December you 121714 issuu by Gannett Wisconsin Media

new beginnings

YOU

magazine december 17, 2014

CYLG!

All That Glitters gala

Laurie Radke

Greater Green Bay Chamber President breaks ground on a new brand DECEMBER 2014 | www.greenbaypressgazette.com/you | 1

Pilates with Paula during and after my pregnancies was transformative to my body!

december 2014 contents

your style

â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Caitlin G.

Top 10: Items to get you organized

your life page

YOU Spotlight: Greater Green Bay Chamber President Laurie Radke breaks ground on a new brand

On the Cover: Laurie Radke. Photos by Mike Peters. Hair and makeup services provided by Cheyenne Cameron of Salon Fifty Four, Green Bay. Clothing provided by The Ultimate Closet, Allouez.

Paula custom designed pilates workouts specifically for Caitlin which helped her quickly recover post-pregnancy by gaining core strength, increasing flexibility and improving posture.

Contact Paula Coates to begin your journey today.

2 | www.greenbaypressgazette.com/you | DECEMBEr 2014

Your Mind Your Spirit: Reflect, Relax, Renew

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the Health of your Wealth? Use the new year to spur a financial refresher

Bake Away the Winter Blues

page

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your health 22

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The Road to Recovery: Get back into your fitness routine after a major life change

in every issue

Holiday Gift Guide: A sampling of our favorite things from local merchants

Heard on the Street: Good news about amazing things happening in our community

30 CYLG: All That Glitters gala

you magazine staff

Manifesting Change Change is hard. I don’t mean the I-got-bangs-yesterday-and-alreadywant-to-grow-them-out kind of change (which is hard in its own right). I’m talking about the kind of fundamental change that gets to the core of a person, an organization, a culture. No one knows this better than Laurie Radke, our December Spotlight woman. Laurie joined the Greater Green Bay Chamber three years ago as president and CEO. During her first three years, Laurie led her team in the development of a new mission and vision for the chamber as well as a new name. If you think a new haircut is a big deal, you can imagine how much this rocked some people’s worlds. But when change is necessary, you want a woman like Laurie on your team – she’s steadfast, fair and fun. Read all about Laurie and the chamber’s recent changes on page 6. In keeping with our theme of deliberate change and transformation, this issue is filled with ideas and tips to start the New Year off with a bang. Mind & Spirit contributor Melissa Gorzelanczyk offers up some suggestions on how to help your home, mind and body in 2015 (pg. 18). She suggests writing a manifesto for the year. I like the idea of writing a manifesto versus making resolutions. A manifesto forces you to pinpoint your core values rather than list a bunch of arbitrary goals. Yes, a New Year’s manifesto is definitely the way to go. Here are some tips for writing your own manifesto and mission statement: • Write it down. Use a pen and paper, your smartphone, a blog, Word document or all of the above. Writing it down makes it easy to reference throughout the year. • Determine your values first. Choose three to five of your core values and how you want to propagate them in your life. Maybe career success means starting that business. Living a stress free life might mean letting go of a grudge. Let your values guide the goals you pursue. • Use active language. Try writing “I will travel more” or “I am traveling more” instead of “I want to travel more.” This subtle shift can help take your mission from a desire to an action. • Infuse it with fun. Manifestos and missions don’t have to be all about backbreaking work. Throw some fun in for good measure. Maybe you vow to always eat dessert or take more naps. Those lighthearted tidbits make the tough stuff more doable. • Make it memorable. I’ve found the best manifestos and missions are ones I can easily remember. That way when I’m faced with a decision, I recall the mission and determine if whatever I’m deciding between will further my goal. Whatever you decide to pursue this year, I hope it fulfills, invigorates and inspires you. Happy New Year,

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Publisher Scott Johnson Executive Editor amelia compton wolff Advertising Director Steve Teofilo Graphic Artist KRIsty gnadt Circulation Manager Dave Sielski Contributing Writers Amelia Compton Wolff, Meghan Diemel, Melissa Gorzelanczyk Photography Mike Peters, Press-Gazette Photography Staff

YOU Advisory Board Members Sharon Verbeten Brown County Public Library Patti Schisel The Ultimate Closet Allyson Watson, Definitely De Pere Amy Bailey Press-Gazette Media Janie Denis Strutt Forte Modeling & Talent Dave Compton Wolff Cineviz Stephanie Schultz, MSM, RDN, CD Skogen’s Festival Foods Lisa Malak Local Five Live, WFRV lori o’connor Press-Gazette Media

YOU Magazine is an advertorial magazine published monthly by Gannett Wisconsin Media. Contents of the magazine are owned by Gannett Wisconsin. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior consent of Gannett Wisconsin. MAIL: YOU Magazine, P.O. Box 23430, Green Bay, WI 54305-3430. email: youmagazine@wisinfo.com. For content information, call 920.431.8213. for advertising information, contact Lori O’Connor at 920.431.8232.

