisted of evaluating each nominated firm’s workplace policies, practices, philosophy, systems and demographics. The second part consisted of an employee survey to measure the employee experience.

The combined scores determined the top firms and the final ranking. Best Companies Group managed the overall registration, survey and analysis process and determined the final rankings.

Faith Technologies, a full-service electrical and specialty systems contractor, was recently recognized by The Daily Reporter as Subcontractor of the Year in the magazine’s ninth annual Newsmakers of the Year awards competition.

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Fox Cities Chamber Business NOVEMBER 2012

“We’re honored to be chosen as Subcontractor of the Year by Wisconsin’s leading construction publication,” said Mike Jansen, president of Faith Technologies. “Faith Technologies is committed to every project, ensuring it is completed safely, on time and on budget. We are very proud of our dedicated employees for making this award a possibility.” Faith Technologies was evaluated on their commitment to developing employees, safety records, national rankings, awards and achievements and continuous growth in the industry. This year there were 75 entries and 22 honorees, including four ‘green’ award winners. The staff of The Daily Reporter and WasteCap Resource Solutions makes up the panel of judges.

Chip Seidler, visual communications expert at FASTSIGNS® of Appleton, was recognized with the Silver Sales Award at the 2012 FASTSIGNS Outside Sales Summit, recently held in Dallas. I’m honored to be recognized with this award,” said Seidler. “I love the challenge of working with different clients who have different needs — working to help identify their business challenges and determine what signs, graphics and marketing solutions are best for them. Thanks to the repeat business and the referrals from my customers, I have been able to reach this exciting milestone.”

The Silver Sales Award is presented to outside sales consultants who achieved a sales total between $400,000 and $599,000 from July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2012. Out of the more than 450 FASTSIGNS centers in the United States and Canada, only 17 outside sales consultants received the Silver Sales Award.

Goodwill was recently named one of “America’s 25 Most Inspiring Companies” by Forbes. This designation not only recognizes the work of the national Goodwill enterprise but also the work of its 165 independent regional Goodwill organizations, including Goodwill Industries of North Central Wisconsin (NCW). “This is the first time that Goodwill has made the Forbes list, and we are very proud that we were ranked 23rd on this national list,” said Bob Pedersen, president and CEO of Goodwill NCW.

advancements The Fox Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau has named Jennifer Hecht as Group Sales Manager. Hecht will focus on selling the Fox Cities as a destination for conventions, conferences and reunions in the military and religious meetings market. Hecht has been with the Bureau since January 2012 serving in its Visitor Services area. She previously held positions in marketing and customer service.

Hecht joins Bureau Convention Sales Manager Kelly Hekler

in the Bureau’s Convention Sales department.

CHAPS has promoted Erin Wilkum to its newly created Director of Development & Communications position.

In her new role, Wilkum will oversee all fundraising and development-related financial opportunities for the Shioctonbased organization, which serves children of families experiencing emotional and/or behavioral difficulties through equine-assisted psychotherapy and creative counseling methods. A graduate of the University of WisconsinOshkosh, Wilkum first started working for CHAPS in 2009, as an intern. She was promoted to the role of Operations Team Lead in 2011. Wilkum’s new position is funded by a J. J. Keller Foundation, Inc. Challenge Grant, which includes a new donor gifts/matching funds challenge goal.

Appleton-based Ledgeview Partners, a customer relationship management (CRM) firm serving businesses throughout the United States, continues its steady growth phase with the hiring of three new employees at its Appleton headquarters.

Rob Czypinski has been hired as a CRM application consultant in the company’s Software Services Division. In his new role, Czypinski will work closely with clients on their projects, overseeing the implementation of their requirements and leading work efforts to project completion.

Pete Hoffman joined the company’s Software Services Division as a CRM development consultant. He brings four years of experience in CRM and information technology to his new role, which includes working closely with clients and other Ledgeview Partners’ consultants in developing and delivering unique CRM implementations that meet client needs.

