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The state of manufacturing -
First-hand look from Alliance for American Manufacturing
Dri-Tec is first manufacturing microloan recipient
GROWTH AND TRANSFORMATION Area manufacturers’ innovations strengthen local and global economy GREEN BAY’S SUPERIOR BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR MORE THAN A DECADE
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Contents.
FEATURES
04
Viewpoint
A new take on an old favorite, the column is mixing things up
Volume 19, #6 | December 2011/January 2012
12 The state of manufacturing
First-hand look from Alliance for American Manufacturing
14
Dri-Tec
The first manufacturer recipient of the Advance Brown County MicroLoan program
08
Innovation
06 BBJ DEPARTMENTS
12 16
06 TECH WATCH 18 BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT 20 MEET A MEMBER 22 CHAMBER BRIEFS
14
ADVERTISERS VISIT THE GREEN BAY AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AT:
titletown.org
01 B ank Mutual 02 UnitedHealthcare 19 M E GTE C 01 Network Health Plan B ack Cover Cellcom 02 Green B ay Metro 07 Camera Corner Connecting Point 07 Children's Hospit al of Wisconsin 16 YM CA Inside Front Cover Lambeau Field Inside B ack Cover TD S
PRESIDENT Laurie Radke EDITOR Lori Kaye Lodes GRAPHIC DESIGNER Dana Jacobson
The BBJ is published bimonthly by the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, PO Box 1660, Green Bay, WI 54305-1660. The BBJ is supported entirely by advertising revenue from member companies of the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce. For information about the advertising rates and deadlines, contact Sales at 920.593.3404. The BBJ (USPS 010-206) is published bimonthly for $18 a year by the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, PO Box 1660, Green Bay, WI 54305-1660. Periodicals postage paid at Green Bay, WI. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The BBJ, P.O. Box 1660, Green Bay, WI 54305-1660. PH: 920.593.3423. CopyrightŠ 2008 Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce
VIEWPOINT TEXT Laurie Radke
succeed by example
Leadership Green Bay
Hello, everyone! I’d like to take this opportunity, in my first Viewpoint, to thank you for your warm welcome and to let you know all of us at the Chamber—board, staff, volunteers—are busy assessing the many programs, services, processes and offerings, and will be in touch with recommended strategic changes in early 2012. One of the first changes I’m implementing is in the form this Viewpoint takes in each issue. I believe the Viewpoint can continue to offer a presidential perspective on a topic or issue, but is also a wonderful forum for the staff, members and volunteers who make our programs what they are. To that end, I’m pleased to introduce this, my first Viewpoint, on the Chamber’s Leadership Green Bay program. The program is well-rooted in the Chamber and the community. Launched in 1985, it’s a long-standing program to be sure. Back in 2003, I was fortunate to go through the program and now have the honor of being recognized as an alumnus. That said, in September I had the opportunity to participate in the 2011-2012 Leadership Green Bay class’ Welcome Breakfast as the newly installed president of the Chamber. What an eye-opener! While I knew there were hundreds of graduates, I had no idea that close to 900 people have completed the program. Neither did I realize that the program I considered so wonderful is considered one of the stronger, more innovative programs by the Association of Leadership Professionals (formerly known as the National Leadership Association). In fact, its manager, Jeanne Agneessens, received the Preceptor Award in 2003, a testament to the characteristics all of us who’ve gone through the program can vouch for in Jeanne. It honors directors for their outstanding communication skills, creativity, trusteeship, ethics, mentoring and dedication to the concept of strengthening and transforming communities. And that’s exactly what Jeanne has been doing since she took over the reins Jeanne Agneessens for the program in1994. When I saw the 40 new recruits at that breakfast, I was so excited for them to embark on the same wonderful experience and journey I did with Leadership Green Bay. Jeff Mirkes of Downtown Green Bay Inc. made a powerful presentation on the projects the teams have accomplished, and it was clear what a positive and broad-sweeping impact this program and its participants have had – and continue to have – on our 4
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community. (Each class splits into small groups that address community needs through small group projects. To date, groups have completed 118 projects that have enhanced the quality of life in our area.) One of the most recent of those small group projects was the creation of the Thingamajigger House at Family Services of Northeast Wisconsin this past year. The Dr. Seuss-themed playhouse was created for the preschool-age clients of the Family Services Healthy Families program. “We are so grateful to Leadership Green Bay and this group for their work to plan, fund and build the Thingamajigger House. It fills a need we had by providing a safe and fun area for the children Tom Martin we serve while their parents meet with our staff. It also helps us teach parents the importance of interactive play with their children,” says Tom Martin, president and CEO, Family Services. That one project is anticipated to serve more than 200 families and more than 240 children each year. But they’re not the only beneficiaries. One of those small group project participants, Tom Swiecichowski of Cellcom, had received the annual request to apply to become a part of the Leadership Green Bay class each year for about seven years. He had resisted because of the time commitment – “Working with about 30 business associations across Cellcom’s network, my plate was full,” he says – but leadership at his company supported his application.
Tom Swiecichowski
When he began the nine-month process, Tom figured the primary benefit would be the networking connections he would make, although he had always believed strongly in paying it forward. “But once I was introduced to the program and went through the different days (which focus on everything from human services, to diversity, to education), my eyes were opened to the area and how much need there is,” says Tom. Before long, networking was pushed far down the benefit list. “What touched me is how fortunate we are, and that there are a lot of people in the area we can help. I am a strong proponent of the fish philosophy – ‘Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.’ We have a responsibility to help. We can make a difference.’”
That’s exactly what Tom’s small group did with the Thingamajigger House. And while there is no commitment to the program or small group projects required beyond graduation, Tom’s group remains in contact, meeting every six weeks or so, and is canvassing the area to find another small group project to tackle on their own. “When you look at someone in the face and learn about their needs, it’s easy to see why to give, and give sincerely,” he says. That’s the intent of the program – to nurture participants’ leadership skills so that they “succeed by example” (the program’s new tagline) out in the community after they graduate from the program. To that end, the program creates a Leadership Green Bay directory each year that features all graduates names, contact information and areas of expertise/ interest so that community organizations have a reference to linking the right people with the right community projects. “I can say from personal experience that the program is life-changing in how it opens your eyes to what we have to offer as a community, as well as the needs we as individuals can address," says Mayor Jim Schmitt. "It's powerful in how it spurs small groups to act and effect change. That change is evident all around the community. Over the years, the City of Green Bay and community at large has been a repeat benefactor of Leadership Green Bay small group projects, from the Flags of Diversity at Leicht Park to the Mayor James Schmitt train depot and historical signage at Bay Beach Amusement Park, among other things. I can't say enough about how the program not only transforms individuals and their outlook on the community, but also what they do for the benefit of the community.” Two other benefactors are Clarity Care and The Volunteer Center of Brown County. Sue Premo, a Leadership Green Bay graduate herself, says that at one point, the majority of the center’s board was comprised of program graduates. Today, it’s about onethird. “But for a relatively smaller nonprofit, the program has been invaluable,” she says. “Having people involved with us who are also part of Leadership Green Bay really extends our connections in the community, and it helpful in both promoting volunteer- Sue Premo ing and strengthening us as an organization.” Several Clarity Care Green Bay team members have graduated from the program as well. Today, the majority of the company’s Green Bay advisory committee is Leadership Green Bay graduates. “Quite often, these folks are visionaries. While they most certainly accomplish [a lot] through tasks, they are not limited to just task orientation. They have the ability to take the 35,000-foot view of things, connect the appropriate resources to solve the problem and complement each other well,” says Chris Wales, vice president of communications and business development for Clarity Care. “They definitely come to the table with an attitude focused on helping their community.” That’s exactly what the program teaches. Jeanne says the program is not just an opportunity to learn about the community, but to experience
it at the same time. “When we, as adults, understand that we have to give back some of our time, talent and treasures in order to live in a wonderful community, Leadership Green Bay can help us focus on what that area will be,” she says. Chris Heil, class of 2008, found the focused days extremely eye-opening and in ways he hadn’t anticipated. At the time, he had spent 18 years as a firefighter and Chris Wales seven years as a death investigator with the medical examiner’s office. The emotions and tragedies he was intimately involved in as a result of those gave him an insight into humanity that he said most people will never know. That said, he admitted he wasn’t prepared for the emotions and thought-provoking events he experienced during Diversity Day. “I took away more than I could even begin to summarize… Leadership Green Bay and the various sessions have renewed my soul and passion for this great community,” he says. “As Winston Churchill said, ‘It’s not enough that we do our best; sometimes we have to do Chris Heil what’s required.’” Fortunately for Jeanne, she says her “insides match what I have chosen to do as a career.” Her involvement is a case in point to how the program works – she came into the program as a volunteer because of her passion for the environment and stayed because of Leadership Green Bay’s mission to develop and strengthen the community. “I am so proud of what the volunteers accomplish with this program each and every year. We keep raising the bar as the projects get bigger and as we incorporate technology into our curriculum. We truly make a difference. And the bonus? We create friendships and networks that are priceless and last for a lifetime.” Lee Bouche of the Employee Resource Center can vouch for that. A 1989 graduate of the program, he says he had a very sudden opportunity to establish his company, and when that arose, he reached out to fellow Leadership Green Bay participants and graduates for everything from accounting to his legal structure. “It not only saved me a lot of time, but I had confidence in these people,” he says.
