fox cities chamber
Energizing & Empowering Enterprise
Winter 2017 I Volume 18 I Issue 4
THE YEAR IN REVIEW
YOUR GOALS ARE OUR GOALS. T H AT ’S T H E D I F F E R E N C E.
JOAN WOLDT
Executive Vice President (920) 901-7971
BILL BRADLEY
Senior Vice President (920) 609-3401
LUCAS SCHULTZ Business Analyst (920) 236-8612
JULIE A. LUKER Retail Banker (920) 716-0652 NMLS 1037789
ANN MARIE SHEARS Retail Banker (920) 380-2882 NMLS 263676
I T ’ S D I F F E R E N T AT F I R S T
APPLETON | ASHWAUBENON | BELLEVUE | CLINTONVILLE | IOLA | OSHKOSH | SEYMOUR | WAUPACA | WEYAUWEGA
Bank First N at ional.com
InThis
ISSUE 2 The President’s Perspective Views from the Chamber President 4 The EVENT 2017
Celebrating Fox Cities Business Leaders
20 Q&A with the Professionals 21 High-Tech At Your Tech
Groundbreaking innovations keep Fox Valley Technical College in a league of world-class
14 Fox Cities Regional Partnership
22 Diamond Member Honor Roll 23 Member Services Helping Our Members Succeed 24 Reasons To Check Out a Mobile Wallet 25 Welcome New Members 26 Octoberfest & License to Cruise
16 Community Spotlight
28 Your Voice
17 Upcoming Events 18 Happenings 19 Not All Leads Are Created Equal
29 Great Lakes Metro Chambers Coalition
8 Talent Collaborative Welcoming Scott Teerlinck as Chair 10 PULSE Young Professionals Network Creating A Common Experience
12 Leadership Fox Cities
Making an IMPACT on our Community
Attracting Much Needed Talent WOW - We Care Charity
2017 Results
Economic Impact of Foxconn Washington Advocacy in 2017
30 Member Spotlights
On The Cover 2017 - The Year in Review
Publisher Bob Mundt Editor Emily Feagles Design Weidert Creative Photography BConnected LLC Graham Washatka Printing JP Graphics
Fox Cites Chamber Business (v259180). Published quarterly 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. Postmaster: Send address changes to: Fox Cities Chamber Business, 125 N. Superior Street, Appleton, WI 54911.
Share your story. Lend your voice. Advertise your business. As we begin 2018, consider utilizing the member-exclusive marketing opportunities with the Fox Cities Chamber. Call us today to reserve your space! Contact Emily Feagles, Director of Marketing & Communications: efeagles@foxcitieschamber.com or (920) 734-7101.
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The President’s PERSPECTIVE “Our Chamber Board of Directors and various councils and committees will be analyzing and evaluating all of our programs to make sure we are providing the greatest value to ALL of our members and investors.” Forward Together On behalf of the Fox Cities Chamber Board of Directors and the staff, I want to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued investment and confidence in the Chamber and the Fox Cities Regional Partnership. Your patience in helping us develop the next phase of our business development efforts here in the Fox Cities Region will pay dividends in the future. Now more than ever, business and community leaders must come together to find unique and innovative ways to focus on our economy and the success of our members and investors. We anticipate 2018 will be a year of transformation. We will focus targeted efforts to expand our economic development programs and our membership services highlighting specific areas of growth with Chamber programs reflecting new visions, refined strategies and a focus on membership success. Our recent membership survey along with the information collected from hundreds of personal visits with members and investors over the past several months has caused us to take a hard look at what we must do to remain relevant. In the year ahead, we will be building on some current key objectives and expanding on others to benefit our members. Our focus will center around several key initiatives among which will include business growth and prosperity, workforce development, member development, public policy and visibility and placemaking. Our Chamber Board of Directors and various councils and committees will be analyzing and evaluating all of our programs to make sure we are providing the greatest value to ALL of our members and investors. We are hopeful that you will see the benefits of belonging to and supporting this great organization and find places where you will fit into these plans. We are focused on providing value for your investment and sharing solutions to meet your business needs. We have an excellent staff ready to assist you with programs and events that address and solve your business challenges. They are the key to our success and I am confident we can deliver relevant, valuable and timely assistance to our members and investors. Thank you for your partnership and for all you do. Your support is appreciated. Let’s move forward together. Gratefully,
Bob Mundt, President/CEO
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Board of Directors 2017-18 Chairman of the Board Bruce Zak JPMorgan Chase, N.A. Chairman-Elect Kathi Seifert Katapult, LLC Past Chairman Daniel P. Ferris SECURA Insurance Companies Secretary/Treasurer Travis Froze BMO Harris Bank Board of Directors Kimberly Barrett Lawrence University Jen Bauer Miron Construction Co., Inc. Lisa Cruz Red Shoes PR, Inc. John Dennis Gardan Inc. Curt Detjen Community Foundation Brian Giroux Kimberly Clark Corporation DeDe Heid Heid Music Jason Henderson newVoices Choir Chris Hess ThedaCare Jim Johnson Pierce Manufacturing Dean Kaufert City of Neenah Chris Matheny Fox Valley Technical College Rick Parks Modern Woodmen of America Todd Romenesko Calumet County Mark Scheffler Appleton Group Wealth Management Heather Schimmers St. Elizabeth Hospital/Ministry Healthcare Denise Starcher Menasha Corporation Scott Teerlinck Werner Electric Supply John Trottier AZCO, Inc. Gary Vaughan Guident Business Solutions Abe Weber Appleton International Airport Bob Zemple Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP EX-OFFICIO Kevin Eismann Epiphany Law, LLC Sharon Hulce Employment Resource Group, Inc.
Get to Know your Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce Staff
Operations
The Chamber is a dynamic group of dedicated professionals who provide resources and solutions to businesses of all sizes within the Fox Cities Region. The Chamber acts as an access point for solving business challenges, establishing and growing professional and social networks and providing assistance for business leaders to achieve their goals.
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1. Bob Mundt President/CEO bmundt@foxcitieschamber.com 2. Linda Myers Executive Assistant to the President lmyers@foxcitieschamber.com 3. Nora Langolf Vice President, Finance & Administration nlangolf@foxcitieschamber.com 4. Emily Feagles Director, Marketing & Communications efeagles@foxcitieschamber.com 5. Karla Tierney Graphic Designer ktierney@foxcitieschamber.comer. 6. Kristen Greiner Events Manager kgreiner@foxcitieschamber.com 7. Connie Barlow Receptionist receptionist@foxcitieschamber.com 8. Pam Schweitzer Receptionist receptionist@foxcitieschamber.com
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9. Beth Pritzl Director, Research & Technology beth@foxcitiesregion.com 10. Rob Peterson Director, Existing Industry Services rob@foxcitiesregion.com
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MiKayla Kunde Member Engagement Coordinator mkunde@foxcitieschamber.com Beth Haase Director, Membership bhaase@foxcitieschamber.com
Public Policy
13. Mark Rahmlow Vice President, Public Policy mrahmlow@foxcitieschamber.com
Talent
14. Patty Milka Vice President, Talent & Education pmilka@foxcitieschamber.com 15. Nikki Hessel Director, PULSE Young Professionals Network nhessel@foxcitieschamber.com 16. Amy Schanke Director, Leadership Fox Cities aschanke@foxcitieschamber.com 17. Vaya Kiel Program Coordinator, Talent & Education vkiel@foxcitieschamber.com
Loaned Executive
18. Beth Davis Director, Special Initiatives bdavis@foxcitieschamber.com
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Celebrating
2017 Award Recipients
Fox Cities Business Leaders
From left to right: Nathan Litt, Don Herrmann, Doris Ng & Alice Ng, Debra Michiels, Tom Prosser, Kathi Seifert, Rick Parks, Donna Gehl The Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce, and presenting sponsor Bank First National, honored several business leaders during their annual awards ceremony – The EVENT: Celebrating Business Excellence on November 9th. Individuals recognized have a unique blend of vision, energy, perseverance and skill and they have demonstrated outstanding
achievements in operating businesses as well as leadership in the community. The Fox Cities Chamber is proud to recognize these individuals for their many contributions to the community. They have dedicated themselves as professionals and volunteers to the well-being of the Fox Cities.
Business Hall of Fame Inductees Debra Michiels - Owner (retired), Fox Banquets & Rivertyme Catering
Tom Prosser – Partner, Dunsirn Partners, LLC
As one of nine children whose parents owned a restaurant, you could say that Debra Michiels has been in the hospitality business her entire life. After working with her family for twelve years, she was ready to step out on her own. Upon graduating from college, on the advice of her father, she began to invest in the stock market. In 1986, she bought the Elks Lodge on Kimball Street using her stock market earnings. Over the next 30 years, she turned Fox Banquets & Rivertyme Catering into a thriving Downtown Appleton business. Many of her staff worked with her for 20+ of those 30 years. She officially retired in January 2016. Debra is always first to say “yes” to a worthy cause. It is her belief that part of running a business is to donate generously back to the community. The number and variety of organizations that are the recipients of her nostrings-attached donations highlights her conviction. Over the years, Debra has served on many boards including the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce, Fox Valley Humane Association, St. Elizabeth Hospital and YMCA. She has also won numerous awards including Small Business of the Year, ATHENA®, Champion of the Chamber, Entrepreneur of the Year and Appleton Downtown Inc.’s Downtown Business of the Year.
