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Published by the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce for Chamber members
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MEET A MEMBER INTRODUCING NEW FEATURE
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CULTIVATING THE FUTURE GOLDEN APPLE AWARDS CELEBRATE INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTIONS
OPPORTUNITIES TAKE FLIGHT GREEN BAY’S SUPERIOR BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR MORE THAN A DECADE
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This year's calendar will be an actual calendar you can hang. Each month on the calendar will feature a photo and advertising opportunity at the top and a calendar with events noted on the days below.
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Contents.
FEATURES
Volume 18, #3 | June/July 2010
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Opportunities Take Flight Austin Straubel Airport is flying high with new developments in airlines, flight training school, private flights
14 Meet a Member
New feature highlights professional and personal tidbits about Chamber members
16 Cultivating the Future
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Golden Apple Awards celebrate individual contributions to tomorrow's workforce
06 BBJ DEPARTMENTS
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04 VIEW POINT 06 TECH WATCH 08 BOOK REVIEW 09 BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT 20 SPOTLIGHT ON THE ARTS 23 CHAMBER BRIEFS 24 CHAMBER NEWS
ADVERTISERS VISIT THE GREEN BAY AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AT:
titletown.org
PRESIDENT Paul Jadin EDITOR Lori Kaye Lodes GRAPHIC DESIGNER Josh Beaton
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American Express 02 B ank Mutual Camera Corner/Connecting Point B ack Cover Cellcom Children’s Hospit al of Wisconsin 01 Future Technologies K I Inside Front Cover Lambeau Field Liebmann, Conway, Olejniczak & Jerry, S.C. Network Health Plan Inside B ack Cover Prevea
ASSISTANT DESIGNER Supakan Boontho
COVER IMAGE Josh Beaton
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. Copyright© 2008 Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce
VIEW POINT TEXT PAUL JADIN
welcome home Each year we eagerly await the return of our heroes to Lambeau Field. What a delight it was to have them arrive before Memorial Day this year. I’m speaking, of course, about our Vietnam Vets who descended on Green Bay the fourth weekend in May for LZ Lambeau. These heretofore underappreciated, and even scorned, warriors got to be treated like the heroes and celebrities that they are while the rest of us had an opportunity to learn more about what they did, where they did it and why we waited four decades to recognize their service. Who among us does not experience a sense of pride and respect whenever we are in the presence of uniformed military personnel who have been, or may soon be, deployed in harm’s way? That wasn’t the case in the ‘70s. I was graduating from high school as the war was coming to an end and my problem was that I failed to see the uniform when these soldiers returned. Yes they were attired the same way that soldiers today would be but instead of a uniform I saw beleaguered and unfortunate victims of a failed foreign policy. While they had no role in that policy they still seemed to represent it and, therefore, could not be fully appreciated. As Brigadier General Dunbar said in the moving stadium ceremony on May 22, “We failed to distinguish between our nation’s policies and the honorable service of our military.” It brings to mind the words of Tennyson in “The Charge of the Light Brigade”.
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Not tho’ the soldier knew Someone had blundered: Theirs not to make reply, Theirs not to reason why, Theirs but to do or die: Indeed, all these vets were doing while risking injury or death was following orders. And, those of us who risked nothing during that period must understand that it is our right, even our duty, to detest the war but honor the warrior. Tennyson finishes that poem by asking “When can their glory fade?” Hopefully, because of events like LZ Lambeau and the patriotic awakening they provoke, the glory of these veterans, like that of their predecessors in World War II and Korea or their successors in Iraq and Afghanistan, will not fade. To the thousands of others who have already expressed similar sentiments I add my heartfelt “Thank You” and “Welcome Home” but there is a sentiment I have to add that is more necessary here, one that should precede the others but was not sufficiently shared even at LZ Lambeau. On May 22 I witnessed the 1,240 empty chairs at Lambeau Field and heard the moving tributes, but it wasn’t until then that, in spite of the fact that 99 percent of the crowd was dressed in civilian clothes, I saw thousands of uniforms. Therefore, I apologize, because, at a time when you needed me and my contemporaries most, we failed to see what you were wearing.
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TECH WATCH TEXT AL PAHL
Virtual desktops are reality for some businesses
It’s not exactly “back to the future,” but it’s close. Today, most office workers have desktop computers with at least a 2 GHz clock, 2 GB of RAM and enough computing power to fit the State Department’s definition of a Super Computer. The majority of users have applications installed on the machine in front of them and need the server only for e-mail and storage. But that may be changing. Offices may be headed back to the future with desktop virtualization. The appeal of virtualized desktops All modern data centers include virtualized servers. Some companies are studying the increased functionality, seamless security and lowered costs that virtualized desktops can bring. Desktop virtualization allows organizations to cost-efficiently centralize management of applications, desktops and users. Costs are lower over time because: • the desktop devices that replace desktop computers are less expensive; • these devices might last two to three times conventional desktops; and; • companies invest significantly less IT staff members’ time managing the client on employee desks. Companies should expect lower cost of ownership and less expense tied up in the end terminal, since they don’t need a full computer at the desktop anymore, says Brad Kulick, a senior network engineer and 6
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virtualization expert at Camera Corner/Connecting Point. “There is less management in the field; you don’t have to patch workstations at remote sites. Everything is done at one location.” When the next version of Microsoft Office – or the next version of the actual operating system – comes out, technicians don’t have to install it on every work station. Instead, the upgrade is installed on your server and when employees come in the next day, they automatically access it. New employees are handled somewhat similarly; their client machine is imaged in minutes. Currently, sophisticated operations are imaging a new person’s desktop computer, but that process takes probably an hour, not minutes. “You still have to go to the cubicle and hook up cables and such, but it is a lot faster process to get a new image out,” Kulick says. Security safeguards Centralized security also offers significant advantages. Suppose a virus has infected 75 percent of your desktops. Cleaning up becomes very labor intensive in a conventional environment because each computer requires manual cleaning. “With virtual desktops, you create a new image in minutes, push it out and have everybody back up and running on a clean platform,” says Kulick. Companies may already use a remote hookup that allows them to have software such as Office deployed only on servers and not on desktops. And, they may already ghost images of the entire setup and software load of a certain class of employee user, making deployment of desktop computers easier and faster. IT people from
those companies will read this and say, “This doesn’t sound so different from what we do now.” Here’s the radical part: In each example in the paragraph immediately above, we were deploying software from our server to a remote desktop or laptop computer; a machine with enough computing power that it could run applications and manipulate data all by itself. But, suppose the desktop hardware had NO computing power? Suppose it had no local operating system? Now, instead of discussing “thin clients,” we’d be discussing ZERO clients. Which is exactly the proposition offered by Pano Logic, one of the vendors with which Kulick works. The Pano device is a box 3.5 inches square, just two inches deep. It is merely a connection point for your monitor, mouse, keyboard and, possibly, a jump drive. It connects directly to a local printer or over the network to any of your printers. And, obviously, it connects to your server, where the data and applications live. Because of the simple design of the Pano device and its lack of moving parts that wear out – or even firmware needing upgrades – its lifecycle can be far longer than a traditional PC. This results in greatly lengthened desktop-refresh cycles which compounds capital expense and maintenance savings. A Pano device that lasts for 10 years can potentially keep two or three desktop PCs out of landfills, letting you invest those funds elsewhere. Plus, it uses roughly three percent of what an Energy Star-certified desktop PC consumes.