Lee Bouche
After I watched the presentation at the Welcome Breakfast, all I could think is, “I want to go through it again!” I was thinking about how I would like to tell each participant to cherish each moment as time goes by quickly, and to appreciate Jeanne in leading this initiative. Her passion, drive and commitment are what this amazing program was built on. Now’s the time to get your leadership’s buy-in if you’d like to apply to go through the program. Applications are available at leadershipgreenbay. org and titletown.org. Or feel free to contact Jeanne at 920.593.3412 with any questions you might have. BBJ December 11/january 12 |
5
TECH WATCH TEXT AL PAHL
Enables
Technology Innovation Does your company have a philosophy of technology? Award-winning MCL Industries, the Pulaski-based maker of electrical, mechanical and hydraulic assemblies, subassemblies and control units, does—on a couple of levels, beginning with the physical. If some piece of hardware, software or a process can make the company more efficient, its 130 workers’ jobs easier or its end products better, MCL will consider it. (It does so by studying the dickens out of it – this team is way serious about testing, including designing its own tests and equipment.) Director of Operations Pamela Krumrei pushes beyond the physical piece of technology. “When I think of technology, I understand it to be larger than (physical) technology,” she says. “It’s not just the equipment. Technology also has an innovative aspect, and I’m not sure it’s always looked at that way by people in industry. We really look at: How innovative can we be with what we are doing to satisfy the customer? Technology is bigger than just looking at this piece of equipment that can get 1,000 parts per hour, where we used to only get 100.”
firm’s strategic planning. “We actually go throughout their organization and identify: How can we make their job easier? How innovative can we be? We take that and drive innovation internally.” Sometimes innovation results even when questions aren’t asked aloud. Installing wire seals, small rubber moisture barriers, happens thousands of times a day. “We take these seals, by hand, and put them on one by one,” Krumrei outlines. “A team member came up with a plastic block with the proper hole depth. She’d get the wire seal started, insert into block, press down with block taped to her finger and it would bring it to the perfect depth. She was short-cutting the process, making it a little more efficient and improving consistency.” “She was innovative and came up with a solution,” Krumrei adds. “That’s what we’d like all of our employees to do: ‘Here’s a problem; we know it can be better. Let’s try something.’ Folks start owning the idea, and improvement makes their job easier. That is where we want everybody to be.”
Innovation only matters if quality is maintained Bigger in what way? “Bigger in that there is or improved. Built-in quality is the rule rather In-line assembly testing. an innovative piece as well,” Krumrei says. “It than the exception at MCL, where employees might not be just the mechanics of something often put together a wire harness by hand; placand how it’s operating. Technology is not all about computers, PLC ing wires on a layout board, attaching them to terminals that instantly (programmable logic control) and hands-off, necessarily. What is the test them. “We must build quality into the process,” Krumrei says. “Now technology in our continuous improvement process and when we we don’t have to tear it apart because there is an error somewhere. We collaborate with our customers and their continuous improvement know it’s assembled correctly before it ever gets to that final state.” efforts? Those processes and that collaboration, to me, are forms of technology. In that partnership, each of us learns from the other. How One very visible technology that has allowed MCL to improve innovative and creative can we get?” quality, as well as improve efficiency 60 percent, is a $250,000 Komax machine. It processes wires: cutting, stripping and installing the propInnovation and working closely with clients are two of the reasons er termination. Not only was that work formerly very labor intensive, customers seek out MCL, whose repertoire includes printed circuit but the machine actually changes how quality is tested. With semiboards, wire assemblies from the simple to amazingly complex and the automatic machines, workers would manually conduct a pull test to control systems that many of those wire assemblies are part of. The verify acceptable crimps. The Komax is programmed with wire gauge company also produces and paints many of the compartments those and other specs, leading to a programmed crimp height. The machine subassemblies end up in, for clients including Oshkosh Corp., Altec applies exactly the same height to each crimp; whether it is crimp and Marinette Marine. “They come to us for our responsiveness and No. 2 or No. 1,000, measuring its own work. “Everything is the same,” innovation,” says Krumrei, drawing on recent survey results from her Krumrei emphasizes. “We know we are going to be within, plus or 6
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minus, 2/1000 of an inch for crimp height (3/1000 is a human hair). We don’t have severed wires or a failed pull test (crimp’s too tight/ loose), a destructive test. Crimp height is measured by micrometer, a non-destructive test. Our repeatability and reproducibility in quality off that unit is Six Sigma level.” Near the Komax, an enclosed heat/rolling machine has supplanted some open-heat machines for applying heat shrinks to wires. Employees formerly applied the shrinks by holding them over a 1,400 BTU heater. One at a time. The newer machines, each $10,000, allow employees to do the same work by placing the wires and shrinks in an enclosed box (safer) that shrinks more than one at a time (efficiency). Krumrei says removing the open source of heat was an easy safety choice, and the company did a myriad of tests to show increased efficiency. Interestingly, some employees were initially resistant to that new technology. That brings us to a huge challenge any company faces when introducing technology: Managing change. “It’s challenging,” Krumrei admits. “You can go through all the team building you want. However, you are still going to have some people who are not open to change. We all are adverse to change on different levels. So, to overcome that, we have to work very hard. It is intentionally the culture we are creating here. It’s education. It’s awareness. It’s ownership of being involved in the process.” “It’s involvement throughout the whole process. You need to get people to buy in. You have some adopters in a very early stage, and you have some very slow adopters. So, how can the early adopters be your messengers to help support the change process? It’s a lot about how it’s approached.”
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BBJ December 11/january 12 |
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COVER STORY
growth and transformation Area manufacturers’ innovations strengthen local and global economy
$
JENNIFER HOGELAND TEXT SUBMITTED PHOTOGRAPHY
The health of manufacturing is central to the economic growth and the strength of the country. While manufacturing appears to be on the rebound in the U.S., several local manufacturers have survived and thrived the last few years by being innovative. Whether they’ve reinvented themselves or embraced advancements in technology, area companies are equipped to take on the manufacturing challenges ahead.
current print customers. Rauscher says, “We were determined to be the last dog in the fight. We continued servicing the market, but we also started to design and develop new products for the print market, which included digital printing.” “We happened to have the foresight to realize there was going to be a need for web processing products in the digital print market. We just had to wait for it to come,” he adds. Four years after launching its digital product EMT International experienced significant growth. Making the most of growth Without enough room to manufacture or assemble its equipment, EMT International opened a new facility in Hobart. Rauscher attributes EMT International’s remarkable growth in a tough economy to its superior product. “This is the latest and greatest technology in the printing industry, and we happen to have gotten in on the ground floor of it,” he says. The design and innovation EMT International brought to the market has contributed to its success.
A time of change EMT International Inc. was founded in the ’30s as a small tool and die shop. In the mid ’60’s it began manufacturing punching and slitting products for the business forms industry. In 1986, under new ownership, EMT International expanded its product line to include consumable products for punching, perforating, slitting, and processing modules for the printing, paper, and converting industries. “We kept adding products to serve more industries,” says Paul Rauscher, president of EMT International.
“Many people realized the potential of our equipment and sought to work with us. They’ve asked us to develop other products they need,” says Rauscher. EMT International stands out from its competition because it continually works to customize equipment to what the customer wants. It doesn’t believe one size fits all.
