NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2018
BECOMING REMARKABLE
Changing with Continuous Change
CHAMBER LEADERSHIP EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Ed Jaekel - Chair JRM CPAs, LLC Lynn Bruns, Chair-Elect ISG Bruce Friell Vice-Chair Elect (Secretary) Gundersen Health System Joe Poehling, Past Chair First Supply, LLC Randy Berg - Treasurer Trane
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Kerstin Boudreau Metre Chris Butler Verve, a Credit Union Jansen Dahl Dahl Automotive La Crosse Brad Dinsmoor Dinsmoor Strategies Anne Finch Logistics Health - LHI Wendy Franke, Board Advisor N2 Publishing A.J. Frels, Ex-Officio Explore La Crosse Spencer Hegenbarth, Board Advisor RE/MAX First Choice Scott Kish Schumacher-Kish Funeral & Cremation Services, Inc. Sue Kolve-Feehan The Salon Professional Academy Brian Koopman Trust Point, Inc. Steve Loehr Kwik Trip Robin Moses, Ex-Officio Downtown Mainstreet, Inc. Amy Noel Mayo Clinic Health System Tim Oliver, Board Advisor US Bank Brandon Prinsen Johns, Flaherty & Collins, SC JoAnn Steffes Steffes HR Advantage Glena Temple Viterbo University Jodi Widuch The Parenting Place Jeff Wieser
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Wieser Brothers General Contractor, Inc.
THE TALENT WAR IS HERE. WHAT’S HAPPENING WITH YOUR WORKFORCE I consider it a privilege to hear your stories. Your story gets combined with others and forms a picture of our business community dynamics. Two consistent themes arose this past month: 1) your talent is increasingly being poached and 2) the definition of a “local business” is being blurred.
POACHING When we don't have enough bodies to fill jobs, our businesses start finding the bodies. Kaplan has an individual who scans LinkedIn profiles searching for candidates with the right qualifications. Your employees are being approached. The path is being paved by the larger businesses. Find it, mirror it, and maximize it. There were amazing speakers in the talent development track of the Business-to-Business Expo (there may have been in the other tracks as well, but this is the one I as in on). The use of artificial intelligence to set up HR appointments, the tools to measure and grow employee engagement, the use of space to build culture – good stuff! These were 100% local companies sharing their best practices. Amazing work! So much more to come!
THE HURTING INDUSTRIES In all of these discussions, I think of our heart-and-soul small companies that find it so difficult to create deep talent strategies and even to get out the door – our retailers, restaurants and our home-building companies. A handful of restaurants are closing their doors not because of product or lack of customers, but because they don’t have the staff to keep them open. It’s the tip of the iceberg. Shortages in the trades are going to skyrocket prices as the ability to build or remodel horribly tips the supply and demand scale. We have to think bigger.
A NEW DEFINITION OF LOCAL BUSINESSES I am rethinking how we service companies whose local workforce is no longer working on one “widget” in their office space, but rather are all
a component of making 100 widgets remotely. Kaplan, for example, hit the tipping point where more 50% of its workforce that report to the La Crosse Kaplan office work at some other site than La Crosse. Face-to-face decreases. Dakota Supply Group has its executive leadership in Minneapolis, it’s HR is in La Crosse and other departments are scattered around its many Midwest locations. What we’ve heard for years is here – our hard-walled offices become valued based on the community in which they’re located and less on the people physically in the building with you.
GET ON WITH IT, VICKI I apparently had my doomsday coffee this morning. Here’s what I do with this. It becomes strategies. Strategies that feed into bigger strategies like the 7 Rivers WISE plan. Getting people to choose to live here is how we feed the need for talent. Equipping businesses to succeed in the new reality of talent, technology and remote workforce innovation – including realizing we’re in a new reality – is also needed. As the Chamber looks to shed programs and create remarkable ones, these are the questions that feed strategies. Keep telling us where you’re headed and we’ll help you get there. Keep the conversations coming!
Vicki Markussen, Executive Director La Crosse Area Chamber of Commerce
FEATURED ARTICLE BECOMING REMARKABLE.................. PGS 3-4
CONTACT THE CHAMBER VICKI MARKUSSEN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
608-784-4880 ext. 226 vicki@lacrossechamber.com
ANGELA SEEGER, BUSINESS OUTREACH DIRECTOR
TABLE OF CONTENTS
608-784-4880 ext. 225 angela@lacrossechamber.com
Upcoming Events.......................................................................................................... 5
608-784-4880 ext. 224 maggie@lacrossechamber.com
Business After Hours..................................................................................................... 5 Rockstars..................................................................................................................... 5 Young Professionals...................................................................................................... 5 Ribbon Cuttings............................................................................................................6 Maximize Your Membership.......................................................................................... 7 Connecting Members to Members.................................................................................10
MAGGIE CHRISTIAN, OPERATIONS DIRECTOR SARAH GANG, MARKETING DIRECTOR
608-784-4880 ext. 233 sarah@lacrossechamber.com
RANDY FISCHER, FINANCE DIRECTOR
608-784-4880 ext. 223 randy@lacrossechamber.com.