Tom’s respected career includes his leadership in several organizations throughout the Fox Cities along with his dedicated involvement within many projects that have, and continue to, impact the community. Tom grew up in Antigo where his father and uncle owned a potato farm. He attended the University of Wisconsin - Madison and graduated with a degree in Agriculture Economics expecting to take over the potato operation in Antigo, however, that didn’t work for him. Tom shifted his focus from being a borrower of money to a lender of money. In 1962, Prosser began a 17-year career in commercial banking with the Marine Corporation, serving as CEO of national banks in both Waukesha and Neenah, which brought him to the Fox Cities in 1969. Tom helped TJ Hoffmaster purchase the Hoffmaster Company in Oshkosh in 1999 as an investor and served as Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. After the sale of Hoffmaster to Scott Paper, Tom joined Robert W Baird & Co. as a Vice President - Investment Banking. Tom was asked by Menasha Corporation to join its Board of Directors in 1992, where he later served as Chairman of the Board and CEO, retiring in 2004. During his active career Tom served on a number of boards and leadership positions including: Dunsirn Partners, Plexus Corporation, First National Bank Fox Valley and
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First Menasha Bancshares, UW Madison Athletic Board, President of UW Madison Alumni Association, ThedaCare and Theda Clark Foundation, YMCA, Community Foundation of the Fox Valley Region, Fox Cities Performing Arts Center and as an investor in several small businesses. Tom has given his all to our community for over 40 years and has left his fingerprint embedded in the community through projects under his direct leadership. He was instrumental in helping our area YMCA’s build and grow to serve those in our community. He raised awareness, and many dollars, to have achieved the YMCA’s Leadership Award, one of the YMCA’s highest honors.
ATHENA® Leadership Award Donna Gehl – President, Image Studios Donna began her career at Image Studios in 1989 working in various areas of the business while producing small and large scale commercial photo shoots. In just a short time she advanced into a new role as Sales Representative garnering the respect of her co-workers, attracting new customers regionally and nationally. Since becoming President and CEO in 2007, Donna worked to expand creative services from Commercial Photography to Video Production and Computer Generated Imagery. In just the last several years, Image has produced over 2,000 broadcast and corporate video productions. Donna was awarded the Inspirational Leader of the Year Award in 2014 for The Executive Committee (TEC) Small Companies in Wisconsin and Michigan. She was recognized then for her ability to lead her company through challenging times, where she worked hard to find new business opportunities while maintaining the long-term business relationships with accounts like Kohler, CVS, Oshkosh Corporation, Yamaha, and Mills Fleet Farm. Donna was proud to host community leaders, customers, vendors and employees with a 50 year celebration for Image Studios in 2015. Donna and her staff believe in the power of change, supporting many non-profits and charitable groups in Northeast Wisconsin tackling big issues from mental health, poverty, homelessness and women’s issues. Donna has dedicated nearly 30 years to helping for-profit and not for profit groups tell their story through dynamic imagery and compelling stories, captured through photography and video, all with the help of her talented and award winning team at Image Studios.
Champion of the Chamber Award Rick Parks – Regional Director, Modern Woodmen of America Rick Parks, Regional Director at Modern Woodmen of America, has been a dedicated and influential Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce Ambassador since 2012 and a member of the Board of Directors since 2015. He serves on the Executive Council as the Chair for the Membership Committee. Rick holds a CPA license in both Texas and Wisconsin as well as the Fraternal Insurance Counselor Fellow designation (FICF), the Life Underwriters Training Council Fellow (LUTCF), and the Certified Fraternal Field Manager designation (CFFM). Rick is a member of the Fox Valley Estate Planning Council in dual roles as a Financial Advisor and Certified Public Accountant. He currently serves as President of the Wisconsin Fraternal Insurance Council, which is an organization made up of all 43 Fraternal Companies licensed to do business in the State of Wisconsin to the approximate 577,000 members. Throughout the years, Rick has been dedicated to making an impact in the community. Rick’s involvement in several notable projects have benefitted organizations through the Matching Fund Projects with Modern Woodmen of America. In the five years since moving to Appleton to establish the Modern Woodmen of America Parks Firm, Rick and his team have helped raise over $500,000 for a direct impact in the Fox Valley community. They are a Financial Advising Firm built to give back to the communities where we live, work and play. Fox Cities Business Winter 2017
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Entrepreneur of the Year Award
Joyce Bytof Exceptional Mentor Award
Alice Ng & Doris Ng – co-owners, GingeRootz Asian Grille
Don Herrmann – President, Herrmann Advantage Consulting, LLC
Co-Owners, Alice Ng and Doris Ng, started GingeRootz Asian Grille in 2004 and have become Appleton’s icon for Asian cuisine. The sisters’ vision for the restaurant was to share their family legacy’s food by producing great food to a community they have grown to appreciate and love. The restaurant has been recognized locally and nationally. They have won the Fox Cities Golden Fork Award for Best Asian Cuisine for eight years and Best of the Valley for Best Asian Cuisine for the past 10 years. They were also winners of the 2010 Small Business Award from the Fox Cities Chamber. National achievements include, winner of the 2008 Make Mine a Million Dollar Business Award, a finalist in the 2009 Stevie Award for Best Young Entrepreneur, 2010 and 2011 finalist in Fortune Magazine’s Top Most Powerful Women in Small Business, and a finalist in the 2013 and 2014 National Restaurant Association Faces of Diversity Awards. Both sisters are avid travelers and have a passion of combining travels with their love of food. Collectively, they have traveled to four continents and over 16 countries.
Don Herrmann, MBA, SHRM-SCP, CPC is founder and President of Herrmann Advantage Consulting, LLC in Appleton. He has been a senior-level executive for a number of companies in multiple industries with both domestic and global responsibilities. Don’s industry experience includes distribution, logistics, financial services, construction, technology, health care, manufacturing, aerospace and defense. He completed a career in the U.S. Army where his duties took him around the globe with unique assignments supporting the President of the United States, the Pentagon, the U.S. Army Health Services Command, and the United Nations. He also was visiting faculty at many U.S. Army schools of advanced leadership including the U.S. Army War College, the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy. Don has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Western Illinois University, a Masters in Business Administration from Brenau University and additional graduate work with Central Michigan University. He is an adjunct faculty member of Marian University where he teaches Human Resources and Organizational Development subjects at both the graduate and undergraduate level. He is also Adjunct Faculty at the University of Phoenix where he teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in Human Resources. Don is professionally certified as a Green Belt in Six Sigma, a Certified Professional Coach and as a Society for Human Resources Management Senior Certified Professional. Herrmann Advantage Consulting, LLC was founded in 2008 with a focus on building successful businesses through workforce and process development.
Gus A. Zuehlke Distinguished Service Award Kathi Seifert – President, Katapult, LLC Kathi P. Seifert retired as Executive Vice President for Kimberly-Clark Corporation after 26 years at the company (leading the company’s personal care business and sales organization). Previous to Kimberly-Clark, Seifert was employed by Fort Howard Paper Company, Beatrice Foods, and Procter & Gamble. Seifert is a member of the board of directors of Eli Lilly and Company, Appvion, Investors Community Bank, Fox Cities Building for the Arts, Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce, Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region, Riverview Gardens, Habitat for Humanity, and New North, Inc., an economic development collaboration for Northeastern Wisconsin. Seifert is a past board member for Lexmark, Inc., Revlon Consumer Products Corporation, Supervalu, Albertsons, Aid Association for Lutherans, U.S. Fund for UNICEF, Wisconsin Children’s Trust Fund, University of WisconsinOshkosh Chancellor’s Council of Advisors, State of Wisconsin Superintendent’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Arts Education, Wisconsin International Trade Council, ThedaCare, and the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center. Seifert is currently the President and Owner of Katapult, LLC. Seifert was named NACD Directorship 100 which recognizes the most influential leaders in the boardroom in 2015, Fortunes’ 50 Most Powerful Women in Business in 2002, and Forbes Top 50 Women in 2001. Seifert earned a Bachelor of Science from Valparaiso University in marketing and management in 1971. She also received an honorary Doctorate from University of Wisconsin Oshkosh in 2014.
