FALL 2016 | VOLUME 17 | ISSUE 3

fox cities chamber

Energizing & Empowering Enterprise

FALL 2016 Volume 17, Issue 3

Smart Girls Rock!

Female Powered STEM Careers

Small Business New Programs and Services

Cover Story

Image Studios Adventures in Storytelling

Brian Gottlieb Tundraland

Lisa Kogan-Praska Catalpa Health

InThis

ISSUE 2 President’s Perspective Views from Chamber

18 Chamber Introduces New Small Business Programs 19 New Members & Diamond Members 20 Happenings 22 Cybersecurity

President/CEO Shannon Full

6 Cover Story

Appleton’s Image Studios Adventures in Storytelling

10 How to:

set up an office space at home 11 Q&A With The Professionals 12 Talent

23 Guest Column

to Generate Better Sales Appointments for Big-Ticket Products and Services

16 Fox Cities Regional Partnership

Mission: ESGR by LeRoy Frahm, Ombudsman Director, Wisconsin Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve

24 Member Spotlight

Smart Girls Rock!

Female Powered STEM Careers

15 5 Ways

An Interview with Senator Ron Johnson

Photography by: BConnected, LLC Image Studios

On The Cover

Michael Leschisin, Scott Ehlers and Donna Gehl- Owners of Image Studios in Appleton. Cover Photo: Shane Van Boxtel, CGI Artist: Leivur Djurhuus, Retouching Artist: Rob Resnick 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.

Fox Cities Night Market Wednesday, September 28th | 6-10pm Wisconsin Avenue between Oneida & Drew St. More info: pulsefoxcities.com/bazaar-after-dark/ P r e s e n t e d b y T u n d r a l a n d

Fox Cities Business Fall 2016

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President’s

PERSPECTIVE “Our success is grounded in collaboration, partnership, a strong team, a solid value proposition and a commitment to innovation through solution-based strategies.”

Dear Members, I can’t believe I am writing this already, but welcome to Fall. I hope you had an enjoyable Summer. As we move into Fall, we begin looking forward to the next year and how we can better fulfill our mission. We have identified priorities for this upcoming year including enhancing our overall member experience with a focus on small business members, driving the local economy forward through increased economic development, innovative program development and a focus on talent attraction, retention and development, while creating an even stronger pro-business climate through our public policy work. Our success is grounded in collaboration, partnership, a strong team, a solid value proposition and a commitment to innovation through solution-based strategies.

Our small businesses are the lifeblood of our local economy and of our chamber membership. 68% of our 1100 members have 15 employees or less.

The demands and needs of our small businesses have been identified and we are launching three new, innovative programs for small businesses – Business Breakfast Bytes, Small Business Workshops and Peer2Peer Roundtables.

Our goal is to increase the value and benefits that we provide our small business members. We are your partner and resource, and we welcome your engagement, feedback and partnership.

Our local economy has seen steady, strong growth over the past five years, and our economic development outcomes through the Fox Cities Regional Partnership are right on track. We will exceed our goal of assisting with the creation of 1200 local jobs over the last five years. We see tremendous support from you, our stakeholders, and we continue to deliver programs that are bringing new business to the area, as well as significant expansion and retention with our local employers. Thank you, investors of the Partnership, for your continued support and investment.

Talent, the topic that we hear daily. This is a strategic priority that is in the highest demand. Every employer that we work with is referencing the need to attract, develop and retain talent in order to sustain and grow their operations. We are passionate about partnering with you, our members, to help you meet this critical need. We now have eight innovative, solutionbased programs addressing various talent challenges while driving significant results.

Finally, our local economy is fueled by business growth and prosperity. We have a focus on public policy and are ramping up our efforts to support a strong pro-business policy agenda. We are dedicated to advocating, educating and lobbying for pro-business policies that are sensible and actionable. We are dedicated to the policies versus solely dependent upon partisan lines. It is imperative that we have strong relationships and forward movement on both sides of the aisle.

Thank you again for your tremendous investment of time and resources. We sincerely appreciate the partnership and are committed to working with you to advance growth and prosperity of our region.

Shannon Full President/CEO

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Chairman of the Board Daniel P. Ferris SECURA Insurance Companies Chairman-Elect Bruce Zak JPMorgan Chase, N.A. Past Chairman Kip Golden CR Structures Group, Inc. Secretary/Treasurer Kathi Seifert Katapult, LLC Board of Directors Jen Bauer Miron Construction Co., Inc. Lisa Cruz Red Shoes PR, Inc. John Dennis Gardan Inc. Curt Detjen Community Foundation Travis Froze BMO Harris Bank Ted Galloway Galloway Company Jason Henderson Feeding America - Eastern WI Chris Hess ThedaCare Sharon Hulce Employment Resource Group Inc. Dean Kaufert City of Neenah Chris Matheny Fox Valley Technical College Rick Parks Modern Woodmen of America Todd Romenesko Calumet County Bruce Sasman We Energies Mark Scheffler Appleton Group, LLC Heather Schimmers St. Elizabeth Hospital/Ministry Healthcare Scott Teerlinck Werner Electric Supply Gary Vaughan Guident Business Solutions Abe Weber Appleton International Airport Bob Zemple Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP Ex-Officio Kevin Eismann Epiphany Law, LLC Publisher Shannon Full Editor Rachel Birschbach Design Wild Apple Creative Photography BConnected Image Studios Printing JP Graphics

The Chamber Welcomes Three New Staff Members Nora Langolf - Vice President of Finance and Administration

As the Vice President of Finance and Administration, Nora will be the team leader for all financial matters, including accounting and reporting, cash management, forecasting and internal audit. She is also responsible for Human Resources, staff training and Information Technology. Nora will also lead a team responsible for building and facilities management.

Nora joins the Chamber with over 25 years of financial experience, more than half in the non-profit sector.

Her extensive experience in accounting and technology brings a combination of skills that will propel the Chamber to the next level and provide members with easier access to programs and services. Nora can be reached by email at nlangolf@foxcitieschamber.com or by phone at (920) 734-7101 ext. 118.

Beth Haase - Director of Small Business Development

Beth is responsible for welcoming new members into the Chamber and is part of the new Small Business Team. She assists both new and current members to get the most out of membership. That means helping small businesses overcome challenges by getting them involved in the community, assisting them while building a network within their peer group, connecting them with resources they may not have known about otherwise and by enhancing their credibility.

Bringing more than 20 years of advertising sales, sales training and sales management experience to her new role at the Chamber, Beth understands that small to medium sized businesses need affordable awareness and lead generation ideas, resources to help them grow to the next level and connections to a relevant talent base. For more information about joining the Chamber, Beth can be reached by email at bhaase@foxcitieschamber.com or by phone (920) 734-7101 ext. 115.