DECEMBER 2014 | www.greenbaypressgazette.com/you | 3

your style

top 10 Items to get you organized

Motivational art

Kraft wall calendar

Creative coffee cup

By Amelia Compton Wolff

4 Lightweight card holder

Year after year journal

1. Sugar Paper 2015 wall calendar, $5.99. Target, Green Bay. 2. Canvas print, $18. hey daisy, De Pere. 3. Inspiration mug, $14. hey daisy, De Pere. 4. Credit card organizer, prices vary. Josephineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Attic, Bellevue. 5. 1canoe2 desktop perpetual calendar, $58. Nest, Sheboygan. 4 | www.greenbaypressgazette.com/you | DECEMBEr 2014

A new year

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6. Helicopter desk clock, $44. MimiWorks, De Pere. 7. Studio C tech accessory sleeve, $9.99. Office Max, Green Bay. 8. Sugar Paper 2015 daily planner, $7.99. Target, Green Bay. 9. See Jane Work magazine file, $11.99. Office Max, Green Bay. 10. Blackboard crates, $125 for set of 4. August Haven, Ashwaubenon. DECEMBER 2014 | www.greenbaypressgazette.com/you | 5

6 | www.greenbaypressgazette.com/you | DECEMBEr 2014

you spotlight

Creating a Culture

Greater Green Bay Chamber President Laurie Radke breaks ground on a new brand Story by Amelia Compton Wolff Photos by Mike Peters on location at Titletown Brewing Company, Green Bay Hair and makeup services provided by Cheyenne Cameron of Salon Fifty Four, Green Bay Clothing provided by The Ultimate Closet, Allouez

Laurie Radke begins listing off the names of the animals that make up the hobby farm at her Oconto Falls home.

“There’s Daisy Mae, a goat, and Billy the goat. Shocking, I know,” she says with an eye roll. “Whiskey, Bebe and Tasmanian are donkeys. Willow and Spinner are the horses. Rodger the rooster is no longer with us, but he was handsome.” When she isn’t running board meetings or creating economic and workforce development strategies, the president and CEO of the Greater Green Bay Chamber embraces the agrarian life. If the excitement in her voice when speaking of her farmette doesn’t give that away, the cat paw prints on the hood of her Volvo might. “My family kind of lets me name all the animals,” the Manitowoc native says, “but it’s no special process or anything.” That definitely was not the case when Radke and her team set on a course that led them to reinvent the chamber’s mission, vision, and, yes, name. The three-year process was deliberate, calculated and a necessary step in the evolution of the chamber and community. “We aren’t changing the name just for the sake of changing,” Radke says. “There’s a meaningfulness behind

spotlight continued on page 8 >>>

DECEMBER 2014 | www.greenbaypressgazette.com/you | 7

you spotlight

<<< spotlight continued from page 7 it including three years of planning. There were significant elements and phases that brought us to this point.”

Newly Minted Mission

When Radke joined the chamber in 2011, she conducted no less than 35 listening sessions with chamber members, non-members and community leaders which culminated in the changes that were announced publicly in October. Chamber Board Chairman and Prevea Health President Dr. Ashok Rai has worked with Radke since day one of her tenure. He says with Radke in her new role, it was the prime time to take inventory of the board and chamber organization as a whole. “We came to a realization that we need to be representing all surrounding municipalities. To truly serve our membership, we

8 | www.greenbaypressgazette.com/you | DECEMBEr 2014

needed to be aligned internally to be aligned externally,” Dr. Rai says. The Greater Green Bay Chamber was formerly known as the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce. The change, while subtle, ref lects an effort to be inclusive of all the area’s communities that the chamber represents, as Radke believes the county’s offerings as a whole are necessary to be successful regionally. “I feel that there’s a sense of pride that we have that Greater Green Bay name. I think we are a very humble community and haven’t always told our story,” Radke says. “It really is about the Greater Green Bay area whatever we’re working on – workforce, policy or development – it’s all-encompassing because we need to rise together.”

