Business Intelligence for the New North
Expanding Expositions Growth of conference facilities broadens the appeal to host larger meetings in the New North
I-41 upgrades for 2016
Transportation
When You Say Wisconsin...
Manufacturing
April 2016 | $3.95
INITIAL CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT DRAWINGS AS OF 02-09-2011
Business Intelligence for the New North
April Features 16
16 COVER STORY
Expanding Expositions
Growth of conference facilities across the region broadens the appeal to host larger meetings in the New North
22 MANUFACTURING
When You Say Wisconsin...
New statewide branding program enables manufacturers to wear state pride on their product
26 ENERGY
22
Solar Rising
More and more northeast Wisconsin companies make the business case to invest in renewable energies
Departments
26
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From the Publisher
6
Since We Last Met
8
Corporate Earnings
10 Build Up Pages 25
Guest Commentary
32
Transportation
36
Voices & Visions
40
Professionally Speaking
42
Who’s News
48 Business Calendar
View from Lawrence Street49 (Looking West)
Fox
Advertising Index
50 Key Statistics
2016 Corporate Wellness Awards Nominations Open Download Nomination form www.newnorthb2b.com
@ newnorthb2b.com NNB2B | April 2016 | 3
From the Publisher
Who’s the healthiest of them all? Looking toward readers to help tout the innovative attributes of their employer’s wellness plans
by Sean Fitzgerald, New North B2B publisher
The landscape of health care continues to change as medical technology advances, funding models evolve with the ongoing implementation of the federal Affordable Care Act, and health care professionals require more training and take greater precaution to mitigate potential risks. It all adds up to increasing costs, that in the end, are ultimately paid by employer-sponsored health plans and the employees who work for those companies. While nearly every strategy imaginable has been attempted during the past two decades in an effort to control the increasing costs of health care, the only approach to consistently hold down health care costs over time is to remain healthy. To that end, savvy employers have increasingly adopted wellness plans during the past two decades, equipping employees and their families with the tools to lead healthier lifestyles, be safer and use health care more proactively - all aimed at improving overall health and lowering group health insurance costs. Since 2006, B2B magazine has celebrated the wellness achievements of northeast Wisconsin companies who’ve successfully created a culture of wellness among their workforce and demonstrated measured improvements in employee health over time. Celebrating our 11th year in the coming June 2016 edition, B2B’s Corporate Wellness Awards sponsored by Network Health shine a light on the region’s leading employer-based wellness plans. During that time the awards have recognized more than 25 organizations which have successfully reduced lost productivity due to employee sick days, lowered instances of chronic health issues among employees and their families, and ultimately gained control of rising group health insurance premiums. In doing so, we’ve illustrated specific and innovative approaches companies have taken to invest modest wellness budgets into staggering returns. Ideas such as placing hand sanitizers at all workplace entrances, conducting random seatbelt checks when employees pull into the parking lot each morning, or offering routine preventative care at no cost to employees. B2B has also used these awards to share the ideas from other employer-sponsored wellness plans who’ve developed fun 4 | April 2016 | NNB2B
and engaging activities geared toward encouraging employees to become more active in a manner they might not have explored otherwise, such as running in one of the region’s notable 5-kilometer races or taking a yoga class. In many cases, these activities take the form of friendly competitions among departments or even against neighboring businesses down the street to help encourage employees to take pride in their own health improvements. While wellness plans started out mostly as the domain of large corporations, an increasing number of other employers – including small businesses and not-for-profit organizations – have recognized it’s possible to implement a wellness program without exorbitant cost or commitment of staff time. In fact, many health insurers now make wellness programs available alongside their employer group policies, making it possible for small offices of just 10 employees to put together a meaningful wellness plan which can help improve the health of staff and their families. Once again this year, B2B’s Corporate Wellness Awards will recognize healthy employers across northeast Wisconsin in four categories: small organizations from five to 50 employees; midsize firms up to 250 employees; large companies with more than 250 employees; and finally, our Start Up Wellness Program Award for those companies just beginning their wellness journey who’ve already marked substantial success during their first two years. Even though B2B has presented this award for a decade now, we still don’t necessarily know all of the best employer-sponsored wellness programs across the entire region unless readers take a small amount of time to inform us. We need you to share your company’s best practices in wellness programming. If you believe your company does an exceptional job shaping a culture of healthy behavior within the workplace, then we need your help touting your company’s wellness efforts by nominating it for our annual award. The nomination process isn’t overly complicated, and the staff member administering your company’s wellness program should be able to provide all necessary information with ease. Nomination forms and award information can be found on our website at newnorthb2b.com. See the advertisement on page 8 of this edition promoting this year’s award nominations. We began taking nominations for the 2016 wellness program recognition in March, and have already generated healthy input from our readers. So please don’t wait a few weeks to think it through. Go online and download a nomination form today. The deadline for nominations is May 9, and winners will be announced and profiled in our June 2016 edition. To your health!
n
www.newnorthb2b.com
Sean Fitzgerald Publisher & President x sean@newnorthb2b.com Carrie Rule Sales Manager x carrie@newnorthb2b.com Kate Erbach Production Contributing writers J. S. Decker Lee Marie Reinsch Chief Financial Officer Vicky Fitzgerald, CPA
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Since We Last Met
Since We Last Met
Since We Last Met is a digest of business related news occurring in the Greater Green Bay, Fox Cities, Oshkosh and Fond du Lac areas in the one month since the previous issue of New North B2B. February 23 Ron Litsheim of Beyond Measures LLC in Appleton and Jordan Rhodes of ActiveEdu LLC in Oshkosh were among the 53 entrepreneurs named semifinalists in the 2016 Wisconsin Governor’s Business Plan Contest. Their business plans were selected from a field of 206 qualified first-round entries. The 53 semifinalists competing in the second phase of the contest will write 1,000-word executive summaries that will be judged in early April. February 29 The Wisconsin Department of Transportation began work on the $7.16 million project to upgrade the U.S. Highway 151 intersection with County Road V on the south side of Fond du Lac into a partial cloverleaf interchange. The project includes: constructing a frontage road connecting County V and U.S. Highway 45; constructing a roundabout at the County V intersection with the frontage road as well as one at each of the interchange ramp terminals; and removing the existing “jug handle” ramps at U.S. 45. Work on the project is expected to be complete in November.
2004 April 20 – The state of Wisconsin enacted the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (UETA) which removes barriers to electronic commerce. UETA allows the use of electronic records and electronic signatures in most transactions, with a few limited exceptions. 2006 April 19 – Gov. Jim Doyle signed Assembly Bill 208 enhancing the state enterprise development zone program, setting aside nearly $10 million in refundable tax credits for businesses located in designated zones that create jobs and train their workers. 2006 April 12 – Ripon Foods, Inc. will receive $3 million in Enterprise Development Zone tax credits and a $55,000 training grant from the state Department of Commerce to upgrade and expand its Ripon plant. The project will save more than 300 jobs, and is expected to create 100 new jobs over the next two years. In December 2005, Ripon Foods considered closing the plant, which would have laid off 317 people. 6 | April 2016 | NNB2B
February 29 Assembly Bill 724 was signed into law, making several changes to employment policies in the state. One of the more notable changes creates a system of apportionment of permanent disability, allowing businesses to only pay a proportion of an injury it caused, and not bear any financial responsibility for any pre-existing injury. Another aspect of the new law protects businesses for actions taken against employees in situations where an employee was found in violation of a drug or alcohol policy and there was a direct causation between the violation and the policy. February 29 Gov. Scott Walker signed Assembly Bill 390 into law, which allows the Town of Freedom in Outagamie County to use tax increment financing in the same manner as cities and villages in an effort to help spur economic development.
2008 April 11 – Plexus Corp. announced plans to construct an $18 million corporate headquarters building on the site of the former Glatfelter paper mill in downtown Neenah. The four-story, $94,000-sq. ft. building along Neenah’s waterfront will house 325 employees. The City of Neenah budgeted $5 million to raze the mill, clean up environmental contamination, and prepare the site for development. 2011 April 4 – The United States Postal Service announced plans to close its Oshkosh mail processing facility and consolidate its operations into the Green Bay plant by the end of September, effectively eliminating 54 jobs in Oshkosh. The consolidation of operations is expected to save the postal service about $4.6 million a year. 2013 April 18 – Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. opened Wisconsin Center China, a trade office in Shanghai intended to give Wisconsin businesses expanded access to growing markets in China, particularly in industrial machinery, medical equipment, clean energy, clean water technologies and agricultural products. www.newnorthb2b.com
March 1 Senate Bill 458 was signed into law requiring anyone obtaining a building permit to have a certificate of financial responsibility from the state Department of Safety and Professional Services proving they have sufficient general liability insurance. March 4 The U.S. Department of Labor reported 242,000 new jobs were created in February, leaving the national unemployment rate relatively unchanged at 4.9 percent. Employment gains occurred in health care and social assistance, retail trade, food services and drinking places, and private educational services. Job losses continued in mining. March 8 The Village of Ashwaubenon Board of Trustees gave its approval to the first phase of the Green Bay Packers’ Titletown District development on 34 acres immediately west of Lambeau Field. The first phase includes a 10-acre public plaza; Lodge Kohler, a 150-room, four-star hotel and spa; Hinterland Brewery, a 20,000-sq. ft. brewery and restaurant; and a 30,000-sq. ft. Bellin Health sports medicine clinic. The Packers expect to invest approximately $65 million into the total cost of the project, which is anticipated to be in the range of $120 to $130 million. Village of Ashwaubenon officials expect the development will generate $100 million in taxable property value. Construction of this initial phase is expected to be complete by the end of summer 2017. March 8 The City of Green Bay Redevelopment Authority agreed to explore a proposal to develop a nearly $9 million baseball stadium and events facility along Broadway near the Mason Street Bridge across the Fox River. The development of a 2,500-seat stadium was brought forward by Big Top Baseball, owners of the Green Bay Bullfrogs baseball club,
which currently plays at Joannes Stadium on the east side of the community. The plan calls for redeveloping nearly eight acres of brownfield owned by the city into a home stadium for the Bullfrogs, a potential minor league soccer team, concerts, youth sports and community events. Big Top Baseball officials proposed contributing $5 million toward the cost of a new stadium if the city would pick up the remaining construction costs, as well as finance an additional $4 million of which the baseball club would commit to repaying during the subsequent 20 years. The proposed stadium would ultimately be owned by the city. March 9 Fond du Lac Area Association of Commerce announced Joe Reitemeier retired as president and chief executive officer after more than 30 years leading the community’s business organization. The association’s board of directors said it will make executive decisions for the organization until it identifies and implements an external interim president. Reitemeier will continue to serve as a consultant to the association during the next few months. March 14 Agnesian Health Care announced plans for a $23 million addition to Waupun Memorial Hospital to develop 21 private patient rooms. The two-story, 52,775-sq. ft. addition will feature 15 medical/surgical rooms, three intensive care unit rooms, and three labor/delivery rooms. Construction is expected to be complete by fall 2017. An artist rendering of the new addition to Waupun Memorial Hospital.
“Chris Allen and the entire Fox Communities Credit Union team have been instrumental to not only our personal finances, but also with the success of our businesses. Chris is always available to answer any questions and to ensure that every transaction goes smoothly as planned. Fox Communities has a great team to assist you to accomplish whatever your dreams are. We couldn’t have done it without them!” - Jason Schmidt, Little Inspirations Childcare
Futures Grow with our Experienced Business Services Team Appleton 920.993.9000 • Green Bay & Lakeshore 920.490.2900 www.newnorthb2b.com
www.foxcu.org/business NNB2B | April 2016 | 7
Corporate Earnings
Once each quarter, New North B2B runs a digest of quarterly financial reports from local publicly traded companies, or from out-of-the-area parent companies with significant operations in our coverage area.