“We’ve had decades of reinventing ourselves,” he adds. In 2001 it developed a line of equipment for the digital web process and digital printing market; today this equipment represents more than 95 percent of sales for the company. The market drove the transformation 10 years ago. Rauscher explains that as the traditional print market shrank, the need for the products EMT International made for the printing industry shrank as well. It began reinventing itself, although it didn’t abandon its 8
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These photos represent the evolution of technology, showcasing EMT's Punch Module for Document Finishing (current, at top). The 1980s version of that model is featured in the bottom photo.
The company’s leadership drives the customer centric approach. “Our constant contact with the customer and our innovation has really sustained our ability to grow,” says Rauscher.
Taking a bite out of food seal equipment industry Campbell Wrapper Corporation in De Pere has found itself busier than ever in the last year and a half. As companies prepared to invest in manufacturing equipment, they looked to Campbell Wrapper for the fastest and easiest to use machinery on the market. Over its 80-year history (originally part of Hudson-Sharp Machine Company), Campbell Wrapper has expanded to provide complete packaging solutions to many industries. It’s built a reputation on equipment that increases a customer’s packaging output; all recent developments have been designed to be easy to operate and straight-forward to maintain. While the manufacturer relies on its tried-and-true packaging machinery, John Dykema, president and owner, explains the company has seen the most significant growth in the food packaging equipment sector of its business. Machinery for A Campbell flow-wrapper, manufactured by Campbell Wrapper Corporation in De Pere, is food manufacturers is ordinarily two-thirds of its business, tested prior to shipment to their food processing customer. but demand has increased it to between 80 and 90 percent. Dykema says, “This is one market more companies are prone to invest in now.” It willingly adjusted its focus to accommodate the Double-digit sales growth was behind its rebranding. It became so changing market demands. much more than the name Coating Excellence International suggested. “It was somewhat limiting. It was more about who we were than Outgrowing its name and former capabilities who we are today,” adds Vann. The company switched to its initials and One company’s market growth was so dramatic it spurred a rebranding moved forward. initiative. Formed in 1997, cei, formerly Coating Excellence International, was the creation of a group of experienced industry professionals who The rebranding strengthened cei’s position in the industry and set it up saw a need for a converting supplier dedicated to providing superior for future growth. The company intends to continue making inroads in service, quality and innovation. While it is a relatively new manufacturer, its newer markets and serving customers in established markets. “We over the last 14 years cei has expanded seven times. are in what we consider our core markets right now and just continue to serve customers better than anyone else in the industry. That speaks Facility expansions allowed it to move beyond poly coating and poly for itself,” says Vann. laminating paper to a become a market-leading supplier of many flexible packaging and technical products. “Our expansion allowed room Capitalizing on its growth was critical to its success, but product differfor additional converting processes, as well as coating and laminating, entiation has also been key. “Each different packaging format we make bag making, flexographic and offset presses,” says Beth Vann, market- can be paired with a number of innovative features that set our products ing manager. “Today we take up nearly a million feet of manufacturing apart,” adds Vann. space of what used to just be a coating facility.”
cei offers a full line of flexible packaging products, complete with closure options and convenience features.
cei's extensive experience with lightweight, high performance coatings and a broad array of substrates allows it to provide unique solutions for a variety of technical product end uses like these. BBJ December 11/january 12 |
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Finding new ways to recruit the quality employees you need can be a challenge… A typical coating line application for lithium-ion battery electrode production at MEGTEC.
Chasing innovation MEGTEC is a global design, engineering, manufacturing and services company built on innovation. The company’s accomplishments were achieved because MEGTEC has been open to new possibilities. Curious yet practical, Mohit Uberoi, president and CEO of MEGTEC, and his teams explore ways for research to be applied to developing products. Development teams work with suppliers and end users to identify needs and develop solutions. In many cases, innovation for MEGTEC means taking its existing technologies and customizing them for use in new, emerging advanced materials markets. While the manufacturer has a history of providing dryers, coating equipment and environmental equipment for the printing, coating and packaging industries, it’s expanded into adjacent markets including food processing, automotive, electronics and pharmaceutical. The company has been getting a lot of attention for its work with lithiumion battery electrode coating and drying technology. Entry into the battery business was initiated by a customer familiar with what MEGTEC did in the printing industry – it was looking to replicate MEGTEC’s drying and coating process for battery electrodes. This patented process was part of the first successful applications of lithium-ion technology in hybrid cars. MEGTEC’s technology has the potential to save millions of dollars per year in lithium-ion battery manufacturing operations. Of importance to markets where testing and evaluating processes is essential, MEGTEC’s pilot line in its De Pere R&D facility allows battery and other advanced material developers to test coating formulations and process parameters before full scale production takes place.
Aerial view of MEGTEC's 365,000-square-foot manufacturing facilities in De Pere. 10 | BBJ December 11/January 12
It just got easier with Advance’s partnership with NationJob, a nationwide online job posting site that also includes a local community job site and more than 40 industry niche sites INCLUDING MANUFACTURING! NationJob.com is a leader in community-based job recruitment. On behalf of the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, Advance is pleased to offer this program as a solution for job-seekers and Chamber member employers alike. Last year, Chamber members posted almost 1,000 jobs on the Chamber’s job page thanks to Community Job Network, hosted by NationJob.com. Each job posting is a $500-plus value. Those jobs generated more than 1.3 million job views and almost 30,000 clicks to apply. For more information on how you can post a job with NationJob, contact Jessica Beckendorf at jbeckendorf@titletown.org. The NationJob program is sponsored by these community leaders: RR Donnelley Associated Bank Aurora Health Care WS Packaging Group Schneider National Paper Transport Inc. Camera Corner/Connecting Point Cherney Microbiological Fincantieri Marine Group Georgia–Pacific Greenwood Fuels Feeco International Tundra Lodge Romo Landmark Staffing
BOOK REVIEW REVIEWED BY Eileen Below, BROWN COUNTY LIBRARY
Ubuntu!:
An Inspiring Story about an African Tradition of Teamwork and Collaboration
AUTHOR Stephen Lundin and Bob Nelson
PUBLISHER New York, Broadway Books, c2010
Two authorities on employee attitudes and performance, Stephen Lundin, co-author of Fish, and Bob Nelson of 101 Ways to Reward Employees fame, collaborate on a business fable based on the African ethical philosophy. Ubuntu! is the story of John Peterson, the newly promoted manager of the credit department at BullsEye, a leading retailer located outside of Chicago. John was an exemplary employee in the technical area at BullsEye, but is struggling in his new role. The work that comes from his department is often past due or incorrect, and John finds himself working late every evening, and coming in on weekends to clean up others’ messes. On one such weekend, Simon, a graduate student and BullsEye employee, comes in to help. Through Simon, John is introduced to Ubuntu, a philosophy that “considers the success of the group above that of the individual.” As he learns more about Ubuntu, John begins to carry out its ideals at work, and realizes that his attitudes and beliefs were the major problem in the department. Lessons are abundant in the Ubuntu philosophy. Value people for what they are, which is different from valuing people for what they contribute. Expect the best from others and you’ll most likely get it. Respect the person who does the work, although you don’t have to respect bad work. Show gratitude for what people have done. Listen more, talk less. In addition, the text is sprinkled with boxes that highlight a single Ubuntu principle. It’s almost guaranteed that we will recognize a time or place at which the principle could have been positively applied. The value of the boxes is that they encourage us to reflect upon how our reactions impacted others.
bit of drama involving John’s failed marriage (for which he could also apply his newly acquired Ubuntu skills). If you’re looking for simple, common-sense principles that can help change the attitude at your business, invest two hours and read Ubuntu! It’s worth the effort.
Additional related titles available at the
Brown County Library
n Getting Things Done When You Are Not in Charge Bellman, Geoffrey M. Berrett-Koehler Publishers, c2001. n Start With No: The Negotiating Tools That the Pros Don’t Want You to Know Camp, James R. Crown Business, c2002. n If You Want it Done Right, You Don’t Have to Do It Yourself: The Power of Effective Delegation Genett, Donna M. Quill Driver Books, c2004. n Managing Teams: Expert Solutions to Everyday Problems Harvard Business Review Press, c2010. n Crunch Point: The 21 Secrets to Succeeding When It Matters Most Tracy, Brian American Management Association, c2007.