The new mission and vision resulted from those listening sessions and feedback from the community. Radke says the chamber plays an important role in setting the stage to be a collaborator from economic and workforce development standpoints equally, and the new mission articulates that workforce development component she believes to be so vital.

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“Prior to that we focused on the economic development component,” she says. “I felt that we had so much to add from a workforce development piece that you can’t have one without the other. “We are here to enhance economic and workforce development because all that together is like a recipe for a community’s success and I don’t think any of them stand alone,” Radke says. “You can’t have a great business if you don’t have an economic climate to thrive in and if you don’t have a workforce you have no way to produce your product or deliver your service.” Chamber members represent 91,000 employees or more than two-thirds of the Brown County workforce. As a business membership organization, the chamber strives to be good stewards of membership dues and help businesses be successful because business builds community – and a thriving community is Radke’s end game. “If we focus on membership and businesses and enhance workforce and economic development, we’ll have community development as the outcome,” Radke says. Dr. Rai says the rebranding efforts Radke led provide a visual representation of the deeper changes within.

spotlight continued on page 10 >>>

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you spotlight <<< spotlight continued from page 9 “It’s all-inclusive and it has a consistent look among all chamber programing,” he says. “Whether it’s Current Young Professionals or Partners in Education, you know the chamber is the engine behind it.”

Embracing Change

Prior to her role with the chamber, Radke served as Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (NWTC)’s dean of economic development and corporate training where she worked with 1,200 employers and developed customized training to work on the skills gap shortage. It’s not completely crazy to say fate led Radke to her role with the chamber. She was contacted by a recruitment agency the chamber had hired in its national search for a president. Radke was happily employed at NWTC so she turned down the interview offer. The agency sent her the five page job profile anyway and their persistence paid off. “I was really energized after going through the profile,” Radke says. “I felt this was an opportunity from a community perspective to be more of a servant leader and give of myself.” Before she even applied for the position, Radke had a heartto-heart with her husband, David, and son, Tad Taggart, who is now 18 years old. “This [job] is really a family commitment, so we talked about what this means for a mom and a wife,” she says. “My husband’s really been a rock and my number one supporter.”

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Radke began the lengthy interview process in March 2011 and was offered the job in September of that year. In addition to her family’s support, Radke says she is able to manage the demands of her job with the help of her chamber team. “We have ups, we have downs, but we are in this together and we are here to make a difference,” she says. “Not many people get the opportunity to serve a community. We have a culture of servant leaders here and I feel blessed to have those folks by my side as we continue to move forward.” Of all her accomplishments in her first three years, Radke is most proud of the collaborative culture being created at the

chamber and how that affects the business community as a whole.

ness to Green Bay. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the sign of good, innovative leader.â&#x20AC;?

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m extremely proud of the fact that as an organization we have embraced the complexity of what a chamber needs to do and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve really broadened our perspective of all the different pieces,â&#x20AC;? Radke says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I feel confident we have responded to what the community needed the chamber to do. Knowing that we have an opportunity to provide value and have positive impact on the community, I think thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s enough to keep us trucking along.â&#x20AC;?

In addition to engaging the business community, Dr. Rai says Radke engages her team and constantly looks for opportunities to grow.

Radke and her team are now conducting a national search for an economic development vice president who will lead the creation of a fiveyear plan to incorporate economic development services for the benefit of the greater Green Bay area. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Laurie is a dynamic leader not only at the chamber, but in the community,â&#x20AC;? Dr. Rai says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;She is the business that represents business and she does a very good job. Laurie is putting her leadership eyes outward to bring busi-

â&#x20AC;&#x153;She has built a progressive team that has the Greater Green Bay Area in mind,â&#x20AC;? he says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;She continues to move the chamber forward in a way only Laurie could.â&#x20AC;? With a new year on the horizon, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a natural time to ref lect on the year gone by and set goals for the one to come. But Radke isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t one for New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s resolutions. She says self-assessment, growth and change are never-ending for her. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think every day is a new opportunity to wake up and be happy for what you have,â&#x20AC;? she says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Trying to be the best you can be should be something we strive for every day and not just at the end of December.â&#x20AC;?