Neenah Paper
Dean Foods
4Q 2015 4Q 2014 Revenue $230 million $204 million s 13% Income $14.5 million $27.2 million t 47% EPS 85 cents $1.59 t 46% The papermaker with significant operations in the Fox Cities reported full year 2015 revenue of $888 million increased 6 percent compared with $840 million during fiscal 2014. Fourth quarter gains were driven by 11 percent sales growth in the company’s technical products segment to $108 million, while its fine paper and packaging segment increased revenue 6 percent to $112.4 million.
4Q 2015 4Q 2014 Revenue $2.0 Billion $2.4 Billion t 16% Income $18.5 million $5.3 million s249% EPS 20 cents 6 cents s233% The dairy-based foods company with extensive operations in Wisconsin, including the Green Bay area, indicated raw milk costs have dropped more than 30 percent since the fourth quarter 2014 to $14.49 per hundred-weight. For the full year 2015, the company reported net income of $115 million, or $1.24 per share, compared with a full fiscal year 2014 loss of $13 million, or a loss of 14 cents per share.
R.R. Donnelley
Bank First
4Q 2015 4Q 2014 Revenue $2.9 Billion $3.1 Billion t 4% Income $71.0 million $19.5 million s264% EPS 34 cents 10 cents s 77% The printing company with significant operations in the Fox Cities reported full year revenues of $11.3 billion were down 3 percent from fiscal 2014 sales of $11.6 billion. Company officials project fiscal 2016 sales in the range of $11.3 to $11.5 billion, and are still preparing to spin off its communications and financial solutions divisions by October.
4Q 2015 4Q 2014 Income $3.1 million $3.4 million t 9% EPS 49 cents 54 cents t 9% The Manitowoc-based financial institution with significant operations across northeast Wisconsin reported fiscal 2015 net income increased 7 percent from the prior year to $13.4 million, or $2.13 per share. The bank indicated it grew its loan portfolio by $83.6 million, or nearly 10 percent, during the course of fiscal 2015. Its total assets increased to $1.24 billion at the end of 2015, up 12 percent from the end of 2014.
Alla
Salute!
Corporate Wellness Awards tua
Sponsored by
Think your wellness plan sets the pace? Nominate it for B2B’s 2016 Corporate Wellness Awards. Download a nomination form at newnorthb2b.com. Nominations due by May 9, 2016. 8 | April 2016 | NNB2B
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VF Corp.
Appvion
4Q 2015 4Q 2014 Revenue $3.4 Billion $3.6 Billion t 5% Income $312 million $122 million s156% EPS 72 cents 28 cents s157% The parent company of Jansport operations in the Fox Cities indicated its outdoor and action sports coalition – which includes Jansport operations – reported full year 2015 receipts increased 1 percent to $12.4 billion. For the full fiscal year 2015, the apparel provider recorded net income of $1.2 billion, or $2.85 per share, up nearly 20 percent from fiscal 2014 earnings of $1.0 billion, or $2.38 per share.
4Q 2015 4Q 2014 Revenue $169 million $185 million t 9% Income ($6.7 million) ($70.5 million)s905% The employee-owned producer of thermal papers reported full year 2015 receipts of $700 million decreased nearly 89 percent from 2014 sales of $765 million, driven by a 10 percent decline in revenues from its thermal papers segment. Fiscal 2015 earnings of $159 million increased from the fiscal year 2014 loss of $92.8 million and benefitted from the August 2015 sale of its Encapsys division to Sherman Capital Holdings for $208 million. n
WHAT IS You may have just returned from an exciting convention or event in another city or state. Imagine that group meeting right here in the Fox Cities. We encourage you to get involved and work with us to “Bring it Home” to the Fox Cities.
SHARE By booking an event with the Bring it Home program, you may receive Fox Cities area gift certificates.
920-734-3358 FoxCities.org/bringithome
To bring your event home to the Fox Cities, visit FoxCities.org/bringithome www.newnorthb2b.com
NNB2B | April 2016 | 9
Build Up Fond du Lac
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Build Up
Indicates a new listing
Fond du Lac 1 - 255 County Road K, Fond du Lac
St. Mary’s Springs Academy, a 92,000-sq. ft. addition to the existing high school campus. Project completion expected in summer. 2 - 250 Camelot Dr., Fond du Lac Grande Cheese Company, an 87,000-sq. ft. new corporate headquarters and research center. Project completion expected in April.
Take the first step toward a professional, quality built construction project...
Building Quality Communities Contact us or visit our Web site for a full listing of your local construction professionals.
9 2 0 . 7 3 3 . 3 1 3 6 y 866.966.3928 y www.newbt.org 10 | April 2016 | NNB2B
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Build Up Oshkosh
Indicates a new listing
Build Up
Oshkosh
There are currently no qualifying commercial or industrial projects under construction in Oshkosh. Projects completed since our March issue: None
Coming to B2B in May 2016 Advanced Agriculture
Reinventing the state’s pastoral dairy tradition
425 W Wisconsin Ave. • Appleton 920.882.8700 millenniumconstructionwi.com www.newnorthb2b.com
NNB2B | April 2016 | 11
Build Up Fox Cities Build Up
Fox Cities
Indicates a new listing
1 - W6931 School Road, town of Greenville Fox West YMCA, an addition to the existing building for a new gymnasium, wellness center and various interior renovations. Project completion expected in summer. 2 - 218 E. Lawrence St., Appleton YMCA of Appleton, an addition to the existing community center and various interior renovations. 3 - 400 E. North Island St., Appleton Neenah Paper Inc., a 45,000-sq. ft. addition to the existing specialty paper mill. Project completion expected in late fall. General contractor is Bayland Buildings of Green Bay. 4 - 1025 W. Navitus Dr., town of Grand Chute Navitus Health Solutions, a four-story, 34,688-sq. ft. office building to expand the existing call center campus. 5 - 2105 E. Enterprise Ave., Appleton Orthopedic & Sports Institute of the Fox Valley, a 2,000-sq. ft. addition to the existing surgery center. Project completion expected in May. 6 - 1101 Moasis Dr., Little Chute Trilliant Food & Nutrition, a 133,840-sq. ft. addition to the existing industrial facility. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna. 7 - 2600 Northridge Dr., Kaukauna Precision Paper Converters, a 27,500-sq. ft. addition to the existing manufacturing facility. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna. 8 - 100 W. Second St., Kaukauna Kaukauna City Hall, a municipal services building. Project completion expected in May. 9 - 320 S. Kensington Dr., Appleton Moto Mart, a 1,052-sq. ft. car wash facility for the existing convenience store and fuel station. Project completion expected in June. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna. 10 - 1405 S. Oneida St., Menasha Festival Foods, a new grocery store. Project completion expected in summer. 11 - 1000 Midway Road, Menasha Orthopedic & Spine Therapy, a 12,500-sq. ft. medical clinic building. Project completion expected in April. 12 - 177 Main St., Menasha One Menasha Center, an eight-story, 100,000-sq. ft. multi-tenant office building to include Faith Technologies, Community First Credit Union and RLJ Dental. 13 - Plaza Drive, town of Menasha Community First Credit Union, a 120,000-sq. ft. corporate office campus. Project completion expected in late fall. 14 - 333 N. Green Bay Road, town of Menasha ThedaCare Physicians, a 70,000-sq. ft. health care clinic for family practice, internal medicine and endocrinology. Project completion expected in late fall. 15 - 1645 Bergstrom Road, Neenah Menasha Packaging Company, a two-story, 103,900-sq. ft. corporate office complex. Project completion expected in fall.
12 | April 2016 | NNB2B
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16 - 927 S. Green Bay Road, Neenah Aldi, a 17,825-sq. ft. grocery store. Project completion expected in late summer. Projects completed since our March issue: • TEK Systems, 705 N. McCarthy Road, town of Grand Chute. • Werner Electric Supply, 4800 W. Prospect Ave., Grand Chute. • Anduzzi’s Sports Club, 800 S. Washington St., Kimberly. • Menasha Packaging Company, 1257 Gillingham Road, Neenah.
www.newnorthb2b.com
NNB2B | April 2016 | 13
Build Up Greater Green Bay area 1
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Greater Green Bay area 1 - 2467 Glendale Ave., Howard Bode Central, a multi-tenant commercial building. 2 - 2340 Duck Creek Parkway, Howard Dental Associates, a 3,300-sq. ft. addition to the existing commercial building for a new dental clinic. Project completion expected in early spring. 3 - 2231 N. Quincy St., Green Bay NEW Water/Green Bay Metropolitan Sewerage District, a wastewater treatment and electrical generation facility. Project completion expected in 2018.
14 | April 2016 | NNB2B
Indicates a new listing
4 - 301 Bay Beach Road, Green Bay McDonald Lumber Company, an 80,000-sq. ft. warehouse. General contractor is Bayland Buildings of Green Bay. 5 - 320 N. Broadway, Green Bay DDL Holdings/Titletown Brewing, an addition to the former industrial facility for a mixed-use retail development. 6 - 304 N. Adams St., Green Bay Hotel Northland, a substantial overhaul of the existing 8-story building for a 160-room luxury hotel with two restaurants and a spa. Project completion expected in late fall.
www.newnorthb2b.com
7 - 2590 University Ave., Green Bay Pit Row Shell, an addition to the existing convenience store and fuel station.
21 - 1220 Flightway Dr., Hobart The Driveway, a 10,000-sq. ft. indoor sports facility. Project completion expected in May.
8 - 1811 E. Mason St., Green Bay Tri City Glass & Door, a two-story, 35,000-sq. ft. showroom, offices and production facility. Project completion expected in June. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna.
22 - 746 Main St., De Pere Kwik Trip, an addition to and alteration of the existing convenience store and fuel station.
9 - 1160 Kepler Dr., Green Bay Aurora Baycare Medical Center, a two-story, 11,000-sq. ft. addition for cancer care services. Project completion expected in the fall.
23 - 505 Lawrence Dr., De Pere Creative Sign Company, a 10,500-sq. ft. addition to the existing commercial building. Project completion expected in early spring. General contractor is Bayland Buildings of Green Bay.
10 - 1351 Ontario Road, Green Bay Willow Creek Behavioral Health, a 72-bed, 52,265-sq. ft. psychiatric hospital and substance abuse treatment facility. Project completion expected in late summer.
24 - 1724 Lawrence Dr., De Pere Festival Foods, a two-story, 42,500-sq. ft. corporate office building. Project completion expected in December.
11 - 1304 S. Huron Road, Green Bay American FlexPack Inc., a 43,000-sq. ft. addition to the existing manufacturing facility. 12 - 2360 Costco Way, Bellevue Bellevue Commons, a 12,000-sq. ft. multi-tenant retail building. 13 - 2609 Development Dr., Bellevue Pediatric Dentistry Clinic & Family Dental Center, an 8,781sq. ft. dental clinic. Project completion expected in summer. General contractor is CR Structures Group Inc. of Kimberly. 14 - 470 Marina Lane, Ashwaubenon Residence Inn by Marriott, a 103-room hotel. Project completion expected in late fall. 15 - 990 Tony Canadeo Run, Green Bay Saranac/Fabry Glove & Mitten Co., an addition to the existing manufacturing facility. 16 - 1900 Block of South Ridge Road, Ashwaubenon Hinterland Brewery, a two-story, 20,000-sq. ft. brewery and restaurant. Project completion expected in summer 2017. 17 - 1900 Block of South Ridge Road, Ashwaubenon Lodge Kohler, a five-story, 150-room hotel, restaurant and spa. Project completion expected in summer 2017. 18 - 2391 S. Ridge Road, Ashwaubenon Ashwaubenon High School, a new community auditorium and a new swimming pool. Project completion expected in early fall. 19 - 900 Anderson Dr., Ashwaubenon Ashwaubenon Community Center, a 16,275-sq. ft. community center. Project completion expected in June. 20 - 3181 Commodity Lane, Ashwaubenon Valley Packaging Supply, a 41,800-sq. ft. addition to the existing industrial facility. General contractor is Bayland Buildings of Green Bay.