The up-front requirement - $$$$ If this works for firms large and small, why doesn’t everybody do it? “The up-front costs to create a virtual desktop environment are sticker shock to a lot of people,” he adds. “But if you look at a traditional system over ‘x’ years, you will pay that price, regardless.” Depending upon your present environment, “you may need multiple servers, and perhaps, shared storage,” he explains. “Infrastructure may need to be addressed. Those costs can be steep. But, those are all hard costs. In a traditional system, you also have soft costs that many people don’t really appreciate.” All of which begs the question: Why did we get away from powerful centralized servers in favor of distributed computing in the first place? “It’s just the way technology evolved,” Kulick says. “Back in the early 2000s, we didn’t have a way to run Windows in a virtualized environment. We had Citrix and other solutions. It took awhile for technology to grow into where it is today. In its bare essence, yes, this is a mainframe, but there are a lot of feature sets that weren’t there in the days of the big ol’ mainframes. Back then, you had a green screen: Today, you have a feature-rich environment, with video at the center. They didn’t have to present all of this in the old environment.” If desktop virtualization is “back to the future,” there’s one major wrinkle: The future has changed.
Although there are those who say companies need a critical mass of desktops to deploy such a solution, “We have people interested in Pano who have five to 10 users,” Kulick says. “The reduction in administrative overhead helps pay for the devices over a two to three-year period.”
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BBJ JUNE/JULY 10 | 7 2/26/10 5:00 PM
BOOK REVIEW REVIEWED BY Louanne Crowder, BROWN COUNTY LIBRARY
The pursuit of something better: how an underdog company defied the odds, won customers’ hearts and grew its employees into better people
AUTHOR Dave Esler and Myra Kruger
PUBLISHER New Ridge Books, Highland Park, IL. ©2009
Close your eyes for a moment, and imagine. You’re at your corporate annual meeting. The results of the employee survey are about to be announced—and they’ll be highly accurate with a 97 percent response. That’s right, 97 percent. Ninety-one percent of the respondents agree “the changes of the past year are moving the company in the right direction.” Even more think their jobs are “very rewarding” and 93 percent have “confidence in senior leaders.” Sound like a pipe dream?
Rooney conduct focus groups wherein employees were astonished their opinions were valued and important. The Dynamic Organization had blossomed at the right time. A shrinking business in 1997, Consumer Services achieved a compounded growth rate of nine percent in 1999 — the equivalent of creating a $550 million business every year. But the writing was on the wall when SBC acquired Ameritech, and a transition team member noted “culture is for wimps.”
It’s not. It’s U. S. Cellular’s 2007 Leadership meeting in Chicago. But it wasn’t always that way with U.S. Cellular. In 2000, something extraordinary happened.
Rooney landed at U.S. Cellular, this time with his fully fleshed, four-part Dynamic Organization: the Preamble, the Seven Key Components, the Five Core Values and the 10 Desired Behaviors. The values and behaviors contained therein were not add-ons; they embodied the essence of the way he had succeeded at Ameritech, and how he planned to do the same at U.S. Cellular.
Specifically, Jack Rooney happened. He brought with him the D.O. (Dynamic Organization), “the ideal internal culture for a service organization, an integrated concept of the vision, values and behaviors that, if fully and consistently implemented, must inevitably produce delighted customers and exceptional results.” That brought culture change to the fore: culture change, a.k.a., the career killer—it costs a fortune and takes forever. Eight years earlier, when Rooney became Ameritech Cellular’s CEO, he noted “we were uncompetitive, our associates were demoralized, we gave poor service and we lied to our customers. Even our executives wouldn’t use our phones.” Before he came to U.S. Cellular, Rooney was one of “the obsessed few” who still believed in culture change. Although his Dynamic Organization was not yet fully formed, the basic concepts were there. He believed the most critical factor in a retail organization was the interaction between the customer and the front-line associate. Rooney realized the main influence on how front-line associates treated customers was the way they were treated by their leaders. When he was with Ameritech Cellular, he met Myra Kruger (who, with Dave Esler, had been a consultant for Ameritech’s various companies since 1986). They were able to pin down the elusive cornerstones of what was to become the Dynamic Organization.
Like many great ideas, Rooney’s was deceptively simple. He realized effective leaders resulted in satisfied associates, which led to customer satisfaction and brought business results. The communication infrastructure was key. It began with “Dynamically Speaking,” a company newsletter focused on what’s happening in the corporate culture—and why. “Listen Jack” allowed anyone in the company to email Jack Rooney directly with questions, comments or complaints—and get a prompt reply. All managers attended the annual Leadership Forum to discuss the culture. In Straight Talk, senior executives gathered with associates several times a year to explain current actions and decisions. The year started with Kick-Off, a road show that celebrated the past year’s achievements and looked seriously at what the new year would bring. What Rooney did was turn U.S. Cellular, a lackluster organization, into a model of effective innovation employing valued and satisfied associates with extraordinary customer loyalty. It wasn’t easy, and it wasn’t always smooth. Bone-jarring obstacles were encountered and overcome.
Five consecutive J. D. Powers customer satisfaction awards later, Rooney was given the chance to take his award-winning philosophy to the largest of the Ameritech operations—Ameritech Consumer Services. It was one of the old Ma Bell spin-offs, home to the change-resistant “Bell-heads.” Even the pay phones at many of his new locations were out of order!
One of the responses to the survey troubled Rooney. Can a person be “somewhat ethical?” Likewise troubling was the “ain’t gonna happen” attitude of one work group toward Rooney’s culture change initiative. Employees in Wisconsin, protected by their strong sales performance, thought themselves exempt from the tenets of the Dynamic Organization. But Rooney’s philosophy was that to transform a culture, you have to change people—or change people. And he did. Both.
It took him two years at Ameritech Consumer Services to accomplish what had taken five years at Ameritech Cellular. Kruger and Esler helped
Why Rooney did it is a no-brainer. How he did it makes fascinating reading.
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BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT TEXT Tom Meinz, retired executive, Integrys Energy Group and community volunteer
Pour yourself into your community: It's inherent in a successful leader The benefits are many for corporate citizenship and individual volunteering. What's in it for the employee? The company? The community? Bill Gates says, "It is my belief that leaders possess a strong trait to provide a service to their communities." I would take that a step further and say it is inherent in a successful leader. You want to provide a service to your community. A well-rounded leader gives back. What does it take to be a successful leader? I believe it takes three elements – your triangle of success: knowledge, skill and attitude. We hire people with knowledge and skills for a specific job. The same knowledge and talent you bring to the table can be useful in your community, and can sharpen your skills to benefit your employer. And attitude is desire. It's the breakfast of champions! As a leader, find out how much your organization encourages your involvement. Do the organizations you represent expect you to be leaders in your communities? I believe companies need to make it part of their value system. Print it in your vision/mission/values brochure. Put it out in writing in front of employees, and leave it up to the employee and manager to work through the process of what that means in terms of involvement. Community involvement can permeate a culture, especially when leadership leads by example. Twenty-five years ago, I was part of the second class to go through the Leadership Green Bay (LGB) program. Because the company allowed me to go, I was able to learn and grow and gain others’ points of view. For our small group project (an assignment of the LGB program), we chose to create a program that would encourage leadership skills in the schools. Our project was an early predecessor to the Brown County Teen Leadership program that is still alive in schools today. Now, 25 years later, I'm sure many of those students are successful leaders in business. Leadership is all about answering, "How can we make our community better?" A healthy community certainly makes a company better. Employees who are active, contributing members in their communities make a company better, too. Thriving companies send out roots and invest leadership in their communities. And the cycle continues. It's more difficult in troubled economic times. We've had to tighten our belts. But when we believe in a cause, we try all the harder. We may give talent instead of cash. You can certainly see that played out at Paul's Pantry, for example, and Habitat for Humanity. These are great organizations where you can give your sweat equity. Don't underestimate the value of the individual's time. What a gift that is for an organization in need!