Heather Warnecke - Director of Small Business Programming Heather Warnecke is the other half of the Chamber’s Small Business Team. She is responsible for determining the actual needs of our local businesses by identifying the root causes of identified issues.

After which, she will apply her expertise and tools acquired from earning a MS degree in Adult Education to determine solutions such as the education, resources and tools small business owners and operators want and need for growth and sustainability in the Fox Cities. Within a few months of joining the team, Heather has partnered with several local stakeholders to create various educational programs that are engineered to educate on various topics specifically requested from our Chamber members. Three of the programs are available to Chamber Members only and are scheduled to launch September 2016 and be offered regularly through December 2017; they are the Business Breakfast Bytes, Small Business Workshops and Peer2Peer Roundtables for small and mid-sized business owners and operators.

Heather comes to us with over 12 years of professional expertise and proven success as a training strategist that successfully diagnosed and implemented solutions for various Fortune 500 Companies.

Heather can be reached by email at hwarnecke@foxcitieschamber.com or by phone (920) 734-7101 ext.

126.

Fox Cities Business Fall 2016

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COMMUNITY

REPORT TO THE

January 12, 2017 Bridgewood in Neenah

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Fox Cities Business Fall 2016

Thank You To This Year’s Sponsors Presenting Sponsors:

Premier Sponsor:

Welcome Class of 2016 - 2017 LEADERSHIP FOX CITIES

Another year of Leadership Fox Cities is underway! This year’s class includes 39 professionals dedicated to grow as leaders and engage in their community. Gathering monthly for nine consecutive months, this class will learn about the Fox Cities’ accolades as a community, as well as the challenges we are facing. The program culminates in May 2017 with these professionals launching community-driven sustainable projects that will inspire our community to keep moving forward.

“Community leadership is the courage, creativity and capacity to inspire participation, development and sustainability for strong communities.” –Gustav Nossal

Carlyn Andrew Boys & Girls Clubs of the Fox Valley

Trever Ermers American National Bank Fox Cities

Lisa Barwick Oshkosh Corporation

Jennifer Fisher SECURA Insurance

Brent Baumler ThedaCare

Sarah Forseth Bank First National

Mary Butler Medical College of Wisconsin, Children’s Hospital

Chip Gabbey Pro Staff Josh Gitter FNB - Fox Valley

Jamie Cartwright Weidert Group

David Govier Appvion

Amanda Chavez Chavez Design / Go Valley Kids

Laura Gruender Thrivent Financial

Brett Christofferson Corcoran Glass and Paint, Inc./CG Products, LLC Julie Coenen Fox Valley Technical College Melanie Draheim Network Health

Nicole Hanke Thomson Reuters Jamin Homan St. Elizabeth Hospital Danielle Jost Thrivent Financial Julie King Appleton Area School District

Melissa Kissinger Miron Construction

Luke Rhyner First Merit Bank

Melissa Koehler Affinity Medical Group

Amy Rutz Chase

Tina Krueger Appleton Public Library

Katherine Seifert Seifert Law Office

Brandon Lepp BMO Harris Bank

Anna Simeth Lawrence University

Jessica Marhefke Miller Electric Mfg. Co.

Mark Thiel ThedaCare

Sara Marquardt Wipfli

Jim Vander Sanden PRN Health Services

Jill Martin Outagamie County Recycling and Solid Waste Justin Monnette We Energies

Ryan Veleke Plexus Emily Wagner Goodwill Industries

Michelle O’Mahoney Schenck SC Zack Pawlosky Candeo Creative Susan Perri United Way Fox Cities

Fox Cities Business Fall 2016

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At Appleton’s Image Studios

Every Picture Tells A Story

Photo by Michael Leschisin

O

nce upon a time an ad agency art director would dream up a photo concept they believed could communicate their client’s product or corporate story in an innovative way. Then, teaming up with one of the talented photographers at Image Studios, they would select backgrounds, props and lighting and create that photograph. “It’s hard to believe that we used to use Polaroid film back then to give us a rough idea of how the propping and lighting was looking before we ever put real film in the camera,” said Scott Ehlers, one of Image Studios three owners. “By contrast, today’s digital photography shows us exactly the shot we have achieved in real time.”

Even back in the film photography days, Image, as they are often referred to, saw the need to stay competitive. They expanded from simply shooting photos to also developing and printing them to better serve the needs of their clients. “In order to compete with every studio out there with a camera we realized we had to provide more services than just photography,” explains studio owner and president Donna Gehl. “When digital technology arrived, we quickly decided to invest in it and even expand our services to include prepress production and photo retouching.” As times and technologies change, Image Studios has worked relentlessly to keep up with those changes.

To both meet the changing needs of their clients and to survive the Great Recession, the company took another giant step in 2009 and dove head first into the world of videography. “Like many businesses in Northeast Wisconsin, the recession hit us hard,” recalls Gehl, “we knew we had to reinvent ourselves and expand services once again in order to stay competitive.”

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Gehl, Ehlers and third partner Michael Leschisin, decided to make a serious financial investment into professional video equipment. Leschisin who had previous video experience became their first videographer. Since then the company has expanded its team of photographers, editors, producers, and support staff to meet the growing requests for a wide array of corporate videos and broadcast commercials.

Image Studios shooting corporate video on location.

When asked how the company has survived over 50 years Gehl responds, “Number one, you have to stay relevant.

You must be able to anticipate and act on the next big thing.” She added that creating the right company culture is also paramount. “It’s what has helped Image attract and retain not only the best talent but also the best clients. The incredible culture that our founders built for this company still stands today, ” she says.

For Gehl and her staff, culture fit is a two-way street. Clients search for service providers that can not only deliver the work but also the working relationship that fits their process. “The flip side of that,” she says, “is that we look for clients that allow us to do our best work. That’s what makes a business relationship mutually rewarding and long lasting.” The philosophy seems to be working. Image has retained some of its clients for over 20 years.

Photo by Scott Ehlers

While Image still partners with creative agencies, more and more of their clients are coming to them directly says Gehl.

“Most of our corporate clients know exactly what they want to say but they now look to us for help in saying it in a way that is highly creative and engaging.” As a result, Image has had to go well beyond lighting, props and backgrounds to become full-fledged experts in the art of storytelling. “It’s an art that is ever evolving,” says Leschisin.

“What our clients really want from us is a dramatic and engaging production.

They want to stand out from other brands and they want Hollywood quality. We’re constantly on the lookout for new video technologies and techniques to deliver that.”

Photo by Michael Leschisin Photo by Shane VanBoxtel

To that end, Image continues to invest heavily in new tools for their storytelling tool box, the latest being MōVI camera stabilization equipment and an aerial drone with 4K video camera.