25 - 2130 American Blvd., De Pere Machine Plus, a 10,000-sq. ft. manufacturing facility. Project completion expected in late spring. 26 - 200 Ninth St., De Pere Rennes Health & Rehab Center, a 20,000-sq. ft. addition to the existing health care facility. Projects completed since our March issue: • Capital Credit Union, 201 W. St. Joseph St., Allouez. • Ridgeview Liquor, 2202 S. Ridge Road, Ashwaubenon.
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NNB2B | April 2016 | 15
Cover Story
Expanding Expositions
Growth of conference facilities across the region broadens the appeal to host larger meetings in the New North Story by Lee Marie Reinsch
So you’re planning a meeting for your organization. Congratulations, your job just got harder. It also got a little easier: You have an expanding list of places in northeast Wisconsin from which to choose. And a little harder: You have an expanding list of places in northeast Wisconsin from which to choose. The Interstate 41 Corridor region hasn’t been gathering moss. Green Bay’s KI Convention Center doubled in size over the past year. Fond du Lac transformed a mature hotel and meeting space into a sleek, contemporary conference center. Oshkosh’s Best Western Premier Waterfront Hotel & Convention Center continues to thrive.
And now the addition has added more than 34,000 square feet, nearly doubling it to 80,000 square feet of meeting space. The facility is now attracting groups to the area that hadn’t considered it before and prompting others that had written off Green Bay to reconsider. “It opens up a whole lot of new doors for us and the possibilities of bringing in groups we never had the opportunity to host because of the lack of meeting space or groups that had outgrown us,” said Beth Ulatowski, director of sales for the Greater Green Bay Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. “We’re seeing them come back.” But why on earth was it considered too small in the first place?
Ulatowski said she’d heard from group after group that they either needed a bigger ballroom space or more breakout rooms Next year, choosing a locale will offer even more choices once or both. “We weren’t able to accommodate a lot of those things the long awaited Fox Cities Exhibition Center opens. with the space that we had,” she said. “The ballrooms are used for meetings, lunches, banquets, dinners, and that type of To make your life a little easier, B2B took a look at a few thing. The expansion focused on groups that needed larger places to convene, confer and exhibit along the Interstate 41 banquet space for their banquets, breakout rooms for their corridor. Here’s what’s up. INITIAL CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT DRAWINGS smaller meetings or a larger general-session room – meaning one space that can accommodate all of their members at one AS OF 02-09-2011 time for a speaker or a workshop.”
View fro
Kicking It with KI
If you visited the KI Convention Center in downtown Green Bay before its $23 million expansion, you might have looked at its wide-open spaces and high ceilings and wondered how anyone could find it too small. 16 | April 2016 | NNB2B
One group that left and has now come back to Green Bay is Wisconsin Petroleum Marketers & Convenience Store Association. “It’s been years and years since we were able to accommodate www.newnorthb2b.com
(Lo
An early artist rendering of the proposed Fox Cities Exhibition Center, as viewed from Lawrence Street in downtown Appleton.
them, simply because their group required so much space, and now we have them coming to Green Bay in April,” Ulatowski said. While the 3,500-person Forest Lakes Evangelical Free Church of America has descended upon Green Bay for years, the group of mostly young people has more space to do so now. “They were able to use every room in the convention center including the expansion, and they loved it, having more elbow room to spread out,” Ulatowski said. The City of Green Bay owns KI Convention Center, and the adjacent Hyatt Regency manages it. Hampton Inn is there, too, offering more beds for conference-goers. A skywalk connects the center to a 600-stall covered parking ramp. KI’s largest meeting room can accommodate 3,640 people. For exhibitors, the KI has more than 35,000 square feet, which can be adapted to 219 8-ft. by 10-ft. trade show booths. Groups can use KI’s portable staging, video and cable TV access, numerous outlets, audio/video system and lighting. Its loading bays have access to the street and can enable a semi-truck to drive inside the facility.
om Lawrence Street
Later this year, the opening of the historic Hotel Northland Looking West) downtown will add 150 rooms for spillover guests and business travelers, Ulatowski said.
www.newnorthb2b.com
Fox Cities Expo Center on its way
Exhibition center, expo center ... potato, potado. It doesn’t matter what you call it, said Pam Seidl, executive director of the Fox Cities Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. Just get it done. However people refer to it, it’s been a long, arduous slog for those behind the efforts to manifest a more contemporary exhibition center in downtown Appleton, and it’s finally paying off. “This has been a conversation that has been taking place in our community for 30 years,” said Karen Harkness, community development director for the City of Appleton. It’s looking like everything that’s needed to be OK’d, green lighted, voted on, approved and otherwise deemed acceptable has received the appropriate affirmation. It’s now full speed ahead, for the most part.
“The City is really driving the project now from the Exhibition C construction standpoint,” Seidl said.Fox “Now Cities they’re just in the phase of background construction work, like soil borings and Appleton, Wisconsi Wiscons land planning. They’re doing all the behind-the-scenes things to begin the process.” Construction could begin late this spring or in summer. Officials estimate cost between $24 million and $28 million to add 65,000 square feet on the opposite side of Lawrence Street from Radisson Paper Valley Hotel. A skywalk will connect the NNB2B | April 2016 | 17
Cover Story exhibition center with the hotel. An increased room tax of 10 percent went into effect Jan. 1 in 10 communities across the Fox Cities. Three percent of any hotel room booked – or roughly a third of the overall room tax proceeds – goes to pay for the exhibition center. Feasibility studies conducted during the past decade estimated an expanded exhibition center would bring in an additional $6.5 million in annual visitor spending to the area’s hotels, restaurants, shops, gas stations and ancillary transportationrelated businesses. “Obviously the hope is that we’re going to be able to attract larger groups and conventions, especially those that need tradeshow space,” Seidl said. She said it will make organizations outside of Wisconsin take another look at the greater Fox Cities area. “It will certainly keep us competitive in the state and the Midwest as far as what we call a third-tier destination city,” she said. The convention industry categorizes markets in terms of tiers. First-tier markets include Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Orlando, Fla. Second-tier communities include places such as Memphis, Tenn. and St. Louis, Mo. Third-tier convention communities serve more of a regional audience, with most groups traveling mainly within state lines, Seidl said. “We’ve always focused on those associations and small regional groups. That’s the market we want to continue serving, so (the expanded facility) keeps us in that market,” Seidl said. “Now we’ll have this space to offer groups that want
“Obviously the hope is that we’re going to be able to attract larger groups and conventions, especially those that need tradeshow space...” Pam Seidl, executive director, Fox Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau trade shows or have larger equipment that goes along with their meeting or convention.” Most importantly, the expanded facility will allow a group to display its wares, hold meetings and have a banquet without rearranging walls and furniture. And there will be rooms left over for other groups to meet at the same time. “The expo center isn’t about the hotel rooms, it’s about that bigger tradeshow space for the meetings and conventions, and we were certainly lacking that,” Seidl said. The biggest space currently around is the downtown Radisson Paper Valley Hotel. Its existing Grand Ballroom is listed at 13,370 square feet. “For a group that wants to do a trade show, the Radisson only has the one ballroom, and if they want to do meals in the ballroom, they don’t have a place to do a trade show,” Seidl
High-tech connections to conference attendees The newly expanded KI Convention Center in Green Bay – with a total of 80,000 square feet of meeting space – is expected to host as many as 100,000 people during this first year of operation. Those visitors to downtown Green Bay are often anxious to experience restaurants, attractions and nightlife in the nearby central city, as well as the Broadway District on the other side of the Fox River. And if time is perhaps a luxury, those conference-goers might be able to take in sights around the greater Green Bay area and further into northeast Wisconsin. Green Bay-based Cineviz, a digital sign and event experience provider, created a unique platform to tap into that captive audience of visitors with a dynamic network of more than 40 digital registration stations, wayfinding kiosks, video walls and meeting room signs strategically placed throughout the new KI Convention Center. The expansive digital sign network not only provides information convention attendees need to know about the event itself, but also offers information about current weather, nearby dining hotspots and transportation opportunities to get around the Green Bay area. “We’re trying to bring the community into the convention center, and allowing the convention attendees to connect with the community,” said Scott Koffarnus, president and founder of Cineviz. Neighboring businesses can advertise on the digital displays to target specific messages to meeting and conference participants. As a result, the digital network can also become a stream of revenue for facilities that regularly host meetings and conventions.
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It’s a bold new method of linking a community with guests briefly visiting to attend a conference or trade show. Koffarnus perceives the product as more of an extension of Cineviz’ core competency, which – as simply as it may sound – is to design experiences. “Visual communication – which people see as a sign – is just part of our business,” said Koffarnus, noting the firm has created “event experiences” for various large gatherings as big as the Super Bowl. KI Convention Center’s digital sign network not only enhances the experience for those who attend events there, but helps strengthen the brand awareness of the Greater Green Bay area as well. - by Sean Fitzgerald
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The interior of the newly expanded and renovated Lake Winnebago Conference Center in Fond du Lac.
said. “This gives us some extra space, and there will be some local businesses that can leverage the space.”
Fond du Lac: Total Transformation
Whatever you call Fond du Lac’s newest gathering space, don’t call it a convention center. “It might just be a question of semantics,” said Craig Molitor, president of the Fond du Lac CVB. He used to work in the consulting industry, and one of his niches was recruiting management for convention centers. “I’d like to make it really clear, we call it a conference center,” he said. He feels ‘convention center’ conveys a humongous space, while ‘conference center’ does not. “A conference center is a sizable meeting space but not 100,000 feet of space.” “Brand-new and gorgeous” is how Molitor describes the addition to and renovation of the old Holiday Inn to create the Lake Winnebago Conference Center at the Holiday Inn. “It’s modern with stylish soft furniture, hip and cool lighting, and with a contemporary feel to the meeting space,” Molitor said. “Additionally, there are seven concurrent breakout rooms, so people can meet in the general space and go into several smaller rooms in concurrent meetings.”
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The renovation completed in 2015 added more than 7,500 square feet on to the Holiday Inn, bringing the total space to 14,000 square feet. The new conference center area is a big, open, state-of-the-art space with no barriers or pillars and easily divisible into smaller meeting spaces, Molitor said. The hotel’s makeover blends with the new conference center addition. But Holiday Inn isn’t the only hotel there. Lake Winnebago Conference Center and adjacent properties also owned by Wisco Hotel Group include two others: Holiday Inn Express & Suites – also constructed in 2015 – and Comfort Inn. They’re clustered together with mutual parking lots, but not attached. Molitor said they’re marketing the area as Fond du Lac’s Conference District. As a result, Fond du Lac is now a much bigger player in the www.newnorthb2b.com
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Cover Story conference game, said Joan Pinch, regional sales manager for Wisco’s Fond du Lac properties. “We can go after association business that we weren’t able to (previously) with our space,” Pinch said. “I reach out into the Madison and Milwaukee markets, plus our own local (groups) that are part of state associations. The local nonprofits can have their fundraisers here, and have a live auction and bar.” The new space is able to host two wedding receptions at once. Pinch said seated theater-style, the conference center’s main room could accommodate up to 1,000 people. She recently secured a conference group for 2019. “It’s very conducive to large groups and how large groups like to meet,” Molitor said. “It’s large but not mega-large. Groups of up to 500 would be comfortable there.”