Breana Whitlock has signed on as an inside sales account manager in Ledgeview’s Sales & Customer Care Division. She is responsible for working on an expanded client program that includes account management duties and the development of new business opportunities for account growth and client business expansion.

announcements Stellar Blue Web Design LLC, a digital marketing agency, has been a virtual company since its start in 2005 but is now opening its first brick and mortar location in Neenah, WI. The space is called Stellar Blue Training Studio located at 1580 Lyon Dr., Neenah, WI. The Training Studio will open Oct. 1st, 2012 to provide hands-on workshops, presentations, and

meeting space. The 3,000 sq ft. facility will allow Stellar Blue to conduct educational series to clients, local businesses, students and entrepreneurs. “You have been showed, told and pressured. Here’s the do,” said Marketing Director Amanda Betts. “Our goal with the Training Studio is to make you your own expert through hands-on training sessions. And by hands-on, I mean, plan on getting work done.” Stellar Blue plans on maintaining its virtual offices, which makes the relationship with the new Training Studio unique.

Fox River Academy, an environmental charter school in the Appleton Area School District, is pleased to announce its newly-elected Governance Board: Officers: Tony Deininger, President; Emily Thomas, Secretary Staff representatives: Sandy VanderVelden, Emily Thomas, and Joann Engel Parent representatives: Barb Tengesdal and Patrick Koss Community representatives: Tony Deininger (Fox Valley Technical College), Barb Sauer (Paper Discovery Center), and Peter Fritz (WEL Companies) At-large members: Brian Wayner, Lori Leschisin, Lene D’Hondt, Lisa Bouwer Hansen, Shane Vondracek, Dolly Fritz, and Keri Lenz The Fox River Academy Governance Board is the school’s governing organization. It has the responsibility to carry out the school’s mission and purpose and to determine strategies to ensure environmental education and lifelong learning into the future. Board meetings are open to the public and are held on the second Tuesday of each month at 6:00 p.m. in the Green Teaching Building behind Jefferson Elementary, 1000 S. Mason Street, Appleton.

Dental Associates, which has three clinics in the Fox Valley area and is Wisconsin’s largest family-owned dental group practice, has been awarded accreditation by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC). Status as an accredited organization means Dental Associates meets nationally recognized standards for the delivery of quality health care set by AAAHC. The accreditation was conducted during an independent and extensive evaluation process. “We believe our patients deserve the best care possible,” says Dr. Thomas Manos, D.D.S, M.S., president and owner of Dental Associates.

“The certificate of accreditation Dental Associates earned shows that an outside organization has closely examined our clinics and procedures and verifies that we are delivering the highest level of patient care.”

Fox Cities Chamber Business NOVEMBER 2012

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out and about

Avenue Art & Company celebrates their new location — 1350A W. College Avenue, Appleton.

Fox Valley CPA’s LLC cuts the ribbon of their office — 4040 W. Spencer Street, Appleton.

Sola Salon Studios opened their new salon — 4780 W. Integrity Way, Appleton.

UW – Fox Engineering School officially opens — 1478 Midway Road, Menasha.

Join Schenck for a business improvement workshop Schenck hosts workshops and seminars throughout the year to keep you up to date on the latest business and tax issues that may impact your organization.

Upcoming workshops include: • 2012 Payroll Forum – November 7 • Oshkosh – November 9 • Appleton • 2012 Year-End Tax Planning – November 27 • Appleton • QuickBooks Update – December 12 • Appleton – December 13 • Oshkosh Visit schencksc.com/events for more information and to register.

200 E. Washington Street • Appleton • 800-236-2246 • schencksc.com © Schenck sc 2012 9.12

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Fox Cities Chamber Business NOVEMBER 2012

Save the

DATE

Please check the Chamber website foxcitieschamber.com for updated information about each of the event dates, times, locations and costs.

You can register directly online.

Signature Events

Business Connections

The Event ~ Celebrating Business Hollywood Nights Style (featured music will be movie themes) Thursday, 11/8/12 Details to be determined Sponsorships available

5:00-7:00 PM; $2 prior to the event; $4 at the door; $20/prospective member

Breakfast Networking Connections Fox Cities Chamber Office 125 N. Superior St., Appleton Last Thursday of the month 7:30-9:00 AM; $2 at the door

Tuesday, 10/2/12 Stone Toad Bar & Grill 1109 S. Oneida St., Menasha Wednesday, 11/14/12 Grand Meridian 2621 N. Oneida St., Appleton Tuesday, 12/4/12 Bergstrom Infinity 2950 Victory Lane, Appleton

October 25 November 29 December—no meeting

economic development Continued From Page 12

Hit the Ball; Throw the Ball; Catch the Ball …

•

Infrastructure: Do we have the capacity to serve the needs of existing and new businesses with necessities such as water, sewer, electricity, telecommunications, etc.?