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Young Professional of the Year Award Nathan Litt – Account Director, Quill Creative Nathan Litt is the Pulse Young Professionals Network and Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce 2017 Young Professional of the Year. An Appleton resident and an active member of the Fox Cities community, he serves on the boards of the Friends of the Appleton Fire Department and Creative Downtown Appleton, Inc. and participates in numerous ad hoc groups. He is an alumni volunteer and has served as an advisor to his fraternity chapter at Lawrence University. Litt is also the founder and coordinator of YAP—Young Appleton Professionals, a social networking group with more than 700 members that meets monthly in Appleton. Litt is the account director for Quill Creative, a brand development and advertising agency located in Oshkosh, where he oversees business development, client strategy and assists with internal operations. Prior to joining Quill Creative, Litt worked at Willems Marketing & Events as project director. He also served as director of operations for the successful Mile of Music Festival in Appleton where he was a founding team member involved with the launch of the festival. He is a 2008 graduate of Lawrence University.
A special thank you to this year’s event sponsors Presenting Sponsor
Executive Sponsor
ATHENA® Leadership Award
Photo Booth Sponsor
Contributing Sponsors
Champagne Fountain Sponsor
Raffle Sponsor
Supporting Sponsors Associated Benefits & Risk Consulting AT&T BConnected, LLC Bridgewood Premier Catering Community First Credit Union Dunsirn Partners, LLC Fox Valley Technical College
First Business Bank – Northeast Johnson Bank McMAHON Associates, Inc. Nicolet National Bank Old National Bank Schenck
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TALENT
COLLABORATIVE
Talent Collaborative Welcomes Teerlinck as Chair The Fox Cities Chamber is excited to have the support of Scott Teelinck, CEO/President of Werner Electric Supply as he steps into the role as chair of the Talent Collaborative. A message from Scott: “We are privileged to work and live in an area with such a great quality of life, excellent schools, and friendly and helpful neighbors that are so supportive of one another. I feel truly fortunate to be part of this community, and could not be happier to call this HOME for both Werner Electric Supply as well as for my family. That being said, our company is facing challenges with employee recruitment. This is especially true for positions within our regional distribution center in Appleton and many of our warehouses across Wisconsin. As we share our challenges with other business leaders, we have learned that many others are facing similar challenges in finding and hiring employees for manufacturing, assembly, and construction jobs. As we work to address this challenge at Werner Electric, we have recognized an equal opportunity to help other businesses in our area. More specifically, we have learned that providing a stronger and more effective linkage between local businesses and area high schools can make a significant difference for many of us. As a member of the Fox
The Talent Collaborative of the Fox Cities Chamber is comprised of both business and education partners throughout the Fox Cities. We believe that no single agency or organization can achieve an effective workforce system alone. With that understanding, the Talent Collaborative pursues new ways to align resources and efforts to develop partnerships with: employers, economic development groups, K-12 school districts, post-secondary institutions, government and community organizations to increase its ability to anticipate, adapt and respond to workforce needs, current and future, in the Fox Valley. Our mission is to identify and support innovative and sustainable strategies that will lead to developing, attracting and retaining a skilled, motivated and responsive workforce. 10 8
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Cities Chamber Board of Directors and chair of the Talent Collaborative, I am very excited to focus efforts to increase the outreach local businesses have within our area schools. Through numerous discussions, we have learned that area school district Superintendents appreciate the increased visibility of jobs available to their students. They are also interested in having more opportunities for students to experience “real world” work settings, which will help students make career decisions prior to graduation. I am excited to be part of the Talent Collaborative and believe we can help area businesses and area school districts alike with programs that are impactful and mutually beneficial.” Scott Teerlinck CEO/President Werner Electric Supply
The Talent Collaborative of the Fox Cities Chamber works on innovative solutions to help area businesses attract, develop and retain much needed talent. Pictured are a few ways in which students in K-12 local school districts have experienced the “real world� of work in 2017. Approximately 100 females experienced a day of STEM with 14 stations at Miron Construction Co., Inc. Plexus hosted students from the Little Chute Career Pathways Academy for a tour of their manufacturing facility. Pierce is currently hosting a 9-week hands-on interactive program that will introduce the process of building a fire truck. Faith Technologies has scheduled six day-long shadow experiences where students explore a variety of career opportunities within Faith.
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Creating a Common Experience
Mission:
Total Events
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Pulse Young Professionals Network will act as a catalyst for growth and collaboration in the Fox Cities through opportunities to connect, develop and inspire our community. Vision:
To foster a diverse and innovative community that enhances the vitality of the Fox Cities Region, making it an attractive place for young professionals to call home.
Building an inclusive, engaging and innovative community is essential to talent attraction and retention in our region. Through careful, purposeful choices with the experiences we create and the partnerships we make, we strive to enhance the economic and creative vitality of the Fox Cities Region, making it an increasingly attractive place for young professionals to call home. Our events thoughtfully combine existing local assets, unexpected locations, and meaningful social interaction that have continued to shape our cultural landscape through shared experiences. Building relationships that connect us to each other and the community is at the center of who we are. Whether you are looking for social connections in the Fox Cities or are seeking a unique resource for employees, let us be your platform for contributing to the creative growth and prosperity of the Fox Cities. We’re in this together.
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Event Attendees
20,000+ Including 3 Bazaar After Dark night markets
2017 PULSE highlights BAZAAR AFTER DARK “Bazaar After Dark is a fun, energetic, and vibrant way to be out and involved in this great community. It provides great exposure for our business, the chance to interact with current and potential customers, and an opportunity to meet other business owners/representatives.” –Kimberly Finnell, Osorio’s Latin Fusion
2017 saw three Bazaar After Dark Fox Cities Night Market events in Kaukauna, Menasha, and back where it all began, on East Wisconsin Avenue in Appleton. Fire breathers, jugglers, hula-hoopers, food trucks, aerial dancers, local artists, live music, local beer, and positive community vibes brought together crowds in the thousands from the Fox Cities and beyond. In partnership with Habitat for Humanity’s Rock the Block Neighborhood Builds, Bazaar After Dark continues to be dedicated to revitalizing and drawing positive attention to underappreciated business districts in every corner of the Fox Cities, while fostering community collaborations through art, music, and common experiences under the warm glow of Edison bulbs. Bazaar After Dark is returning in 2018 with more unique night market experiences that will continue to support and reflect the communities that surround them.
Fox Cities FUTURE 15 “I love this community! It is so fun to see so many familiar names, friends, leaders, and power hitters! What a ballot to choose from. When I first found out about Pulse and Future 15 I wanted to find these people, know them, and work beside them. Now I get to call many of them friends!” -Emily Polzin, Appleton
The Fox Cities is home to thousands of young professionals who excel not only within their respective places of employment but also give back to our community in innumerable ways. These professionals shine new light on their diverse fields and positively influence our quality of life in the Fox Cities, an influence that plays an integral role in attracting and retaining talent in the area. Our 2017 Fox Cities Future 15 class fully embodied the professional dedication, strong sense of vision for the future of the Fox Cities, and personal commitment to philanthropy recognized by the award. The 7th Annual Future 15 Awards ceremony, hosted at the historic Hortonville Opera House, highlighted the award recipients and honored Nathan Litt as the 2017 Young Professional of the Year.
YPWEEK “I can’t speak for everyone who attended YPWeek events, but I learned a lot and met some great people. Through these events geared toward young professionals, we can meet people who have been down similar roads and learn from their experiences. We also can meet people who are totally different from us, which is equally valuable. Beyond that, I left each session feeling hopeful about the future. For all the doom and gloom in the world, we — the often criticized millennials — want to make our communities better places.” –Jen Zettel, Appleton Post-Crescent
For the third consecutive year, the Fox Cities participated in this one-of-a-kind statewide initiative, YPWeek. Through a collaboration between NEWaukee and WEDC, YPWeek brings each community together at purposefully chosen locations that integrate unique cultural assets with meaningful learning or social interaction. The dedicated week engages the millennial workforce through important experiences, while educating employers on the critical role these functions play in engaging their young workforce. With 13 events spread over the course of eight days, we wholeheartedly embraced this attraction and retention strategy. Young professionals had a variety of opportunities to immerse themselves in the community through the first Fox Cities SOUP event (Support of Urban Projects), an evening with Storycatchers highlighting the service industry, a bus tour of local cheese-makers, a call to action for venture capital in Wisconsin, legislative issue symposiums surrounding immigration and marijuana legalization, and much more. The week’s events saw over 6,000 attendees locally with 25 communities participating state-wide. We can’t wait to do it again in 2018. Fox Cities Business Winter 2017
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LEADERSHIP FOX CITIES Makes an IMPACT in 2017
LEADERSHIP FOX CITIES
The Fox Cities Chamber has successfully offered this distinguished program within the Fox Cities Region since 1991. Leadership Fox Cities is a community based leadership program beginning each year in September and ending in May. Throughout these nine months, participants develop leadership skills with in-depth exposure to social issues, challenges and successes in the Fox Cities. Participants are immersed in full-day traveling classes that include guest speakers, hands-on experiences, tours and relationship building. At the beginning of the year, participants are divided into small groups charged with identifying a local issue that needs attention. These groups then plan and execute sustainable community projects. For more information about Leadership Fox Cities, please contact Amy Schanke, Director of Leadership Fox Cities, at: aschanke@foxcitieschamber.com.