Oshkosh strong and happy
With the renovation of the Best Western Premier Waterfront Hotel & Convention Center a few years ago and the return of the Oshkosh CVB itself downtown, meetings in Oshkosh have had a bit of a rebirth, and the state of convening in Oshkosh is rosy. Between the still-relatively new renovations to the convention center and newer University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Alumni Welcome & Conference Center, the Experimental Aircraft Association facility and grounds, and Sunnyview Exposition Center, the business of meeting is flourishing in Wisconsin’s Event City. “Our conventions are very strong,” said Oshkosh CVB Executive Director Wendy Hielsberg. “We’re not just dependent on one center, which make us unique.” The horizon looks sunny, too, according to Hielsberg. “We’ve had a great convention business this year, with future bookings, so we’re very excited about our business,” she said. At EAA, groups rent out its hangars, chapel, Founders Wing, nature center pavilion, museum, lobby and other spaces. Sunnyview Expo Center’s barns, green space, grandstand, food court, expo buildings and outdoor arena make it fit for very large configurations of people or certain types of groups. UW Oshkosh Alumni Center’s 16,000 square feet welcomes groups of up to 500. It has state-of-the-art meeting space amenities, and its boardroom and four breakout rooms can each hold around 40 people. The upscale and modern downtown convention center is the biggest game in town, with its 24,000 square feet of meeting space and 18 total breakout rooms. Most of Oshkosh’s conference and convention business comes from associations based in the Madison and Milwaukee areas. “We go after the midsize (conference) market,” Hielsberg said. “We fill in our (calendar of bookings) with the events market, the sports market and so on. But overall, it’s a great balance.” n Lee Reinsch of Green Bay worked 18 years at daily newspapers before launching her freelance business, edgewise, in 2007.
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Manufacturing
When you say Wisconsin…
New statewide branding program enables manufacturers to wear state pride on their product
Story by Sean Fitzgerald, New North B2B publisher
Wisconsin’s proud manufacturing tradition may very well be a brand of its own, some might say. But there’s been little effort to package that brand in a uniform format that says as much about the product itself as it does about the people and the state that brought that product to life. That’s about to change. In late February, Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. unveiled its Made In Wisconsin program, which enables qualifying companies in the state to label their products with a standardized logo. The initiative is aimed at perpetuating the longstanding reputation of top-notch manufacturing and craftsmanship in the state. “When we say a product is made in Wisconsin, that’s saying more than just where it was produced,” said Kelly Lietz, vice president of marketing for Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. “It speaks to the attributes of the product itself. It’s a reflection of the quality of our natural resources and the honesty, hard work and innovative minds of our people.” The Made In Wisconsin program complements the Something Special From Wisconsin program from the state Agriculture department, the noticeable red sticker seen on cheese curds, 22 | April 2016 | NNB2B
cherries, honey and sausages, among other examples, at food stores and gift shops across the state. Lietz said WEDC developed the program in recent months because manufacturers and other goods producers across the state had been requesting such an opportunity. “We’ve been repeatedly contacted by companies, somewhat unprompted,” Lietz said. “There’s clearly a benefit to this, and people are asking us for it.” In the week after the program was rolled out publically in late February, WEDC received more than 40 applications from state companies to use the logo, Lietz said. The program is available to state companies at no cost, other than any costs the company may choose to incur by creating labels or stickers, for example. However, companies wishing www.newnorthb2b.com
to participate in the program are required to complete an application explaining how they will use the logo and certifying the product on which they seek to use the mark fulfills program requirements.
Put into use
One company that jumped at the opportunity to participate shortly after the launch of the program is De Pere-based Gas Trailer, a manufacturer of portable fuel equipment. The 4-year-old company with just six employees operates lean, but has been doubling its revenues each year and sells most of its product outside of the state and even internationally, said Gas Trailer President Keith Kittoe.
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Gas Trailer’s largest market segments are aviation, industrial and marine. While many of its competitors compete solely on the basis of price, Gas Trailer offers a higher-end product that appeals to its customers because of the quality and innovation invested into its production. Kittoe feels the use of the branding program will help complement the strong reputation for quality the company has already achieved on its own.
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“There’s a credibility and an honesty (that customers associate) with a company coming from the Midwest,” Kittoe said.
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Gas Trailer is using the “Built In Wisconsin” logo, according to sales manager Doug Wallner. While many of the component parts of its fuel transportation products are fabricated and produced by other nearby vendors in Wisconsin, certain parts – such as tires – have proven just too difficult to source locally, Wallner said, and as a result the supply chain for its product isn’t entirely in Wisconsin. Wallner explained Gas Trailer will initially use the Built In Wisconsin logo on its social media pages, and then post the logo to its web site as well. It will also be placed prominently within the owner’s manual that accompanies each of its trailers – alongside the “Built in the U.S.A.” brand it already promotes. Lastly, Gas Trailer is planning to etch the logo into the metal DOT compliance tags that are mounted on to each of its products. Submitted photos
One of the signature fuel transportation products manufactured by Gas Trailer in De Pere.
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Manufacturing Logistically Inc. is using the Made In Wisconsin logo in its presentations with current and perspective clients, according to Thomson.
WEDC encourages variations on the “Made In” logo – such as Gas Trailer’s use of Built In Wisconsin – and has developed several adaptations of the logo to reflect companies’ production processes. Options include:
K Made In Wisconsin
K Manufactured In Wisconsin
K Produced In Wisconsin
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K Grown In Wisconsin
K Invented In Wisconsin
K Designed In Wisconsin
K Engineered In Wisconsin
K Brewed In Wisconsin
“We highlight the purpose and meaning, and typically receive a favorable response,” he said. The software company also placed the logo prominently on its website to let site visitors know where the company comes from. While the program is still in its infancy, WEDC officials believe the more state companies that promote the use of the certification mark in a prideful manner, the more recognizable the logo will become and a more consistent reputation will evolve around what the phrase “Made In Wisconsin” means, both inside and outside of the state.
Conveying meaning
Logistically Inc. of Green Bay participated in the pilot program for Made In Wisconsin. Mark Thomson, vice president of knowledge solutions for the transportation software developer, said the firm has always supported businesses in Wisconsin and wanted to be a part of this program to raise awareness of the high quality products representative of the state’s culture, values and work ethic.
2015
“The work ethic, quality and pride in the products produced in Wisconsin is second to none,” Thomson said. “We believe in that mantra, and know of others that do, too.”
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“Manufacturers in (northeast Wisconsin) have so much pride in what they do, and this program was really built for them,” Lietz said. “When you say something is made in Wisconsin, you’re saying something pretty profound in these companies’ minds.” Wisconsin businesses interested in applying to use some variation of the Made In Wisconsin logo can find more information about the program as well as an application by going online to Made.Inwisconsin.com. The application approval process takes just a few weeks once the application is submitted to WEDC. n
TM
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Guest Commentary
Driving economic development through R&D Why basic research matters at Wisconsin’s colleges and universities, and why funding them remains critical by Tom Still There are 115 universities in the United States that can lay claim to an “R1” rating from the national organization that ranks research institutions, and Wisconsin is now home to two of them – UW Madison and UW Milwaukee, which joined the elite Research Level 1 list in February. That’s great news for Wisconsin’s two largest universities, and it doesn’t diminish the efforts of the state’s smaller colleges and universities – both public and private – that are fulfilling their respective academic missions to provide teaching, service and research. A recent presentation in Appleton demonstrated how other four-year schools in the University of Wisconsin System are enhancing their research agendas, not only in applied work that can lead directly to company and job creation, but in basic research that is a necessary foundation. It served as a reminder that state policymakers underfund the R&D missions of colleges and universities at the state’s economic peril. At the Feb. 11 meeting of the Wisconsin Innovation Network in Appleton, listeners heard about the work of Algoma Algal Biotechnology, a company that is turning wastewater into “green chemicals” through a process that involves algae and a solar reactor. Possible products are chemicals that can be used to produce synthetic rubber, medical latex, lubricants, solvents, glues, animal feed and even flavors and fragrances. High on the product list is a system for capturing isoprene gas, which is used in making tires. The technology and the company are tied to UW Oshkosh, which is the third-largest research university in the UW System in terms of dollars spent on research. It is also an example of how the WiSys Technology Foundation is helping to move research ideas from the laboratory bench to the marketplace. Created as an offshoot of the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, which has handled UW-Madison invention disclosures and licenses for 90 years, WiSys performs a similar role for the rest of the UW System outside UW Milwaukee. It manages disclosures from professors, other faculty and students; obtains patents where possible; and generally supports inventors as they move toward licensing their ideas or building a company.
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“(WiSys) is the missing ingredient from where I was before,” said Chancellor Andrew Leavitt, who took the top job at UW Oshkosh in late 2014 after working in Georgia’s public university system. The numbers appear to back Leavitt’s impression. Invention disclosures on UW System campuses outside the Big Two in Madison and Milwaukee have climbed steadily of late, with 56 invention disclosures in the 2014-15 fiscal year. Three patents were issued that year and others are in the pipeline; seven licensing deals were executed; about $560,000 in grants were awarded and 12 campus-based proposals were funded. Executive director Arjun Sanga, who came to Wisconsin after working in similar technology transfer roles in Texas and Kansas, has expanded the role of WiSys through outreach on individual campuses and through regional directors that understand links to industry. While the pipeline is producing more inventions, disclosures and companies such as Algoma Algal Biotechnology, observers worry it could run dry in future years if state support for higher education declines. Faculty members won’t have time to conduct research if teaching loads become heavier, and the value of what they teach will be diminished if there’s not a balance of research and “service,” which is broadly defined but includes starting young companies. “The number one resource is time,” said Leavitt, who has led efforts in Oshkosh to make resources such as the campus Business Success Center and Small Business Development Center readily available to faculty and students alike. As a result, UW Oshkosh students are increasingly well represented in contests and other activities tied to undergraduate research. While economists don’t often agree on much, there’s not much dissent over the notion that research universities contribute to the prosperity of cities, regions and states around them. Studies by the Federal Reserve Bank and others have cited the power of academic research and development in the economy, from direct spending tied to such research to the transfer of knowledge to companies of all sizes to the “human capital” that comes with creation of a highly skilled workforce. Wisconsin’s economy may not feel the difference next year or even the next, but continued erosion of support for higher education will prove costly over time. A strong system is emerging to pull out the best campus ideas. Let’s invest in it. n Still is president of the Wisconsin Technology Council. He is the former associate editor of the Wisconsin State Journal.
NNB2B | April 2016 | 25
Energy
Solar The solar panel farm installed in late 2015 at Corrim Company in Oshkosh. Wind turbines installed on the manufacturer’s property in 2010 stand in the background.
The gold growing on rooftops is high-tech treasure in high demand. Wisconsin solar energy output surged 40 percent in 2015 as business owners see investments guaranteed to cut costs. Federal tax incentives and Wisconsin Focus on Energy grants help the business case for clean energy make more sense, with each program covering up to 30 percent of a project’s cost. Impressive as that may sound, neighboring states offer even stronger incentives and what some would call a more welcoming environment.
26 | April 2016 | NNB2B
The technology itself behind solar still gets less expensive and more efficient every year, and the Dairy State is expected to see even more solar growth in 2016. “The cost of installing solar has dropped by over 50 percent in the last five years,” said Jim Funk, owner of Energize LLC in Winneconne. His company has installed solar systems for various companies across Wisconsin and outside of the state for the past 14 years. “For a commercial system, the likelihood is you would be in the area of five years to get your money back out of the system.” Small wind turbines stand out visibly as another source of generating renewable energy, but it’s been almost a decade
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Rising More and more northeast Wisconsin companies make the business case to invest in renewable energies Story by J.S. Decker
since that technology was left in the shadow of solar. But the larger the wind turbine, the higher the payoff, and largescale wind turbines remain the most cost-effective clean energy of all.