•

Labor force: Does the region have the type and quantity of either trained or trainable labor to serve the needs of industry both today and into the future?

•

Transportation: Does the community have the ground, air and rail transportation systems to move raw materials in and finished goods out in an efficient manner?

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Education: Are our schools performing at a level that potential new residents would feel confident in entrusting the education of their children to them?

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Business environment: Does our tax and regulatory climate allow business to compete regionally, nationally and internationally; or do we impede that competition with burdensome regulation?

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Quality of place: Does our community have the recreational, cultural, retail, healthcare, social welfare and other amenities in place to make it an attractive place for families to choose?

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Crime: Is our community a safe place?

These are but a few examples of an extensive list of questions that a community must ask of itself on an on-going basis.

When the answers may not be quite what we want, we have a call to action. To suggest that any community has successfully addressed all of these critical issues is folly. What is important to economic development success is that there be a continuous, honest evaluation of our area so that we remain absolutely as competitive as we can possibly be—knowing that there are regions throughout the country that are ready to compete head-to-head with us for the job creation that we have determined we want and need.

At its core, successful economic development is dependent on a serious examination of the region’s strengths and challenges, and an attitude of aggressively addressing those factors that may make us less competitive than we need to be. Just as in sports, our opposition will likely uncover our weaknesses and exploit them to their advantage.

In the case of the Colorado Rockies…some starting pitching would go a long way toward turning things around in the future…

Fox Cities Chamber Business NOVEMBER 2012

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department updates

membership •

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The Chamber Ambassadors have been busy attending ribbon cuttings and open houses at Avenue Art & Company, Fox Valley CPA’s, Sola Salon Studios and UW-Fox Valley Engineering School. The Chamber Ambassadors are volunteers from Chamber member companies that serve as the goodwill arm of the Chamber. Their activities include attending Chamber events, business ribbon cuttings and open houses, recruiting new members and making outreach calls to the Chamber membership. If you are interested in becoming a Chamber Ambassador, please contact the Chamber at 734-7101 or phull@foxcitieschamber.com The November 14th, Business Connection will be held at the Grand Meridian, 2621 N. Oneida St., Appleton.

Please remember to bring lots of business cards to

share! To register, please contact us at 734-7101 or go to our website – events.foxcitieschamber.com •

The final Breakfast Networking Connection for 2012, will be held on Thursday, November 29th, in the lower level of the Chamber Office. Attendees will have an opportunity to talk about their business for 2 minutes in front of an audience of 25-30 people. To register, please contact us at 734-7101 or go to our website — events.foxcitieschamber.com

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The team at Bergstrom Infiniti, is excited to host the December 4th Business Connection. Their address is 2950 Victory Lane, Appleton. To register, please contact us at 734-7101 or go to our website — events.foxcitieschamber.com

competitive workforce •

Working with Greg Frank at Omnni and Associates to create a portal for work-based learning.

This will be a tool or resource for schools to automatically access our job shadow database. A student will be able to access the portal from our website — view the 16 career clusters — choose a cluster i.e. manufacturing, business, STEM etc. — then a list of companies will appear; the student clicks on the company name, sees the company profile along with a list of occupations available within their company (and

what they do). They then choose the type of activity they are interested in i.e. job shadow, beyond a shadow, internship, youth apprenticeship etc. The student will agree to the etiquette (terms and agreement) in order to have the contact information sent to them. This system is linked to the WI Careers Pathways Website which students use to determine the education path needed for an occupation. The intention is to keep the common language for consistency. We hope to have a beta site ready in the next few weeks.

Temporary Staffing: Seasonal Hiring Advice for Small Business Continued From Page 7

Increasing Unemployment Benefits, Rising Taxes Multiple extensions to unemployment benefits have distorted the labor market for many small-business owners.

“Some of our clients have had challenges recruiting because their jobs are relatively low-paid and workers can collect unemployment for up to 2 years,” says Wilson.

The current state of unemployment compensation has also motivated many entrepreneurs to think twice before hiring substantial numbers of seasonal workers, only to have them collect unemployment benefits through the entire off season, often at additional expense to the employer.

“If you lay off workers, depending on the state, it can cause your unemployment tax rate to rise,” says William Even, a labor economist and professor at the Farmer School of Business at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. In some situations it’s better to keep those employees on and increase and decrease hours with the season, Even advises.