Attention Leadership Fox Cities Alumni! We want to hear from you. Please send your contact information to leadershipfoxcitiesalumni@gmail.com to be added to the Leadership Fox Cities Alumni mailing list.
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YouthGo-Go Go Garage • Revitalization of Scanlan Park • Neighborhood Partners -Weight of the Fox ValleyFamily Dinner Night • Menasha Joint School District- Buddy Benches • Harbor House - Marketing Support • Project RADAR -A Safe Route to School, East Central Wisconsin Partnership
The 2016-2017 Leadership Fox Cities graduating class at Butte des Morts Country Club in Appleton in May 2017.
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2018 ECONOMIC OUTLOOK LUNCH Services for Business & Industry
Customized. Innovative. Solutions. Wednesday, February 14 11:30am - 1:00pm Radisson Paper Valley A lunch filled with both macro and micro economic insights comes together with a keynote speaker discussing how national and global trends could impact the Fox Cities’ economy. Also revealed are the results of an annual local Economic Outlook Survey, covering business trends for the previous year and projections for 2018. The results are highlighted during the Economic Outlook Lunch and also printed for distribution during this popular annual event.
MORE INFO AND REGISTRATION AT: FoxCitiesRegion.com/eol/
KEYNOTE: Elliot Eisenberg Ph.D.
To stay competitive, you need to find, select and train new and existing employees. Let Fox Valley Technical College help you: • Find new employees • Evaluate with employee assessments • Enhance employee skills with seminars and customized training
President, chief economist and founder of GraphsandLaughs LLC Often called the “Stand-up Economist,” Elliot Eisenberg, uniquely specializes in making the arcana and minutiae of economics entertaining and relevant. Dr. Eisenberg is an established authority on the national and global economy and its impact on various industries. PRESENTING SPONSOR
CONTRIBUTING SPONSOR
PARTICIPATE IN THE ECONOMIC OUTLOOK SURVEY JAN 2 - JAN 9!
Contact our industry experts today!
www.fvtc.edu/EmployerResources • 920-735-2525
Fox Cities Business Winter 2017 2018 EOL ad for winter mag.indd 1
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ATTRACTING Much Needed Talent Our largest focus at the Fox Cities Regional Partnership, the economic development division of the Fox Cities Chamber, is our Business Retention and Expansion program. We conduct over 100 visits to existing Fox Cities employers annually to ask them about any challenges they may have affecting their growth and if there are opportunities they would like to take advantage of. Many employers have told us over the years that they are having an increasingly difficult time recruiting entry-level talent to their IT and engineering departments. This is not a challenge unique to the Fox Cities; as baby boomers retire and Generation Xers move into more senior positions, companies around the United States are competing for the best and the brightest students coming out of college. As we know, this market is competitive. We developed Talent Upload, a program for area employers, where we promote a three-day event for students to explore first-hand the Fox Cities and its superior employers. For this year’s event, students were required to complete a survey regarding what they value from a job perspective as well as a “quality-of-life” and how important those factors are when selecting a place to begin their careers. We began by asking the students if they planned on choosing a community in which to live prior to looking for a job there, or if they planned on finding a job first and then looking for a community neighborhood that was nearby. As you can see in the chart to the right, most of the students were looking for the right job—then choosing where to live. We often hear that millennials do just the opposite, so this was interesting. We then asked the students what the most important factors are to them when choosing a job. The students had four options to choose from regarding each factor. Outlined in the chart to the right are the factors that students identified as “very important” or “deal breaker”. These responses were not necessarily shocking. Much like the factors students look at when considering a job, we asked what was most important to them regarding a community in which to live. Outlined in the chart to the right are the factors that students identified as “very important” or “deal breaker”. Many of the options ranked close to what we predicted—of course, young people want recreational options. We were surprised, however, to see that some factors generally considered to be more appreciated by a “more mature” demographic, such as high-quality healthcare, a good public education system, and low crime, are VERY important to these students. This information may be useful for employers in our region when speaking with potential employees, as the Fox Cities is very competitive with many of the factors listed as important to many of the students.
Learn more about Talent Upload, the immersive three-day event to proactively engage with and recruit talent, by visiting foxcitiesregion.com.
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COMMUNITY Spotlight
WOW – We Care Charity has provided support to organizations such as Adopt-A-Family, Harbor House, Big Brothers Big Sisters Fox Cities, YMCA of the Fox Cities, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Friends of Autism and the Special Olympics.
WOW-We Care Charity Delivering GOOD Where It’s Needed Most
WOW – We Care Charity is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that was founded by WOW Logistics Company in 2015. The charity provides an opportunity for WOW Logistics employees and shareholders to give back to the communities where WOW Logistics does business. The charity’s support focuses on direct interpersonal involvement and financial support of other charitable organizations that reflect the core values of WOW Logistics Company. The charity is both managed and funded by WOW Logistics employees and shareholders. Employees electively donate bi-weekly deductions from their paychecks, ranging from $1 to $30 per check. To date, the charity is proud to say that 62% of WOW Logistics employees contribute to WOW – We Care Charity, on a bi-weekly basis.
Funds are also raised through two annual fundraising events – The Shooters Cup and The Barn Bash. The Shooters Cup, which takes place in May, is a sporting clay shooting competition held at Triple J Wing and Clay, located in Brillion. The Barn Bash is a dinner and entertainment event complete with live country music and BBQ food, in a unique barn setting. The Barn Bash takes place in early October and is open to the public. Most recently, WOW – We Care Charity has established a partnership with a locally-based organization called Rise Together. Rise Together is a grassroots organization dedicated to empowering youth to stand up and speak out on issues such as suicide, bullying, mental illness, drugs and alcohol. They do this through educational seminars, studentled programs, community awareness and motivational workshops. To learn more about WOW – We Care Charity, or request support, please visit WOW-WeCareCharity.org
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Upcoming Chamber
EVENTS
All of the Fox Cities Chamber events and details can be found online at: foxcitieschamber.com.
JANUARY
Business Connection
Business Breakfast Bytes
Wednesday, February 21, 2018 Hosted by: Edward Jones Location: Fox Cities Exhibition Center, Pre-Function Room 355 W. Lawrence Street, Appleton 5:00 – 7:00 PM
(Topic: “Leveraging Digital Resources”) Tuesday, January 16, 2018 Oak Park Place 2205 Midway Road, Menasha 7:30 – 9:00 AM
Fox Cities Chamber Report to the Community
MARCH
Thursday, January 18, 2018 Best Western Premier Bridgewood Resort Hotel & Conference Center 1000 Cameron Way, Neenah 7:30 – 9:30 AM
Thursday, March 1, 2018 Outer Edge Stage 303 N. Oneida Street, Appleton Time: TBD
Business Connection
2018 Fox Cities Future 15 Awards
Spring Small Business Workshop
Thursday, January 25, 2018 BMO Harris Bank 221 W. College Avenue, Appleton 5:30 – 7:30 PM
(Three-part workshop series) March 6, 13, 20 Lakeland University, Fox Cities Center 2320 Industrial Drive, Neenah Time: 3:00 - 5:00 PM
FEBRUARY
Your Future 8th Grade Career Expo
Member Orientation Thursday, February 1, 2018 Fox Cities Chamber 125 N. Superior Street, Appleton 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM
Economic Outlook Lunch Wednesday, February 14, 2018 Radisson Paper Valley Hotel 333 W. College Avenue, Appleton 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
Business Breakfast Bytes (Topic: “Recruiting”) Tuesday, February 20, 2018 Werner Electric Supply 4800 W. Prospect Avenue, Appleton 7:30 – 9:00 AM
Wednesday, March 14, 2018 Fox Cities Exhibition Center 355 W. Lawrence Street, Appleton Time: TBD
Your Future LIVE
Thursday, March 15, 2018 Fox Cities Exhibition Center 355 W. Lawrence Street, Appleton Time: TBD
Business Breakfast Bytes (Topic: “Developing your Brand Strategy”) Tuesday, March 20, 2018 Marian University, Appleton Campus 720 W. Association Drive, Appleton 7:30 – 9:00 AM
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1. Local mayors from Appleton, Kaukauna and Neenah joined forces for this year’s CEO of the City lunch ‘n learn event on August 16th to discuss current projects and hot topics in the Fox Cities. 2. Our September Business Connection was generously hosted by Thrivent Financial where guests were able to connect with one another, indulge in delicious farm to table cuisine and enjoy music by Fox Valley Symphony Orchestra. 3. The Chamber helped Fox Cities Leadership Academy celebrate their new name and logo reveal in September which better reflects the essence and educational goals of the organization. 4. Coldwell Banker The Real Estate Group held a ribbon cutting in honor of their office addition and remodel this past summer and the Chamber was proud to be part of their celebration. 5. Thanks to The Bar–Lynndale for hosting our October Business Connection where attendees had the chance to network during our monthly after-hours event.