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The company’s newest service offering is something called CGI or Computer Generated Imagery. With it, Image Studios can create a photo real image without needing an actual product to photograph.

A manufacturer will provide CAD design drawings for a new product that has yet to be produced. The studio then computer renders that product in whatever kind of material, color, texture and angle specified. Because Image is first and foremost a photo studio, its CGI operators have the benefit of working with experienced photographers to create the correct lighting, propping and textures to make the computer renderings virtually impossible to distinguish from a real photo. “The benefit,” explains Ehlers, “is that the renderings can be used to test market the product via a catalogue or website. If the product is well received, the company can proceed with production. If it’s a flop, no manufacturing costs were wasted producing it.”

When asked, “What’s next?” Gehl mused, “We’d really love to produce our own documentaries someday; something that could, in a small way, help change the world. That would be something that everybody here would be able to wrap their arms around, contribute to and be incredibly proud of.”

Photo by Michael Leschisin

Over the years, Image’s storytelling expertise has also helped many charities in Northeast Wisconsin. “We encourage all our employees to commit their talents to help further important community causes like reducing homelessness or to drawing attention to mental health issues,” says Gehl. “It not only gives them a chance to flex their own creative muscle, it’s also a really great way for everyone to really understand and contribute to the needs of our community.”

“It all comes down to creating compelling communication through pictures and words,” adds Gehl. “All of us here love the challenge of finding the most concise and efficient way to do that for our clients.”

Is it Real or is it Computer Generated?

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Above are samples of real photos and Computer Generated Images. Can you tell which are which? Answers are on page 25.

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Save The Date

November 10, 2016

The Great Gatsby Sponsored by

How to set up an office

space at home

Contributed By: Cindy Timm, Building Service Inc.

Every day I help companies create inspiring office spaces.

Places where employees come to be creative, concentrate and collaborate on ideas and projects.

Technology has certainly made it easier to work from almost anywhere and at any time. At times this means working from home, sometimes for a few hours, but for others this is the daily office. While working from your living room or kitchen may seem like a great idea in the beginning, the real challenge happens when you need to create a presentation and the kids need their breakfast.

Your work area now becomes crowded, loud and not conducive to the concentration level you need. So you decide that a home office is the answer, but where do you begin?

Finally, choose a comfortable chair. A good ergonomic chair can help reduce seated stress and fatigue. Look for a chair with height adjustability, swivel tilt and adjustable arms as these features can help you work longer.

The great thing about having a home office is that you get to make it your own. Go ahead and add your personal touch; a crystal vase to hold pens and pencils, pictures of family and personalized card holders. Make your home office the space you want to spend time in being creative and inspired.

Let’s start by finding a space. Take a look around. Is there an area that inspires you, or you feel you could work at every day? It can be the kitchen, a spare bedroom, or maybe you are lucky enough to have a space already dedicated as an office. While looking around ask yourself a few questions:

• Will you have adequate natural light?

To make up for lack of natural lighting, supplement with a free standing lamp

on the desk or credenza.

• Will you be able to control the noise level around you?

Aside from others being in the home with you while you’re working, will

radios and televisions be on? They can create enough noise to be distracting.

Choose an area further away from family activity and distracting noise.

• Can you leave the area unattended without anyone disturbing it?

We all need to walk away from our work from time to time but you don’t

want to come back and find that your pet jumped up on the desk and now

everything is on the floor. A door could help out.

• Do you need to meet with anyone?

Think about who you are meeting with. If it is a fellow employee, the

meeting could be casual, say around the dinner table.

• Can you control the temperature?

Setting up your desk by a window sounds inviting and inspirational, but the

outside temperature changes can make it either too hot or too cold.

Knowing these answers will help define how you want to work and will make finding the desired space easier.

Now that you’ve chosen the space, it’s time to add the furniture. Furnishings should reflect how you like to work without hindering you from completing the task. Invest in quality work furnishings that are ergonomically designed to reduce fatigue and pain by eliminating awkward positioning, poor or inadequate clearance and excessive reach. Start with a sturdy work surface. The work surface should be large enough to accommodate your work tools, laptop, phone and paperwork and wide enough for you to move your knees and legs under the surface. Accessories like a monitor arm or keyboard tray can help you achieve the best fit. Storage should be placed close to your work area so it can be accessed quickly. Space is at a premium so filing cabinet tops can double as shelves or as a usable surface for a printer.

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Cindy Timm and her family are lifelong residents of the Fox Valley. Cindy has been working for Building Service Inc. as an Account Executive for three plus years and has helped many local companies create innovative and inspiring spaces. BSI has been improving the way people work since 1947. Their in-house experts design, build and furnish interiors for businesses. If you would like more information about this article or about BSI’s products and services, call them at 920.735.3535.

with the PROFESSIONALS I purchased ERC two years ago.

Nobody buys a business to keep it exactly the same. The trick is to improve upon what’s been done without ruining what makes it great. Innovation often gets typecast as the “big idea” when, in fact, it’s little cumulative efforts strung together. “Garbage Can” theory says organizations toss out many solutions because they lack appropriate problems. At ERC, we focus on solutions realizing the right problem may not have been uncovered yet. Our entire staff is encouraged to ask questions and to think about what could be – and as leaders we try to remember an “okay” idea today may be the perfect idea tomorrow. This mindset has not only brought about significant changes in operations but also helped us build a stronger culture and a system of open dialogue. We are significantly more efficient than we were two years ago, and the most impactful solutions were ideas that had been tossed before.

How has innovation become engrained in your organization’s culture, and how is it being optimized?

As a contract machine shop, the nature of our work requires daily innovation by our employees. Many of the parts fabricated and machined for our customers are unique parts that are newly designed and are being made for the first time. Competition in our industry requires not only short lead times and impeccable quality, but also attractive pricing. This requires us to look at every part and every job as a new and innovative challenge; to determine how to most efficiently quote, schedule and manufacture to meet our customers’ requirements and exceed our competitors’ offerings. Optimizing these variables is paramount to success. Flexibility and variability in our schedules is a requirement and a challenge; options are reviewed daily by the production team, and innovative solutions are an ongoing necessity to meet and exceed our customers’ expectations.

At MCC, Inc., we have decided that the largest innovation we could possibly make for the future is to increase our investment in our employees, and the future of our employment base. We have worked to develop relationships with high schools, technical schools, Boy Scout troops and groups like the Fox Cities Regional Partnership that we can gain an audience with to show young adults that they can build a great career in an industry that becomes more technology-driven every day. We have also learned that our employees are our best recruiters; which led us to developing a referral program that rewards our employees for assisting in bringing new talented employees to our team at MCC, Inc. What will the road ahead hold? No one really ever knows; however, if you invest in the people that build that road with you, they will travel it with you however winding it is.