Getting involved in the community develops employees professionally; it gives them new skills, new perspectives. They bring good morale to the company. Their energy and enthusiasm spreads to others. Employees learn about other organizational cultures and the true benefits of teamwork. One of my most memorable volunteer experiences was working on the United Way Allocation Committee several years ago. We had a very diverse team, and we learned from each other. It's a tough job allocating dollars. It's hard telling some of the agencies, "No, your program just doesn't make the cut." Advice for business leaders and owners… Even for small businesses with fewer resources, it is very advantageous to be involved in your community. It's a great way to get contacts for your product, to get your name out there and give your community confidence in your abilities. I will say it again: It is critical that businesses define their mission and allow employees to see that the company values involvement in the community. Advice to young professionals… Start small. Test the waters. Find out what appeals to you from all the volunteer opportunities out there. Hopefully you will volunteer some on your own time and some on company time. It's not about doing everything on company time. If you believe in something, you are going to give of yourself. It’s a great way to promote yourself and your company. I knew a man who started attending Lions Club meetings in a small community north of here. In later years, he moved and started a Lions Club chapter in his new town. He even became part of the national board of the Lions Club. Volunteering can be very fulfilling and satisfying, especially when your skills and passions grow to accomplish new things. Advice to a retiring person… In retirement, you potentially have more time. At this stage of the game, you can bring your leadership skills to a worthy organization. I think it is good advice, before plunging in, to take some time away from "work" and assess where you really want to make a difference. My wife and I have many causes we are passionate about. I'm sure Sue and I will get involved in some things we can do together. And we will continue to learn. There are always new things to learn and new people to meet and new ways to grow.
Tom Meinz, executive vice president and chief external affairs officer for Integrys Energy Group, retired in March with 40 years of service. He's been active on various community boards and has poured his leadership into many volunteer activities over the years.
BBJ JUNE/JULY 10 |
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COVER STORY
Opportunities taking flight
Nancy Barthel TEXT submitted PHOTOGRAPHY
There is a flurry of activity in the world of aviation in Green Bay this year. Continental Airlines has re-entered the Green Bay market with daily non-stop flights to Cleveland. Three times a week, Frontier Airlines is now flying to Denver. Jet Air Group and its Frontline Aviation are opening a new, 29,000 square-foot facility. And Tailwind Flight Center, one of Northeast Wisconsin’s busiest flight training schools, was recently honored as a Cessna Pilot Training Center. On the flight side, that means the entire East Coast and Southeast have been conveniently opened to travelers from Austin Straubel Airport with easy connections from Cleveland. And as for Denver? It serves as the front door to the entire American West. On the private side, Jet Air Group and its Frontline Aviation will soon open a new facility that increases hangar space and offers amenities for the busy business traveler. And the developments continue. International flights into Green Bay are a possibility in the future for two reasons. Green Bay is the only city north of Milwaukee to have a U.S. Border and Customs Agent, and last year, Austin Straubel Airport installed an autoclave that can provide for the mandatory treatment of 10 | BBJ JUNE/JULY 10
waste products coming off international flights. It’s already been used more than 150 times. Tom Miller, a 31-year airline industry veteran and director of Austin Straubel Airport, says the industry has been an intriguing one since it was deregulated. And sometimes, when it rains, it pours. Take the two newest airlines that began flying in and out of Green Bay in a two-week period. Frontier entered the Green Bay market on April 19, Continental, on May 3. Timing is everything All these significant strides come on the heels of some tough times for Austin Straubel. With the hard economic times between fall 2008 and spring 2009, passenger numbers were down 35 percent. The industry is inching toward a slow recovery and the two carriers represent new opportunities for growth, says Miller. Continental Airlines’ service between Green Bay and Cleveland arrived just as Continental and United Airlines announced merger plans that would make them the largest carrier in the world. United, American and Delta – currently the largest airline in the world – also fly out of Austin Straubel. In April 2008, Continental introduced service to Cleveland; just a few months later they announced they would pull out of Green Bay after the summer season, citing the tough economy and rise in fuel costs as reasons. Green Bay was actually one of the higher yielding markets at the time, says Miller. Even after the announcement, the Green Bay to Cleveland
flight saw an 80 percent load factor. “At the time they knew they had made an error in suspending the service,” says Miller. “They didn’t feel it would be good to reverse course and stay in the market.”
economic development of Advance with the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce. After that, “We went out on a campaign to solicit all the airlines,” he says.
In addition to its regular daily flights, Continental is also talking about the future. That may include adding “extra sections” or additional planes with the same flight number or even larger planes for Green Bay Packers home games.
The addition of Continental and Frontier has been overwhelmingly positive says Monique. The flight times allow for efficient business travel. “[Business travelers] like to fly out and return on the same day and have sufficient time for their meeting,” he adds.
Frontier comes to Green Bay The addition of the discounter Frontier Airlines is huge, says Miller. Their discussion about entering the market arrived out of the blue. “They were really interested in Green Bay but didn’t really know anything about the community,” he says.
The five airlines now flying in and out of Green Bay offers diverse options – not to mention convenience – for both the business and leisure traveler.
A burn victim in Michigan needs transportation to the burn center in Milwaukee... an area resident is in a car accident out of state... an ill “snowbird” in Florida wants to be hospitalized back home... a waiting transplant patient gets the call that there’s an organ waiting for him/her... all these are scenarios common to Jet Air’s ambulance service.
When Miller learned Frontier representatives were in Milwaukee, he invited Robert Westgate, a regional planner for Frontier, to visit Green Bay. Then A growing part of Jet Air Group's business is its ambulance service. The business’s offerings are accomplished Miller, Paul Jadin, president of the Green Bay Area in partnership with County Rescue Services. Chamber of Commerce; Brad Toll, president and chief executive officer of the Greater Green Bay Convention and Visitors Bureau; and Miller seized the opportunity to sell A quick two-minute walk into the terminal building saves time. So does Frontier on the community. A key selling point: the low cost of operations dealing with an airport that is simply not as congested as some. “Boardat Austin Straubel. ing,” Miller says, “is a breeze.” Right now, Frontier is calling its Monday, Wednesday and Friday flights “seasonal service.” But Miller anticipates a summer announcement about permanent service to Green Bay or more flight frequency. “I think they’re finding a huge, pent-up demand for service to the West,” he says.
But just because the boarding process may be quicker, security here is as diligent as at the larger airports. “The strength of our airport security system is only as good as their weakest link,” is what Homeland Security and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) emphasize. “It’s all about diligence.”
Just as important as the new flights are how they connect with others. Passengers flying to Cleveland and Denver are fortunate to arrive at the same time large banks of flights fly out elsewhere. “Timing is everything,” Miller says. “The passenger doesn’t want to sit around in a terminal three and a-half hours waiting for a connection.”
Business and leisure travelers can also expect an upgrade in amenities to go along with what’s happening over the skies of Green Bay. A sit-down restaurant and concession area will be added past the security checkpoints in both terminals by mid-July.