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6. In November, a panel of experts, led by U.S. Chamber of Commerce Senior Director of Strategic Communications, J.D. Harrison, provided attendees with a dynamic presentation during the lunch ‘n learn event regarding the important role the business community plays in creating an environment where innovation can thrive. 7. In October, Edward Jones Devon Schoenbohm, invited the Chamber to participate in a ribbon cutting event to celebrate their new office location. 8. The Fox Cities Chamber was pleased to join Appleton Housing Authority in celebration of the grand opening of their new affordable housing development, Grand View Townhomes in October. 9. Care Partners Assisted Living invited the Chamber to share in their ribbon cutting and grand opening celebration in October. 10. The Fox Cities Chamber recognized September as Chamber of Commerce Month and was honored to receive signed proclamations from local mayors in recognition of the month-long celebration.
Not All Leads Are Created Equal Sales leads - The interest shown by sales leads implies they are closer to making a purchase than marketing leads. Where a marketing lead may visit your website from an e-newsletter link, a sales lead visits multiple key pages or invests in long-format content like whitepapers and e-books.
Treating all your leads the same can limit the efficiency of your marketing and sales teams. We’ve found companies experience a higher conversion rate when they properly categorize and respond to leads. The first step—defining basic rules to distinguish between three categories of leads: basic leads, marketing leads, and sales leads. Basic leads - Basic leads have never demonstrated behavior that implies interest in your products and services. Maybe you purchased these leads or imported them from a list of trade show attendees. Quick tip: For the moment, it’s not worthwhile to invest individual attention on these leads. Assign them to a nurture campaign like a quarterly e-newsletter. You’ll stay in front of them without draining valuable marketing and sales resources.
Quick tip: As the name implies, sales leads are ready for nextlevel attention. Assign these leads to your sales staff so they can identify and scope the initial opportunities that will lead to new sales.
The fastest way to improve the value of your leads is to distinguish between basic leads, marketing leads, and sales leads. If this falls outside your expertise, external resources can help optimize this process for the specific challenges of your business. Element is a full-service advertising agency that provides a unique blend of in-house services that combine traditional marketing and interactive strategies. They have offices in De Pere and Neenah.
Marketing leads - Unlike basic leads, marketing leads have demonstrated an observable interest in what you sell. This might include inbound leads who clicked a PPC ad or visited your website after a Google search. Marketing leads also comprise basic leads who graduate to the next level, such as tradeshow leads who visit your booth, or e-newsletter recipients who click a link to visit your website. Quick tip: Step up your marketing efforts to these leads. In addition to nurturing campaigns, send them personalized invitations to webinars or thought leadership pieces. Track their engagement and determine when their activity advances them to sales leads.
Anakh Leadership Coaching LLC Providing one-on-one coaching focused on leadership character development for business leaders and professionals. Self-mastery coaching is the key to developing sought after character virtues like: Patience Humility Self-control Self-discipline Courage Empathy Integrity Diligence
Be an authentic and inspirational leader today!
Cindy M. Nelson M.B.A., C.S.L.C.
Contributed by: Mike Dockum, Account Strategist, Element
Call 920-372-3990 today and find out what is holding you back from being the leader you want to be. E-mail: cindy@aleadershipcoach.com • www.aleadershipcoach.com/contact Fox Cities Business Winter 2017
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“What’s the most important thing you learned in 2017 that will improve your business in 2018?” with the PROFESSIONALS
What I learned in 2017 is that relationships still matter and search engines can be beat! There has been a ton written about how to work with millennials and what makes them tick. Let’s do away with the labels….and simply embrace the fact that if you sell a product, you need to sell “the way your customer (that individual customer) wants to buy!” I believe deep down, people need people and want relationships…even millennials! Oops, sorry no labels! With it becoming harder and harder to find qualified employees, companies need to do more with less - meaning the work load for many is expanding. I believe this bodes well for people in sales. If you really understand your customers and their needs plus you are efficient, professional, and fun to work with - you should be able to beat the internet search engines!
Doug Dobbe President Strategies, Ltd.
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See something, say something. I’ve repeated this to myself over and over in 2017. I’ve learned the hard way that if you don’t say something when it needs to be said, you may end up regretting it later on. Over the years, I’ve had passing thoughts that I didn’t say out loud when I should have, be it good or bad. Perhaps it’s telling my family I love them or providing advice to a client they don’t want to hear. Whatever the case, I try to deliver the message with confidence, empathy and context. Now I find myself embracing the opportunity to speak up. We have one shot at this life and I intend to make the most of it.
Lisa Cruz President Red Shoes PR, Inc.
The most important thing wasn’t so much learned as it was confirmed—our employees are our greatest assets. There were several moments in 2017 where tragedy consumed the news. At Hoffman, we choose to focus on our communities during these difficult times. Through our employees sharing of their time, talents, and treasures, I witnessed the positive impact it had not only on our employees, but on our communities and neighborhoods as well. As advocates for our communities, we will continue to focus on giving back and creating positive movements. And while this effort will add to our company morale and culture and make us a more compassionate and better business, more importantly, it will make our communities better places to live.
Sam Statz President Hoffman Planning, Design & Construction, Inc.
High-Tech AT YOUR TECH Groundbreaking innovations keep Fox Valley Technical College in a league of world-class
Contributed by: Chris Jossart • Manager, Media Relations Fox Valley Technical College • jossart@fvtc.edu
When you mix innovation and instructional experience in a blender and pour the end concoction into a bottomless glass of opportunity, what does it look like? Consistently strong graduate employment to meet the needs of area employers is an accurate response to the question. That formula for building our region’s workforce is called Fox Valley Technical College (FVTC). In 2017, FVTC welcomed two major innovations to its winning formula in order to sustain talent growth for local employers.
New IT Center of Excellence In March, FVTC unveiled its expanded Information Technology (IT) Center of Excellence in the northwest part of the Appleton campus. The renovations consisted of: • Two pod-designed classrooms with wall-to-wall IDEA paint, large multi-media screens, and conjoined desktops for face-to-face interaction • An expanded networking lab with data center • Flexible learning lecture rooms and enhanced help desk lab • A computer support classroom furnished with tear-down computers • Both faculty- and student-maker labs with 3D printing capabilities for designing and building projects The renovations align with growing demands for IT professionals throughout the region. Per month, there is an average of 30 full-time job postings for IT workers in Northeast Wisconsin, according to the college’s most recent graduate employment report.
Virtual Engine Rebrands Industry Students in FVTC’s Diesel Technology programs can now troubleshoot an engine anywhere from any angle while getting a closer look at its inner workings like never before. Thanks to the innovative design work of Tou Xiong and Josh Janikowski of the college’s Learning Innovations team, a new virtual reality engine is now part of its Diesel Technology programs. The engine responds to voice commands and includes a number of advanced vantage points to optimize the learning experience. For example, the shell of the engine is removable by voice command so learners can gain a personal view of operating parts like a crankshaft, pistons, valves, connecting rods, and more. Diesel Tech Instructor Jay Duca originated the idea. He believes the engine will get people excited about choosing diesel technology as a career. Currently there are 23 local full-time job postings per month for diesel technicians, according to Wisconsin TechConnect.
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CompanyName
DIAMOND MEMBER
Honor Roll October - December 2017
Diamond Members are companies that have supported the Chamber and community for more than 40 years. We’d like to express our gratitude to the following Diamond Member businesses for their membership and support to the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce.
Avis Rent A Car Corporate Office Carpetland U.S.A. Community First Credit Union Cumulus Broadcasting DoubleTree by Hilton Neenah Golper Supply Co., Inc. Goodwill Industries of North Central Wisconsin Kelly Services, Inc. Lullabye Shop Inc. McMAHON Nordon Business Environments Outlook Group Corp Pace Corporation Schenck SC U.S. Venture, Inc. We Energies Wintrust Wealth Management Wisconsin Distributors Appleton, LLC
JoinDate 10/1/1963 10/1/1971 10/1/1975 11/1/1976 12/1/1976 11/1/1965 11/1/1973 10/1/1975 12/1/1960 10/1/1977 12/1/1972 10/1/1977 11/1/1974 12/1/1930 12/1/1977 12/1/1966 12/1/1966 10/1/1973
LIVE GE NE ROU SLY
For more information about Thrivent Financial and how we help your community, visit Thrivent.com or call 800-847-4836.
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MEMBER
SERVICES
Helping Our Members Succeed
Small Business Programming
The Member Services team at the Fox Cities Chamber was formed in 2016 to provide members with high-quality education, valuable tools, accredited resources, mentoring and networking opportunities to empower and promote success.
Business Breakfast Bytes
BUSINESS BREAKFAST
B Y T E S
Once a month, from September through May, the Fox Cities Chamber provides Business Breakfast Bytes. These are educational sessions geared to tackle questions of concern for small to mediumsized businesses. In 2017, the sessions focused on topics such as exit planning, cybersecurity, and policies for every business, with each presentation growing in awareness and attendance. Business Breakfast Bytes are now drawing up to 50 attendees each month.