Steven F. Baue

Joe Varkoly

Adam Tegelman

President and Owner ERC: Counselors and Consultants

President and CEO Innovative Machining, LLC

Director of Operations MCC, Inc.

Fox Cities Business Fall 2016

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TALENT

COLLABORATIVE

GO GIRL

Promoting Female Powered STEM Related Careers Science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) impacts our lives constantly. Discoveries are always underway in such ways as producing medical miracles, in making us safer and in refining the way we do daily tasks through the newest technologies. In order to continue innovating in the marketplace, businesses need a diverse workforce.

According to the US Census Bureau, women make up 48% of the workforce but only represent 27% of the overall STEM workforce1.

The need for women in science, technology, engineering and math is desired in order to expand the diversity and perspectives in these highperforming industries. Businesses can’t ignore the varying perspectives from women and men. A diverse STEM workforce provides increased creativity and innovation fueled by different perspectives and solutions.

For younger generations, mentors are important for allowing students to see people who “look like me” in order to believe in their possible future success and dispel the societal biases. New initiatives are being introduced across the nation to show female students the opportunities and ignite a passion for females in STEMrelated careers.

Introducing:

Unfortunately, there are several continued biases and challenges that women face in STEM-related industries, such as gender biases and stereotypes, lack of female mentors and work-life balance concerns2.

The gender gap that exists in STEM-related fields is to a greater degree than in other professions3. Girls are typically steered toward other professions at an early age due to social stigmas. By eighth grade, girls are half as interested in pursuing STEM careers as boys their age4. It is important to spark girls’ interest in STEM while making education and programs accessible.

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Launched by a team of women engineers from Miller, along with the Fox Cities Chamber, Smart Girls Rock exposes freshmen and sophomore students to career options available in STEM-related

industries by providing students with opportunities to meet one-on-one with established women mentors in STEM. The students connect directly with several women through a “speed networking” event which allows the students to ask candid questions about successes and challenges in their STEMrelated careers.

“The overall goal of the program is to get girls excited about a future in STEM. If we can do that for girls in their freshman and sophomore years, it will allow them to take courses their junior and senior years that will prepare them for college,” stated Tiffany Carter, Mechanical Engineer, Miller Electric Mfg. Co. STEM jobs are growing at a rate of 1.7 times the rate of non-STEM careers and the U.S. is not producing enough candidates to fill those positions5.

Exposing girls to resources and mentors, inside and outside the classroom, will help make progress for the overall future workforce demand that includes a STEM industry of varying perspectives, innovation and creativity.

To learn how you can get further involved in Smart Girls Rock or other workforcerelated initiatives, please contact Patty Milka, VP of Talent and Education at the Fox Cities Chamber. Let’s work together to continue building a stronger, successful future workforce.

1 – “Investing in Women in STEM: Because Girls Grow Up.” Association for Women in Science.

20 March 2014. Web. http://bit.ly/2cza4zx 2 – Encouraging Women in STEM. MoneyGEEK, n.d. Web. Summer 2016. Web. http://bit.ly/1RHvbMr 3 - Del Giudice, Marguerite. “Why It’s Crucial to Get More Women Into Science.” National Geograpic. N.p., 8 Nov. 2014. Web. http://bit. ly/1tINAeg 4 - Planchard, Marie. “The Shortage Of Women In STEM Explained.” Fast Company. N.p., 28 Oct. 2014. Web. http://bit.ly/1xzAv7H 5 - O’Brien, Sara Ashley. “6 Things You Need to Know about STEM.” CNN Money. N.p., 10 Oct. 2014. Web. http://cnnmon.ie/1vkFKaz

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Spotlight On SUCCESS A PROGRAM OF

Unique Program Aids Healthcare Workforce While Empowering Students for a Successful Future

Hospitals, clinics and nursing home facilities are all essential to the health, wellbeing and care of our aging neighbors, family and friends. Specifically, within nursing home facilities, certified nursing assistants are often the principal caregivers as they assist residents with daily living activities and provide direct assistance to the nursing staff.

According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, the number of certified nursing assistants has decreased by 18 percent since 2012, yet the aging population continues to demand more workers in this role1.

This position is typically entry-level and a pre-requisite for further nursing degrees, such as a registered nurse.

Due to the need and demand for Certified Nursing Assistants, the Fox Cities Chamber partnered with Fox Valley Technical College and several dedicated local senior living centers to provide an accelerated certified nursing assistant program for high school students.

This program allowed students, beginning their senior year of high school in Fall 2016, the opportunity to get the schooling and clinical practice needed to prepare them for their certified nursing assistant certification exam and furthermore, place them directly into a Youth Apprenticeship paid position upon passing the exam.

The first class of 11 students graduated from the expedited program in late July and upon successfully passing their certification exam, will begin their Youth Apprenticeships at one of the following assigned senior living facilities in the Fox Cities: St. Paul Elder Services (Kaukauna), Atrium Heath and Senior Living (Appleton and Little Chute), Valley VNA Senior Services (Neenah) and Brookdale Senior Living Solutions (Appleton).

As noted by Carley Mueller from Brookdale Senior Living Solutions in Appleton, “this program allowed us to start a pipeline for future healthcare professionals. We are able to provide experience in the healthcare field, while the students are still in high school, opening up various career pathways and hopefully continued employment.”

This unique, accelerated certified nursing assistant program was created to fill workforce needs in our local community of senior living facilities while providing

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students with an early opportunity to begin their paths to success in the healthcare industry. The program targeted high school students who have an interest in pursuing a successful career in healthcare upon high school graduation, as a certified nursing assistant, registered nurse or beyond.

To learn more about this program and other ways to connect with local students, please contact us at the Fox Cities Chamber.

“We consistently take the approach to recruit excellent employees, but have now decided that with this partnership, we can be part of creating those excellent employees. Students at the high school level will get a true sample to see if the healthcare path truly inspires them. The door is now open to these students and we hope many more take full advantage of this opportunity.”

Andrew Goodman of Atrium Post Acute Care of Appleton/ Little Chute

“I signed up for the Certified Nursing Assistant program because I wanted to get started with my career in the health field. The best part of the program for me was the clinicals where you get to interact, take care of and have fun with the residents.” Kelsey Brehmer, Appleton North High School “The program is a stepping stone for my career in healthcare. I plan to turn my focus into pediatric oncology once I get into college. With this program, I got the experience in nursing and working as a caregiver, which will really benefit me once I continue my education.” Michelle Xiong, Appleton East High School

1 – WHA – Wisconsin Hospital Association – 2015 Report https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/sim/wha-report.pdf

5Ways

to Generate Better Sales Appointments for Big-Ticket Products and Services

Contributed By: Weidert Group Inc.

Appointments. They’re what every sales rep wants more of and few can get enough of.