Chamber efforts The Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce played an important role in the addition of the two airlines to the local market. Last year the Chamber surveyed the area’s 30 largest employers and their travel patterns in 2008. “We saw some travel patterns from our larger employers that were not being easily satisfied,” says Fred Monique, vice president of
Flying private When flying commercial just isn’t the best option, then Frontline Aviation, a division of Jet Air Group, 1921 Airport Dr., provides an alternative. With confidence in their future growth, Jet Air is in the final stages of building a new hangar and Fixed Base Operation (FBO). The hangar itself is 24,000 square feet – large enough to hold a 727 aircraft. BBJ JUNE/JULY 10 | 11
The facility will also feature 5,000 square feet for its FBO, essentially the terminal space and related services for its clientele, as well as office space. The new hangar opened in early June; the FBO and Jet Air’s new spacious ramp will open mid-July. At that time they will also change the name of the FBO from Titletown Jet Centre to Jet Air Services. A public open house is anticipated for November. “It’s one of the first ‘green’ hangars in Wisconsin,” says Al Timmerman, chief operating officer. The business worked with Focus on Energy to make the structure as energy efficient as possible. The hangar floor will be heated and 18 fans in the ceiling will circulate the heat so there should be a less than one degree temperature difference between floor and ceiling.
She books the service for her Wisconsin client about six times a year. “The service with Frontline is very professional,” she says. Timmerman is the first to acknowledge that many people don’t understand the value of chartering an airplane. Business trips that might take two to three days flying commercial can be accomplished in just one day. Often Frontline flies charters into smaller regional airports because it saves time and money. “You could never do that flying commercial,” he says. If the busy executive looks at what his or her time is worth, the cost savings becomes quickly apparent with a private flight, he adds. Jet Air Group provides plenty of other services as well. It’s a leader in aviation repair and maintenance and has an avionics service specializing in custom avionics upgrades including complete panel fabrication. Jet Air is a dealer of a wide variety of avionics manufacturers including Garmin, Aspen, L-3 Avionics, Avidyne and more.
“It’s one of the first ‘green’ hangars in Wisconsin.”
Jet Air is is in the process of remodeling to provide a "premier" facility for clients with updated amenities.
Why build now? It was time to provide a “premier facility” for clients with finer updated amenities, says Timmerman. The new FBO will be a highlight for private flights flying into Green Bay to attend the 92nd PGA Championship in Kohler Aug. 9-15. Aircraft storage space will also be increased by one-third. Jet Air is busy daily serving private flights coming in and out of the city as well as its own on-demand aircraft charter service. Their fleet consists of a Beechcraft King Air 200 eight passenger turboprop and two Piper Navajos. The King Air 200 is a pressurized aircraft capable of flying above most weather. The Piper Navajos carry six passengers. Frontline has nine pilots to serve its fleet of airplanes and clients. Linda Dolecki, a travel consultant with Classic Travel in Okemos, Mich., uses the services of Frontline Aviation for her business client Greenstone Farm Credit Services. Why fly private? It saves time and money, says Dolecki. “Corporate employees’ time is very valuable. Corporations need same-day service, which is very pricey with commercial flights and scheduled flights are not always reliable.”
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–Al Timmerman, chief operating officer, Jet Air Services
Titletown Jet Centre – soon to be renamed Jet Air Services – provides refueling services to private aircraft coming into Austin Straubel as well as to United Airlines. It also rents hangar space and makes arrangements and recommendations for hotels, rental cars, limo/taxi transportation and catering, as well as suggestions for local dining, shopping and entertainment.
A growing part of Jet Air Group’s business is its air ambulance service. “We’re adding another aircraft to the fleet to do air ambulance,” says Timmerman. Their services run the gamut. A burn victim in Michigan needs transportation to the burn center in Milwaukee, an area resident is in a car accident out of state, an ill “snowbird” in Florida wants to be hospitalized back home, a waiting transplant patient gets the call that there’s an organ waiting for him/her... all these are scenarios common to Jet Air’s ambulance service. These feats are accomplished in partnership with County Rescue Services. International travel Growth in international travel is a distinct possibility with the purchase in January 2009 of a $150,000 San-i-Pak autoclave by Austin Straubel Airport. The autoclave or sterilizer is significant because it allows operators to sterilize trash from incoming international flights. Jet Air Group has personnel trained to handle the international trash and to use the autoclave. Miller says this is the first step toward possible expansion of international flights into Austin Straubel. The autoclave has already been used about 150 times since its installation and approval by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Foods and any items that touch food coming off an international flight must be properly sterilized to protect the United States from
flight, he/she usually hooked. Students range in age from teens through their 60s. Tailwind Flight Center is very much looking forward to summer. They’re already preparing for one of the highlights of the season here, the return of the American Sail Training Association’s (ASTA) Tall Ship Challenge Aug. 13-15. Tailwind will offer photo flights over the ships as they come into port as well as after they arrive in Green Bay. Austin Straubel director Tom Miller seemed to speak for all his colleagues in Green Bay who love the aviation industry. The last couple of years have had their ups and downs, he said, but in the end, “It’s a lot of fun.”
Austin Straubel Airport is a key ingredient to Northeastern Wisconsin’s economic growth and quality of life. The airport provides job opportunities for more than 2,000 people in Northeast Wisconsin and contributes over $120 million into the region’s economy.
contaminants. “It’s not all from airplanes,” adds Miller. Ships that come into port in Green Bay or Marinette also use the service. Jet Air has a trailer that’s approved for pick up of international trash at the ports as well as from other airports. For example, they pick up waste materials from flights bringing military personnel home from overseas. Green Bay is also fortunate to have a U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Office, the only one north of Milwaukee. This again provides the opportunity for potential expansion of international travel by air into Green Bay as well as a larger number of ships coming into the Port of Green Bay, Miller said. For Jet Air it’s a plus having Customs here – aircraft can get in and out quickly. Flight schools Frontline Aviation offers flight instruction in Green Bay and Sheboygan, as well as discovery flights, aircraft rentals and scenic/photo flights. Frontline is also a factory-certified Cirrus flight training center. An all-glass Cirrus SR-20 is available for flight training, rental and air taxi. And Tailwind Flight Center, 2131 Airport Dr., has big news as well: it was recently named a Cessna Pilot Center. “It’s like a gold seal of approval,” says Patrick Smith, managing member of Tailwind. “We have extremely advanced Cessna pilot training systems available to us.” Cessna is the largest and most successful aircraft company, he says. The business was founded in 1997 and a year ago Smith and Patrick Heil purchased it. Smith takes care of flight operations, Heil handles administration. “We’re excited,” says Smith, with the business already experiencing a gain over last year. Their relationship with Utah Valley University, the third largest aviation school in the country, is a real plus. Through the Aviation Science Program offered by Utah Valley University, individuals can earn an associate or bachelor's degree online while completing their flight training with Tailwind Flight Center. The advantage to students is they save on tuition, fees and living expenses while learning at their own pace. Plus students can qualify for financial aid. Tailwind Flight Center has 18 instructors and nine aircraft, plus satellite schools in Neenah and Oshkosh. “The hardest thing [about pursuing flight instruction] is getting to the airport,” muses Smith. Once the person takes an introductory discovery
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MEET A MEMBER Meet a member is our newest feature addition to each issue of the BBJ, providing a few insights into the diverse businesses and business people who comprise our membership. This issue, we introduce Dr. Daniel Koster and Linda Kirchner.
Daniel G. Koster, MD
Family physician, medical director, Bellin Executive Health What Executive Health offers: Comprehensive medical history and physical exams with complete lab screening designed for anyone interested in the most complete understanding of their health available, offered in a streamlined process to fit busy schedules. Executive Health focuses on the impact of stress and leadership on patients’ physical health. “Executive describes the exam, not the patient,” says Koster. “The concept comes from corporations wanting to maximize the health of vital personnel, realizing their illness or incapacitation would cost the company millions. We offer that top-down, finetooth-comb exam with an added emphasis on patient education.” The exam differentiator: It’s focused on a tremendous amount of education that occurs with a lot of face time. Each patient spends three to five hours one-on-one with the physician before the process is done. How long Executive Health has been in existence: 2002.