New Beginnings New Name: Greater Green Bay Chamber New Vision: The Greater Green Bay Chamber will be acclaimed as a leader in building prosperous businesses and a thriving community. New Mission: To strengthen member businesses by enhancing economic and workforce development, resulting in improved quality of life in our community and region.

DECEMBER 2014 | www.greenbaypressgazette.com/you | 11

your health

The Road to Recovery Get back into your fitness routine after a major life change By Meghan Diemel

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When you come back to your fitness routine after an obstacle, like surgery, injury or childbirth, it can be a daunting mountain to climb. It’s hard to know what goals are reasonable, and it can certainly be difficult to stay motivated and positive while facing the challenges that come your way. Heather Trevarthen, owner of Ellipse Fitness in Allouez, says the first thing to remember is that you won’t be able to pick up where you left off in your fitness plan. “We just want to make sure they’re making ‘SMART’ goals, which are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-based goals,” states Trevarthen. “They need to start off slow and progress as their body is ready. Listen to your body and make sure that if something’s not feeling right, you need to stop and we’ll adjust and do something different.”

Professionals like Trevarthen and Paula Ann Coates, owner of bCentered Training Pilates Stu-

dio in Green Bay, will look at a client’s physical therapy history and other medical restrictions and design a program around it for them. “I keep in touch with the doctor or therapist, if they’re ending off of therapy, so that we’re working in conjunction together,” explains Coates. “What we’re finding now in the world of fitness, even outside of Pilates and yoga, is that most insurance companies only allow for so many visits to the physical therapist. So a lot of times, those of us who work in fitness and training are becoming that in-between.”

fitness routine continued on page 14 >>>

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your health

<<< fitness routine continued from page 13 Coates focuses on Pilates and yoga for her clients because it involves the mind, body and spirit, she says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It gets you to tune into your body and where itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s at, where as before you may not have had that awareness,â&#x20AC;? she explains. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A lot of times I give homework so when they leave here, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re empowered to do it at home.â&#x20AC;? Trevarthen said that because there are so many different ways to work each muscle group, sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s able to work around any limitation. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Just recently I had somebody who canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t put pressure on their foot,â&#x20AC;? she says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to do their workout on a chair and do all the different muscle groups that way.â&#x20AC;? Adds Coates, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have been amazed by women who, for instance, have come to me after theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve rehabbed after a full mastectomy on one side, and were told that theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll never get a certain percentage of their range back. Then I watch and they fit into these really advanced classes I have. It makes me smile because they didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have an expectation and they kept an open mind. And if you keep persistent and you work at it, and really concentrate, if you keep doing it over time youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re only going to get stronger. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be amazed what the body can do. Bodies are really resilient.â&#x20AC;? Coates and Trevarthen agree that clients coming back from these life changes are best suited for personalized or smaller-group training. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You might not be able to work a certain limb or what not, but truly thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what small group or personalized training is about â&#x20AC;&#x201C; adjusting for any special situations,â&#x20AC;? states Trevarthen. â&#x20AC;&#x153;That way we can make a program just for them.

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think in every situation the number one thing is to listen to your body first and donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t push it past where itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s supposed to go yet,â&#x20AC;? adds Trevarthen. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Just work your way back up with daily improvements. Will it be easy? Never. But will it be worth it? All the time!â&#x20AC;?

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DECEMBER 2014 | www.greenbaypressgazette.com/you | 15 DECEMBER 2012 | www.greenbaypressgazette.com/you

From Fearful to Fierce: One womanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s journey By Charity Menning & Christopher John