Striving for energy independence
Industrial-grade door and frame manufacturer Corrim Company in Oshkosh hired nearby Renewegy in 2010 to install five wind turbines, and late last year completed installation of 260 solar panels on the lawn behind its facility. Wind captured by 20-kilowatt turbines powers more than 25 percent of the energy used to shape fiberglass into fireproof doors and frames. The new 92 kW solar system
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pushes Corrim’s energy independence to 60 percent. “If I can bring down my costs, I can be more competitive and sell more doors,” said Bob Gluth, president and owner of Corrim. “The decision was crystal clear with the solar panels. We had extra cash. If it’s in the bank, what does it do for you? Nothing.” Solar panels valued at $223,000 cost Corrim only $114,000 after a Focus on Energy grant covered $60,000 and federal tax credits cut another 30 percent. Installation of the wind turbines six years ago cost $193,000 with the same incentives covering 60 percent. Some benefits can’t necessarily be measured in dollars and cents.
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Energy “It helps as we recruit employees,” Gluth said. “People like to work for a progressive company.”
Total Solar Capacity in Wisconsin, by year, since 2010 Source: Renew Wisconsin
Other benefits come in simple, hard numbers, said John Morelli, national sales manager for Corrim. Its corrosion and fire-resistant industrial doors require virgin materials for top quality, so Corrim finds other paths to reduce its carbon footprint. That’s an expectation in the construction industry. Renewable energy, Morelli said, “really helps when we’re selling to an architectural firm, to show how environmentallyfriendly our product is.” Gluth added, “Sometimes we do something just because it’s the right thing to do.” When Corrim’s industrial facility expanded in 2009, Gluth decided to heat the offices with a geothermal system. Without ever calculating the payback, the company drilled seven wells to 275 feet for fluids to reach deep into the Earth and collect heat in winter and cold during summer. Pumps draw that fluid into the building, where the heat or cold transfers into traditional air ducts. No servicing is required, said Morelli, other than occasionally changing the air filters.
Hampered by new energy policies
After daily operations shut down at 2 p.m., the electricity generated out back from the wind turbines and solar farm goes into the power grid, generating revenue for Corrim and further trimming its utility bills. Gluth laments how changes to utility billing policies have reduced the value of each extra watt.
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“Until recently it was net metering,” he recalled. “When we went into the grid, the meter actually ran backwards. Under the new tariff it’s not as advantageous.” Gluth acknowledged he understands both sides of the debate. “Why should utilities pay me more for the energy than it costs them to generate during peak or non-peak times? Conversely, should clean energy be worth more?” Two years ago the per-kilowatt hour cost dropped, but the Public Service Commission allowed utilities to charge each user a fixed fee. That fee gets paid even if a customer’s solar and wind systems create more electricity than they ever use.
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The rooftop solar panel farm installed at the headquarters for Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company in Neenah late last year.
As a spokesperson for an investor-owned utility explained, renewable energy users are paying their fair share to maintain the infrastructure that benefits everyone. Clean energy advocates claim it protects profits by stifling renewable alternatives to coal. According to the Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council, the state burned less coal in 2014 than it did in 2012, but is still the 10th most coal-dependent state in the country. The standard cost for electricity in Wisconsin has risen 50 percent over the last ten years, largely to pay for new power plants and modern transmission lines. Residential customers paid the 13th highest rates in the country last year, according to the federal Energy Information Administration.
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Other projects help build momentum
Solar power’s surge in Wisconsin is eclipsed by growth elsewhere. A comparison by Clean Energy Authority indicates that neighboring states offer stronger incentives to convert to renewable power, adding that Wisconsin gives strong support to improve energy efficiency and increase insulation of homes and businesses. One new incentive launched in July 2015 eliminates Wisconsin sales tax on solar, wind and anaerobic digestion systems that produce 200 watts per day. The Forest County Potawatomi installed solar panels at 15 locations around Crandon and Milwaukee during 2015 to produce 922 kilowatts, giving it the distinction of having the largest solar installation in Wisconsin. The state’s 13th largest installation is also the largest in the Fox Cities – the 128.5 kW system on top of the Neenah headquarters of Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company. Those 408 solar panels installed at the end of 2015 create a system three times larger than the previous largest solar panel farm in the Fox Cities at the City of Neenah Services Building on Tullar Road. All three projects took advantage of federal and state incentives. Founded in 1913, Jeweler’s Mutual is the only insurer dedicated solely to serving the U.S. jewelry industry. “We know the importance of taking steps to protect the environment,” said Jewelers Mutual CEO and President Scott Murphy. Within 25 years he expects solar power to save the www.newnorthb2b.com
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Energy insurance carrier $750,000. “The system has a life expectancy between 30 and 50 years, providing additional savings well in to the future.”
Focus on Funding Cuts A bill that would trim $7 million from the state’s Focus on Energy program passed the state legislature March 15 and is expected to be signed into law at the time of the New North B2B print deadline in late March. Utilities applaud changes that will stop billing municipal utilities to support the energy grant program, while also billing the investor-owned utilities who generate the power. “It is about equity and fairness,” said Kerry Spees, spokesperson for Wisconsin Public Service in Green Bay. “It will eliminate the doublecharge for Focus on Energy that currently exists on sales of wholesale electricity to municipal utilities.” The change will shift Focus on Energy funding to retail sales instead of from total utility electric sales. “Any money saved with the elimination of the double-charge will flow back to customers,” Spees added, noting WPS and other utilities are estimated to save $2 million each. Opposition to the change is rooted in the program’s success since it was launched 15 years ago. New and efficient light bulbs, refrigerators and showerheads are supported along with millions of dollars worth of solar panels and other renewable energy systems. “It’s a benefit for the whole economy, not just a benefit for the individuals and businesses saving energy through the program,” said Renew Wisconsin Executive Director Tyler Huebner. “With job creation, dollars flowing through the economy, that’s more than $6 paid back to the economy for every dollar spent.” - by J. S. Decker
Just across Interstate 41 to the south stand five wind turbines erected by Menasha Corp. nearly five years ago. Menasha Corp. Director of Sustainability and Sourcing Morgan Wiswall indicated sustainable projects fall under the company’s 20/20 Vision, “Which is a companywide goal established in 2010 to reduce CO2 emissions per pound of production by 20 percent by the year 2020,” Wiswall said. Manufacturing the company’s offering of corrugated packaging is more efficient and eco-friendly than ever, Wiswall said, but spinning blades towering over the freeway have the highest profile of all. “I think we underestimated the very favorable reaction our customers had when they learned that we were taking a leadership position on renewable energy and environmental improvement and values,” he said. Also in Neenah, Evergreen Credit Union installed a 56 kW solar system last year. In Oshkosh, Best Western Premier Waterfront Hotel installed a 20 kW solar array in late 2014 with support from its partner in the UW Oshkosh Foundation. At the Congregation of St. Agnes in Fond du Lac, Sr. Susan Seeby said the 880 panels installed last year generated $35,000 worth of electricity. The system is much larger than originally planned thanks to a $172,700 grant from Focus on Energy, and a clean path for stewards of the land on County Highway K. “We have cared for the soil, tended the woods, and preserved the integrity of the springs that flow through the Congregation’s property in Fond du Lac. This project represents CSA’s corporate commitment to future generations and comes at a time when Pope Francis is calling upon the church, and the world, to take seriously the threat posed to our human dignity from the effects of climate change,” Sr. Seeby said. The Sisters of St. Francis of the Holy Cross in Green Bay installed 416 panels in 2014. Within one year the array had converted enough sunshine into electricity to provide the Motherhouse with nearly 29 percent of its electrical needs, saving $13,000 and negating 92 tons of carbon emissions.
• Prime Highway 41/441 corridor with commercial and industrial sites available
• Many commercial and industrial sites are located in Tax Increment Districts
• Favorable tax and utility rates with fully serviced sites available
• Quality schools, great Village park system and excellent municipal services available Contact James Fenlon, Village Administrator, at 920-423-3850 or visit www.littlechutewi.org.
30 | April 2016 | NNB2B
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Agricultural 1,520 (2.2%)
industrial 23,561 (34.2%)
residential 21,012 (30.5%)
commercial 22,727 (33.0%)
The proportion of end-use electricity by segment in Wisconsin, as of 2012.
Contributors to growth
Back in Neenah, the city’s Superintendent of Public Works Rick Freese said the 260 feet of solar panels along the City Services Building have performed strongly since 2011. “We had a couple of fuses blow, but that’s minor. We’re pretty happy with them,” he stated. Funk’s Energize LLC installed that system, as well as the new array atop Jewelers Mutual. Funk launched Energize 14 years ago, and has never seen more competitors than he saw file into the garage six years ago to compete for the bid to install the city’s array of solar panels. More than 20 firms put in bids for that project. What was a small sector even a decade ago has taken off as the price of solar panels dropped. Converters are more efficient, and energy optimizers smooth out losses when one panel is shaded and another isn’t. Additionally, Funk noted, the golden part of every solar panel is made of the same raw materials as electronics components. As demand for flat screen televisions and cell phones led to more raw materials being available, the price of solar panels dropped.
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Since electronics perform better in cold temperatures, Wisconsin customers have somewhat of an advantage. “Heat is kind of the enemy of electronics,” Funk explained. “Even though the Southwest has a lot more sun, they have the disadvantage of high temperatures.” Teaching at workshops for WE Energy and the Midwest Renewable Energy Association, Funk helps potential customers evaluate which product might fit their site best. Midwest Renewable hosts the nation’s largest renewable energy convention every June near Stevens Point. What Doug Stingle, development director for Midwest Renewable, calls a “monumental shift” toward solar can be largely credited to President George W. Bush. In 2006 he approved the 30 percent tax credit for solar arrays. “Congress passed a five-year extension late last year,” Stingle said. “It’s 30 percent for the first three years, then slight declines, and then eliminated after five years.” Like many others, Stingle is hopeful that credit will be renewed and joined by others, ensuring that renewable investment will always make good business sense. n J.S. Decker is a writer and editor based in Oshkosh.
www.newnorthb2b.com
NNB2B | April 2016 | 31
Transportation
✦ Interstate 41 – Brown County Construction Projects for 2016
❶ Mainline Interstate 41 Timeline: Now through December F Mainline segment under construction in 2016: Glory Road to 9th Street and Memorial Drive to Lakeview Drive. F Reconstruction of I-41 mainline and structures.
❷ I-43 Interchange Timeline: Now through September Reconstruct and improve the system-to-system interchange. F Southbound I-41 to southbound I-43 remains closed until September. F Northbound I-43 to southbound I-41 remains closed until September.
❸ Velp Avenue Interchange Timeline: Now through October 2016 Reconstruct the Velp Avenue interchange. F The southbound I-41 exit ramp to Velp Avenue remains closed until October. F The Velp Avenue interchange, including the intersection of Velp Avenue and Memorial Drive, will close for 60 days between August to October.
❹ Lombardi Avenue / Morris Avenue / Cormier Road / Parkview Road / Glory Road Timeline: Now through fall 2016 Reconstruct the I-41 bridges over these local roads. F These local roads which pass under Interstate 41 will close for no more than seven to 14 days during the summer to be reconstructed. The Interstate 41 bridges over each road were completed in 2015.
❺ WIS 172 Ramps Timeline: August 2013 through fall 2016 Reconstruct WIS 172 ramps and I-41 bridges. F The eastbound WIS 172 to southbound I-41 ramp will close for about 30 days. F The eastbound WIS 172 to northbound I-41 ramp will close for about 14 days. F The southbound I-41 to westbound WIS 172 ramp will close for 14 days.
❻ Waube Lane/Oneida Street Interchange Timeline: Now through fall 2016 Reconstruct the I-41 bridges over Waube Lane/ Oneida Street. Construction schedules are subject to change. For the latest information visit us41wisconsin.gov. The I-41 Project is scheduled for completion in 2016.