3. Earn a Presenter Spot at a Major Industry Event

Nowhere are appointments more valued than in B2B sectors where what you’re selling is a highly considered, big-ticket purchase—a major capital expense, a property purchase, or a long-lasting vendor relationship.

The Fox Cities is full of these situations. Whether you sell heavy machinery, commercial construction services, or business insurance policies, improving the number of sales appointments you achieve from one year to the next— even at a marginal rate—can drastically improve your company’s growth trajectory.

Becoming a speaker in your industry is an especially important tactic for generating new appointments.

Presentations give your leads a preview of what a sales discussion might be like, and speaking publicly is the most straightforward way to position yourself as a thought leader in your industry. If you can lead workshops, deliver entertaining presentations, and build speeches that offer actionable takeaways, you’ll almost certainly rake in more leads.

4. Publish a Quarterly Case Study On Your Website

If there’s one website improvement every B2B company should make, it’s to offer case studies of your work online. Whether you get 500 web visits per month or 5,000, leads who are seriously evaluating vendors will almost certainly look you up online. Case studies appeal directly to what they’re looking for: proof of what you can do. A case study, in marketing parlance, is not an in-depth 7-page description.

Instead, focus on telling the story of how a project went, what the results were, and how improvements were implemented.

Understand the Value of Your Sales Activity

As an example, imagine you sell business accounting services. And, on average, your customers stay with you through eight tax seasons. That means, for every customer you close this year, you’re generating eight years worth of revenue. In other words, each appointment now is worth a fraction of that 8-year revenue stream. If your average customer spends $3,000 per year for 8 years, and you win 20% of all sales appointments you make, then arguably each appointment is worth $4800.

5. Start a Voice of the Customer Program for Existing Customers

Recommended Tactics for Filling Your Appointment Calendar With concrete knowledge of every appointment’s value, sales leaders have to seriously consider why they aren’t aggressively spending the time and money to generate more appointments now and in the future.

Consider these 5 tactics that have been shown to drastically improve sales pipelines:

One of the best ways to land more appointments is by referral. If you can inspire your existing customers to refer you to a friend or colleague, you’ll not only get more meetings; you’ll get better ones too. One approach is to delight existing customers with a simple Voice of the Customer (VoC) program. In VoC, you use surveys and interviews to periodically check in on how

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WEIDERTGROUP B2B inbound marketing agency

1. Start a Niche Blog That Publishes Weekly

Today, most B2B decision-makers search online for guidance and solutions because they want to make the best decision possible when making a purchase.

Companies that provide niche advice online—in the form of a blog—will show up first on Google, and more likely than not, they’ll be top-of-mind for wordof-mouth referrals as well. Committing to a regular blogging effort that addresses prospects’ concerns is a top tactic for generating leads that result in appointments.

2. Use Helpful Call-to-Actions—Everywhere

Many B2B companies have long sales cycles. The time between an appointment and a close can be months.

The way to generate more appointments and shorten that cycle is to spark your leads’ curiosity at every step of the process. Every advertisement, blog article, brochure, or event needs to focus on a helpful call-toaction. Don’t place an ad with: “Give Us a Call!” Instead, create a helpful follow-up opportunity: “Download our FREE Buyer’s Guide!”

WEIDERTGROUP B2B inbound marketing agency

Fox Cities Business Fall 2016

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A DIVISION OF

MORE INFORMATION THAN YOU KNEW YOU NEEDED

FoxCitiesRegion.com

business resources: #MADE BETTER HERE available sites & buildings in the Fox Cities • financial incentives listing industry statistics • workforce resources • municipal contacts & profiles demographic information • local wage & benefit data • insight into local economics commercial & industrial real estate • regional business news & updates FREE customized solutions for your business

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT ON SOCIAL MEDIA 125 N. Superior Street

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Fox Cities Business Fall 2016

Appleton, WI 54911

920.831.4905

FoxCitiesRegion.com

INVESTORS

DO YOU SUPPORT FOX CITIES ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT?

A DIVISION OF

GOVERNORS CIRCLE | $20,000+

LEADERSHIP CIRCLE | $10,000+

INVESTORS CIRCLE | $5,000 +

SUPPORTERS CIRCLE | < $,5000 or < $1 per capita Amerequip

Consolidated Construction Co. Inc.

Nordon Business Environments

Town of Greenville

American National Bank Fox Cities

First National Bank Fox Valley

Outagamie County

Town of Menasha

BLC Community Bank

Garrow Oil Corp.

Prospera Credit Union

Village of Hortonville

Business Lending Group

Great Northern Corporation

Time Warner Cable

Village of Kimberly

City of Appleton

Innovative Machining

Town of Buchanan

Winnebago County

CopperLeaf Boutique Hotel and Spa

Martenson & Eisele

Town of Grand Chute

The following organizations provide Fox Cities Regional Partnership with specific tools to stimulate industry growth

125 N. Superior Street

Appleton, WI 54911

920.831.4905

FoxCitiesRegion.com

Fox Cities Business Fall 2016

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Chamber Introduces New Small Business Programs

Business Breakfast Bytes BUSINESS BREAKFAST

B Y T E S

Peer2Peer Roundtables A PROGRAM OF

Business Breakfast Bytes are complimentary educational opportunities for members which feature topics carefully selected to speak to the top small-to-mid sized business concerns. These sessions are scheduled to occur every third Tuesday of the month starting September 2016 and running through December of 2017.

The Chamber is proud to relay a special thank you to the various larger-sized business members that are sponsoring the small business educational sessions by providing a conference room and the breakfast goodies. The educational breakfasts are facilitated by a professional on each topic and most of the sessions will also feature the owner or executive representative of the hosting business as a cofacilitator sharing some of their own stories.

Peer2Peer Roundtables The FCC is providing structure and support to Chamber members with the launch of roundtables for small to mid-sized businesses. These roundtables provide the opportunity to a confidential and professional network for creating trustworthy relationships and finding valuable resources by connecting with other small to mid-sized business owners/operators across the Fox Cities.

Our roundtables: Launching Fall 2016.

Are groups formed of 8-12 applicants whom have conducive scheduling desires, have a similar number of employees and do not have competing interests.

• Self-facilitated and elect their own group leader.

• Support a 12-month commitment in which roundtable participants rotate as host of a meeting for each month.

• Provide two educational sessions to increase the success and outcomes of the roundtable networking experience (organized by the Fox Cities Chamber).

New and Improved Small Business Workshops Coming This Fall To help small businesses address specific concerns and identify solutions, the Fox Cities Chamber is unveiling its improved Small Business Workshops.