16 | www.greenbaypressgazette.com/you | DECEMBEr 2014

sponsored feature In the spring of 2006, I found myself moving across the country to Denver, Colorado. My fiancé was in the 82nd Airborne Paratrooper Division of the United States Army and wanted to settle in his hometown. But shortly after the move we found out he was to be deployed once again, this time for an 18 month tour. During this time, my health really began suffering. I had been diagnosed with fibromyalgia and irritable bowel syndrome four years prior. I constantly had episodes of ovarian cysts and kidney stones. I was in so much physical pain sometimes that it hurt to even get a hug. My relationships suffered and I started feeling hopeless. Whenever the pain would become overwhelming, I thought of my fiancé. I knew he was doing everything he could to stay strong and build a future that he believed in. If he could face that on a daily basis in a war-torn country, I had no excuses. I was determined to get better, so that was my mission. I began searching for whatever means I could to get control of my health and manage the pain. I had seen every specialist, had every test performed and was given only blanket diagnoses. Still without answers, I turned to Eastern medicine hoping something would help. I tried every vitamin, super juice, cleanse, chiropractic adjustments, acupuncture, herb tonic and tincture that I could find. I exercised, stayed hydrated and ate only healthy, organic foods, but nothing stopped the pain. Finally, after yet another expensive emergency room visit and no relief, I started to believe that I must just be physically weak and this was my fate. I began intense counseling and made peace with my regimen of daily anti-inflammatory and anti-depressant medications. I feared that I would feel like this forever, but I began turning my fear into fuel to keep looking for answers. My research brought me to the ALCAT food intolerance blood test. At first I was hesitant, but when I researched it further I realized this type of test was something I hadn’t tried before. The test basically tells you which foods cause a slow buildup of inflammation that can cause soft tissue damage in the body. I took a chance and when I got my test results two weeks later, I immediately began putting together a dietary program for myself.

Only three weeks later I saw and felt changes I never thought were possible. Not only did my skin and digestion completely turn around, most importantly my physical pain was gone. My mental and physical energy skyrocketed. This was life changing for me – I decided to change my life to bring this relief to others. I founded a natural health clinic in Westminster, Colorado that offered a variety of integrative services next to St. Anthony North Hospital. I worked with our team of doctors to create programs that combined cold laser treatments, pharmaceutical grade vitamin supplements and physical therapies along with our blood tests to customize solutions to our clients’ needs. The staff decided to name the clinic Asana Body. Asana is a term used to describe positions in yoga that help to strengthen and align the body. The staff felt that the name symbolized their position helping to strengthen and align their clients on a path to health. In addition to improved digestive health, energy enhancement and pain reduction, our clients were also losing body fat and increasing muscle mass. Hair, skin and nail health was improving. People were coming in for help with one issue but ended up with whole body improvement. Due to the mass successes of our clients, I committed myself to research the best possible options available for health and cosmetic services. I have always believed that beauty is a side effect of good health. About a year ago, I relocated Asana Body to my hometown of Green Bay. Asana Body now offers many clinical aesthetic services, but some of the most groundbreaking work done is with cold laser technology for body fat reduction. I began working with Zerona Lipo Laser treatments on a research level and have worked with newer models including the Lapex 2000, Curve and iLipo. Now approaching our 9 year anniversary and our first year back in Green Bay after a decade away, New Years is a fitting time to reflect on new beginnings. I know how hard change can be, so I am thrilled that Wisconsin is so supportive of the latest technologies and proactive health services we offer. I am so impressed with the sheer desire and passion of our clients. Without their dedication, my work would mean nothing. I’m so grateful that they let me help.

Until last year, Charity operated Asana Body in Denver, Colorado. After her fiancé passed away unexpectedly, she decided to return to her home town of Green Bay. Asana Body of Green Bay opened last December and has been serving many excited clients in Northeast Wisconsin. Charity has been featured on numerous television stations including Fox, CBS, NBC the CW and Vista Life & Style Television for her work with cold laser technology. After seeing the possibilities in this non-invasive approach, Charity developed a body of work that has earned her a title as the leader in lipo laser procedures in the Midwest. Charity has completed more than 7,500 treatments with every FDA approved model of cold laser over the past nine years which has earned her a distinct advantage in the industry that is just now making its way to Wisconsin and the upper Midwest.

C o sm etic Clinic Park Business Center II, 926 Willard Drive, Suite 126, Green Bay 920.499.9770 www.asanabody.com DECEMBER 2014 |

www.greenbaypressgazette.com/you | 17

your mind your spirit

Melissa Gorzelanczyk is a young adult author who lives in Green Bay with her husband and two stepchildren. She loves strong coffee, live music, and arrow jewelry. Her debut novel, ARROWS, is coming from Random House/Delacorte Press, 2016. She is represented by agent Carrie Howland of Donadio & Olson.

Reflect, Relax, Renew By Melissa Gorzelanczyk

“New Year’s Day is every man’s birthday.” – Writer Charles Lamb

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Of all the holidays, New Year’s Day is my favorite. The idea of putting ourselves and our things into place really feels like life can be new again. There is hope that anything is possible if we’re willing to change. Don’t worry. Whatever went wrong last year is so last year. The beauty and emptiness of unwritten days is empowering. As the old year winds down, here are a few easy ways to help your home, body and spirit become better in the New Year.