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F The I-41 northbound exit ramp to Oneida Street will close for about 14 days.
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NNB2B | April 2016 | 33
Transportation
✦ WIS 441 – Winnebago County Construction Projects for 2016
❶ Interstate 41 Interchange
❸ Roland Kampo Bridge
Timeline: Now through 2018
New bridge construction: Now through fall 2016
Reconstruct and improve the system-to-system interchange.
Existing bridge recondition: Fall 2016 through 2018
F The westbound U.S. Highway 10 to northbound I-41 ramp will be closed between fall 2016 to summer 2018.
Construct new eastbound bridge across Little Lake Butte des Morts. F Traffic switch to new bridge will take place in fall 2016.
❷ I-41 mainline and County II (Winchester Road) Interchange Timeline: June through mid-October Construct auxiliary lanes on both northbound and southbound I-41 and reconstruct County II interchange ramps. F American Drive between County II and Jacobsen Road will close for 30 days to accommodate widening of I-41. F The southbound I-41 on-ramp from County II will close between mid-July to mid-August. F The southbound I-41 exit ramp to County II will close between mid-July to mid-September. F The northbound I-41 on-ramp from County II will close between mid-July to mid-September.
❹ County Road P (Racine Road) Interchange Timeline: Now through summer 2018 Reconstruct Racine Road interchange. F The U.S. 10/southbound WIS 441 entrance ramp from Racine Road remains closed long term until summer 2018. F The westbound U.S. 10/southbound WIS 441 exit ramp to Racine Road remains closed until fall 2016. F The eastbound U.S. 10/northbound WIS 441 entrance ramp from Racine Road remains closed until fall 2016. F The eastbound U.S. 10/northbound WIS 441 exit ramp to Racine Road will close this spring until fall 2016.
❺ County P (Racine Road) and 12th Street intersection Northeast Wisconsin road project information Website: www.us41wisconsin.gov www.us41wisconsin.gov/wis441
Traveler information:
Timeline: June through October
www.511wi.gov
Improve alignment of Racine Road and allow full access to 12th Street.
Facebook.com/WisconsinUS41
Other state DOT projects can be found here:
F A roundabout will be constructed at the intersection of Racine Road with the interchange ramps beginning in June.
Twitter: @WisconsinUS41
www.dot.wisconsin.gov/projects/ne.htm
F Racine Road from 8th Street to Airport Road will close from mid-June until early October.
Facebook:
34 | April 2016 | NNB2B
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NNB2B | April 2016 | 35
eCommerce
V V
oices isions &
A monthly conversation with New North small business owners, each shedding light on the local economy through the perspective of their industry sector.
A hobbyist supplying hobbyists quickly outgrew their garage and became one of the nation’s top online craft retailers. Carrie Duehring noticed strong eBay sales for machines that cut images out of paper, cloth and stickers, so she jumped right in to buy low and sell high. Husband Dean was her first hire. Five more employees were hired, keeping their 7,000-sq. ft. business buzzing, shipping thousands of craft items worldwide from Oshkosh. In total, the online retailer sells more than 100,000 different products to the hobby industry, keeping this wife-and-husband team at the cutting edge of crafting. How could you start so strongly at the beginning of the recession?
Dean Duehring Co-owner Craft e-Corner Oshkosh craft-e-corner.com
I think one factor might have been what I call stay-cation money: money people would typically spend on vacation. Had we been in the craft industry already we probably would have seen a significant decrease in sales. But we were starting out and we were e-commerce only. E-commerce was taking business from brick-and-mortar stores. It was a growing segment in a shrinking sector at the time. The big competitors weren’t selling on eBay. So we found our unique niche. It’s rare, but we were actually profitable in our first year. I’m not sure how or why we were able to take off with such an advantage at such a bad period of time. We were lean. We had no overhead. I had a steady salary, so there was no pressure. At the end of our second year we continued to grow. We hired people to pick and pack orders in our own house.
Do your backgrounds complement one another? When we started in 2008, eBay was very popular. Toys were selling for $40 on eBay and we were finding them for $4 at rummage sales. I taught economics in high school, so I thought, “Why don’t you buy those and we’ll hold them until Christmas to sell on eBay?” The Cricut Expression die-cutting machine was selling by the hundreds on eBay and the sale price was very impressive. So we contacted the manufacturer and asked if we could buy them wholesale. We got started 36 | April 2016 | NNB2B
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selling them on eBay out of our garage. Most of the big brick-and-mortar stores carried the Cricut, as well as the Cameo, so we’re competing with the big guys even though we’re a small operation. Carrie has a master’s degree in industrial and organizational psychology - the psychology of the workplace. She worked at Kimberly-Clark as a training coordinator and a mediator in labor negotiations. And she liked to scrapbook. She had the interest in crafts, I had the interest in business. So, she was the brains behind product selection and I helped out with economics and business skills. I taught economics and social studies at Oshkosh West High School. After the first year, I was very blessed the school district gave me a one-year leave of absence. At the end of that year it was decision time.
You’ve really proven yourself online. We saw Amazon coming along and thought, if a website became popular, we should start selling our products there, so we did. We sell on eBay, Amazon, Newegg, Sears, Jet.com, our own website Craft-e-Corner.com, and this year we’ll be selling at Walmart.com. Not everyone knows they have a website where other vendors sell, and that is by invitation only. They vetted us for our customer service metrics. We just got approved and will be selling at Walmart.com in a few months. That could certainly lead to more expansion. This is our second location. It’s 7,000 square feet total, with a 5,000-sq. ft. warehouse. Even now our overhead isn’t nearly as high as retail in a high-traffic area. We’re a warehouse. We don’t have to make things look nice here.
How do you stay ahead of a rapidly shifting online marketplace? We have technology that reads prices on products automatically. It scans competitor’s prices. There are thresholds of selling at a certain point or we’ll lose money. We do review and make revisions continually throughout the year. About 8 percent of our sales are international. The advantage with selling on a marketplace website like Amazon is that they bring in literally millions of customers. They do charge a commission fee – which is a disadvantage – but the fees are predictable. In a traditional business you put money into marketing and you hope it’s covered through sales. Amazon has a flat selling fee. You only pay if it sells. eBay has listing fees and then commission on the selling price. eBay’s system is more complicated. Amazon’s is simpler but the fees www.newnorthb2b.com
NNB2B | April 2016 | 37
eCommerce are higher. I call Amazon a “frenemy.” They sell some of the same products, so they’re also competition. We take the risk in trying to sell newer products. Once it becomes an established strong seller, Amazon goes to the manufacturer and sells it themselves. After that, it becomes very difficult or impossible for us to sell it. It’s their website and they control what’s listed first.
It doesn’t have to be a foreign language.
Getting products visible on Amazon and finding creative ways to compete with Amazon is definitely a learning curve. That is where Carrie’s research is helpful. There’s a whole body of knowledge to finding niches and increasing your visibility. It’s just like when you design a website. You can’t just put it up and expect customers to find it. Carrie does a lot of work researching for us. It’s an art, not a science.
Successful Journeys Need a Guide™ 920.427.5077 www.guidentbusiness.com
Would you ever expand beyond crafting? Our experience with Amazon and e-commerce in general would make it easier to sell other products. However, we do not have the relationships that we have developed over the years with our partners in crafts. It takes time to become an expert in a product area, and it is that expertise that separates us from our big box store competitors. Kala Peterson, whose primary responsibility is customer service, continuously creates craft projects on our blog to offer our customers inspiration, tips and tricks so they can be better crafters. She even wrote a book titled “How to Use Your Silhouette” so customers who purchased a Silhouette Cameo die-cutting machine could get the most out of it. n
38 | April 2016 | NNB2B
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NNB2B | April 2016 | 39
Professionally Speaking
Professionally Speaking is a paid promotional spot in B2B.
Battle of the Forms: Practical Tactics to Minimize Risk in Day-to-Day Transactions by Aaron Hall of Davis & Kuelthau, s.c. Sales are negotiated between companies daily. In the rush to finalize the deal, companies often fail to adequately consider their contracting partner’s terms and conditions (TCs), or the applicability of their own TCs. A company may even neglect to provide their own TCs. What often transpires is that buyers and sellers exchange documents containing TCs that directly conflict. The parties’ TCs may also have conflicting provisions as to which state’s law would govern any dispute or the venue in which disputes are to be litigated. After a dispute arises and the parties find themselves in court, the question becomes, “Whose TCs control?” The resolution is resolved under the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) section 2-207. Once a court concludes a contract was formed, the court determines which party’s TCs
414.225.1411 govern the transaction and any dispute arising thereunder. This is a fact-intensive inquiry that focuses on the actual documents exchanged, as well as the manner and order in which they were exchanged. There are many complex issues that can arise in battle of the forms scenarios. Far too many to list. However, there are a few important takeaways applicable for all companies regarding the purchase and sale of goods: s Draft and utilize TCs customized to your business. Boilerplate, form TCs may leave you vulnerable. s Assume your contracting partner’s TCs will not be favorable to you. s Provide your TCs to your contracting partner. s Have your contracting partner sign the form containing your TCs. s Do not sign your contracting partner’s forms containing its TCs.
s Position yourself as the initial offering party. s Make your offer expressly conditioned upon acceptance of your TCs. Include an affirmative rejection of any conflicting TCs. s As an offeree, make sure your acceptance is conditioned on the offeror’s agreeing to any different or additional TCs contained within the documents you provided. The ultimate goal is to entirely avoid getting into the battle of the forms. At minimum, companies must take the steps necessary to ensure that any conflicting provisions contained in their contracting partner’s TCs are “knocked out” and that the standard UCC gap-fillers are read into the contract. With a little planning on the front end, the risks can be mitigated. Aaron Hall is a shareholder with Davis & Kuelthau, s.c. in Milwaukee. Mr. Hall provides counsel on commercial litigation matters and may be reached at ahall@dkattorneys.com or 414.225.1411.
The Cost of Waiting to Invest by Jim Ziebarth of Fox Valley Savings Bank Time is your only ally when it comes to investing, especially for young professionals. In my almost 20 years as a financial advisor, I’ve noticed investors often don’t factor the cost of waiting into the risks of investing. Starting a long-term investment plan in your 20s will certainly put you in a better position to retire on your own terms, rather than waiting until you are in your 30s or 40s to start saving for retirement. Time is a good way to reduce risk. The longer you have to invest in your retirement fund, the less effect interim market fluctuations may have on the ultimate value of your portfolio and the more opportunity you have to grow your money. The differences between minimum and 40 | April 2016 | NNB2B
920.923.7776
maximum return diminish over the long term. If you only hold a stock for a year, it could be way up or way down. But if you hold it for 10 years, the spread between the expected minimum and the expected maximum decreases substantially. The further you are from needing to withdraw your money, the more ability you have to tolerate market risk and the more you should consider investing in stocks. Investing is an ongoing process. Make a commitment to remain active in managing your portfolio to maximize your returns. You should review your portfolio thoroughly every year or when you have a significant life change. Be willing to make changes, but remember to build an investment strategy for the long term. As a financial advisor at FVSB Financial Services, I can offer resources, expertise and tools to create a custom financial planning solution for all clients. In today’s
complicated world, a working relationship with a financial advisor can be beneficial. Call me at (920) 923-7776 to get started. Jim Ziebarth is the financial advisor for FVSB Financial Services, located at Fox Valley Savings Bank, with offices in Oshkosh, Fond du Lac and Waupun. Securities and investment advice are offered through Infinex Investments, Inc., a broker/dealer ~ investment advisor, member FINRA/SIPC. Fox Valley Savings Bank and Infinex Investments are not affiliated. It is important our customers understand products and services made available through Infinex Investments, Inc., are: Not a deposit Not FDIC insured Not insured by any federal government agency Not guaranteed by the bank May go down in value www.newnorthb2b.com
Professionally Speaking
Professionally Speaking is a paid promotional spot in B2B.