Ubuntu is straightforward, although laced with little dashes of humor (I loved the name of BullsEye’s travel partner - Flyaway Airlines), and a BBJ December 11/january 12 | 11
Expo explores current state and future of manufacturing Jennifer hogeland TEXT
On Wednesday, Oct. 26, Wisconsin’s 2011 Manufacturing First Expo and Conference lured manufacturers and exhibitors from throughout the New North to the KI Convention Center. Among the day’s highlights was a keynote speech by Scott N. Paul, executive director of the Alliance for American Manufacturing. Paul took the stage just after 8 a.m. to share his views on the current state of the economy, global competition, and the economic rationale for establishing a manufacturing policy. As told to attendees at the Wisconsin’s 2011 Manufacturing Expo and Conference: “For too many, American manufacturing is an afterthought. It needs to be at the front of the policy debate. Communities, such as Green Bay and Appleton, often feel isolated and alone in the challenges they face, both in attracting talent and being locally competitive, but this is true all around America. “We’ve reached a crossroads in the United States – we’ve discovered that we’ve tried everything else. We’ve tried a knowledge economy; it resulted in a tech bubble that exploded a decade ago. We’ve tried an economy built on housing speculation; it didn’t work out particularly well. We tried an economy led by Wall Street financial innovation; that didn’t work out either. America has tried a lot of...things, but we always get back to our core competency. And, in our case, that is manufacturing. I think that is where we are today. “We, at the Alliance for American Manufacturing, are a unique creation of manufacturers and a union. We don’t agree on everything, but we do agree the health of manufacturing is central to employment, economic growth and the future strength of our country. We want to build in policies to support that – infrastructure, skills and training. “Wisconsin, both in terms of percentage of employment and in its economic output, is the most intensive-manufacturing state in the 12 | BBJ December 11/January 12
country. This region, in particular, is the most manufacturing-intensive region in the state. “One of the reasons the unemployment rate in Wisconsin is lower than it is nationally is precisely because of manufacturing. Manufacturing has added 22,000 jobs in Wisconsin since the end of the recession. While that is still only 30 percent of all the jobs that were lost during the recession in manufacturing, it does represent forward progress more than the last 20 months. “Employers, according to the NEW Manufacturing Vitality Survey put out with the help of the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, expect to increase their payrolls, and the Wisconsin Department of Revenue estimates you’ll see manufacturing job growth in this state of over 3 percent this year, next year and in 2013. “Manufacturing accounts for one-fifth of the state’s economy, compared to about 11 percent and dropping in the rest of the country. Manufacturing in Wisconsin is an anomaly in a lot of ways. “Data collected reveals 78 percent of the businesses surveyed expect their business to be up this year, which is tremendous, especially where things were in 2008 and 2009. Manufacturers expect to have capital expenditures of 41 percent within the next two years; 48 percent expect to modernize their facilities over the next 12 to 24 months. “When you look more broadly at manufacturing, you see the productivity of manufacturing workers far exceeds that of the rest of the American economy. It is important for a couple of reasons—more productivity means more economic growth and generally it means more income, although there has been a bit of a disconnect on that over the last decade or two. “Manufacturing workers make more than workers in the rest of the economy, in fact substantially more. What that means to a city like Green Bay is more revenue that can go into education for schools, and
to improve roads and public safety. If you have manufacturing jobs, you have income to spread throughout the community to support the small business sector and local services.
that has a negative effect. We are spending less and less money to create the next best thing. The last piece of business is ending regulatory barriers or opposing those that make the U.S. globally uncompetitive.
“Manufacturing is also critical to innovation in this country. The idea that you can have a knowledge economy without a manufacturing economy is a fallacy. You can’t do it. Approximately 90 percent of all patents filed in the U.S. come from the manufacturing sector; 70 percent of all expenditures in research and development are done under the manufacturing sector in the U.S.
“There is no question that we are in a human resources crisis in manufacturing both on the shop floor and on the leadership level. Leadership in manufacturing firms is aging. In fact, according to a national survey done by Deloitte and the Manufacturing Institute, about 60 percent of all firms expect to have some leadership turnover over the next five years. That is talent at the very top. We need to consider that as well as what is happening on the factory floor. An enormous number of manufacturers report challenges having skilled machinists and other types of operators for their factory.
“Manufacturing’s share of employment has dropped significantly from 1970 to last year, from about 25 percent of overall employment down to below 10 percent today. That has an impact on our ability as a nation to produce wealth and income and revenue. “The silver lining is that looking at the beginning of 2010 to today, nationwide we’ve created about 250,000 manufacturing jobs. This is the first period of sustained manufacturing employment we’ve had in the country since 1995 to 1996. It has leveled off over the last few months, but I think it is a bright spot in this recession. Where initially manufacturing was contributing an outside share to the decline in the recession, it is now producing an outside share of the recovery in the recession as well.
“Finding someone that has the trade skills is a major challenge. Here has been the result—instead of hiring on, two-thirds of manufacturers are using overtime instead of hiring new workers because they are impossible to find. More than 40 percent of manufacturers are outsourcing some functions that would otherwise be done in house—it could be to elsewhere in the community or it could be overseas. If you add up the total of unfilled positions in manufacturing it could be as high as 600,000, and we have 9.1 percent unemployment in this country. We have unfilled positions because of a skills mismatch.
“Every decade in the last century we grew manufacturing output. It was only in this last decade, from 2000 to 2009, [that we saw] a shrinkage for the first time. We actually saw a 20 percent drop in output over the recession, which was the most severe drop we’ve ever seen in manufacturing. The depths of the crisis from which we are emerging is pretty stunning. And, any of you who operate manufacturing business know this. Manufacturers that have been able to weather the storm are well-positioned to compete and to succeed well into the future. “Wondering why all of this happened? There is no question we’ve lost jobs because of productivity and automation. We also lost them because construction is way down, and the auto sector’s build rate in the U.S. is still three million vehicles below what we saw before the recession. We’ve seen a manufacturing trade deficit in goods increase by 400 percent over the last 12-13 years. That certainly had an impact. “We’ve seen a substantial rise in competition. India recently issued a manufacturing policy where they aim to create tens of millions of manufacturing jobs over the next couple of decades. Germany has a policy in place to try and support its manufacturing sector. In a lot of ways, our country has been the lagers, and that has shown. Americans have long had an aversion to a corrugated strategy to try to help manufacturing. “So, what is the economic rational for having a manufacturing policy? You, the individual manufacturer, face incredible competition from around the world. You can’t do all your research and development in house so it makes sense to collaborate, to have academic institutions involved, and to have federal support for that. There are credit barriers. If you are a small manufacturer you need assistance with exports. Elements of a manufacturing policy could include investing in infrastructure. The lasting benefits are extraordinary. We absolutely need to improve our skills and training. Doubling exports and reducing the trade deficit would have substantial benefits for manufacturing. “I think we need to expand federal support for research and development. We have seen R&D expenditures as an overall percentage of our economy and the federal budget decline over the last decade or two, and
Advance staff including Marianne Dickson (left), director of the Advance Brown County MicroLoan program, and Lisa Harmann, manager of the Advance Business & Manufacturing Center, chat with a visitor to their booth at the Manufacturing First Expo and Conference.
“Part of the challenge is that for a generation it has been beaten into the heads of young people that there is no future in manufacturing. They’ve seen the outdated images, not the true picture of manufacturers with computers and lasers and highly skilled workers. “There are obviously policy things we can do. We can invest more in education and building the infrastructure, but until we commit as much in that as other countries do, we will never be globally competitive. “I think the U.S. can and will be a great manufacturing country in the future because we actually will turn the corner on policies in the coming years. When I look at what we’ve been able to accomplish in the last few years, it has been remarkable. We have the ability to make the next best thing, and we can still attract talent. We need to get Washington to catch up with us; we need to get Wall Street off our back. Working together I think we can get it done.”
BBJ December 11/january 12 | 13
MicroLoan Goes Manufacturing With Dri-Tec Lee marie reinsch TEXT Dana Jacobson PHOTOGRAPHY
The holidays may have visions of sugarplum fairies dancing in some heads, but in Dri-Tec’s case, it’s increased sales and quicker turnaround that are doing the pliés and pirouettes. Thanks to the Advance Brown County MicroLoan Program, Dri-Tec President Matt Burie has been able to hire an engineer, which makes more business sense than dancing nutcrackers or gingerbread soldiers anyway. Burie says his new engineer will help Dri-Tec turn orders for machines around more quickly, which will help with increased business.