Managing Your Business for Growth & Profit - The Numbers Cash Flow has been one of the top small and mid-sized business concerns for three consecutive years according to the WASP and other surveys. To help local business owners address this concern the Fox Cities Chamber has partnered with a local expert and will be providing an educational series this October. The goal of this program is to increase understanding about the many elements that impact the small businesses bottom line and how to manage the cash flow toward sustainable profit. The workshops meets once a week for three consecutive weeks.

Please contact the Fox Cities Chamber at (920) 734-7101 or visit www.foxcitieschamber.com for more information.

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Fox Cities Business Fall 2016

WELCOME New Members The Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce relies on its 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.

AllStaff Call Center Staffing 2654 W. Lawrence Street, Suite 3 Appleton, WI 54914-4284 920-954-9500 www.allstaffcallcenter.com STAFFING SERVICES RaiseRite 4803 Leonard Lane Manitowoc, WI 54220-8379 (920) 684-8515 www.raise-rite.com CONCRETE CONTRACTORS Sherman Counseling W6144 Aerotech Drive Appleton, WI 54914-7503 (920) 733-2065 www.shermanconsulting.net COUNSELING CENTER Carlson Dettmann Consulting 6733 Frank Lloyd Wright Avenue Middleton, WI 53562-1761 920-418-2140 www.carlsondettmann.com BUSINESS CONSULTANT Key Technical Professional Services LLC 5765 Grande Market Drive, Suite B Appleton, WI 54913-8471 920-560-4640 www.itskey.com CONTRACT ENGINEERING BMO Harris Bank 132 E. Main Street Hortonville, WI 54944-9453 (920) 779-4306 www.bmoharris.com BANKS Urban Evolutions, Inc 2401 West College Avenue Appleton, WI 54914-4603 920-380-4149 www.urbanevolutions.com DESIGN/BUILD - MANUFACTURING SECTOR

Whistler’s Knoll Vineyard N2845 State Highway 15 Hortonville, WI 54944-8410 (920) 470-6295 www.whistlersknoll.com VINEYARD Fox Valley Cryotherapy 1529 W. Commercial Street Appleton, WI 54914-3340 (920) 750-3338 www.foxvalleycryotherapy.net HEALTH & WELLNESS Fox Valley Literacy Council 130 E. Franklin Street Appleton, WI 54911-5489 920-991-9840 www.fvlc.net NON-PROFIT AGENCY Torus Tech Co., LLC 405 S. Olde Oneida Street, Suite 404 Appleton, WI 54911-2512 (920) 815-8454 www.torustech.co TECHNOLOGY CONSULTANTS Brookdale Senior Living Solutions 2330 Bruce Street Neenah, WI 54956-4834 920-727-1120 www.brookdale.com SENIOR SERVICES Parker John’s BBQ & Pizza 124 Main Street Menasha, WI 54952-3151 www.parkerjohns.com BAR/RESTAURANTS

DIAMOND MEMBER

Honor Roll July - September

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.

Company Member since Appleton Awning Shop Inc. 7/1/1960 Appleton Lathing Corporation 9/1/1973 Femal’s Auto Body 9/1/1976 Great Northern Corporation 9/1/1961 Integrity Mutual Insurance Company 9/1/1962 Manpower, Inc. 9/1/1965 Modern Business Machines 9/1/1965 PDI Financial Group 9/1/1975 Silton Seifert Carlson, S.C. 7/1/1973 Thrivent Financial 7/1/1960 Van Eperen Painting 8/1/1967

Fox Cities Business Fall 2016

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5.

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7.

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Fox Cities Business Fall 2016

1. The Fox Cities Chamber teamed up with the Heart of the Valley Chamber on July 20th for the 3rd Assembly Primary Debate. Candidates Ron Tusler, Christopher Schaefer and Brad Schinke attended the debate.

10.

2. It was a blast having so many past LFC grads together all in one place for the 25th Anniversary of the program in June. The event not only brought everyone together, but also raised funds for the scholarship fund.

3. The Chamber helped welcome new member Senior Helpers with a ribbon cutting ceremony in June. Senior Helpers is a family-owned senior in-home care company that provides professionally trained caregivers to care for loved ones at home.

4. Jim Allan, Nathan Schleicher, Matthew Krenke and Julie Christopherson invited the Chamber to celebrate their one-year business anniversary in June with a ribbon cutting. ASC Wealth and Retirement Advisors, LLC specializes in 401K, retirement planning and personal wealth management.

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5. Our June Business Connection was held immediately following this year’s Business Expo at The Clubhouse Sports Pub inside the Radisson Paper Valley Hotel.

6. Pullmans at Trolley Square was the hot spot to hang out and mingle during our July Business Connection. It was great to see new faces join us!

7. We are extremely lucky to have amazing medical facilities in the Fox Cities. The Heart Failure Survival Center of America (HFSCA) is no exception. Dr. Yaaser Salem and his team are working to change the odds for patients with heart conditions in his new facility on the north side of Appleton.

8. When your workforce is happy and healthy, so is your bottom line. Special thanks to Stephanie Pereira da Silva with Kimberly-Clark Corporation for joining us at our June Lunch n’ Learn to talk about health and wellness.

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9. Keynote speaker Derreck Kayongo, CEO at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, brought his unique perspective to the audience at this year’s Cultivate event with a presentation centered around “Tapping Your Power to Create Social Change”. Many other guest speakers participated in the day, striving to engage leaders, inspire up & comers and ignite nonprofits and entrepreneurs.

10. Congratulations to AZCO as they moved their corporate headquarters into one of the former Institute of Paper Chemistry buildings at 1025 E. South River Street, not far from downtown Appleton.

11. Thank you to all of the hole sponsors and golfers for coming out for our first scramble of the year at Butte des Morts Country Club!

12. It was a fabulous day for our second golf outing in July.

Thank you to High Cliff Golf Course, all the golfers and our hole sponsors for making this event possible.

Fox Cities Business Fall 2016

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YOURVOICE Advocating for pro-business policy in the Fox Cities

Cybersecurity: An Interview with

Senator Ron Johnson

cyber hygiene and help facilitate the development of cyber insurance products to induce full use of up-to-date cybersecurity products and protocols.

Rahmlow: Hackers reside in multiple countries around the globe, and pursue their brand of mayhem for different reasons. What kind of strategy can the U.S. pursue abroad to disrupt cyberattacks given those realities?

Johnson: It is important to understand the motivations of those seeking to attack our cyber assets in order to design effective counter measures. The basic categories of cyberattacks are: 1) cyber-theft by organized criminals seeking direct financial gain; 2) theft of intellectual property by organized crime or nation-states for long-term economic advancement; 3) cyberattacks by terrorists, hacktivists and hackers who, whether individually or organized, seek destruction; and finally, 4) cyber warfare that seeks to destroy and disrupt or commit state espionage. In all cases, information and intelligence sharing is critical to countering the threats. Working closely with allies is also critically important, as is using all available leverage to pressure unfriendly state actors to cease their sponsorship or facilitating of cyberattacks.