Is Outpatient Joint Replacement Possible? by Sandy Fragale of Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Specialists of Green Bay When people hear the word joint replacement, they probably think of a complicated surgery, a long hospital stay, and months of limited mobility. However, with advancements in technology and surgical techniques, this way of thinking is changing. Instead of needing inpatient hospital stays, patients can now turn to ambulatory surgery centers (ASC) to receive quality outpatient joint replacement care. The term “ASC” is quickly becoming more familiar as ASCs become more and more common. They present an alternative option where consumers and businesses can find quality, efficient, and cost-effective surgical care. At an ASC, patients pay for what they receive – a surgical procedure – and they don’t have to pay for a hospital room. Orthopedic-focused ASCs are able to perform a variety of outpatient surgeries such as knee arthroscopy, rotator cuff repair, and even
ACL reconstruction. With the development of 23-hour patient stay rooms, these facilities can add total joint replacement to the list. “23-hour patient stay rooms provide the privacy, space, and equipment we need to monitor patients for potential complications – bleeding, excessive pain, or nausea – following a joint replacement,” says William Enright, M.D., orthopedic surgeon at Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Specialists of Green Bay (OSMS) and Medical Director at Bellin Orthopedic Surgery Center (BOSC). “The difference is patients don’t need to stay longer if they are doing well; they can go home within 23 hours.” For healthy and motivated patients, outpatient joint replacement and a 23-hour stay room safely puts them on an accelerated course of recovery. This includes: v Flexible and convenient scheduling v Accelerated rehab
920.965.9520 v A quicker return home and back to everyday activities such as walking and driving Additionally, when patients select an orthopedic clinic and surgery center, many times they can further reduce costs by avoiding the emergency room or extra doctor visits. All together, these benefits mean less time away from family, less time off of work and a significant reduction in costs. In fact, the cost may be up to 40 percent lower than an inpatient joint replacement. The surgeons at OSMS are able to perform outpatient total hip, knee and shoulder replacements. Starting in May 2016, these surgeries will be available right at BOSC, when new 23-hour patient rooms will open. Sandy Fragale, CPA, has been the administrator at Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Specialists of Green Bay for the past 15 years. To learn more about OSMS, visit www.osmsgb.com.
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Please RSVP to nhangartner@osmsgb.com by Wednesday, May 4th. Join Dr. Steven Schechinger as he presents on Shoulder Injuries in the Workplace. The presentation will last 20 minutes. The remaining time will be used for questions and discussion.
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NNB2B | April 2016 | 41
Who’s News
Incorporations
New North B2B publishes monthly new business incorporations filed with the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions. Brown County
Ostrom Family Farms LLC, James Ostrom, 4200 Old Military Road, De Pere 54115. Packerland Builders LLC, Allen Gerard Gokey, 5776 Ledge Crest Road, De Pere 54115. Two Eagle Construction INC., Alan Wade King, W1559 Town Road, De Pere 54115. De Pere Self Storage LLC, Jossart Brothers INC., 1682 Swan Road, De Pere 54115. Captivating Images By Becky LLC, Rebecca A. Bourget, 1746 Burgoyne Ct., #14, De Pere 54115. Lasee For Congress INC., Frank Lasee, 1645 Swan Road, De Pere 54115. Smiles East To West LLC, Rebecca P. Van Miller, D.D.S., 3590 Meadow Sound Dr., De Pere 54115. Brock Transport LLC, Timothy Richard Brock, 5359 Steves Cheese Road, Denmark 54208. G&D Pilot Car Service LLC, Daymond J. Williams, 419 E. Mission Road, Green Bay 54301. Taylor James Fitness LLC, Taylor James Vander Woude, 1527 Bay Highlands Dr., Green Bay 54311. Great Lakes Homes LLC, Benjamin J. Buehler, 2315 University Ave., Green Bay 54302. Top Notch Lawn Cutting LLC, Andrew Joseph Aschenbrenner, 2141 Spring Creek Cir., Green Bay 54311. Home Remodeling LLC, Sunshine Wheelock, 516 Clinton St., Green Bay 54303. Ucare Home Services LLC, Mai Yang Lee, 1676 Main St., Green Bay 54302. H&T Excavating LLC, Holly Ann Tilleman, 3350 Glendale Ave., Green Bay 54313. Native Cab LLC, Darryl Van Cleveland, Sr., 3017 Gemini Road, Green Bay 54311. Bay Trailer Depot Of Green Bay INC., John Weiland, 3816 Velp Ave., Green Bay 54313. Tara Dowling Swimming LLC, Tara Kathleen Dowling, 2420 Nicolet Dr., Green Bay 54311. Evolvape LLC, Gregory R. Hale, 406 S. Military Ave., Green Bay 54303. Strive Orthopedics LLC, Padraic R. Obma, 628 Sunset Cir., Green Bay 54301. City Taxi Cab Of Green Bay LLC, Elizabeth Ellen Joachim, 101 S. Military Ave., #207, Green Bay 54303. Michelle Van Lieshout Design/Photography LLC, Michelle Lee Van Lieshout, 1142 Anchor Dr., Green Bay 54313. Chris Nejedlo Electric LLC, Chris Nejedlo, 3103 Barley Cir., Green Bay 54311. Forever Memories Photography By Gwen LLC, Gwen Boucher, 2053 Kassner Dr., Green Bay 54304. Titletown Irrigation LLC, Erik Daniel McElrone, 1714 11th Ave., Green Bay 54304. Just J Creative LLC, Jessica Jacques, 2575 Shade Tree Lane, Green Bay 54313. Therapeutic Rescue Massage LLC, Kimberly A. Waldhauser, 2050 Riverside Dr., Suite 208, Green Bay 54301. Altrusa International Of Green Bay, WI, INC., Nancy Friebel, 1116 E. Mason St., Green Bay 54301. Hard Rock Transport LLC, Benjamin E. Gersek, 3362 Humboldt Road, Green Bay 54311. Sawyer Farms Orchard LLC, Georgia L. Peterson, 3271 Lancelot Lane, Green Bay 54301. Zepnick Electric LLC, Robert Edwin Zepnick, 1015 Haven Pl., Green Bay 54313. Shelley Boehm Mattia MD, Adult Psychiatry LLC, Shelley Kathryn Boehm Mattia, M.D., 2475 University Way, Ste. A, Green Bay 54302.
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Z’s Catering LTD., Stephanie L. Zusy, 1805 11th Ave., Green Bay 54304. Steve’s Custom Carpentry LLC, Steven L. Eifler, 1188 Valley View Road, Green Bay 54304. Duncan Law LLC, Eric Duncan, 3613 S. Webster Ave., Green Bay 54301. Wilke Lawn Services LLC, Isaac James Wilke, 2025 Reinhard Dr., Green Bay 54303. Gilson Trucking LLC, Jason L. Gilson, 6535 Deuster Road, Greenleaf 54126. Four Way Rental And Repair LLC, James Whiting, 3246 Bowling Green Lane, Suamico 54173.
Fond du Lac County
Chuckles Bar & Grill LLC, Paul Lau, 253 Ladwig St., Campbellsport 53010. Grandpa Chuck’s Kettle Corn LLC, Charles J. Gellings, N1684 Double D Road, Campbellsport 53010. Pro Clean Professional Clean LLC, Daniel Hess, 231 Gillet St., Fond du Lac 54935. Remedy Plumbing & Heating LLC, Ian Seth, 311 6th St., Fond du Lac 54935. Lange Structural Engineering LLC, Delayne Robert Lange, W4913 Reinhardt Road, Fond du Lac 54937. Steph Bock Fitness LLC, Stephanie N. Bock, 277 Ledgewood Dr., Fond du Lac 54937. Julie at Haven Salon LLC, Julie Ann Rosenbaum, 43 S. Main St., Fond du Lac 54935. A Z Vapor INC., Khaldon Sati, 187 N. Pioneer Road, Ste. 102, Fond du Lac 54935. Rose-Eld Home Inspection LLC, Jeffrey Brown, W11777 Rose-Eld Road, Ripon 54971. Quality Metal Fabrication LLC, Jeffrey Rahmer, N4901 Church Road, St. Cloud 53079.
Green Lake County
4B Metalworks LLC, Brian N. Smith, N1977 County Road XX, Berlin 54923.
Oconto County
Beyond Inspections Group LLC and Royal Custom Builders LLC, Timothy Royal Blahnik, 5655 Liegeois Road, Abrams 54101.
Outagamie County
Fraternal Order Of Police - Fox Valley Area Lodge INC., Jed Roffers, N9568 Chadbury Lane, Appleton 54915. White Lotus Interiors LLC, Deborah Ann Barr, 307 E. Wayfarer Lane, Appleton 54913. Northern Lights Tree Farm LLC, Steve Bootz, W3784 Willow Brook Ct., Appleton 54913. Ott ATM Service LLC, Blaine Ott, 2312 S. East St., Appleton 54915. Blacktop Sealers Of NE Wisconsin INC., Sara Lillge, W4459 Center Valley Road, Appleton 54913. LT International Foods LLC, Chia Thao, 206 S. Memorial Dr., Appleton 54911. Aspire Counseling Services LLC, Whitney Stager, 301 E. Wayfarer Lane, Appleton 54913. Fiscal Business Services LLC, Douglas Ware, 4112 N. Haymeadow Ave., Appleton 54913. Jen’s Maid To Clean LLC, Jennifer L. Stearns, 1609 W. Weiland Lane, Appleton 54914. Viva Healing LLC, Ann Munro, 610 N. Douglas St., Appleton 54914. Shambeau Lean Consulting LLC, Thomas A. Shambeau, W3991 Devine Lane, Appleton 54913. Braun Candle CO. LLC, Julie Anne Braun, W6841 Hazelnut Lane, Appleton 54915. Carmella’s Fine Foods LLC, Nicole De Franza, 716 N. Casaloma Dr., Appleton 54913. Appleton Deck Renewal INC., Dominic J. Busnelli, 1300 E. Glendale Ave., Appleton 54911. www.newnorthb2b.com
Team Extreme Severe Storm Chaser Spotters INC., Gene Kersten, 1788 Sanctuary Ct., Apt. #37, Appleton 54914. Diverse Trucking LLC, Daniel Reeves, 450 W. Calumet St., Appleton 54915. Full Throttle Auto LLC, Thomas Strauch, 1109 E. Wisconsin Ave., Appleton 54911. S.O.S Skateboards LLC, Nestor Charitonides, 1509 S. Outagamie St., Appleton 54914. Wagner Food Safety Consulting LLC, Shawna Lee Wagner, 1901 Carriage Lane, Appleton 54914. Swing Solutions Golf LLC, Carolyn Barnett-Howe, 4000 N. Providence Ave., Appleton 54913. AMZ Hair LLC, Alysce Marie Zuleger, N2777 Dream Weaver Dr., Appleton 54913. Klingman Law LLC, Christopher G. Klingman, 714 N. Fair St., Appleton 54911. Tom Lechnir Baseball Instruction LLC, Tom Lechnir, 428 Hidden Ridges Way, Combined Locks 54113. Valley Waterproofing Systems LLC, Randy P. Van Groll, W1981 County Road S, #2, Freedom 54130. Revive Your Body In Balance LLC, Brenda Weyenberg, W7007 Parkview Dr., Ste. A, Greenville 54942. Ashley Louden Fitness LLC, Ashley Freimuth, W6424 Summer Wind Lane, Greenville 54942. Kossow Engineering LLC, Gary James Kossow, Jr., W7361 Trillium Ct., Greenville 54942. Corcoran Glass Products LLC, James Frederick, N1000 Craftsman Dr., Greenville 54942. Ledgerock Farm LLC, Kevin Davidson, 120 E. 4th St., Kaukauna 54130. Motus RX Physical Therapy LLC, Eric Wallace, 2127 Olde Country Cir., Kaukauna 54130. Premier Building & Remodeling LLC, Jason Thomas Lotzer, 1708 Bluebird Lane, Kaukauna 54130. Special Events Custom Services LLC, David K. Ante, 1809 Ceil St., Little Chute 54140. Straightline Refrigeration LLC, David J. Van Lieshout, 122 E. Main St., Little Chute 54140. Open Arms Massage LLC, Kayla Kons, 824 Park Ave., Little Chute 54140. DST Welding Services LLC, Douglas S. Tennant, W2200 County Road EE, Seymour 54165. Skenandore Farm LLC, Isaiah Douglas Skenandore, W1409 Culbertson Road, Seymour 54165.