“It was one of those things where I needed just a little extra financial backing so I could hire this engineer and take the business to the next level.” - Matt Burie, president, Dri-Tec Unlimited
“It was one of those things where I needed just a little extra financial backing so I could hire this engineer and take the business to the next level,” Burie says. “The banks haven’t been very accommodating to small business in the last few years; with this extra financial backing in my hip pocket, I hired him (the engineer) on the spot. He can at least rest assured that he’s got a stable job, and that’s important to me.” Dri-Tec Unlimited, housed in the Howard business park, is the first manufacturing company to be awarded a loan from the Advance Brown County MicroLoan Program, according to Marianne Dickson, director of the program. “It’s really exciting that he is using the money to hire somebody,” Dickson says. The 41-year-old company makes printing and coating equipment for the paper, film and foil industries. Think silver foil Wrigley’s wrappers and pink Victoria’s Secret boxes. “We’re making a machine right now that puts color on cardboard boxes,” Burie says. Dri-Tec makes the machines that do things like fuse the foil side of a gum wrapper onto the white paper on the inside. While a gum wrapper may look like one piece of paper, it’s actually two layers bonded 14 | BBJ December 11/January 12
Matt Burie with image of Dri-Tec coating and laminating line.
with adhesive, according to Burie. The company makes a host of other types of machines for many different markets. Every machine that’s ordered from Dri-Tec has to be engineered first. “By having an extra engineer, I can take some of the work off my other engineer and get it done a lot faster,” Burie says. “I can start purchasing material for the order.” Dri-Tec Unlimited started in 1970 in Milwaukee. Six years ago, Burie started in its Green Bay sales office. He bought out his partners in 2009 and moved the whole outfit up here. “I really didn’t want to move to Milwaukee,” he says. It’s called Dri-Tec because the company initially only made dryers for the paper, film and foil industry. As the company grew, it added laminators, printing presses, coaters and winders to complement the dryers, and retained its established name. “I’ve increased my sales double-digits every year since I purchased [the company],” Burie says. This year has been exceptionally good, he says, with sales three times what they were the previous year. Burie says as long as the economy keeps slowly increasing, he foresees the company continuing to grow. “I can see myself hiring more people, hiring more office staff, hiring more assembly staff, more engineers, maybe a sales person,” Burie says. “In five years, I see the company considerably larger than it is now.”
Since its start in March, the microloan program has made eight loans totaling $274,000 to startup and existing businesses, according to Dickson. The Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce’s economic development wing, Advance, sponsors the microloan program with the input of 11 area banks. The Brown County MicroLoan Program takes on the loans most banks can’t be bothered with: Either the ratio of paperwork to payoff is too high, or the borrowers have no assets to secure the loans, or any of a number of reasons to refuse a borrower.
About the Advance Brown County MicroLoan Program: •
Loans are available to startup, newly established and emerging businesses in Brown County.
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Applications are taken throughout the year.
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Review and approval generally takes 30 to 60 days.
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Loans can be used to buy fixed assets, inventory, working capital (including payroll and down payments for leased space), supplies, insurance, legal and accounting fees.
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The applicant must have a business plan, be able to personally contribute a minimum of 10 percent of the project cost and have a minimum of two months of working capital.
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All owners and their spouses will be required to personally guarantee the loan.
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Interest rates will be fixed for the term of the loan and established by the loan committee based on the overall risk assessment of the loan project.
The microloan program charges around 8 percent interest.
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The maximum term of the loan is seven years.
The Brown County MicroLoan Program isn’t part of the Small Business Administration, but after its first full year of lending, it will apply to be an SBA intermediary, Dickson says. “This would allow our organization to borrow money directly from the SBA for this program,” Dickson says.
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There are no prepayment penalties.
“Small loans are difficult because they’re generally for startup (businesses) or they’re very small,” Dickson says. The program aims to help entrepreneurs like Burie, who are unable to obtain loans from more traditional lenders, to give their businesses a much-needed injection of juice. Loan money can be used to buy equipment, vehicles, supplies or inventory, or it can be used for payroll, down payments on leased space, or any of a number of approved expenses. “When I make a loan, each bank advances us its pro-rata share of the loan to fund it,” Dickson says. Dri-Tec’s loan takes the form of a line of credit. That’s something new for the microloan program, which started out with term loans only. “It’s like a safety net,” Burie says. “It’s there if I need it. It’s like a home equity loan; I can draw on it to pay some bills.”
The following banks have made loans to the Advance Brown County MicroLoan Program: Associated Bank Green Bay, Bank First National, Baylake Bank, BMO Harris Bank, Denmark State Bank, Heartland Business Bank, Johnson Bank, Nicolet National Bank, The Business Bank, Union State Bank and Wells Fargo.
What’s not allowable: Money can’t be used to refinance existing debt, for personal use, or reimbursmement of expenditures already made. Information: To set up an appointment with Dickson, or for further information, call 920.496.2111. Meetings usually take place at the Advance offices, 2701 Larsen Road, Green Bay, or at the applicant’s place of business.
BROWN COUNTY MICROLOAN PROGRAM INITIATED 2011
Dri-Tec Unlimited, Green Bay
EXPANDING BUSINESS THROUGH LOCAL SOURCES
BBJ December 11/january 12 | 15
SPOTLIGHT ON THE ARTS TEXT karen salenga jellal SUBMITTED ART
the sum of all art It is here that classics are both born and unearthed. Works are re-imagined to impassion a new generation of audiences. The moment theater becomes art is a transient one. It’s something that happens not only visually, but also temporally and creatively — both on stage and within the minds of those witnessing it. The imaginations of the audience come alive. Their presence, interests and emotions develop and interact before their very eyes. In short, theater accomplishes what no other art form can. It allows simple spectators to take the reins and help sculpt a living, breathing masterpiece. “Theater is both a craft and an art,” says Stephen Rupsch, director of theater at St. Norbert College. “Like any work, there is also the potential to exceed the practical needs of the craft. You begin to create work that offers more than one interpretation, in effect creating poetry through performance or design.” Today’s theater realm holds its ground as one of the broadest creative outlets available. Individual artists come together to create a cohesive tour de force — from the set and costume designers to lighting technicians and stage managers, it truly takes a city to bring theater to life.
Artistic endeavors For Entwistle and the rest of the theater staff at UW-Green Bay, the creative process begins long before chosen actors pick up their scripts and run lines. Design meetings and intense collaboration periods take place weeks before most other elements are even a twinkle in the director’s eye. Writing and choosing the play are other integral parts of the artistic venture. Within the two-hour span that an audience experiences a live production, they witness an event that was first conceived perhaps centuries before that then evolved through a unique convergence of minds. “Everybody has to come up with the goods,” Entwistle says. “We share ideas that help create this world from scratch, but ultimately we all have our roles and responsibilities. It’s the kind of collaboration where everyone is allowed to bring their best out, but it all has to work together.” And every little bit makes a difference. Sylvia Pratt, the Green Bay Community Theater president of the board and longtime thespian, graduated from the theater program at Marquette University — but that’s hardly where she started. “I ended up with roommates who were into theater,” says Pratt. “They had me ushering their events, and that’s when I fell in love. I just got sucked into the performing arts in general and eventually switched my major from journalism. It’s such a rush to be a part of something like that.”
Jeff Entwistle, theater professor and set design guru at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, has worked in the trenches of live theater production for more than 28 years. “My pallet is 50 feet by 23 feet.,” he says. “In visual art, you have paintings, sculptures and installations a person observes. In music you can go to a concert and actually hear an experience. Theater brings together visual art and live performance.”
Evolving with the times The Weidner Center for the Performing Arts, UW-Green Bay’s state-of-the-art performance hall, was at one time known for its selection of Broadway musicals that graced its stage.
It’s this dynamic fusion of craft, literature and music that attests to the timeless appeal of theater arts.
“We had a number of outstanding years during which Broadway performances were very successful,” says Thomas Harden, chancellor of the university. “Rather suddenly, though, that changed, and Broadway was no longer Jeff Entwistle, professor, UWGB
16 | BBJ December 11/january 12
coming to Green Bay. We still had an active program, but much of the community assumed the Weidner Center closed.” With a staggering 115 ushered events last year, though, the Weidner has been anything but closed. This performance powerhouse has continued to play an active and influential role in the community. Yet the complete experience is much more than a fulfilling final product. As with any art form, an audience is essential. Their mere presence can change a performance, inspire actors and create expectations. It is, after all, one of the many elements that sets theater apart from modernday film and television. In that respect, UW-Green Bay is working with consultants, stakeholders and other groups to refine the Weidner’s programming through a strategic plan based on the needs and desires of the community it enhances.