Small Business Workshops
SMALL BUSINESS WORKSHOP
Small Business Workshops allow us to help our small and mid-sized business members address concerns and identify solutions for their organization. Each workshop is comprised of several sessions in order to cover the degree of information on each topic while providing turnkey tools for attendees to utilize immediately in their business. Two workshops are typically offered each year – one in the Spring and one in Fall. The Spring workshop, titled “The Numbers”, featured Don Herrmann from Herrmann Advantage Consulting, LLC. Herrmann provided information on budgets, calculating value stream, and key points of process improvement. “Don’s workshop was absolutely eye-opening and reassuring. He took a topic that most small business owners avoid, and was able to teach in a way that was easy to understand.” - Kimberly Stoeger, Owner, Nutritional Healing, LLC
BConnected facilitated the Fall workshop “Social Daze”, and explained how to strategically use Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook to better promote your company and interact with customers across social media platforms.
“I really enjoyed the Social Daze Workshop. Our instructor was extremely knowledgeable, interesting and easy to learn from. As we were going through the different topics each week, we were able to apply the information directly to our own business pages while he was talking - which was really helpful. After the sessions, I was able to decide if each platform was worth our time and then was able to figure out how to best use the accounts to benefit our business. The cost of the sessions paid for itself with all of the knowledge that I gained on the first day, everything after that was a bonus!” - Rebecca Jackson, Marketing & Event Coordinator, Appleton Harley-Davidson
Fox Cities Chamber Ambassador Program
The Fox Cities Chamber is proud of its Ambassador team, a group of local leaders from the community, who believe in the vision and mission of the Chamber and volunteer their time to assist with events and provide outreach. The Ambassadors assist in areas such as registration at events, overall hospitality and member engagement. Having Ambassadors as a part of the membership team brings new perspective and ideas to the table, while continuing to make an impact within the community.
The membership team is excited to see membership grow, and to find further ways for members to optimize their Chamber membership benefits. With programs steadily increasing in attendance, we continue to search for topics of interest for our members. Connect with us to provide feedback, take advantage of your Chamber member benefits and learn more about the aforementioned programs. We look forward to hearing from you. Learn more on our website at: foxcitieschamber.com
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Reasons to Check Out a
Mobile Wallet
A mobile wallet refers to the apps that allow you to pay with your phone, including Android Pay, Samsung Pay and Apple Pay. These apps store your credit, debit or prepaid card information securely on their servers and allow you to pay for purchases in-store or online without having to swipe your card or enter your information. Beyond convenience, there are some good reasons to consider taking advantage of the technology. • Security – Mobile wallet apps do not send your card information to complete a transaction. Instead, a unique code is generated to send your data to the merchant. This means the digital risk for information being compromised is low. There is also a decreased risk from a physical security perspective. Having a wallet lost or stolen doesn’t leave you with any protection from your cards being used. If you lose your phone, your mobile wallet still requires a PIN to unlock on top of the password you already have on your phone. • Online Shopping – We live in the age where a few taps can get you almost anything you want, but that means we’re constantly entering credit card information into our go-to shopping websites or even storing that information on accounts we created. Using a mobile wallet when you’re shopping from your phone means you can enter your card details with a few convenient taps and perhaps eliminate the need to create an account and store these details with a retailer, reducing the inherent risk of your credit card information being stored in multiple locations. • Rewards – Your mobile wallet can be a one-stop shop for everything you need at the checkout, including those loyalty points. Many retailers let you load your reward card right into your mobile wallet so you won’t need to use multiple apps or pull out your trusty key tags.
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A couple caveats to consider. Your bank has to support the use of these apps and while hundreds of financial institutions offer the functionality it is not yet ubiquitous. Another more obvious consideration, your phone has to be charged. If you’re constantly running on low battery, you’ll want to have a backup option or a portable charger at the ready. Cellcom is an innovative wireless company that provides nationwide service for its customer base throughout Wisconsin and Michigan, with more than 50 retail and agent locations. Cellcom is respected for its long-standing reputation of delivering extraordinary customer care, being a strong community partner, and for its renowned network, which is customized to its rural markets. As a subsidiary of Nsight, Cellcom is part of a family of companies offering complete telecommunications services.
WELCOME New Members August – October 2017
The Fox Cities Chamber relies on members to continue its work in promoting business interests in the Fox Cities Region. Without these committed members, the Chamber would not be able to provide the high quality services it is known for.
Appleton Harley-Davidson
Complete Nutrition
5322 Clairemont Drive Appleton, WI 54913-8837 (920) 757-1651 http://www.appletonhd.com Automotive, Motorcycle & Truck Dealers
123 N. Mall Drive Grand Chute, WI 54913-8531 (920) 882-8008 http://www.completenutrition.com Health & Wellness
Apple Town Dental Care
Grandpa Randy Rathburn
536 N. Richmond Street Appleton, WI 54911-4657 (920) 734-2392 http://www.appletowndental.com Dental Services
730 Woodside Drive Seymour, WI 54165-1662 (920) 595-0011 http://www.cpay.com Merchant Processing Service
Aston Carter
Loewer & Associates
4351 W. College Avenue, Suite 500 Appleton, WI 54914-3928 (920) 636-4110 http://www.astoncarter.com Staffing Services
1500 N. Casaloma Drive, Suite 305B Appleton, WI 54913-8220 (920) 903-8825 http://www.loewertaxes.com Accountants
Ben Mayer – State Farm Insurance Agent
Office Furniture Resources
1395 W. American Drive, Suite E Neenah, WI 54956-1996 (920) 722-4457 http://www.benmayeragent.com Insurance Company
8787 W. Brown Deer Road Milwaukee, WI 53224-2116 (414) 353-9725 http://www.ofr-inc.com Office Furniture
Better Business Bureau of Wisconsin
Performance Solutions & Consulting, Inc.
1047 N. Lynndale Drive, Suite 1A Appleton, WI 54914-3059 (920) 734-4352 http://www.bbb.org Business Services
P.O. Box 703 Fish Creek, WI 54212-0703 (317) 506-1768 http://www.cherylgood.com Leadership & Management Development
CASA of the Fox Cities
The Bar of Appleton-Lynndale
1500 N. Casaloma Drive, Suite 401 Appleton, WI 54913-8219 (920) 257-4733 http://www.casafc.org Non-Profit Agency
2435 W. Nordale Drive Appleton, WI 54914-1820 (920) 954-0888 http://www.meetatthebar.com Bar & Grill
Charles Schwab Company, Inc.
Wines for Humanity
1871 N. Casaloma Drive Appleton, WI 54913-7980 (920) 225-0020 http://www.schwab.com Investment Management
3370 East Paris Way, #10 Appleton, Wisconsin 54913-8726 (920) 536-3236 http://www.winesforhumanity.com Beverage Caterer & Liquor Store
VIBRANT COMMUNITIES BEGIN WITH
VISION
PROVIDING FULL-SERVICE ENGINEERING, ARCHITECTURE & VISION TO OUR COMMUNITIES.
since 1909
Central Office Systems 2310 W. Nordale Drive Appleton, WI 54914-1887 (920) 933-8080 http://www.centralofficesystems.com Office Equipment & Supplies
920 751 4200
MCMGRP.COM Fox Cities Business Winter 2017
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In addition to Octoberfest being Appleton’s largest block party, the money raised benefits local nonprofit organizations year-round. Nearly 71% of the nonprofit food vendors made $1,000 or more this year, and Octoberfest has become a steady source of revenue for them as 88% have been vendors in the past. In addition, proceeds from Octoberfest are used for the competitive grant program that provides funding to nonprofits year round.
Grants are awarded via an application process in three cycles: December 15, March 15 and June 15. The application and instructions are available at octoberfestonline.org.
The 2017 Grant Recipients Appleton International Airport Creative Downtown Appleton, Inc. Family Services of NE WI Fox Cities Building for the Arts Fox Valley Symphony Friends of the Appleton Fire Department Greater Fox Cities Habitat for Humanity Hope Clinic & Care Center Prevent Suicide Fox Cities Paper Industry International Hall of Fame Sculpture Valley, Inc. St. Joseph Food Program The Building for Kids
2017 Octoberfest & License to Cruise Octoberfest celebrated 36 years of fun, community and tradition in September. This annual event of the Fox Cities Chamber was created to bring the community together to celebrate the Fox Cities and raise funds to support local nonprofit organizations that help make this a wonderful place to live, work and play. More than 150,000 people flocked to downtown College Avenue for the celebration. The event kicked-off on Friday, September 29th, with License to Cruise, the classic car show that featured Ford. For the second year in a row, a special collection of high-end vehicles were showcased at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center, this time featuring a variety of Ford models, old and new. Many of the vehicles were valued at over a million dollars! The two-day event boasts five stages of continuous music; a family fun area with stage entertainment, play equipment and much more; over 150 skilled artisans with unique, handcrafted items in the arts and crafts area, and food up and down College Avenue to satisfy everyone’s tastes. Octoberfest is an annual tradition for the 700+ volunteers who make the event possible, the attendees who want a relaxing day of fun with family and friends and for nonprofits to raise much needed revenue.