Open the door(way).

Jennifer Strachan, professional organizer and owner of In Its Place Organizing Services serving Green Bay and the Fox Valley, suggests making sure doorways are completely open without any blockage. “A blocked door makes it difficult to enter or exit with items,” says Strachan. “That means things will accumulate on either side, perpetuating

Recommended Reading: www.initsplaceorganizer.com www.greenbayymca.org, search “health and fitness articles”

the problem.” This feng shui philosophy is interesting in that it is both a literal and figurative problem—a blocked door leads to a person being blocked physically and mentally.

Identify, simplify, fix.

Strachan notes the neglected areas at home vary greatly with her clients. Problems such as too much stuff, inadequate or poorly designed storage and poor lighting can lead to pockets of clutter in different places throughout the home. Tackle one problem at a time. Clear clutter by corralling five items per day in a donation box. Use folders to organize mail and give each piece of paper an immediate home. (I have three folders: “to do,” “calendar” for future events, and one for coupons.)

Prioritize.

experience director at the West Side YMCA. “Schedule time for your workout and circle it in red so you don’t skip it.” She also recommends making your health a priority first thing in the morning. “Remind yourself how important being healthy and active is–then get out and do it!” Even simple changes like parking further from work, taking the stairs, and stretching at your desk throughout the day can make a difference.

Live with intention.

Write a manifesto for the New Year. A printable by user figuringout40 on Etsy is my inspiration. Begin with, “This year, I will be better.” List all the ways you plan to do that. Last year, my manifesto included: worry less, trust more, be grateful, find beauty, and shift (when needed).

Reflect.

Life is good. Sometimes, we forget too easily. Take time to remember the year that’s passed. Do this next to a window when it snows, preferably while holding a cup of something hot. Look. Winter touches the world with sameness—harsh layers of ice and white—but you can recall the color of last year: moments of joy, love, awe and triumph. Cold days are ahead, bleak days even, but there will be warm ones, too. 2015 is going to be amazing.

We all want to be healthier. “Time is the biggest reason people don’t exercise,” says Marcia Sengstock, member

DECEMBER 2014 | www.greenbaypressgazette.com/you | 19

your life

What’s the health of your wealth? Use the New Year to spur a financial refresher By Meghan Diemel

The New Year brings about many resolutions regarding health and wellbeing. But an area often overlooked is the health of personal finances. The good news is that the turn of the calendar to January is the perfect time for a financial fresh start. Attorney Gregory Holbus, of Holbus Law in Green Bay, and Northwestern Mutual Managing Director Dante Pizzuti of Green Bay offer their advice for five areas to give attention in 2015.

Budget

Keeping a detailed ledger of how you spend money is a good way to start budgeting, says Holbus. “A lot of people grossly underestimate how much they spend. People have a habit of not counting smaller trips. For example, say they stopped at a gas station for a coffee or a little snack – they won’t consider that into their overall food budget, but over time it can be substantial.” Holbus says another important factor is understanding what finance terms actually mean and recognizing marketing tactics. “Most marketing techniques are designed to get people to spend money,” says Holbus. “And this is true of coupons, sales events, warranties, etc.”

Debt

Don’t wait another year to start paying down debt, says Holbus, who works with clients facing bankruptcy.

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“I would say a good chunk of my clients end up coming because a crisis has forced them to, even though the writing was on the wall for quite some time,” he says. “The same is true for wage garnishments and collection actions. “And it’s not that we can’t help them, if they wait until the last minute, but it means that they’re going to end up losing money and go through other hardships along the way because they waited too long,” he adds.

Investments

Northwestern Mutual Managing Director Dante Pizzuti says he doesn’t believe day-trading and chasing the ups-and-downs of the stock market is the strongest way to achieve financial goals. “Instead, I think it is more important than ever for everyone to financially plan for the future,” he furthers. “There will come a day when someone cannot work or chooses not to. At that point, he or she will need resources to continue a certain lifestyle for themselves and their family. It is also more important today to do this sort of planning because an individual is more responsible than ever for providing these resources – with many employers reducing or eliminating pensions or retirement plans. A balanced plan for the future also includes the base of the portfolio, which is risk management, and may include life insurance.”

go through the in depth fact-finding process around all financial needs, including insurance needs.” In order to calculate the proper amount of life insurance to be recommended, he says, there are a couple rules of thumb. “I have read many periodicals on the subject, and some of them state that the proper amount of life insurance coverage is seven to 10 times the amount of a person’s income. I am very leery when I hear these standards because they do not consider anyone’s individual needs and goals. If you want to be sure, it’s always best to work with a professional who can help craft a comprehensive plan.”