JAMI REDENBAUGH, MEMBER RELATIONS
The Coulee Region’s Design/Build Leader Since 1970
n
n
Coulee Recovery Center La Crosse, WI
P.O. Box 125 | 400 Brickl Road | West Salem, WI 54669-0125 | (800) 658-9030 | BricklBros.com
MAGAZINE LAYOUT BY JACOB KLATTE
Designers | Construction Managers | Builders
jmklattedesign@gmail.com
608-784-4880 jami@lacrossechamber.com
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BECOMING
REMARKABLE:
CHANGING WITH CONTINUOUS CHANGE Join Our Chamber as We Redfine Growing Businesses in the La Crosse Area By Vicki Markussen
I am usually a bit more savvy. I am rarely at a loss for words. ”I stalk you online” was not what I intended to say to a colleague in the Chamber world who I had admired from afar. Even that would have been a bit better, “I admire your work from afar.” Nope. I was like a gushing groupie at a rock band concert. That did just come out of my mouth. As Adam Legge with the Calgary Chamber responded graciously and wanted to engage in a deeper conversation, my creepy comment had me recoiling and wanting to escape. You see, the Calgary Chamber has put into action where our organization needs to go next. They are our team’s aspiration - the place we go when we’re stuck or trying something new. Calgary has paved the path for a new type of engagement with its members. That’s so remarkable, that Calgary’s now former leader Adam Legge wrote a book. Our team and our Board is following it. It can inspire you too.
ELEVATING AVERAGE A some of you know, the La Crosse Area Chamber has looked
look at in his book called Making Remarkable: How to Deliver Purpose, Inspire People, and Build a Platform for Remarkable Results. He writes: “A remarkable organization
at every program and service. We’ve added a few and removed
is one that delivers results and impact and is one that peers,
a few. We’ve had successes that we’ve celebrated. Our failures
competitors and members hold in high regard as uncommon
are analyzed and learned from. We’re digging deeper - into our
and worthy of notice and commendation. And it is one that
members needs and how we shed an average program
creates its own communities and followings.“
so that we take the essences of what is valued and build them into something remarkable
We’ll be looking at three areas: our purpose, our people and our platform for delivering which feeds into our culture. It also
a funding model that
begins to blend into our team and
puts all the money into
even who we bring onto our
one pot and provides
board (People). Lastly, how
everyone with the same
we deliver our programs and
services. In that model,
services need to change
our programs are only
dramatically. Our value
as good as our average.
proposition is not the
For us, the average we
same as before and how
spend is $652/member.
we deliver it cannot be
In the old model 70% of
the same. Changes are
our members paid us less
ahead.
than than that. The result is to soon hire individuals who move us to proactive on our advocacy work and also a service to acclimate those who’ve moved here from out of town (aka Concierge). Paving the path to step two in this process is my “rock star” Adam Legge with the Calgary Chamber. He shows us what to
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TOUGH QUESTIONS, TOUGH DECISIONS Marketing guru Simon Sine’s talks about focusin on “your why” — why you do what you do, not what you do. We know that if our
F OR M
services. Our purpose is our brand,
to break away from
Va lue Proposition, Strategy , Technolog y, Financ e
P L AT
Our first accomplishment was
Chamber were to go away, businesses would still want to unite to do work bigger than any could do individually. That’s our purpose. Over time, they wanted
P U R P OS E
administrative coordination and that’s how the Chamber, like many businesses, hire its first employees. What that greater program or service looks like is the strategies position of our platform. How we pay for it is in the platform, as is how we deliver the program/service. How we stay on track is our people. The board is active in ensuring we’re on-track and our people help drive it forward. But the vision begins with our members.
HOW YOU HELP Over the next few months our board members will host several listening sessions. They’ll ask what you think of the Chamber, our programs, our events, what’s impacting our business community and your businesses, how we can help, and much more. We need your candor. We need your insight. We need your help in becoming remarkable.
Brand, Culture , Va lues
Board of Directors, Team
P E OP LE
REMARK ABILITY
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Please register in advance as this is considered a private event and is by invite-only for all Chamber members.