Dennis of Cohesive Tax has a clever strategy for holding down unemployment costs and helping her workers and customers at the same time. “If we don’t have the workload to keep a good seasonal worker, I’ll try to get them another position, maybe with a client’s company,” she says.

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Fox Cities Chamber Business NOVEMBER 2012

government affairs •

Put together a meeting at Liberty Hall with Senator Ron Johnson

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Attended a WMC Affordable Care Act information session at the Milwaukee Hilton. Discussion included a number of perspectives regarding the impact of the new health care on business, individuals, and health care providers

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Mine in Northern Wisconsin. The Chamber supported the mine bill.

Government Issues Council met with area elected CEO’s to discuss how the implementation of Act 10 and 32 have impacted their 2013 budgets. Took a look at a number of unintended consequences Took part in an information session at the Milwaukee Athletic Club regarding the importance of passing a new Wisconsin mining bill in the next legislative session. Hosted by Businesses for Wisconsin Jobs and MC’d by Lieutenant Governor Kleefiesch, the session included a presentation by the President of Caterpillar, Inc. on the financial impact of the proposed Gogibec

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Visited Ariens plant in Brillion to commemorate the building of the 3 millionth Ariens snow blower

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Researched DNR revisions to Chapters NR 405 and 408 pertaining to Wisconsin maintaining consistency with federal permit guidelines

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Interviewed with NBC Channel 26 regarding Michelle Obama visit to Appleton

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Spoke with Winnebago County Executive Mark Harris regarding changes in collective bargaining law

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Worked with Congressman Petri’s office to arrange for him to attend the October 8 G.I.C. meeting

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Spoke to Shriners Club regarding Chamber’s new EDA initiative, and the Presidential Debate

pulse: young professionals network – holiday hype Holiday Hype — As the holiday season nears, Pulse has several opportunities for young professionals to network and actively engage in the greater Fox Cities community.

Whether you’re seeking professional development, social, cultural, or volunteer activities, Pulse is the place!

Branching Out & Company will coach us as we make our own holiday centerpieces in their beautiful floral shop and studio. Mingle as you make, and take your centerpiece home with you just in time for Thanksgiving.

December 13: Etiquette Dinner 5:15 to 8:00 PM Fox Valley Technical College Back by popular demand, and just in time for your office holiday parties! Join Chef Jeff of Fox Valley Technical College as he presents a four-course meal and tips for proper business dining etiquette.

November 1: Who Does What In Local Government?

11:45 AM – 12:45 PM Downtown Appleton Copper Rock Join three local government officials for a non-partisan view of who does what in our municipal and county governments. Roles and responsibilities of local government will be discussed. Our panelists will also provide insight into getting involved and making a difference in civic society as a young professional.

December 18: Monthly Volunteer Opportunity 4:30 to 8:00 PM Salvation Army Social Services Center and Woodman’s Each month, Pulse partners with a nonprofit in the Fox Cities to help expose young professionals to charitable organizations in our community. In December, Pulse will tour the Salvation Army Social Services Center and ring bells at Woodman’s in support of their mission. The bell ringing will take place outdoors and in the Woodman’s breezeway, so we recommend you dress warmly!

November 13: Elf, The Musical and Ugly Sweater Party 6:30 – 10:30 PM Fox Cities Performing Arts Center Get in the holiday spirit with tickets to Elf, The Musical at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center! Purchase tickets to the show as part of our young professionals group sale, and get access to a pre-show Ugly Sweater Party hosted by 95.9 KISS FM.

For more information, please contact Samantha Zinth, Director of Pulse, at (920) 734-7101 or szinth@foxcitieschamber.com.

November 15: Make & Take Holiday Centerpieces 5:30 to 7:30 PM Branching Out & Company Let your creativity shine with holiday season! The staff at

Fox Cities Chamber Business NOVEMBER 2012

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Displaying Your Holiday Business Style Continued From Page 4 To add interest, incorporate something polished or shiny, such as mercury glass, which continues to be a hit in home décor. Another consideration would be to use various textures, like weathered wood or mercury glass with soft feathers and flowing, seasonal florals.

Using all of these key elements to create a rustic — yet refined — look helps us create an environment that invites conversation and entices customers to buy.