Setting the tone: There is a painting in the Executive Health lobby by Sir Luke Fildes, called “The Doctor,” that portrays the qualities of a good doctor that seem to have gone by the wayside in today's doctor-patient relationships. “We have lost the quality of our patient-doctor relationship even as technology has made tremendous strides,” says Koster. The painting shows a Victorian-era doctor on a house visit, watching over an impoverished laborer’s sick child who’s lying on a makeshift bed. The doctor is observing the ‘crisis’ of the child's illness, the critical stage in pre-antibiotic days when the patient might overcome and survive the infection. The breaking light of dawn on the child’s face suggests the crisis is over and the child will live. “Back then,” Koster says, “we had that kind of relationship, but there was precious little the doctor could do to fight illness. Now we have amazing weapons against disease, but we're losing the heart of the doctor-patient relationship. We've got to bring the two together.” His personal mission statement: To restore and refine the patient-physician relationship. Why he became a doctor: “It struck me as the most powerful and immediate way to help someone else. I know my patients and they really know me. We are partners in their health, which is what medicine should be,” he says. Most significant accomplishments: On the career front, creating his practice and the executive physical program at Bellin Health. On the medical front, giving patients peace of mind and power to achieve their health goals that they cannot find anywhere else. On a personal front, his family – wife, Michelle, and two daughters, Sophie and Rose. Life outside work: Koster's family includes his wife and two daughters, four geckos, an indoor cat, an outdoor cat, three horses, and the newest addition, a Pionis parrot named Buttons. Koster enjoys riding horses (including playing tag), playing street hockey and traveling with his family. What he's reading now: Primarily histories, biographies and books that make him think. He's currently reading William James and Donald Barthelme. Mentor: “In my two medical jobs, I have had the privilege of getting to know a lot of wonderful people in Green Bay. If I had to choose one mentor, it would be Bob Bush. He, more than anyone else, began the process of starting my own practice. I always find something valuable in what he tells me. The basic business advice I’ve gotten from Bob is to know yourself, figure out what you want to do and then lay it right out there – share it with others you want to work with. With his counsel and example, that’s what I’ve tried to do.” 14 | BBJ JUNE/JULY 10
Linda Kirchner
President, Kirchner Computer Consulting, KCC WaM Services (a division) What her businesses offers: Information technology consulting, providing computer systems support, training, analysis and project management to clients in Northeast Wisconsin. Kirchner also provides payroll, accounting and IT training services to help women-owned and disadvantaged businesses thrive, particularly in obtaining Department of Transportation (DOT) projects. How long she’s been in business: In the Advance Business Center (incubator) since 2009; in business since1998. What she has built her company on: Being values-based, client-first, deadline-driven and a trustworthy organization. Term she has coined: WaMs – Women and minority businesses, which Kirchner is focused on assisting through the creation of a network of women-owned and disadvantaged business enterprises. Who she counts among her mentors: J.D. Murphy, Mark Burwell, and Christina Trombley and Chuck Brys of the Small Business Development Center. Where she finds her motivation: From her son, Jake, who has a unique ability to see the humor in even very difficult situations. Her nickname: Antique Geek, in reference to her long-standing love of IT in a field even when it was dominated by men. Favorite pastimes: “I am a Disney fanatic; if I am not reading computer manuals, I am reading about Disney. I am also a huge Star Wars fan. I have seen the first movie 28 times.” On the side: Kirchner also developed a business called Organic Gifts, LLC, which creates organic foods gift baskets. The business was founded on the principle of giving back to the community and provides employment for individuals who might not find good jobs in a more traditional marketplace. Business know-how: “Don’t sell yourself short. I started my business because of a personal need and because of the encouragement of my brother, Paul. I stopped my regular job on a Friday and got my first contract the following Monday.” How she hopes to be remembered: “For helping and empowering others.” How others describe her: Optimistic, persistent, visionary. How she would spend a $1 million windfall: I would invest in WaMs. Think of all the people I could help if I invested in them.”
BBJ JUNE/JULY 10 | 15
Cultivating the future
Golden Apple Awards celebrate individual contributions to the workforce of tomorrow Lee Marie Reinsch TEXT JOSH BEATON PHOTOGRAPHY
Plato had Socrates. Helen Keller had Anne Sullivan Macy. Oprah Winfrey had Mary Duncan. We’ve all been impacted by teachers. Some day, maybe an educator from our area will appear in history books or on national television, reuniting with a media icon whose spelling tests she corrected. Until then, the Golden Apple Awards provide a taste of the stage light to area educators. “Everyone can say they remember a teacher who changed the course of their life, one about whom we can say, ‘That’s why we are where we are today,’” says Nancy Schopf, vice president, education and leadership, Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce. Schopf is the powerhouse behind Partners in Education (PIE), the branch of the Chamber that sponsors the Golden Apple Awards. She’s been with the program since its first seed was sown and has helped it grow to its present state as a sort of Oscar night for local educators. Complete with limousines, tuxedoes, evening gowns, jewelry on loan, media interviews, film clips, emcees and television cameras, the black-tie-optional affair makes for a red-letter day. “We aren’t used to being treated this way,” says Scott Christy, Golden Apple 2010 recipient and business teacher at Green Bay East High School. But the recognition showered on a handful of teachers is much deserved, says Amanda Brooker, manager of school and community relations for the Green Bay Area School District.
“They do what they do without thinking they are special – and they are special,” Brooker says. “Teachers shape the future of the community.” The Golden Apple program is PIE’s primary fund-raiser. This year it netted $181,142 for PIE.
Teachers teach more by what they are more than by what they say. – Proverb
PIE has its fingers in lots of pies, from programs promoting youth apprenticeships, teen leadership, anti-drug campaigns and parental involvement in school to grants and scholarships to students. PIE hosts a Career Expo every December, which thousands of people attend, Schopf says. Why the need? Golden Apple started in 1992 as a means to heal a somewhat tentative relationship between the school and business communities. Or, as Nancy Armbrust, retired Schreiber Foods vice president and Golden Apple community volunteer puts it: “There was no relationship.” At the time, some local business people believed young people lacked onthe-job skills – basic things like punctuality, courtesy and reliability. One company took out a full-page newspaper ad, challenging the school system to produce better-quality employees, Armbrust recalls. “We decided we weren’t going to move forward in a positive way if we didn’t work together,” Armbrust says.
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Partners in Education links the local business community with the educational community by focusing on what the two parties have in common: the future workers of America. “From this partnership, we come to the table and talk about issues, and we see that the business community and the school district aren’t that different from each other,” Schopf says. “We have the same values.” Jeff Dickert, director of CESA 7, says the Golden Apple program creates a united front between the worlds of business and education that shows teachers their work matters to the rest of the world. “It sends a big message to the teachers in every school district that the community is on board and recognizes everyone is working hard to produce a better 21st century citizen and that as a community – the business-school community – we can work together,” Dickert says. Making tomorrow’s hires hirable Many of the issues PIE and the Golden Apple program hit on are what Schopf calls basic employability skills. “Issues like attendance, showing up for work when they’re supposed to, all of those skills that kids have to apply to the workplace – basic math, soft skills like teamwork, creativity in problem solving,” Schopf says.
they come to an area: ‘How are the schools?’” Brooker says. “We create the future leaders, the future workers, the future doctors, the future tradesmen, the future service workers.” Gilson calls students “our most valuable asset when it comes to the business world.” He says his company is more labor-intensive than capital-intensive. That means he needs people with good leadership skills. “The drivers for that leadership are really the teachers because they are the leaders of their particular classrooms,” Gilson says. “Through their innovation and creative teaching methods, you can accelerate the development of our students and prepare them better for entering secondary education and the business world.” Great leadership leads to market share growth, increased productivity and operating profitability in business, Gilson says. “It is up to the student to create value for the employer, and it’s up to the employer to create an environment that will foster energy and foster progress,” Gilson says. “When you get these two to come together, you have a winning organization.”