Savings Account

One of the hardest things to do financially – especially following the holidays – is to continue saving money. But even for his clients facing crisis situations, Holbus recommends savings accounts as part of their budget. “It doesn’t take very much – if you set $19.50 aside on a weekly basis you can have about $1,000 in their savings account each year that they can use for emergency things like medical expenses or vehicle repairs,” he explains.

Life Insurance

Life insurance is important, says Pizzuti, because it provides family members or business partners left behind after the death of someone close to them with the financial resources to carry on without major financial disruption. “In order for someone to know if they are carrying enough life insurance, they should sit down with someone who specializes in risk management. We’ll ask questions about the inheritances, college savings, debt reduction, income and financial legacy that they’d like to leave behind. “I’d recommend that consumers look for someone with the designation of CLU (Certified Life Underwriter),” he adds. “Consumers should also

DECEMBER 2014 | www.greenbaypressgazette.com/you | 21

Bake Away the Winter Blues Family Features

When the weather outside turns frightful, baking homemade treats will be so delightful. Whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s with friends, the kids or even by yourself, making treats is a great way to keep warm and active when snowed in. 22 | www.greenbaypressgazette.com/you | DECEMBEr 2014

your life Try these tips for fun indoor activities during wintry weather: • Plan ahead. Stock up your pantry ahead of time with baking and decorating supplies, so you’ll have what you need during snow days. • No two snowflakes are alike. It’s easy to make a deliciously unique treat. Bake a large brownie or a cake in a Snowflake Tube Pan (see recipe below). Decorate it with icing and marshmallows, sprinkles, candy-coated chocolates or chocolate chips. • Build tasty snowmen. Instead of getting bundled up to build a snowman outside, make fun snowmen cookies with a two-piece Melted Snowman Cookie Cutter Set (see recipe below). After decorating, enjoy the cookies with a cup of cocoa.

Spicy Snowman Cookies Yield: 18 sets of cookies

Ingredients: 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/4 teaspoon chili powder 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar 1 egg 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract Melted Snowman Cookie Cutter Set Cookie Icing: White, Black, Orange Brown and Red

Directions:

S’mores Snowflake Brownies Servings: 12

Ingredients: Snowflake Tube Pan or bundt pan 1 box (18 ounces) brownie mix Water, oil and eggs to prepare mix 4 graham crackers, broken into bite-size pieces 1/3 cup milk chocolate chips 2 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows

Directions: Preheat oven to 325°F. Prepare pan with vegetable pan spray. In large bowl, stir together brownie mix, water, oil and eggs until well combined. Fold in broken graham crackers. Pour into prepared pan and smooth so batter is evenly distributed. Bake 24-26 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center of brownie comes out nearly clean. Cool in pan on cooling grid 10 minutes. Remove from pan and sprinkle with chocolate chips. Let sit 5 minutes; spread over top. Cover with marshmallows. Let chocolate harden before serving.

Preheat oven to 350ºF. In large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cayenne pepper and chili powder. In separate large bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; beat until combined. Add flour mixture; beat until just combined. Divide dough into 2 balls. On floured surface, roll each ball into a circle approximately 12 inches diameter by 1/8 inch thick. Dip cookie cutters in flour before each use. Transfer cookies to ungreased cookie sheet. Bake puddle cookies for 12-14 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned. Bake hat cookies on separate cookie sheet for 8-9 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned. Cool cookies on sheet on cooling grid 5 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely on grid. Decorate cooled cookies. On puddle cookies, use white cookie icing to outline and fill in. Pipe black icing facial features and buttons, orange icing pull-out dot nose and brown icing arms. On hat cookies, use black cookie icing to outline and fill in. Add red cookie icing hatband. Attach hat to main cookie with dot of icing. Note: Color Flow Mix and Royal Icing can also be used.

DECEMBER 2014 | www.greenbaypressgazette.com/you | 23

holiday gift guide

YOU Magazineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2014 Gift Catalog

24 | www.greenbaypressgazette.com/you | DECEMBEr 2014