St. Norbert College hosted the production “Hay Fever” in April, directed by Stephen Rupsch.
The Green Bay area’s other university-oriented theater district is no different. Dispersed between St. Norbert College’s Webb Theatre and Walter Theatre halls, Rupsch knows firsthand that much goes into creating the perfect atmosphere and lineup for those who flock behind the velvet ropes. “The most successful productions engage the audience and performer in unexpected ways,” he notes.
“I’m really optimistic that all this is going to yield a renewed Weidner Center,” he says. “We can have the results we’re looking for, and that is a Weidner Center that has more community involvement.” As a cultural necessity, theater represents an affirmation of life. We use it to discover and understand ourselves and those around us. After all, the world is nothing but a stage — and we, the actors who inhabit it.
“It’s the kind of collaboration where everyone is allowed to bring their best out, but it all has to work together.” - Jeff Entwistle, professor, UWGB
A necessary force Beneath today’s Tweets, status updates and texts lies the innate need for human connection, yet there are precious few opportunities to gather in a substantial way. In a time when even weddings can be attended via video conference, theater provides a window of opportunity for community members to engage on a more personal level. Rupsch attests that while our daily lives are inundated with media of all sorts, live performance differs drastically. “Theater feeds a need for community building,” he says. Whether you’re simply attending a performance or if your community comes together to create a performance, the effect offers unity, comradeship and kinship. “When a group of people get together, they are all individuals that end up having a shared experience,” Entwistle says. “They laugh together, they react together …you’re experiencing an entire range of human emotions together.” And while the Weidner Center is hovering on the brink of a precipice, Chancellor Harden says it’s more than re-evaluation and transition. It’s about a vision for the community.
ENSURE A hEAlthiER fUtURE Good Health is Good Business.
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Call Jamie about your Corporate Membership at 920.436.9620.
BBJ December 11/january 12 | 17
BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT TEXT
Bruce Keeble, assistant vice president/senior claims consultant, Aon Risk Solutions and Bruce B. Deadman, attorney, Davis & Kuelthau, s.c.
The new Concealed Carry Law Challenges and considerations for the construction community Wisconsin Act 35, commonly known as the “Concealed Carry Law” became effective Nov. 1, 2011. The law affects virtually every Wisconsin employer, employee and property owner, yet there is much misinformation concerning its scope and effect. What the new law does • Creates the right for holders of concealed carry permits (licensees) to carry concealed weapons; • Creates a permitting process administered by the State Department of Justice; • Creates immunity for employers and property owners who allow licensees to carry concealed weapons at their place of work or premises; • With some exceptions, allows licensees to have concealed weapons in their own vehicles in designated parking areas; • With some exceptions, prevents employers from prohibiting employees who are licensees from having concealed weapons in their own vehicles even while that vehicle is being used for work; • With some exceptions, creates a means to prohibit licensees from carrying concealed weapons in a public or private building or on that building’s grounds. What the new law does not do • Allow ANYONE who is NOT a licensee to carry a concealed weapon on their person or in their vehicle. Violators are, as they always have been, subject to felony charges; • Allow the transportation in a vehicle or motorboat of any firearm other than a handgun that is not unloaded and in a case. Violators are subject to a significant fine; • Allow licensees in possession of a concealed weapon to consume alcohol at a premises licensed to serve alcohol. Violators are subject to a significant fine and revocation of their permit.
Options The process involved in deciding which option to take is beyond the scope of a short article. Briefly, there are three main options companies have with respect to the concealed carry law: 1. Allow people to bring concealed weapons onto their property. 2. Prohibit people from bringing concealed weapons onto their property. 3. Inform people about the company’s position regarding bringing concealed weapons onto their property without actually prohibiting them. Employers or property owners who wish to allow concealed weapons on their property do not need to do anything regarding signs or notices. Under the new law, employers or property owners who reach this decision are immune from any liability resulting from that decision. Employers or property owners who decide to prohibit concealed weapons on their property waive the statutory immunity, and must post signs stating what specific firearms are prohibited. There is no specific language requirement, but the sign must be at least five by seven inches. Violators are subject to fines under trespass laws. While the law provides for oral and written notice, the prevailing view is that the lack of signage would render the prohibition legally unenforceable. Those who wish to discourage but not prohibit people from bringing concealed weapons on their property may post informative signs, but will not be entitled to invoke trespass provisions against those who ignore the signs. Employer/employee issues An employer may prohibit the carrying of a concealed weapon in the course of the employee’s employment. However, an employer may not prohibit a licensed employee from carrying a concealed weapon in the licensee’s own motor vehicle whether or not the vehicle is used in the course of the employee’s
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employment or whether the motor vehicle is driven or parked on property used by the employer. Example—an employee with a concealed carry permit who uses his/her personal vehicle for company business may not be prohibited from carrying a concealed weapon in that vehicle, even while on company business. The restriction does not apply to employees who use company-provided vehicles.
The decision to obtain a concealed carry permit and exercise the right to carry is an individual one, as is an employer or property owner or occupant’s decision regarding whether and to what extent it will prohibit concealed weapons on its premises. If the history of the concealed carry laws in 48 other states is any indication, the transition to Wisconsin becoming a concealed carry state should be a smooth one.
Parking areas A property owner may not restrict the possession of a firearm, including a concealed weapon, in a vehicle driven into or parked in any area used for parking. However, this exception does not apply to concealed weapons in parking areas on school grounds. Construction companies who do work at schools should be aware of this difference.
This article is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as a definitive synopsis of the subject. The information contained herein is not, and should not be construed as, legal advice and is not meant to serve as a comprehensive analysis of the entirety of the subject. Contact an attorney prior to the development of any policy, procedure or rule.
Policy considerations • Are you are going to prohibit concealed weapons on your premises. • If so, what will your signs say and where will you post them? (Remember, if you do not post signs, in the vast majority of cases that means that concealed weapons are not prohibited.) • Do HR policies need to be revised? (Pay particular attention to broad policies that may violate the parking lot provisions of the new law.) • What will employees be expected to do if they know or suspect that a fellow employee or a patron is carrying a concealed weapon in violation of policy and/or signs? Call HR? Call the police? Politely ask the person to leave? • Construction companies should consider designating specific areas of job sites as parking areas and follow the policies of the project owner.
Bruce B. Deadman is an attorney at Davis & Kuelthau, s.c.. You can reach Deadman at 920.431.2228 or bdeadman@dkattorneys.com.
Bruce Keeble is assistant vice president/senior claims consultant at Aon Risk Solutions. You can reach Keeble at 920.431.6365 or bruce.keeble@aon.com.
14 Global Locations
MEGTEC Systems, Inc.
…proud to be an employer in Brown County for over 40 years, providing innovative solutions for our customers involved in: Advanced Materials Processing
Environment, Climate & Energy
Printing & Packaging Applications
MEGTEC’s global headquarters is located in a 365,000 sq. ft. facility in De Pere, Wisconsin, and is a center for excellence in Engineering, Manufacturing and Service.
www.megtec.com • info@megtec.com BBJ December 11/january 12 | 19
MEET A MEMBER TEXT Katie stilp SUBMITTED photography
Blaire Hill-Morois
Certified veterinary technician and operations manager, The Animal House What’s a typical day like for you? “Because I have two positions it varies, but my typical day usually consists of coming in and checking in and performing treatments on the animals, and then I get on with my office duties, such as checking emails for client communications, doing client callbacks and communicating with employees. “On the technician side I perform X-rays, lab duties, assist in surgery and restrain animals…just basically assisting the doctor in whatever way possible.” What would you say is the best part of your job? “Definitely mentoring the younger or newer employees. I really love mentoring people to grow to their fullest potential, whether that be inside or outside the company. The second best would be the client communication. I love to meet them and see when they get a new puppy, then see that puppy throughout the years until their geriatric years. It is very fulfilling to watch the animal grow with them.” Why did you choose to work with animals? “I did a high school co-op through a veterinary clinic. I always thought I wanted to be an art major or an interior designer, but I stumbled upon this co-op job and it really meshed well.” Do you have pets? “I have one dog, Kelty. She’s an Australian Shepherd Beagle mix. She was a rescue animal from the Bay Area Humane Society, and she’s a lot of fun. She’s an agility and Frisbee dog so we’ve had a lot of fun with her.” How would you describe yourself? “I’m a sincere, honest person and very naturally happy. I just really enjoy life. I’m very lucky. My mom always told me I get it from my grandmother. She was the only other person she’s ever known that was like that.” What do you want to achieve in one year from now? “Right now a lot of personal adventures have been put on hold because I have a 2-year-old son at home. I want to continue to give back to the community and try and raise the best little boy I can.” What’s your favorite quote? Why? “It’s an Albert Einstein one: “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” I think it teaches you to try new things, make good choices and don’t keep doing the same thing if you keep getting the same result and you’re not happy with it.” What’s the best part about living in Green Bay? “I like that it’s a family community. We actually chose to live in the heart of Green Bay in downtown Astor Park so we’re able to enjoy all of what Green Bay has to offer. We love the farmers’ markets, the artistic styles and entertainment. We have family nearby, too.” Are you a morning person or a night person? “Morning person, definitely. I am up by 5 a.m. at the latest every day. I love the mornings. Just like my mother, I’m an early riser.”