Staying on top of colors also is important. Color trends come and go – think sage green - and the same is true for any holiday season. While traditional colors will always hold their place, introducing fresh color combinations keeps it

interesting, like pairing orange and teal.

Textures, colors and placements of holiday displays create excitement, generate interest in our style, and encourage customers to make buying decisions at the moment of truth, and also into the future. The best referral source any retailer has is customers who want to talk, text, tweet, chat or post about something they bought, saw or heard at your shop.

Displaying your company’s style is a great way to generate a substantial level of positive interest.

We understand our approach to customer service is different, and we’re proud to share that.

president’s perspective Continued From Page 3 will offer 15-18 breakout sessions on topics that are key to business success. These sessions will be customized for all levels of business professionals – CEOs, mid-level management and operations personnel. Our goal at the end of the day is to bring the most relevant, cost-effective, experienced professional development training to our members to give them the access, connections and solutions to be even more successful.

I hope you will join us for the new Cultivate Series and encourage others from your team to engage in this new program as well. Please continue to offer your feedback on how we can improve your membership experience with the chamber. I wish you a very Happy and Prosperous Holiday Season!!!!

Sincerely, Shannon

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Fox Cities Chamber Business NOVEMBER 2012

2012 - Marketing Opportunities EVENTS Meet Your Legislators—January Business Connection with elected officials. Averaging 300+ attendees Premier Sponsors: Contributing Sponsors:

Golf Outing—August Premier Sponsor: Golf Cart Sponsor: Golf Lunch Sponsor: Golf Reception Sponsor: All in One Sponsor: Tee or Hole Sponsors: Beverage Sponsors:

$750 $500

Future 15 Young Professional Awards Premier Sponsors: $1,000

$3,000 $2,000 $1,500 $1,500 $ 800 $ 350 $ 100

Quarterly Business Symposiums Presenting Sponsor: $1,000 per symposium $3,500 for all 4 Career Fair—March Presenting Sponsor: Premier Sponsor: Contributing Sponsors: Small Business Sponsors:

$3,000 $1,000 $ 500 $ 250

A N N UAL S I G N AT U RE E V E NT S Economic Outlook Breakfast— February Results of the economic outlook survey are presented. Averaging 600+ attendees Presenting Sponsor: Premier Sponsors: Contributing Sponsors:

$2,500 $1,000 $ 500

Business Awards—June Presenting Sponsors: Premier Sponsors:

$7,500 $1,000

Business Expo—June Together with the Business Awards Program.

Presenting Sponsors: $2,500 Premier Sponsors: $1,500 Contributing Sponsors: $ 750

P RO G R AM S Pulse, Young Professionals Network Opportunity to sponsor monthly events ($600), annual CEO Breakfast or Future 15 Awards ($1,500 each).

Pulse CEO Breakfast Presenting Sponsor: Leadership Fox Cities LFC Retreat LFC Graduation LFC Executive Program LFC Youth Program

$1,500

$2,500 $1,500 $1,500 $1,500 Opportunity to sponsor monthly events ($600), annual 8 month program or Executive Leadership Program ($1,500 each).

The Event—mid-October to early November Annual Meeting averaging 900 attendees Presenting Sponsor: Premier Sponsors: Contributing Sponsors: Corporate Packages:

$10,000 $ 5,000 $ 2,500 $ 750

A DV E RT IS I N G

Christa McAuliffe Academy Many opportunities for class, tour or break sponsorships. Contact the Chamber for more information.

F.O.C.U.S. / STEM F.O.C.U.S. (fostering our communities understanding of STEM – science, technology, engineering and math) a shared resource and economic system for all things related to STEM in the Fox Cities including mentoring of students in grades 5-9. Please contact the chamber for more information on how you can become involved in the development of our future workforce.

Fox Cities Chamber Business, the Chamber’s monthly print magazine, has 85,580 touches in the business community per issue, reaching business owners, senior level executives, managers, supervisors, sales & marketing and small business owners.

Contact Susan Vanden Heuvel for an editorial calendar and rate sheet.

Member411, the Chamber’s bi-weekly e-newsletter reaches 3,000 email addresses.

Chamber Mobile App $500 for 6 months

Fox Cities Chamber Business NOVEMBER 2012

21

FOX CITIES

CHAMBER

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Fox Cities Chamber Business c/o Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Inc. PO Box 1855 Appleton, WI 54912-1855

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