2010 Golden Apple winner Laurie Gehrke, fifthgrade teacher at Nicolet Elementary School in Green Bay, emphasizes collaboration in her classroom because it’s vital in her own career. “Probably the thing I feel like I’m most trying to prepare my students for is working in a team,” Gehrke says. “Cooperative learning is the most important thing we do in the classroom. In my job, I have to know how to collaborate with my colleagues.” Instead of segregating students by skill level, Gehrke teaches kids to value the differences in each other by being peer coaches and tutors to each other. “My purpose and function is to increase the amount of engagement, instead of everybody else tuning me out while I pick out one kid to answer questions,” Gehrke says. “All kids are actively learning.” Cultivate leaders and grow money One common trait among Golden Apple winners: “Passion about teaching, training and developing of our student body,” says Rob Gilson, president and CEO of Imperial Supplies.
The Golden Apple Awards kicked off the 2009-2010 program by distributing tokens of appreciation to all teachers in 10 area school districts, including one to teacher Kristy Thurlow at Franklin Middle School. To her left are Principal Matt Weller and Chamber ambassador Wendy Willems, QuickSigns.
Gilson has handed out 16 of the 17 Golden Apple awards his company has sponsored. Imperial’s founder, the late Don Long, handed out its first. “They are passionate about their profession,” Gilson says of the teachers. Cynics might wonder why all the fanfare about teachers just for doing their jobs. What about all the unsung electricians, welders, independent jewelers and coffee-shop owners out there doing their jobs? Today’s students are those workers of tomorrow, and teachers are the ones shaping them, say Golden Apple proponents such as Brooker. She says schools are responsible for the outcome of the future. “Everyone is affected by public education – it’s the first thing people ask about when
Communication is vital Teamwork requires effective communication, and in a world that’s getting smaller, that can take a number of forms. “I think that with the world being so global nowadays, it’s important to not only communicate well but to learn about other cultures and gain another perspective with other people,” says Katie Titler, Pulaski High School Spanish teacher and 2010 Golden Apple honoree. “It leads to a better working relationship and better life skills for the students.” Titler uses blogging, text messaging, avatars and online video to maintain her students’ interest in Spanish. “We’re tying lessons to real life experiences,” she says. BBJ JUNE/JULY 10 | 17
As a student, Titler found herself bored in traditional classroom settings. “I vowed I would never be the kind of teacher that says ‘take out your book and turn to this page,’” she says.
words, they need to view the project and their own performance from a client’s eyes. “I tell them, ‘Ask yourself who is the client, and who is the client’s customer?’” Christy says.
Titler and her students use avatars (computer-generated alter-egos) to practice their Spanish conversation. Outside school hours, students can phone in their phrasing to Titler’s online avatar when it’s convenient for them. If their pronunciation is off, Titler’s avatar lets them know. “They can hear it right away if they make a mistake,” Titler says.
When students enter the co-op program (job-school cooperative with local employers) that he leads, Christy reaffirms the concept of viewing oneself from the employer’s perspective. “I tell them I expect no nose piercing or lip piercings or baggy pants hanging down to the knees,” Christy says. “They have to know it is not acceptable to be listening to their iPod, checking their e-mail, texting or taking personal phone calls on the job.”
The teaching goal isn’t to goof around on computers all day – it’s to get students consuming and digesting information. Titler forces them to engage in their school work, but she does it in media that resonate with teens. “We talk about the importance of communication in the 21st century, knowing another language and making yourself marketable,” Titler says.
Some students give him the “Are you for real?” scowl, but that doesn’t bother him. “The bottom line is I don’t care what your culture is. When you enter a company, you play by the rules of that workplace,” Christy adds. That means rethinking cultural norms if they’re not appropriate in the business world. Christy gives an example: In the Asian culture, it’s considered disrespectful for a young person to look an elder in the eye. He points out that in American and business culture, avoiding eye contact implies a person is trying to hide something. Christy tells the employers who mentor his students to treat them as they would treat any other employee. “If my kid’s not doing well on the job, he will just hinder other employees,” Christy says. “And that causes two problems: I will lose the employer as a contact for the following year, and the student feels bad because he does poorly and fails.” More to apples than just the harvest Although it doesn’t get much notice until October when Partners in Education solicits nominations for the Golden Apple Awards, the Golden Apple program requires care and tending year-’round.
In May, essentially days after the most recent Golden Apple Awards night is finished, Partners in Education is already mulling themes for the following year’s Teacher Ryan Long, fifth grade teacher at Eisenhower Elementary School, hugs his mom upon receiving the news gala and nailing down the venue. By that he was one of the 2010 Golden Apple Award recipients. summer, they’ve secured the honorary Golden Apple chair/emcee as well as the sponsors, including the $15,000-per‘No pants hanging down to the knees’ company corporate sponsorships. Major corporate backers include Making oneself marketable often means learning to see yourself the way Associated Bank; Humana, Inc.; Imperial Supplies; Green Bay Presspotential clients or employers see you. Gazette; Shopko; United HealthCare; Schreiber Foods, Inc.; Schneider National Foundation and WLUK FOX 11. Scott Christy, the business teacher from Green Bay East, readies his students for the work world by getting them to see from a different By September, the 45,000 nomination forms are updated and ordered, perspective than their own. “Employers want kids who are reliable, who and by mid-October, Partners in Education members visit 125 schools in dress appropriately and who have good communication skills,” Christy the 10-district area surrounding Green Bay to encourage nominations says. “They want a kid who can walk into an office, shake hands and of educators. Around that same time, billboards, posters and ads for the look them in the eye.” Golden Apple Awards start cropping up. If they’re developing a Web site for a hypothetical customer, they need to consider to whom they’re trying to appeal, rather than creating a Web site featuring their own favorite band or inside jokes. In other 18 | BBJ JUNE/JULY 10
In fall and winter, videographers from local TV station FOX 11 create video vignettes of teachers in the classroom as well as corporate sponsors.
2010 Golden Apple Award recipients congregate on stage at the Radisson Hotel and Conference Center for the awards program on April 21. Honorees were David Lepisto, Katie Titler, Laurie Gehrke, emcee Michele Melby, emcee Tom Milbourn, Sarah Pethan, Tracy Wiedeman, Ryan Long and Scott Christy.
The selection and interviewing process continues through January and February, and sometime in early spring, seven winning teachers or teams get the word they should start writing their acceptance speeches for the live television broadcast of the ceremony.
Golden Apple honorees become lifetime members of the Golden Apple Academy, a group that gathers a few times a year for workshops and networking. To date, more than 100 Greater Green Bay-area teachers belong to the Golden Apple Academy. “Even the teachers who don’t win the award feel a sense of pride that their field is being recognized,” Armbrust says.
A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops. - Henry Adams
Some 40,000 students and 5,000 teachers comprise the 10-district area that the Golden Apple program spans. This includes Ashwaubenon, Denmark, De Pere, Green Bay, Howard-Suamico, Luxemburg-Casco, Pulaski, Seymour, West De Pere and Wrightstown and includes public, private, parochial and tribal schools.
Slicing and dicing Golden Apple judges include people from the education and business community. They use criteria laid out by the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards, including knowledge of the subject, skills, personality and the degree to which teachers stimulate interest in their subjects. “We look at not only the professionalism they bring to the job and their leadership in the classroom and in their activities, but innovation in teaching that shows evidence that students are learning,” Armbrust says.