SAVE THE DATE! Annual Celebration November 8 | 5:15 p.m. HOSTED BY THREE AMIGOS PROPERTY MANAGEMENT @ Grasslands Apartments 1606 Blackwelder Place Holmen, WI 54636
December 13 | 5:15 p.m. HOSTED BY GUNDERSEN HOTEL @Gundersen Hotel & Suites 1520 Clinic Ct. La Crosse, WI 54601
MONDAY, MARCH 4 |
La Crosse Center,
South Hall
We're celebrating our 151st year as a chamber! Join us to celebrate how far the Chamber has come and learn about how we're helping businesses grow in our 151st year!
UPCOMING EVENTS NOVEMBER November 1 | 9:00 a.m. Business Conference La Crosse Convention Center 300 Harborview Plaza La Crosse, WI 54601
November 12 | 7:30 a.m. The Forum: Election Results & Their Impact with Joe Heim Education Center, La Crosse Area Chamber of Commerce 601 7th St N La Crosse, WI 54601
DECEMBER
December 10 | 7:30 a.m. The Forum (Topic TBD!) Education Center, La Crosse Area Chamber of Commerce 601 7th St N La Crosse, WI 54601
SAVE THE DATE!
YP HOLIDAY SOCIAL - THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6 @ The Court Above Main Join us as we celebrate the holidays at our formal endof-the-year party! Food, drinks, networking, games, and more! Mark your calendars and watch for more information soon!
ROCK STARS 5
CONNECT. GROW. ADVOCATE. IS THE BEDROCK OF THE CHAMBER. HERE WE SPOTLIGHT SOME PEOPLE WHO HELP US CONTINUE TO BUILD ON THAT FOUNDATION. Thank you to BRITTANY MEYER-MADGES (Kaplan Professional) for her help selling our parking lot during Oktoberfest weekend! Thank you to REBECCA LEE (University of Wisconsin - La Crosse) for her help at the Business-to-Business Expo!
RIBBON CUTTINGS
WEST SALEM BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB September 21 - Opening of their new location.
DYNAMIC LIFECYCLE INNOVATIONS October 4 - Ribbon cutting for their new building.
COUNTRY INN AND SUITES October 16 - Grand opening celebrating new renovations.
We’re committed to our community.
GHT
At BMO Harris Bank, we take pride in our local communities. That’s why, each year, through various sponsorships and community involvement, we are committed to providing our support. BMO Harris Bank is proud to support the LaCrosse and Onalaska communities. 1145 Main Street Onalaska , WI 608-783-1511
in
BMO Harris Bank N.A. Member FDIC
bmoharris.com
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ONLY ONE MAXIMIZE YOUR MEMBERSHIP EVENT LEFT IN 2018! JOIN US ON WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28TH FROM 8:00AM-9:00AM TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CHAMBER AND HOW TO MAXIMIZE YOUR MEMBERSHIP! This quarterly program helps you understand what the Chamber offers your business and provides strategies for maximizing these benefits.
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•
Build connections with other Chamber members
Don't miss out on all the benefits that your Chamber
•
Discover the potential within your Chamber membership
membership has - register early online or by calling the
•
Utilize your online Member Information Center (MIC) to
Chamber to learn about how you can get the most out of your
post hot deals, jobs, and more!
membership! Register for our last Maximize Your Membership
•
Learn about all of the perks of being a Chamber member
event on Wednesday, November 28th!
•
Please bring brochures and/or samples to share.
GROW YOUR BUSINESS WITH CONFIDENCE SBA Preferred Lender
La Crosse | Onalaska | Holmen | 608-784-9550 For a complete list of services, visit our website at www.couleebank.net/business
Member FDIC
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Proudly serving our customers for over 160 years Founded in 1858, State Bank Financial has quietly been a part of Wisconsin’s long history of successful businesses. Much of our success is due to our commitment to serve our customers, our communities and help our neighbors. It is our privilege to play a part in the community, helping businesses and organizations thrive and grow.
Open. Expand. Thrive.
401 Main Street La Crosse, Wisconsin | 608.784.4600 800.880.7151 | statebankfinancial.bank
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CO
CONNECTING MEMBERS TO MEMBERS ADVANCED MEDIA SOLUTIONS is excited
MUTUAL OF OMAHA FINANCIAL ADVISORS:
Report’s America’s Best Colleges listing.
to announce that they have moved to
Managing Director Eric Guth has
The popular magazine also lists UWL
their new location at 2908 Airport Drive,
announced the recent additions of Scott
the No. 4 public university among Best
La Crosse, WI. The new location features
Bradford, Zach Sippl, and Jesse Tredinnick
Regional Universities in the Midwest.
a state-of-the-art conference room,
to the LaCrosse District Sales office and Joe
expanded warehouse, and more to allow
Kleve to the Bloomington District office.
them to better serve customers and partners!