Wisconsin’s senior U.S. Senator Ron Johnson recently spoke with VP of Public Policy, Mark Rahmlow, about cyber threats facing both the public and private sectors. Johnson currently chairs the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, and sits on the Budget, Foreign Relations, and Commerce, Science and Transportation committees in Congress. Prior to being elected in 2010, Johnson owned a small business in Oshkosh. He still lives in Oshkosh with his wife.

Rahmlow: As the Chair of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, you’ve held many hearings on the issue of cybersecurity.

What do you see as the biggest threat to the country?

Johnson: There are many threats to our country, including our debt and deficit, homegrown violent extremism, our lack of a secure border and cybersecurity. On the cyber front, our challenge is to keep pace with our adversaries, who make attacking our networks their full time job. One major cyber threat facing our country is the vulnerability of our critical infrastructure to potential cyberattacks targeting it.

Rahmlow: What can the federal government do to minimize cyber threats, and do you think those threats will ever go away?

Johnson: Information sharing has always been an important element in countering cyberattacks. Legislation was needed in order to provide liability protections to actually allow the private sector to share information with the government and each other. I played a key role in making sure that legislation has passed. Now it is important for the government to ensure it is being appropriately implemented. But information sharing is only an important first step towards enhancing our cyber defenses, it is not a panacea. Congress can also use its platform to educate the public on good

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Fox Cities Business Fall 2016

Rahmlow: Is there bipartisan support for cybersecurity legislation in Congress, or is this an issue that has broken down along partisan lines?

Johnson: This is a bipartisan issue. The information sharing bill that was recently signed into law originally passed the Senate on a broadly bipartisan basis (74-21). I sponsored and passed a bill to ensure agencies implement stronger protections to defend against cyberattacks, as well as accelerate the deployment of a federal intrusion detection and prevention system. The Federal Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015 was combined within the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015, which was included in the 2016 Omnibus Appropriations Bill.

Rahmlow: What role does the private sector have in addressing this issue?

Johnson: The private sector must improve its awareness, vigilance and education regarding the attacks it is vulnerable to, and remain up-to-date on cybersecurity products and protocols designed to counter the threats.

Mission: ESGR

By: LeRoy Frahm, Ombudsman Director, Wisconsin Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve

Photo Credit: Chris A. Campbell, WI-ESGR

Location: ATW, Platinum Air Center, Time: 0900, a UH-60, Blackhawk helicopter lifts off with a dozen employers on board enroute to Fort McCoy. This is an example of our Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve’s Employer Outreach Mission. As part of our outreach efforts, we offer employer programs such as Bosslifts and employer briefings.

On board the UH-60, smartphones and cameras capture some of Wisconsin’s scenic beauty as we approach Fort McCoy. Heads turn with sudden excitement as a pair of F-16 fighters fly by in a preplanned training exercise.

Soon we land and employers are greeted by some of their service member/employees and sit down for a lunch of Meals Ready to Eat (MRE) and hear briefings on our National Defense today. Of the equipment available to examine, I was impressed by a mammoth truck from the 1158th Transportation Company that moved a tank for the American Legion Post in Menasha last month.

ESGR was established in 1972, by Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird, to promote cooperation and understanding between Reserve Component Service members and their civilian employers.

ESGR has served our country for nearly 45 years, fostering a culture in which all employers support and value the employment and military service of members of the National Guard and Reserve in the United States.

We understand the unique talents and skill set Guard and Reserve Service members can bring to the civilian workforce.

For a successful work relationship, ESGR informs and educates Service members and their civilian employers to be aware of their rights and responsibilities under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA).

ESGR’s Ombudsman Services, a neutral and free resource, provides information and mediation on issues related to USERRA. As the Ombudsman Director, it is my responsibility to be the subject matter expert and I welcome all inquiries. ESGR is here to help!

Our Nation relies heavily on Guard and Reserve Service members as a significant operational force. Employer support enhances retention rates in the Armed Forces and, in the end, strengthens our national security. It is vital to ESGR’s mission to recognize employers who support their Guard and Reserve employees, with a Department of Defense awards program. Several Wisconsin employers have received some of the highest awards.

If you don’t have an employee serving our county, you can sign our Statement of Support to display in your business to show your support to all your customers and the community. You will join other prominent employers in the state. Sign one today.

LeRoy Frahm, Ombudsman Director for WI-ESGR and Fox Cities Chamber President, Shannon Full with signed Statement of Support - May 13, 2016.

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MEMBERSpotlight Spotlight MEMBER

Member Spotlights are included in your membership package at the Grow ($700) or above level. Contact Beth Haase for more information by email bhaase@foxcitieschamber.com or call (920) 734 -7101.

Xperience Fitness has three local fitness centers located in Green Bay, Appleton and Menasha. We provide a lowcost, high quality and high amenity fitness center that removes the barriers that commonly stop people from going to a fitness center including 24-hour access, child care, pool, sauna, free weights, resistance machines, cardio equipment, personal training, nutritional advice, low cost and no contracts!

We pride ourselves on making our community a happier,

healthier version of themselves through fitness, that includes all ages and fitness goals. It is our mission to increase the percentage of people in our communities that are actively working out in fitness centers.

In the near future, we are going to be running some weight loss challenges that have netted great results for our members in the past. We are also opening a new location in Suamico this fall off of Velp and Lineville Road. Our current schedule is to open around Thanksgiving or soon thereafter.

For more information, visit myxperiencefitness.com

Currently, 42% of the US workforce is juggling their employment responsibilities with caring for an aging loved one. In five years, that number is expected to increase to 49%, and the gray wave hasn’t even crested yet. U.S. workers will need more help than ever keeping their work/life balance.

Elderbenefit.com can help! ElderBenefit.com is a free onestop resource for employers and their employees designed to help keep employees productive at work.

There are 3 components to the benefit: 1. Pre-recorded phone resources and live operators to answer eldercare FAQs 2. Online information (ElderCare University) 3. Personalized local help finding safe senior care and housing

ElderBenefit.com was designed to help working caregivers navigate the daunting task of dealing with an aging loved one’s needs—often in crisis situations.

Michelle Graf, owner of CarePatrol of the Fox Cities, is the local representative for ElderBenefit.com. Michelle helps families explore senior housing, and providing tours of assisted living facilities—at no charge.

Elder care is the next care dilemma impacting the U.S. workplace. You can be a hero to your employees by offering them free expert resources to help them manage their elder care responsibilities.

For more information, visit carepatrol.com

We specialize in managed IT services, focused on your goals to run efficiently and effectively. Petsche Consulting will support your network infrastructure, virtual servers, WiFi and internet security, backup solutions and more! We are able to monitor your system proactively, provide you with remote assistance and help desk support.