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2017 Sponsors Octoberfest is made possible by the generous contributions of its sponsors including: Event Sponsors Budweiser Fox Cities Chamber
Presenting Sponsor Tundraland
Premier Sponsors Appleton Harley-Davidson Chase JP Morgan
Executive Sponsor Pick ‘n Save
Corporate Sponsor Renewal by Andersen
Family Fun Sponsor Wisconsin Herd
In Partnership with: Valley Transit, Element, Appleton Downtown, Inc., Van’s Waste, Inc, Contract Transport Services (CTS), and History Museum at the Castle
Stage Sponsors included: The Woodward Radio Group WHBY-1150 AM WAPL 105.7 FM KISS 95.9 FM KZ Radio 104.3 FM RAZOR 94.7 FM Cumulus Media WVBO 103.9 FM WNAM 1280 AM WFRV – TV Channel 5 WGBA-NBC26
Mark Your Calendars for 2018 License to Cruise - Friday, September 28 Octoberfest - Saturday, September 29
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YOURVOICE Advocating for pro-business policy in the Fox Cities
Economic Impact of Foxconn Will Be Felt Statewide Contributed by: Scott Manley Senior Vice President of Government Relations, Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce To characterize Foxconn’s decision to invest $10 billion in Wisconsin to create 13,000 manufacturing jobs in Racine County as historic would be an understatement. It’s difficult to comprehend the magnitude of this investment and what it will mean for Wisconsin’s economy because we’ve never seen anything like it before in Wisconsin. It is the largest economic development project in Wisconsin history. The 20 million square foot campus – the size equivalent of seven Empire State Buildings – will employ 10,000 construction workers over a period of four to six years to build the massive facilities. But, those won’t be the only construction jobs. Imagine how many new houses, restaurants, banks, clinics, etc. will need to be built in the areas surrounding the Mount Pleasant campus to accommodate 13,000 families working for Foxconn. Beyond the 13,000 high-paying manufacturing jobs, it’s estimated that 22,000 other jobs will be created as the rippling impacts of the investment induce additional employment at first tier and second tier suppliers to Foxconn, and the many service sector businesses that will be necessary to support such a large operation. Although Racine County will certainly be the epicenter of this growth, the positive economic impact will be felt statewide. For example, a recent study predicts the Foxconn project will increase our statewide economic output by $5.2 billion each year. That’s a massive increase. Perhaps the largest statewide impact will be Foxconn’s supply chain purchases from Wisconsin companies. Foxconn is expected to purchase $1.4 billion in goods and services from businesses in our state each year. To put that number into perspective, Oshkosh Corporation serves as a great example. According to data from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, Oshkosh Corporation makes about $297 million of supply chain purchases in Wisconsin each year. Those purchases are made from 700 companies located in 140 different communities spanning 43 different counties.
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The economic impact of Oshkosh Corporation reverberates across nearly twothirds of the counties located in Wisconsin, despite its primary operations occurring in the Fox Valley. Families from all over Wisconsin benefit from this manufacturing activity. Yet, Foxconn’s supply chain purchases will be almost five-times the size of Oshkosh Corporation’s. It’s clear that Foxconn’s decision to create a hightech ecosystem in Southeast Wisconsin will positively impact communities throughout our state.
Although we believe the benefits of the Foxconn investment are clear, taxpayers are rightly focused on ensuring they are protected with regard to the incentives Wisconsin has offered to attract the company to our state. Foxconn has the opportunity to earn up to $3 billion in tax incentives, but they will only earn that much if they invest at least $9 billion in capital construction and create at least 13,000 jobs. The agreement is structured as a pay-as-you-grow incentive, so tax benefits only accrue in direct proportion to Foxconn’s investment and job creation in our state. The Foxconn project will provide a tremendous economic benefit to all Wisconsinites, while ensuring taxpayers receive a great return on their investment.
Manley joined Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce in 2005 after serving more than ten years as a policy advisor in the Wisconsin State Senate, where he focused his policy work in the areas of environment, natural resources, taxation and the judiciary. Manley currently serves as Vice President of the Wisconsin Civil Justice Council and serves as Vice Chairman of the Great Lakes Legal Foundation. He was also appointed by Governor Scott Walker’s Administration to represent business perspectives on the Wisconsin Unemployment Insurance Advisory Council.
Great Lakes Metro Chambers Coalition
Washington Advocacy in 2017
After the Presidential election of 2016, the Great Lakes Metro Chambers Coalition (GLMCC) identified a list of priorities related to President Trump’s stated campaign priorities. Over the past year, the coalition has lobbied for a seamless, efficient border with Canada, advocated for infrastructure projects in the Great Lakes States, sponsored a report on the importance of immigration to the Great Lakes economy, supported funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative as well as the Soo Locks project, and supported other policies important to continued growth of the Great Lakes economy. Over the year, GLMCC expressed support for President Trump’s priority of passing into law a comprehensive infrastructure package, contacted members of the Great Lakes Congressional delegation to ask that they too support infrastructure development as a priority and requested that they support the list of projects compiled by GLMCC members, which was provided to each Great Lakes Member of Congress. In addition, a GLMCC letter was sent to Transportation Secretary Chao asking that she support the Capital Investment Grant (CIG) program. A list of CIG projects in the Great Lakes States was sent to the Secretary as well. In November, GLMCC leadership met with a White House official handling infrastructure. The leadership expressed to him the importance to the Great Lakes economy of moving an infrastructure bill forward. GLMCC commented to the Administration on another of President Trump’s priorities - NAFTA renegotiation. The coalition provided official comments to the United States Trade Representative (USTR) outlining GLMCC’s NAFTA priorities which include increased border efficiency, visa policies which reflect the importance of a strong supply of immigrant workers in the Great Lakes states, and support for the US-Canada Regulatory Cooperation Council and alignment of regulations which would facilitate more efficient trade between the US and Canada. The coalition continues to communicate with Members of Congress and the Administration about the importance of NAFTA to the Great Lakes economy.
Contributed by: Laurie Purpuro Government Affairs Advisor, K&L Gates
At the end of October, GLMCC and the New American Economy (NAE) jointly released a report, New Americans and a New Direction: The Role of Immigrants in Reviving the Great Lakes Region, which explores the contributions immigrants have made in the area, calculating their spending power and tax contributions, their influence on the labor market, and their role in combating population decline throughout the region. That report was shared by GLMCC with Great Lakes Members of Congress and the administration. GLMCC supported a number of other policy issues including the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), which the Administration had proposed eliminating. The House and Senate included full funding for GLRI in their appropriations bills. The coalition also supported the 21st Century Energy Workforce Act supporting STEM education and energy workforce development. In addition, GLMCC sponsored webinars on tax reform, NAFTA, and the GLMCC/NAE immigration report. In 2018, GLMCC will continue to be part of the discussion as Congress and the Administration further debate these and other issues important to growth of the Great Lakes regional economy. For more information about GLMCC’s work, please visit their website at greatlakesmetrochambers.com. Laurie Purpuro is a government affairs advisor at the firm of K&L Gates in Washington D.C., and provides policy expertise for the Great Lakes Metro Chamber Coalition (GLMCC). GLMCC’s membership consists of nearly 40 chambers of commerce from Great Lakes states, including Wisconsin.
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MEMBERSpotlight Spotlight MEMBER
Member Spotlights are included in your membership package at the Grow ($700) or above level. Contact MiKayla Kunde for more information by email mkunde@foxcitieschamber.com or (920) 734-7101.