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TEXT Katie stilp SUBMITTED photography
Jennifer Bukouricz Pastry chef/owner, Monzú Bistro
What’s a typical day like for you? “I don’t think there is a typical day; that’s why I love my job. Every day is different and a new day with new challenges. Every day somebody is calling with a new cake they want me to do. I’m usually baking cakes, making all the products for cakes like decorations because all of our flowers and stuff like that are made in-house.” How did you get into this line of work and why have you stayed with it? “I grew up in the business because my mom ran a restaurant. So I was in a kitchen since I was a baby. I just realized that’s what I loved doing and and loved the high intensity of the restaurant with the busy days and whatnot. I went to Northern Michigan University and discovered I loved pastries over regular cooking so I went to the California Culinary Academy and got my certificate in pastry.” What’s the most creative thing you’ve ever baked? “One of the biggest challenges was a Rice Krispie wedding cake. The bride and groom did not like cake so they wanted Rice Krispie Treats instead, so I formed them and made it appear like a normal wedding cake with Rice Krispies on the inside of it. I also get to do a lot of fun shape cakes, like a chainsaw.” What are your favorite baking scents? Why? “I love cinnamon rolls and fresh-baked cake. Carrot cake is really good, especially right out of the oven. They’re just so comforting, and they make me feel good and remind me of being a kid.” What makes Monzú Bistro unique compared to similar restaurants or bakeries? “Our ability to customize. I don’t like when somebody just brings in a picture and says, ‘Do it exactly like this.’ I like when people bring me in several different pictures and have a couple different ideas, and then creating something unique just for them. ” If you knew you could try anything and not fail, what dream would you attempt? “I’m actually attempting my dream, owning a bakery and my own business, and being my own boss.” What is the kindest thing anyone has ever done for you? “My family supporting me in what I want to do. I have their full support, and anything I need them for, they’re there to help me.” What do you do in your free time? “I spend time with my family. I love other arts and crafts, using my hands, using my imagination. I knit and read a lot, too. I go through books like water.” Who inspires you the most? “My mother and my aunt. They’ve gone through a lot in their lives. They’re the only girls with 10 boys, and they both live their dreams. My aunt owns her own business, and with the economy struggling she perseveres and makes life fun.” If you could live anywhere in the world for a year where would it be? “I would go back to San Francisco, in a heartbeat. I was born and raised here in Suamico but I went to school in San Francisco and being in culinary school you don’t really have any money to do anything. I could find something every day to do there. It’s so much fun but so expensive.”
BBJ December 11/january 12 | 21
Chamber briefs
administration
In preparation for the board strategic planning session in December, President Laurie Radke is working with all departments to conduct a series of listening sessions with some two dozen Chamber and outside groups. We are asking what the Chamber is doing well, what it can do better, where the Chamber should be in five years, about our proper role in the community and why firms are or are not members.
advance
The Advance Brown County MicroLoan Program has been off and running since March of this year. Loans have been approved for eight businesses for a total of $274,000. Four of these loans were made to existing businesses; one to purchase an existing business. The most recent loans approved were for DY Technologies, Dri-Tec Unlimited and Schumacher Bakery DBA Stadium Bakery. DY Technologies is an ADT authorized security dealer and is a tenant at the Advance Business and Manufacturing Center. Dan Young started this company in 2008. Dri-Tec Unlimited is a manufacturer of coating and laminating equipment. Matt Burie bought out his partners in 2009 and has been steadily growing his company ever since. He plans to hire an engineer now that he has a line of credit available. Dri-Tec is located in Howard. Stacey Spencer purchased Stadium Bakery with the assistance of the microloan program. She had more than 22 years of experience managing and running bakeries with a special focus of creating specialty cakes for weddings, anniversaries and other occasions. Now she will add this line to the traditional product offering that the bakery already has. The microloan program is available to for-profit businesses of all sizes and in all industries in Brown County. Loans are available for $5,000 to $100,000 and may be used for the purchase of machinery and equipment to be used in the business, inventory and working capital (including payroll), down payments for leased space, supplies, insurance premiums, legal and accounting expenses. For a complete list of eligibility requirements or to obtain an application, please contact Marianne Dickson at 920.496.2111 or mdickson@titletown.org... On Sept. 30, Advance Business & Manufacturing Center incubator alumni Deb Cherney held a ribbon cutting ceremony for the completion of the $3 million expansion that tripled the size of their Cherney Microbiological Services. Cherney established her business in June 1989 inside the center with only 11 employees…Recent graduate of the Advance Business & Manufacturing Center incubator SRC Technologies held an open house Oct. 18 at its new facility, 3148 Mid Valley Dr., De Pere (formerly Smet Construction headquarters). After successfully doubling sales each year since 2008 and adding several new employees, SRC Technologies had outgrown its space and need for the resources the incubator provides, thus fulfilling the mission of the Center: to graduate successful and sustainable companies into our community…The newest tenant to join the Advance Business & Manufacturing Center, DVM Connexx, is a growing service business supporting dealers and clients in veterinary diagnostic imaging and general computer IT. DVM Connexx has a dealer network and client base throughout the United States and abroad including such countries as Brazil and Italy…The Brown County Culinary Kitchen will participate in the 2nd Annual New Leaf Winter Farmers Market start22 | BBJ December 11/January 12
ing in December. Many of its Green Bay food processors along with some from the Algoma Farm Market Kitchen will be showcasing their culinary creations. The kitchen will also host the Chamber’s Local Government Officials Appreciation Night Business After Hours event in January 2012…September kicked off the Advance Business & Manfacturing Center’s first advertising campaign targeting manufacturing entrepreneurs. Keep your eyes open for ads running on four strategically placed digital billboards throughout Green Bay as well as audio pieces on Y100 and WAPL…Advance had the opportunity to serve as a Platinum Sponsor for the new Manufacturing First Expo and Conference held Oct. 26. The event was designed specifically for Wisconsin manufacturers to showcase industry advances, highlight successes, announce the latest developments and provide premier networking opportunities.
Partners in Education
The 19th Golden Apple Awards and 2nd Golden Appleseed Parents & Schools pledge campaigns kicked off Oct. 19 with more than 120 volunteers visiting every public and private school in the 10 partner districts presenting Educator Appreciation Packets with merchant gift cards to approximately 5,000 educators. Schools with the highest percentage of pledged parents in the Golden Appleseed campaign are eligible for $1,000 grants for school/parent/family programming. Theme for the combined campaigns is “Bridging the Opportunity Gap.” Sponsors include Golden Apple major sponsors: Associated Bank, Green Bay Press-Gazette, Humana, Imperial Supplies, Schneider National Foundation, Schreiber Foods, Shopko, WLUK FOX 11; Golden Appleseed sponsors: Diamond PIE Member—Wisconsin Public Service Foundation and Platinum PIE Member—Bellin Health; and contributors to the Educator Appreciation Packets gift cards handed out on Oct. 19—Shopko, Festival Foods, Grand Central Station, Beerntsen’s Candies, Chili’s and Camera Corner/ Connecting Point…The 2012 Golden Apple Award recipients and Golden Appleseed Schools will be recognized at the Golden Apple Awards Dinner Program on April 18, Radisson Hotel & Conference Center. This is the major fundraiser for Partners in Education programming…PIE Youth Apprenticeship Program is seeking training sites for 62 juniors/seniors at area businesses in 15 industry areas (auto collision, auto technology, cabinetry, carpentry, engineering, financial services, health services, information technology, lodging, logistics, machining/manufacturing, printing, welding.) This is a great opportunity to address future workforce needs by training and retaining our young talent. Call 920.593.3411 to learn more…Partners in Education Drug Alliance hosted John Underwood, president and founder of American Athletic Institute, for the Life of an Athlete program for the week of Oct. 24 - 28 to work with student leaders, coaches, parents and community members from the 10 area school districts on underage drinking and the residual effect of alcohol on athletic performance…On Oct. 27, more than 300 high school students from a variety of high schools attended a leadership training session. These student leaders and others from the community will continue the Life of an Athlete work to include developing a common code of conduct for all partner districts... Dan Terrio joined the Chamber staff as youth development program manager — Dan will be responsible for the Part-
Leadership Green Bay
Sara Willems, Chamber staff member, thanks Mercedes Gauthier, an educator at Washington Middle School, Oct. 19 as part of the Golden Apple Awards kickoff day.