Schopf said teachers from every school district in the 10-district area, every course subject and all durations of teaching experience from one year to 30 years have been represented in the Golden Apple program. While some might consider a red-carpet evening for educators a bit much, Dickert says research shows that such recognition serves as a good motivating force. “Recognizing excellence is essential to move your organization forward or in our case, move our school business forward, which in the end benefits students,” Dickert says.
Judges look at some 2,500 nominations, submitted by community members, students and fellow educators. In the first round of paring, judges choose Teachers of Distinction. From that group, after personal interviews with the candidates and more weighing, they select Golden Apples honorees.
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SPOTLIGHT ON THE ARTS TEXT Katie Stilp PHOTOGRAPHY SUBMITTED
Famed painter Vincent Van Gogh once said, “The only time I feel alive is when I’m painting.” Two area fine artists, Terry Howell Stanley and Cheryn Prentice-Holstead, embrace Van Gogh’s thought. Whether they’re working with coal, acrylic paint or oils, they embrace art as part of their everyday. Not surprisingly, both Prentice-Holstead and Howell Stanley showed an interest in art at an early age. “I’ve been doing artwork all my life,” PrenticeHolstead says. “When I was a little girl I was always doodling and making things. It was just something I loved to do.” Howell Stanley has been making art ever since she could hold a crayon. “It’s always been a huge part of my life and it’s been my career for about 15 years,” she says. While they began around the same time, the two artists took different paths to get where they are. Portraits, pets and more Howell Stanley pursued art full-time after making contacts with the Richeson family, owners of an art materials manufacturing and distribution business. She is now the director of the Richeson School of Art & Gallery in Kimberly in addition to having her own studio. Howell Stanley, who has a degree in custom model and design, does portraits as well as abstract work. Most notably, she is known for her 400 pet portraits completed last year, something she continues. “I started doing the pet portraits as a way to bring people in during a time when people aren’t spending money on artwork,” she says. “People enjoy them so much that they’re coming back to get larger portraits of their family done and becoming collectors of my work.” 20 | BBJ JUNE/JULY 10
Customers from around the world have emailed photos of their pets to have a piece done by Howell Stanley. “Only about five percent have been from Wisconsin,” she says. “They’ve been really well-received and it’s something people are going to keep in their house forever.” For much of her commissioned work, Howell Stanley’s clients come to her with an idea in mind. She also exercises her creativity by making pieces from her own ideas; her favorites deal with figures and animals. “I really like color and movement,” she says. “I did a rodeo series last year and the reason was the motion and texture. Those are things I look for in my pieces.” Inspiration can also come from an event or an individual.
“It’s always been a huge part of my life and it’s been my career for about 15 years.” –Terry Howell Stanley Portraits are typically done in a variety of media, including oils, acrylic and pastels. Howell Stanley’s bigger pieces are done with a mixture of media, including natural materials incorporated in the piece, such as recycled materials and other meaningful items. “I have used dried botanicals that I encased in a polymer resin to prevent the botanicals from deteriorating,” she says. Once a concept is set, Howell Stanley creates a thumbnail sketch, lays out the materials on the canvas and then begins painting. For portraits, Howell Stanley frequently does a study, during which she completes a smaller painting first to work out issues before going to a bigger piece to ensure she will not make a mistake and need to start over. Smaller pieces, like thumbnail sketches, take around a half hour to complete, whereas large pieces can take several weeks. Some larger pieces
need to be completed in several sittings to allow layers to dry, something Howell Stanley says depends on the techniques and medium used. With several paintings going on at a given time, she focuses on single aspects of paintings rather than laboring over a whole painting at a time, which keeps the painting fresh. Many of Howell Stanley’s portraits are created with clients in her studio, spending time talking to her before posing for photographs, which are then used to later create the painting if the client cannot pose for the whole time. “Working from life is optimal because the camera only sees a tiny fraction of what’s there,” she says. “It takes a lot of training and skill to keep the painting from coming out flat. I’m able to compensate for what the camera doesn’t see.” If photographs need to be taken, Howell Stanley sets up proper lighting and takes several digital photographs, either in her studio or at the client’s location. “With digital I can take an unlimited number of shots and poses and if necessary use the hands from one shot, the face from another and make myself an excellent reference by Photoshopping the elements together into a cohesive whole,” she says. “It’s a huge time-saver for me and the portrait subject.” Howell Stanley says she learns a lot about a client’s personality by talking with him/her for about an hour before taking photographs or beginning a live painting. “I make notes and pick up their mannerisms so I can get a feel for what kind of person they are.”
“We look at a flower outside and a lot of times we take it for granted. But when you capture it on paper, you see it and say, ‘Wow, I never knew they looked like this." –Cheryn Prentice-Holstead, Taurus Rising Art To determine what flower she is going to use for a particular piece and to gain inspiration, Prentice-Holstead goes to a florist and picks flowers with character and delicate lines. “My favorite flower is the stargazer lily because it’s very graceful,” she says. From there, Prentice-Holstead positions and spotlights the flowers in a vase. Spotlighting to get the right shadowing is an important part of the drawing, she says. “My instructor used to tell me a good piece of artwork is all about light against dark,” she says. “You want to get the flower to look more 3D by using highlights and shadow. That’s what, along with soft contour lines, will make the flower pop and look real.” Once the flowers are set, Prentice-Holstead gets her paper, for which she insists on quality, 100 percent acidfree paper that won’t yellow over time. She tends to order her paper in rolls and rip it to size instead of cutting it. “It gives it an interesting effect and the paper is very textured,” she says.
To evoke specific feelings for the type of painting, Howell Stanley This painting, created by Howell Stanley, is entitled "Boy in the Stream." It is an oil says it’s important to use colors With all her supplies ready, painting and measures 30" x 40" and designs associated with the Prentice-Holstead completes feeling. “It largely depends on who a light sketch before taking I’m working for but if I have a client a charcoal stick and going all in a medical setting who wants a soothing and peaceful feeling, I’m not go- around the flower. She also uses charcoal pencils for finer detail. Next, ing to use bright reds and sharp edges. I’m going to use something with a she uses a piece of white felt to rub in the charcoal to ensure it is as more flowing effect.” even as possible. Once the felt is blackened with charcoal, she uses it to shade the flower. Different types of erasers are then brought in to Flower power keep the white areas white and to make contour and crisp lines. During an independent study in 1994 while attending UW-Green Bay, Prentice-Holstead learned how to use charcoal. She began drawing flow- Once the layer is completed to her satisfaction, Prentice-Holstead sprays ers and, “I’ve been doing it ever since,” she says. a fixative on the piece to reduce the rubbing and smearing of the charcoal. The whole process is repeated three more times, with each layer Her business, Taurus Rising Art, was formed when Prentice-Holstead becoming darker and more defined. “There’s just a point where the flower was laid off several graphic design jobs and her husband pushed her just pops off the page,” she says. to get back into art. “It’s been full circle,” she says. “I started out with artwork, did all these different graphic jobs and now I’m back to artwork To finish the piece, five to seven coats of fixative are added to reduce where I belong.” smudging. Prentice-Holstead is the first to acknowledge that coal is a free, but extremely messy, medium. That said, if you make a mistake, you Although Prentice-Holstead creates portraits and landscapes and works can erase it. “You just get such neat effects from using the charcoal and with several other mediums, including wood carvings, her main focus is the erasers and so on. It’s just very versatile,” she says. flowers made with charcoal. “I love flowers so much,” Prentice-Holstead says. “They’re so graceful and very interesting and fun to do.” BBJ JUNE/JULY 10 | 21
Most of Prentice-Holstead’s pieces are 40 by 32 inches and take around 40 hours to complete. “It’s a lot of time but I just love it so much,” she says. Although she doesn’t work on pieces seven days a week, she may work nine to ten hours in a row for several nights on a new piece, occasionally beginning at night and finishing in the wee hours of morning. Prentice-Holstead loves the feelings tied into her artwork. “It has to deal with the excitement and the beauty of life,” she says. “We look at a flower outside and a lot of times we take it for granted. But when you capture it on paper, you see it and say, ‘Wow, I never knew they looked like this." Her love of the beauty of life is further displayed in her other pieces, which include landscapes, animals and portraits of people. “I do a lot of things from nature. It grounds me,” she says. Prentice-Holstead also continues to experiment, recently beginning to work with acrylic paints. “I’m really enjoying it. They’re smaller than my charcoals and take less time so it’s easier to fit into my schedule,” she says.