Anakh Leadership Coaching focuses on building leadership character virtues. True leaders are not only intellectually competent, organized and driven, they also personify humility, patience, self-discipline, empathy and integrity. Developing character virtues is a process of confronting and continually improving upon our weaknesses. Clients experience an increase in self-awareness, and through application of proven techniques, they eliminate old, ineffective behavior patterns. Anakh Leadership Coaching works with business leaders and professionals who have a strong desire to be seen as a sincere and trustworthy leader and highly effective role model in the workplace, at home and within the community. We don’t know what we don’t know. That is why self-mastery coaching is so important. We can’t change what we can’t see. And, we also can’t change something that we don’t understand. There are several upcoming leadership development workshops beginning in January 2018 which include Leadership Character Development for GenX, Leadership Character Development for Millennials, Increasing Emotional Intelligence, Setting and Maintaining Boundaries, and Giving your Self-Confidence a Permanent Boost. Workshops will be held at the Bordini Center in Appleton. For more information, visit aleadershipcoach.com
CR Meyer is a full service general contractor specializing in precision installation of industrial equipment, general construction and plant maintenance. We employ ironworkers, millwrights, carpenters, boilermakers, laborers, pipefitters, cement finishers, operators and masons. Our skilled field personnel are supported by technical and professional staff, many of whom are professionally registered. Since 1888, CR Meyer has focused on providing expert project guidance for the following industries: Food and Beverage, General Industrial, Hydro/Power Generation, Maintenance Services, Mining, Converting/Printing/Plastics/Packaging, Oil and Gas, Pulp and Paper and Scrap and Recycling. CR Meyer is the proud first-time recipient of the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Wisconsin ACE (Awareness, Compliance, Education) Safety Award. CR Meyer met the established OSHA construction safety standards as demonstrated through successful completion of a four-step qualification process. For more information, visit crmeyer.com
Writing by DesignSM, LLC, founded in 2006, has a mission to help businesses communicate with Crystal ClearSM writing. We assist global companies in launching new products with our exceptional concept writing. We also assist local businesses with writing and producing everything from web content to online videos to radio ads and more. Locally, Writing by Design’s clients represent a wide variety of industries, including restaurants, financial services, education, manufacturing and more. On a national level, Writing by Design helps Fortune 500 companies launch new products within the U.S. and globally by writing Crystal ClearSM concepts that are tested with consumers. As Writing by Design’s national and global concept writing client list continues to grow, so do our services. In 2016, we added Concept College and Concept Review services, and translation services in 2017. Additionally, in 2016 we acquired our first client outside the U.S. with headquarters in Saudi Arabia. On innovation projects, we partner with a research designer/moderator in New Jersey and a creative director in Chicago. Locally, we partner with NorthCoast Productions (Green Bay) to produce videos and animations for our clients. We retain a graphic designer on staff and utilize several freelance graphic designers, photographers and videographers as well. For more information, visit writingbydesignllc.com
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Heid Music is committed to music education in schools and our communities. Their team is a complete resource for all things musical, from repairs and lessons to rentals and new/used instruments for purchase, including band and orchestra, acoustic and digital pianos, guitars, drums and more. It also features Wisconsin’s largest selection of print music. Heid Music is proud to be a community music resource in Appleton, Green Bay, Wisconsin Rapids, Oshkosh and Madison. They are a third-generation family-owned business with a team of passionate & knowledgeable music enthusiasts. Heid Music works with aspiring musicians; intermediate, advanced and professional musicians; student musicians and their parents; music teachers/directors; and the musical/arts community. The year 2018 marks Heid Music’s 70th anniversary. For 70 years, they have been an integral part of downtown Appleton and the Fox Cities community. To celebrate, there will be fun, engaging promotions throughout the new year. For more information, visit heidmusic.com IVI, Inc., based in Greenville, was founded in 1993 with a vision of becoming the best industrial ventilation contractor in the United States. To do so meant focusing its priorities on helping manufacturers comply with local, state and national indoor and outdoor air quality regulations. While IVI’s founder, Gerry Auler, honed his skills in the foundry industry, IVI also designs, builds and installs dust collection systems for a wide variety of industries, including wood milling, plastic packaging, material handling, frac sand, food, automotive, pulp and paper, material handling and mining. Most recently, IVI has been sharing its industrial ventilation expertise with customers and helping them comply with OSHA’s new, more stringent rule on employee exposure to respirable crystalline silica. A growing company with a second location in Spartanburg, South Carolina, IVI services customers throughout the United States, as well as in Canada and Mexico. For more information, visit ivinc.com Miron Construction Co., Inc. specializes in construction management, design-
build, industrial, and general construction services. We are committed to building excellence into every project. Our mission is to provide a competitively-priced, quality project that is constructed in a safe and secure environment. Miron has been providing professional construction services to clients throughout the Midwest, with an expanded geographical reach across the U.S., for the past 99 years. We serve commercial/retail, governmental/community, educational, healthcare, industrial, environmental, and religious markets. We continue to grow and expand our presence throughout Wisconsin, opening a new Eau Claire office in 2015, with visions of a satellite office in Green Bay in 2018. Miron also remains committed to the Madison area, and will be moving to a new office building next year. We are excited to be celebrating our 100-year anniversary in 2018. Our company has changed a great deal over the years, but one thing remains the same: our commitment reaches beyond construction; our passion brings dreams to life. For more information, visit miron-construction.com
Oak Park Place provides independence when you want it, assistance when you
need it. With spacious studio, one and two bedroom apartments in assisted living, the choice is yours. Memory care at Oak Park Place provides a structured environment for individuals with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. Oak Park Place is a senior living community offering assisted living and memory care services to adults 55 and over. Whether searching for yourself or a loved one, Oak Park Place offers a variety of settings and floor plans to meet your needs. Oak Park Place is accepting new residents in both the assisted living and memory areas of the community. Contact us today to schedule a tour! A company with deep Wisconsin roots, Oak Park Place is a proud supporter of UW Badger athletics. Check out our Memories that Last a Lifetime Photo Contest with the Badgers and submit your entry: http://bit.ly/Badger_Memories. For more information, visit oakparkplace.com/menasha.aspx Fox Cities Business Winter 2017
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MEMBERSpotlight Spotlight MEMBER
Member Spotlights are included in your membership package at the Grow ($700) or above level. Contact MiKayla Kunde for more information by email mkunde@foxcitieschamber.com or (920) 734-7101.
Rogers Memorial Hospital – Appleton provides mental health treatment for adults with eating disorders, depression and mood disorders, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and OCD and anxiety disorders. While in outpatient treatment at Rogers, clients will receive medication management; individual, group and family therapies; behavioral therapies; nursing; and dietary groups. Rogers – Appleton serves adults, 18 and older, who are struggling with various mental health issues. Rogers is able to care for children and adolescents at other Wisconsin locations. Please visit rogersbh.org for information on child and adolescent programming. We are excited to share that a Dual Diagnosis program for adults is coming soon! Be on the lookout for more information. Rogers is a non-profit, free standing psychiatric system driven to care for others through evidence based treatment. We are in-network with most major insurance companies and can help you understand your insurance benefits. To get started with programming, call Wendy at 920-843-5660 for a free, confidential screening! For more information, visit rogersbh.org
Sadoff E-Recycling & Data Destruction works to reduce the environmental impact as the use of consumer electronics skyrockets. They are also leading the way with secure data destruction, a critical concern for businesses and individuals. From businesses to individuals, Sadoff is not only a trusted recycling patner, but also a consultant. They speak your language and listen to you, understand your needs and create customized, secure and environmentally friendly recycling programs that provide value from your end of life electronics and ensure peace of mind. Recycling in the Fox Valley since 1947 - they are leveraging over 70 years of recycling expertise to offer solutions for all electronic items. Their data destruction services offer security and peace of mind for you and your businesses confidential data. Sadoff offers expertise in handling computers, mobile devices, network equipment, phone systems and much more. Contact Sadoff about putting a custom solution together to meet your individual needs. For more information, visit sadoff.com
Senior Helpers of the Fox Cities is the national leading company of professional non-medical home care and personal care services. They focus on enhancing caregiver skills while enriching the lives of seniors and aging loved ones in their homes. The mission at Senior Helpers of the Fox Cities is to promote and enable our adult and senior clients to live independently and safely in their own home while aging gracefully. Senior Helpers is a fast growing, locally owned and operated in-home care business in Appleton. They are constantly recruiting, hiring and training professional caregivers for our aging community. They can assist during your rehabilitation after surgery, encourage and motivate exercising, prepare nutritious meals, provide medication reminders, complete light housekeeping tasks including laundry, provide incidental transportation, and specialize in dementia and memory care. Senior Helpers strives to provide you the peace of mind you deserve with your loved one safe at home. Clients of Senior Helpers are adults and seniors in Winnebago, Outagamie and Calumet counties. Our customized caregiving services are available for as little as one hour all the way through 24/7 one-on-one care. We are happy to discuss your specific inquiry for no obligation with a free consultation with our home care experts. For more information, visit seniorhelpers.com/foxcities
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von Briesen & Roper, s.c. is a Wisconsin-based law firm with a strong, diverse,
and thriving regional, national and international practice. Our attorneys provide exceptional client service and innovative, cost-effective, and practical legal advice and representation. Founded in 1904, we have enjoyed continued growth and today we are more than 150 lawyers strong with offices in Appleton, Green Bay, Oshkosh, Madison, Milwaukee and Waukesha County. We are leaders in banking, bankruptcy, business, construction, crisis management, employee benefits, environmental, estate planning, government and regulatory, health, intellectual property, labor, litigation and risk management, public finance, real estate, and school law. We are committed to meeting the needs of our clients, our community, and the profession. For more information, visit vonbriesen.com
Appleton Retirement Community (passionately enriching the lives of seniors for 20 years) offers independent and assisted living for seniors wishing to remain active, yet giving peace of mind with staff on-site 24 hours per day. Apartments range in size from studio to two bedrooms with a den. Many amenities and services are included with up to three freshly prepared meals per day. Daily activities and outings are plentiful. We have one simple goal, to provide attractive lifestyle options in a caring, residentfocused environment. The health and well-being of our residents is always our top priority. Residents at Appleton Retirement Community are seniors, age 55 and older, who wish to remain independent or who need help with their activities of daily living. Call or email Sara at 920-450-3350 or sfawcett@midwestseniorliving.net to schedule a lunch and/or a tour and see our many recent updates. For more information, including floor plans, visit appletonretirement.com.
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