Petsche Consulting’s market is the SMB family, for the businesses that are in need of IT support, whether they have a dedicated IT staff or none at all. We work with companies that range from 5 to 50+ employees within

manufacturing, healthcare, corporate and non-profit organizations. We deliver the right technology for your business! Petsche Consulting, LLC was established 12 years ago and has had a loyal client list over that time. We are looking for new clients to expand our business and have most recently partnered with Accent Business Solutions to provide more services. We will be having an open house on November 3rd, to show you more of who we are……stay tuned!

For more information, visit petscheconsulting.com

Rogers Memorial Hospital–Appleton offers local access to nationally recognized therapies and face-to-face psychiatry in the Fox Valley and surrounding communities. Our daytime programs for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), anxiety, depression, eating disorders and posttraumatic stress disorder help people create healthy, productive lives.

Since mental illness affects more than just the person with the illness, Rogers Memorial Hospital–Appleton not only serves the adults we treat, but their families as well. We

also partner with other local providers, schools and organizations to share resources and spread messaging about available programs.

Rogers Memorial Hospital–Appleton is now offering an intensive outpatient program for adults with depression or anxiety disorders. This program is based in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), a proven-effective method, and offers treatment three hours per day, four days per week from an experienced, multidisciplinary team.

For more information, visit rogershospital.org/Appleton

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Fox Cities Business Fall 2016

MEMBERSpotlight Spotlight MEMBER We strive to create priceless memories for all that visit our center. Our primary goal is to create a fun and enjoyable experience for the members of our community. We enjoy seeing people disconnect from technology, and reconnect with their friends, family and coworkers.

We offer a wide array of bowling leagues, from fun-filled social leagues to highly competitive leagues, for all ages and skill levels. Although just about everyone can bowl, we realize that not everyone bowls for the same reasons.

From family gatherings to corporate outings, we cater to those looking to let loose and have fun. We can customtailor our party packages for just about any group. We even have live entertainment inside our sports bar most weekends.

This fall we are installing a new scoring system. We feel like this will really elevate the guest experience here. Our guests will now be able to play interactive mini games together while they are bowling.

For more information, visit bowlingappleton.com

5 Ways to Generate Better Sales Appointments for Big-Ticket Products and Services Continued from page 15

well you’re serving your customers. While VoC’s main purpose is to provide your company with insights for improvement, the implicit message to customers is that you value them.

Today, appointments don’t come from more cold calls or attending more happy hours; instead, you need to become a source of guidance and assistance to your prospects. By publishing and presenting content, using helpful call-to-actions, and improving your relationship with current customers, you’ll start to generate better appointments from leads that understand your value.

Weidert Group, is a B2B inbound marketing agency based in Appleton. Named “Small Business of the Year” in 2016 by the Fox Cities Chamber, Weidert Group is a leading HubSpot partner agency, helping industrial-sector and financial service companies attract new business online using the world’s top marketing automation and sales software. Weidert Group provides a full-service approach to inbound marketing and sales, including website and UX design, content strategy and development, search engine optimization (SEO), social media management, lead nurturing, sales enablement services, and overall marketing management.

So, how do you get started? Learn how to put together a plan by visiting www.weidert.com/resources.

Is it real or is it CGI? - ANSWERS 1

2

3

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1. REAL Photo by Dave Wallace 2. CGI CGI Artist Leivur Djurhuus 3. CGI Artist Leivur Djurhuus 4. CGI CGI Artist Leivur Djurhuus 5. REAL Photo by Gen Hartjes 6. CGI CGI Artist Leivur Djurhuus Fox Cities Business Fall 2016

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THANK YOU TO OUR GENEROUS

SPONSORS EVENT SPONSORS

PRESENTING SPONSOR

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Services for Business & Industry

Customized. Innovative. Solutions.

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

Your Future Fox Cities where our students, educators and business professionals connect, communicate and collaborate through career-based learning experiences.

• Students discover their paths to success.

• Educators connect classroom learning to the real world.

• Businesses share their expertise and help build a better prepared workforce.

Get involved and engage the future workforce today.

Contact our industry experts today!

www.fvtc.edu/EmployerResources • 920-735-2525

yourfuturefoxcities.com

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We are proud to support Appleton’s 35th Annual Octoberfest.

© 2016 JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC. 245264

A BUILDING PARTNER THAT SAVES YOU TIME, DELIVERING A FACILITY THAT SAVES YOU MONEY

Upcoming Chamber

EVENTS SEPTEMBER License to Cruise September 23, 2016 6:00 pm – 9:30 pm Downtown Appleton

Octoberfest September 24, 2016 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM Downtown Appleton

Bazaar After Dark (Night Market) CORPORATE • EDUCATION • SENIOR LIVING • RELIGIOUS • HEALTHCARE • MANUFACTURING

920.731.2322

hoffman.net

September 28, 2016 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm Wisconsin Avenue, between Oneida & Drew Streets

OCTOBER Business Breakfast Bytes October 18, 2016 Location: TBD 7:30 AM – 9:00 AM

Business Connection October 18, 2016 AbbyBank (formerly Fidelity Bank) 1500 Olde Casaloma Drive, #103, Appleton 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Small Business Workshop: Managing Your Business for Growth & Profit – The Numbers October 20, 27, November 3 Location: TBD 7:30 AM – 9:00 AM

NOVEMBER 2016 The Event: Celebrating Business Awards November 10, 2016 Radisson Paper Valley Hotel, 333 W. College Avenue, Appleton 5:30 pm – 11:00 pm

Business Breakfast Bytes

Helping build vibrant communities

 Engineering  Architecture  Mechanical, Electrical & Plumbing Design  Land Surveying  Geospatial Solutions  Environmental Services  Financing Strategies/ Grant Assistance  Design-Build  Public/Private Partnerships

920.751.4200 NEENAH WI

since 1909

MACHESNEY PARK IL

VALPARAISO IN

November 15, 2016 Location: TBD 7:30 AM – 9:00 AM

DECEMBER

Business Breakfast Bytes December 20, 2016 Location: TBD 7:30 AM – 9:00 AM

Calendar of Events – All of the Fox Cities Chamber events can be found online at foxcitieschamber.com.

MCMGRP.COM Fox Cities Business Fall 2016

29

fox cities chamber

PERIODICAL

POSTAGE

PAID

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Fox Cities Chamber Business C/o Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Inc. 125 N. Superior Street Appleton, WI 54911

AT APPLETON, WI

Did we cat ch yo ur e? ey

3001 East Venture Drive Appleton, WI 54911 Phone 920-733-4483 Fax 920-733-1700 www.jpinc.com

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