This charcoal, created by Prentice-Holstead, is entitled "Richard's Lily." Prentice-Holstead first learned to use charcoal in 1994 and enjoys using this medium because it is so versatile.
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Chamber briefs
This issue debuts Chamber briefs, an overview of many of the goings on at the Chamber. Each issue, we will highlight events, awards, achievements and other Chamber program news.
Advance
Advance is hosting a seminar on June 8 called "Financing Your Innovation: 2008 vs. Today.” Visit titletown.org for more information…Construction began at the Advance Business Center (Incubator) to create new office suites and add overhead doors in the manufacturing bays…Advance is hosting a mini-conference on June 15 called "Attracting Development to Your Project/ Community.” Visit titletown.org for more information… The Advance Business Center (incubator) had 24 tenants and only one open office as of May…Advance and its retention committee completed 12 business retention visits in May.
Leadership Green Bay
Steve Taylor, LGB class ’85, served as keynote speaker at University of Wisconsin – Green Bay graduation ceremonies… In May, Joel Hansen, Schenck, (LGB graduate) officially received WICPA’s Public Service Award… Leadership Green Bay Commencement/Launching for the Class of 2010 was May 11 at the Rock Garden Comfort Suites. Earlier in the day, class debriefed with Michele Farnsworth & Dr. Michael Troyer at Heritage Hill State Park. In the evening, class members unveiled group projects in a skit format. Five community projects include the Rx Prescription Drop Box at the Green Bay Police Department—which has already collected over 300 lbs. of prescription drugs that are now unavailable to our kids; Fort Howard Elementary School 2nd Grade Class—members assisted students in the writing and illustration of a book, Sent to the “Fort”. Books will be sold with funds supporting emergency needs at the school; Children’s Museum Water Gallery Exhibit—helped design and create a water exhibit for the soon-to-open Children’s Museum in Downtown Green Bay; United States Playground Map at Aldo Leopold School— group purchased materials and designed activities to enhance and reinforce interactive and experiential learning; Recycling Education on Electronics & Broadway Recycling Project—program to educate public about changes in recycling of electronics effective Sept. 1 and recycling on Broadway with video created by NWTC students.
Government affairs
The Chamber sent an Action Call in March and more 260 members took the time to write a message to Cong. Steve Kagen regarding the health care reform bill that was signed into law in shortly thereafter… We also sent an Action Call on April 15 on the state climate change bill and more than130 members sent messages to their state senators and representatives. The bill never came to the floor for a vote. We now have more than 750 members registered to participate in the Action Call system….The Chamber testified on April 20 at the WDNR hearing on proposed new phosphorus rules, and sent comments in advance of the April 30 deadline….After the Chamber organized opposition from several dozen affected companies, the Green Bay Metropolitan Sewerage District decided to withdraw the stringent new local limits in its proposed industrial wastewater pretreatment ordinance. At our urging, the district will look to establish some type of mass sharing approach to the problem, allowing companies to avoid hundreds of thousands of dollars in needless expense.
Membership
In April, the Chamber launched its newly updated BBJ media kit…That same month, the Chamber launched its “Catch Chamber Fever” membership drive with its ambassadors and board members… The Chamber was notified it is a recipient of a GRAND Award for our “Be A Social Media Rock Star” and “What the Tweet” events and an Excellence Award for the Golden Apple Awards Televised Program from the ACCE 26th annual Awards for Communication Excellence. The Chamber will receive the Grand Award at the ACCE annual conference in August in Milwaukee.
Partners in Education
In May, Partners in Education hosted its Youth Celebration, at which it celebrated the distribution of six, $1,500 PIE Technical Scholarships; 12, $1,000 PIE 5/12 Scholarships; 18, 5th graders enrolled in the 5/12 Scholarship Program; two $500 PIE Drug Alliance Scholarships; two PIE Youth Entrepreneur Grant recipients - $500 and $250; 45 PIE Youth Apprenticeship graduates; 30 PIE Brown County Teen Leadership graduates; and one recipient of the $10,000 Brian LaViolette Foundation Scholarship…On April 21, PIE celebrated its 17th Golden Apple Awards, presenting seven Golden Apples and one Honorary Golden Apple….On June 23, PIE will host its strategic planning session to focus on the vision for the 20th year of Partners in Education… The kickoff for the Parents Who Host Lose the Most: Don’t be party to teenage drinking month was held Tuesday, May 25, running through June 25. To date, five area municipalities—Brown County, City of Green Bay, Villages of Allouez, Ashwaubenon, and Hobart—have signed onto a resolution supporting the initiative…PIE Drug Alliance will host the 2nd annual Community Forum on Alcohol Use on Wednesday, August 18, at UWGB. Event is open to all community members; to register contact Rebecca Deschane at rdeschane@titletown.org or 593-3406.
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CHAMBER NEWS
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Guests at the Business After Hours at Schroeder’s Flowers on Wednesday, May 12, checked out the greenhouse’s offerings. Guests included Nanci Plog, Green Bay Packaging (left) and Katie Guth, Millwood Inc.
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Nick Arlt of Festival Foods and Mary Frank of Wisconsin Public Service enjoy the Murder on the Fox Mystery Cruise hosted by the Current Young Profsesionals Network on Saturday, May 22.
Doug West, Fox Valley Golf Club president (third from left) celebrates the Club’s ribbon cutting on April 1 with (from left) Nancy Steffel, The School That Comes To You, Sue May, Heartland Business Systems, Steve Nockerts, marketing and member relations director at the club, Bryan Mulry, PGA Professional, Marcia Thompson, Wisconsin Public Service, and Margaret Mader, Green Bay Symphony.
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Darlene Albers, chairperson of the Business & Breakfast planning committee, Community First Credit Union, takes a moment with Steve Rose, Winners Success Network, who presented “The 7 Principles of the Peanut Butter Promise” on Thursday, May 20.
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GO TO www.titletown.org FOR THE LATEST UPDATES IN CHAMBER NEWS AND EVENTS
Arianna Druecke from Lannoye School is honored as a new enrollee in the 5/12 scholarship program at the Partners in Education Youth Celebration on Monday, May 24. Also pictured is Pam Engel, principal for Lannoye.
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Group 4 of the 2009-2010 graduating class of Leadership Green Bay tackled a "Recycling Education on Electronics/Broadway Recycling Project" that encompassed educating people about the new electronic recycling laws coming and to promote recycling within a city district. Team members are: (in box): Rebecca Lesperance and Jill DeGroot-Schulke; (sitting): Dolores Watson and Matthew Petersen; (standing): Hollie Conard, Paul Kaster and Jim Stamatakos.
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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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