ners in Education Drug Alliance, developmental assets coalition and Brown County Teen Leadership programming… Partners in Education provides a variety of career education programming for educators and various age levels. New programs include the Careerology Series, Exploring Your Future — launched this fall to replace career expo. Careerology is a series of industry tours with job shadow format designed for groups of students; Cake & Careers, a series of industry tours for educators designed to showcase the workplace trends and needs in an effort to strengthen the mutual understanding between educators and employers about skills required for career pathways; and Opening Doors to Your Future, virtual tours for local employers to showcase career opportunities; students explore future career options without leaving the classroom.
Member services
Nearly 550 attendees were on hand to help celebrate our volunteers, outgoing board and committee chairs at the 129th Annual Dinner on Oct. 17, 2011. Bill Weir, co-anchor of “Nightline”, captivated the audience as the keynote speaker… The Nov. 17 Business and Breakfast brought together a very impressive panel of well-known local business people that shared “Marketing Secrets From the Pros”. Panel members included Tommy Clifford, H.C. Miller Company; Susan Finco, Leonard & Finco Public Relations; Patrick Hopkins, Imaginasium; Robert Jahnke, Top Hat Marketing; Diane Roundy, Schenck SC.; and facilitated by Tim McAdow, Integrity Insurance…Concealed Carry in Wisconsin – Understanding and Complying With the New Law, a presentation by Bruce Deadman, Davis & Kuelthau s.c. and Bruce Keeble, Aon Risk Services Inc. of Wisconsin attracted 100-plus attendees…We celebrated five ribbon-cuttings in September, three ribbon-cuttings and one groundbreaking in October and five ribbon-cuttings and 1 groundbreaking in November…Save the date – Business Expo 2012 – Leap to the Top of Your Game – is set for Feb. 29, 2012.
This year’s Leadership Green Bay class began its active learning journey during a two-day retreat, sponsored by Green Bay Packaging, at Fox Hills Resort in Mishicot on Sept. 22 and 23. The community-based leadership program’s two-day retreat sets the stage for self-discovery and team building among 40 classmates that will culminate into projects that benefit the community, as well as the participants at the end of the nine-month session. During the first day of the retreat, class participants learned about the origins of Leadership Green Bay and its importance to the community. They discovered not only their own leadership style and personality traits, but also their classmates’, and they were challenged with physical and mental team building exercises. On day two, participants, placed into small groups, learned about past Leadership Green Bay community projects and how to use their skills and talents to determine their potential future project. Those skills and talents were also tested with additional team building exercises. The class was introduced to a community of leaders who “model the way” and were given the opportunity to learn and enhance their leadership skills with “The Leadership Challenge®”… Since the opening retreat, this year’s class has experienced History Day and Environment Day. October brought the class to Heritage Hill; the students were taken on a historical journey on how our community was founded from those important individuals who we have named streets and buildings for, to those who were here before Nicolet landed on the shores of Red Banks. November’s Environment Day gave session leaders the opportunity to cover a variety of topics and use “field trips” to enlighten students to the environmental issues in our community. The day was based out of one of the many outdoor gems that we have in our community, the Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary.
Government affairs
Public Policy Council met with State Sen. Dave Hansen and Rob Cowles to discuss the special legislative session on job creation. After many months, and with the support of County Executive Streckenbach, who repeatedly used his veto pen, we were finally successful in getting Brown County to enact a redistricting plan with no more than the current 26 supervisory districts. A new Public Policy newsletter is available offering a monthly digest of local, state and national public policy developments of interest to business. Sign up on the Chamber website: (http:// www.titletown.org/communications/chamber-newsletter-signup)...The Ritter Forum on Public Policy issued A Shared Vision: Metro Fire Department to leaders of the six largest metro communities documenting considerable savings to be achieved with consolidation. The six communities met at an Oct. 7 Ritter Forum and agreed to jointly hire a consultant to develop a proposed implementation plan. The Chamber will continue to work with the communities to develop an RFP for consultants and facilitate his work in the community to lay out next steps…The LIFE Study – a new, comprehensive look at the quality of life in our region sponsored by the Chamber and others – was released Oct. 5. View and download the reports at www.lifestudy.info. Bay Area Community Council is planning a community visioning conference, Brown County 20/20: Envisioning the Future, on Feb. 17-18, 2012, that will set priorities, solutions and strategies in response to the LIFE Study findings. Check out the conference website at http://browncounty2020.org and like us at www.facebook.com/browncounty2020 to receive conference updates. BBJ December 11/january 12 | 23
CHAMBER NEWS
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Tuesday, Nov. 8, was Environmental Day for Leadership Green Bay. The class traveled to Tetra Tech before they began their tour of the PCB clean-up operation. Pictured from left to right are: Mike Estess, Tetra Tech; Jill DeGroot-Schulke, Ameriprise Auto & Home Insurance; Nancy Nabak, community advocate; and Scott Stein, Leonard & Finco Public Relations.
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The Business and Breakfast on Oct. 20 was well attended as members sought insights on how to maximize their use of Linkedin. Presenting were (from left) Kristen Paquet, Leonard & Finco Public Relations and (far right) Kristin Rabas, Leonard & Finco Public Relations. They are pictured with Darlene Albers, Community First Credit Union.
On Oct. 20, representatives from Smet and the Tower Clock Eye Center celebrated their ground breaking on the center’s new facility. Pictured (left to right): Jim Hebel, superintendent, Smet Construction Services; Jamie Blom, business Development, Smet Construction Services; Dr. Matt Thompson, Tower Clock Eye Center; Dr. Tyson Schwiesow, Tower Clock Eye Center; Dr. Kurt Schwiesow, Tower Clock Eye Center; Dr. Karl Schwiesow, Tower Clock Eye Center; Mayor Jim Schmitt; Pam Hagen, practice manager, Tower Clock Eye Center; Nick Sperides, architect, Sperides Reiners Architects, Inc.; Greg Flisram, economic development director for the city of Green Bay; and Barbara Schwiesow, practice administrator, Tower Clock Eye Center.
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GO TO www.titletown.org FOR THE LATEST UPDATES IN CHAMBER NEWS AND EVENTS
On Nov. 10, the Chamber and its ambassadors helped the former Hotel Sierra celebrate its transition to the Hyatt on Main. Pictured are Hyatt’s Senior Vice President of Field Operations, Marc Ellin, Green Bay Mayor Jim Schmitt and Hotel General Manager Maria Skubal. Also pictured are Chamber ambassadors (in green coats, from left) Deanna Novak, National Railroad Museum, Dr. R. Susan Hensley, ProCare Chiropractic, David Stauffacher, Strategic Management Associates, Jim Mayefske, Green Bay Insurance Center, Amy Hobbins, Journeys Unlimited Travel, Nancy Steffel, The School That Comes To You, Jacqueline Smith, Airport Settle Inn, and Ann Ross, Globe University.
Cherney Microbiological Services hosted a ribbon cutting on Sept. 30 to celebrate its expansion. Pictured are Rick Rodriguez, Infinity Technology Inc., Nancy Steffel, The School That Comes To You, Jacqueline Smith, Airport Settle Inn, Debra Cherney, husband Marvin, son Joe, daughter Amanda Matczynski, son-in-law Mark, and mother Mildred Karl, Lynn Zettel, UnitedHealthcare, Jim Mayefske, Green Bay Insurance Center, Lynn Schad, Wisconsin Public Service Corp.
SRC Technologies celebrated its ribbon cutting with (from left) Mike Venaccio, SRC Technologies, Laurie Radke, Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, and B.J. Havlik, SRC Technologies.
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Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce P.O. Box 1660 300 N. Broadway, Ste. 3A Green Bay, WI 54305-1660
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