VERVE, A CREDIT UNION: Verve, a Credit Union, made the Credit Union Journal's
PER MAR SECURITY SERVICES: Per Mar
2018 Best Credit Unions to Work For list for
Securtiy Services has acquired ABC Fire
the second year in a row. Unique aspects
CHARTERPOINT WEALTH STRATEGIES would
& Burglar Company to further expand
of Verve's work environment include
like to congratulate Aaron Kupinski on his
its residential and commercial security
servant leadership training, community
new role as Business Coordinator for the
services.
involvement, a robust wellness program,
office. Also congratulations to the LaCrosse team in leading the Midwest for client
and more. Per Mar Security Services, the largest
Financial Planning in the Third Quarter.
family-owned, full-service security
VITERBO UNIVERSITY announced the
company in the Midwest, celebrated 65
creation of the Center for Professional
THE FRANCISCAN SPIRITUALITY CENTER has
years of service as a leading provider of
Learning and Development, which will
hired Rika Beckley as its new Development
total security solutions for residential and
partner with regional businesses to create
Director. Prior to moving to La Crosse in
commercial clients.
leadership development programs designed
August, Rika served as senior director of International Advancement and Leadership Gifts for Miami University of Ohio. Information: www.FSCenter.org or 608791-5295.
TRUST POINT: Trust Point was awarded with the BEST PLACES TO WORK by the
specifically to meet the business’ unique needs. Visit: www.viterbo.edu/cpld
Business Intelligence Group. The honor
WERNER ELECTRIC has moved its La
was based on employee satisfaction,
Crescent, MN branch to La Crosse, WI and
engagement and performance in a fun and
celebrated with a Grand Opening at its new
MARCO has been named a CRN Triple
rewarding work environment. Want to
23,400 sq ft facility to reflect the growth
Crown Award winner recognizing their fast
experience the award-winning culture?
it has experienced in the region. The new
growth and exceptional technical expertise
Join our team. www.Trustpointinc.com
location provides an expanded training
in three categories. Marco was ranked No. 97 in the Fast Growth 150 Award, No. 81 in the Solutions Provider 500 Award, and has won CRN's Tech Elite 250 Award 16 times since 2001.
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN - LA CROSSE: UW-La Crosse is once again Wisconsin’s
facility, larger distribution center, and easier access for customers.
top-ranked public university among its peers according to U.S. News & World
DO YOU HAVE BUSINESS NEWS TO SHARE?
Share your business developments with your fellow Chamber members by submitting your news in the Member News Release section of your Member Information Center (MIC)! News items submitted before the 10th of the month, will be included in the upcoming publication as a summary of 40 words or less. Featured items are limited to personnel news or changes, new ownership, merger or acquisitions, awards, change of location, expansions, remodeling, or sponsorship of community events. The Chamber reserves the right to edit items over 40 words in length. Want to submit your own summary of your News Release? You can submit your information to the Chamber at newsletter@ lacrossechamber.com.
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PLATINUM SPONSORS
GOLD SPONSORS
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS!
SILVER SPONSORS BMO HARRIS BANK BREMER BANK DBS GROUP GENSLER HAWKINS ASH CPAS ISG J.F. BRENNAN COMPANY/ BRENNAN MARINE INC. STATE BANK FINANCIAL THREE-SIXTY REAL ESTATE SOLUTIONS WIPFLI
BADGERLAND PRINTING USA INC
IMAGINE HOME LENDING
4303 County Highway M S
1037 Riders Club Road
Elk Mound, WI 54739
Onalaska, WI 54650
715.874.5149
608.779.3100
Printing
Financial Services
BMA - PROPERTY MANAGEMENT LLC
LA CROSSE PROMISE
3464 Losey Blvd. S.
PO Box 2394
La Crosse, WI 54601
La Crosse, WI 54602
608.792.8451
608.789.2049
Property Management
Non-Profit
CERNER
LUTHER HIGH SCHOOL
855 Mankato Avenue
1501 Wilson Street
Winona, MN 55987
Onalaska, WI 54650
816.506.4034
608.783.5435
Healthcare Technology
High School
COUNTRY INN & SUITES
SUMMIT COMPANIES
2110 Rose Street
1602 Redfield Street
La Crosse, WI 54603
La Crosse, WI 54601
608.781.5100
608.785.7570
Hotel Accomodations
Fire Protection Services
COULEE TROPHY AND SPORTS
THE FEDERAL SAVINGS BANK
114 2nd Avenue N
PO Box 414
Onalaska, WI 54650
La Crosse, WI 54602
608.783.5592
773.719.3020
Promotional Services
Finacial Services
GILLESPIE & ASSOCIATES 500 2nd Street S., Suite 101 La Crosse, WI 54601 608.783.2639 Financial Services