Suttner ACCOUNTING
David Lewis
Account Director CPA david.lewis@suttnercpa.com 920.235.6789
Winnebago County
All About U-Unique Hair By Ashley LLC, Ashley Agnes Huelsbeck, 1429 Province Terr., Menasha 54952. Creative Touch Designs LLC, Sharron Gay Foth, 68 Racine St., Menasha 54952. D’s Appliance LLC, Darryl Simmons, 1469 Lakeshore Dr., Menasha 54952. Valley Speech-Language Pathology LLC, Sarah M. Allen, 409 Park Dr., Neenah 54956. Funny Pharm Productions LLC, Dan Steffen, 1334 Honeysuckle Lane, Neenah 54956. Jacobs Design Homes LLC, Benjamin Jacobs, 5788 I Ah May Tah Road, Oshkosh 54901. Tru Vending LLC, Kham Sing Xiong, 860 Farmington Ave., Oshkosh 54901. New Penny Cleaning LLC, Teresa Ann Mingus, 727 Vine Ave., Oshkosh 54901. Avenue Law LLC, Bree Madison, 619 W. New York Ave., Oshkosh 54901. Embody Yoga & Pilates LLC, Lea Ann Konitzer-Schneider, 2074 Shawnee Lane, Oshkosh 54901. Heritage Home Inspection LLC, Russ Allen Matulle, 315 Old Knapp Road, Oshkosh 54902.
Tax Planning & Preparation Financial Statements Bookkeeping/Write Up Payroll Services Visit suttnercpa.com/client services for a more complete list of services
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NNB2B | April 2016 | 43
Who’s News General contractor is Boldt Construction Co. of Appleton. February 15.
Building permits
B2B includes a monthly list of building permits (not to include residential projects) in excess of $400,000. Bemis Company, 2621 W. Everett St., Appleton. $461,777 for interior renovations to the existing industrial facility. General contractor is C.R. Meyer Inc. of Oshkosh. January 5. Marcus Theatre Corp., W3091 Van Roy Road, town of Buchanan. $1,800,000 for an interior renovation of the existing cinema complex. Contractor is TK Architects of Kansas City. January 28. Precision Paper Converters, 2600 Northridge Dr., Kaukauna. No amount listed, a 27,500-sq. ft. addition to the existing manufacturing facility. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna. February 3. HSHS St. Vincent Hospital, 835 S. Van Buren St., Green Bay. $2,011,000 for various interior alterations to the existing hospital facility. General contractor is IEI General Contractors of De Pere. February. Kwik Trip, 746 Main St., De Pere. $705,000 for an addition and alteration to the existing convenience store and fuel station. Contractor listed as self. February 12. Marian University, 30 S. Main St., Fond du Lac. $1,388,360 for a renovation of the former commercial office building to house the nursing school. General contractor is C.D. Smith Construction Inc. of Fond du Lac. February 15.
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44 | April 2016 | NNB2B
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St. Norbert College, 103 Grant St., De Pere. $1,037,540 for a renovation of the existing institutional building on the campus. General contractor is Miron Construction Co. of Neenah. February 26.
New businesses TecDriven, LLC was launched in Appleton by Bryan Kopesky and Jim Pollex to develop and produce accessories for mobile electronic devices. Its initial product, Torchgrip – a mounting device for tablets – is available online at www.torchgrip.com.
Mergers/acquisitions Packer City International Trucks, Inc. of Green Bay acquired Schultz Equipment & Parts Co. of Iron Mountain, Mich., the largest medium and heavy-duty truck dealer and service center in the Upper Peninsula.
Business honors Heart of the Valley Chamber of Commerce presented Miron Construction Co., Inc. of Neenah with its Large Business of the Year Award.
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Two Neenah Center, 2 Neenah Center, Neenah. $490,000 for an interior renovation of the fifth and sixth floors of the existing commercial office building.
National Exchange Bank & Trust, 130 S. Main St., Fond du Lac. $598,678 for an interior renovation of the existing bank offices. General contractor is C.D. Smith Construction Inc. of Fond du Lac. February 16.
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Hangartner
Rennert
Emmons
Current Young Professionals Network in the Greater Green Bay area presented its Next Generation Best Place to Work Award to the Green Bay office of Wipfli LLP. Amerequip Corp. of Kiel received a Special Award for Company Culture during the recent Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year Awards. Consolidated Construction Company, Inc. of Appleton received a 2015 Projects of Distinction gold award in the renovation/restoration category from Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin for its work on Hampton Inn in Green Bay. Consolidated also received a Pyramid Award from Associated Builders and Contractors’ 2015 National Excellence in Construction competition for its work on a Holiday Inn in Bismarck, N.D. Faith Technologies of Menasha received the Wisconsin Safety Award of Excellence from Associated Builders & Contractors. Appleton Downtown Inc. presented the following awards to businesses during its recent annual recognition: Walter Kalata Landmark Award to the downtown Appleton YMCA; Downtown Renovation Award to Katsu Ya of Japan; President’s Award to Antojitos Mexicanos; Rising Star Award to Crazy Sweet; and Downtown Business of the Year Award to Empower Yoga. Future Neenah presented the following awards to businesses during its recent annual recognition: Corporate Citizen of the Year Award to Appleton International Airport of Greenville; Friend of Neenah Award to Culver’s of Neenah; Downtown Business of the Year Award to Cannova’s; and Civic Partner of the Year Award to Neenah Joint School District. During the recent annual Culver’s Restaurant Convention for franchisees, Culver’s on Westowne in Oshkosh received the Summit Award for the highest sales increase of any location in the entire Culver’s organization. Culver’s on Pioneer Road in Fond du Lac and Culver’s Highway 23 West in Fond du Lac both received Excellence in Leadership Awards, while Culver’s on East Johnson Street in Fond du Lac received the Commitment to Excellence and Ruth Hospitality Awards.
New hires Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Specialists of Green Bay hired Nicole Hangartner as its marketing manager. She previously worked for a health carefocused marketing agency. Aurora Health Care added Steven Sandstrom, M.D. as a neurologist in Oshkosh, Gurjeet Kaleka, M.D. as a vascular surgeon in Oshkosh, and hired Rebecca Rennert as a family medicine nurse practitioner at its Neenah clinic. Appleton-based Consolidated Construction Co. Inc. hired Stephen Emmons as a project engineer and Nicole Hughes as a project coordinator. Emmons has previous project management experience on school and university projects in central Illinois, while Hughes has more than 10 years experience in construction planning and coordination.
www.newnorthb2b.com
Hughes
Merk
Torzewski
Omni Glass & Paint, Inc. in Oshkosh hired Kris Dennis as a commercial paint estimator and project manager. Dennis has nearly 20 years experience in the construction industry as a commercial paint project manager, estimator and sales manager. Provident Financial Consultants in Oshkosh hired Jacob K. Merk as an associate financial consultant. Affinity Health System added Hashim Mumtaz, M.D. as a hospitalist at Mercy Medical Center in Oshkosh. Thrivent Financial hired Christopher Steinert as a financial representative in its Oshkosh office and Marisa Jones as a financial representative in its Menasha office. Steinert most recently worked for Aflac. Jones previously worked as a contractor for the U.S. Military. Green Bay-based Netsonic hired Hannah Torzewski as a sales and marketing associate. Greater Green Bay Chamber hired Joshua Bernhardt as a business expansion and retention specialist. Bernhardt most recently worked for Schneider in Ashwaubenon. Agnesian HealthCare added Marcio Augusto Shiokawa, M.D. as a hospitalist at St. Agnes Hospital in Fond du Lac and hired Faye Lindert as a nurse practitioner with its Fond du Lac Regional Clinic gastroenterology department. Greater Oshkosh Economic Development Corp. hired Audra Hoy as director of business and economic development. Hoy most recently served as director of AeroInnovate and aerospace initiatives at the Business Success Center at UW Oshkosh. She also worked as chapter relations manager for Women in Aviation, International and as the events manager at Oshkosh Convention Center. Miron Construction Co., Inc. in Neenah hired Sherry Wall as a project manager. Wall has more than 35 years experience in the construction industry. Appleton-based Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Fox Valley Region hired Julie Kons as its executive director. Kons most recently served as director of Rasmussen College’s Appleton campus. She previously worked 21 years for Lutheran Social Services. Appleton-based Fox Communities Credit Union hired Dawn Doberstein as vice president of commercial lending. Doberstein has more than 20 years of business banking experience, most recently serving as vice president of commercial lending for American National Bank in Appleton. Blue Door Consulting in Oshkosh hired Jason Toney as a multimedia consultant, Cam Heikkinen as a senior lead web and mobile developer, and Sara Martin as an associate marketing consultant. Toney previously worked as the visual properties administrator at Experimental Aircraft Association in Oshkosh. Heikkinen previously was an owner of a web and mobile application development firm, while Martin most recently worked as a marketing strategist at SCM Marketing in Appleton.
NNB2B | April 2016 | 45
Who’s News
Hoy
Haas
Hupfer
Doberstein
Goehre
Ledvina
Brecunier
Promotions
Individual awards
The law firm of Conway, Olejniczak & Jerry, S.C. in Green Bay named attorneys Kurt Goehre, James Ledvina and Steve Krueger as partners in the firm. Goehre practices employment law and general litigation, while Ledvina focuses on business law and estate planning. Krueger practices business law with a focus on financial institutions.
Current Young Professionals Network in the Greater Green Bay area presented its Young Professional of the Year Award to Amber Paluch, community engagement program officer for Greater Green Bay Community Foundation, and presented its Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award to Ashley Heather Prange, CEO and founder of Au Naturale Cosmetics in Green Bay.
Appleton-based Secura Insurance promoted Tony Brecunier to vice president of workers’ compensation claims; Jennifer Haas to vice president of research and development and training; Sandra Hupfer to vice president casualty claims; and Jeff Kargus to vice president– controller. Brecunier joined Secura in 1999 and most recently worked as director of workers’ compensation claims. Haas joined the company in 2006 and recently served as director of research and development. Hupfer has been with Secura since 2009, recently working as director of casualty claims. Kargus joined the company as controller in 2003.
Fond du Lac Area Association of Commerce presented its 2015 Volunteer of the Year Award to Marcia Snyder of Hometown Bank in Fond du Lac. It also presented four Community Awards to: Society Insurance, Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express & Suites, STEM Academy and STEM Institute, and to Julie and Brian Balson of Gallery Frame Shop in Fond du Lac.
Heidi Warpinski was named executive director of the new HSHS St. Vincent Children’s Hospital and Prevea Pediatrics. Warpinski has been with St. Vincent Hospital for 22 years, much of that time as director of pediatric services.
Kargus
Krueger
Integrity Insurance in Appleton promoted Jana Cartier to casualty and litigation claims director. Cartier joined Integrity in 2006 and served most recently as casualty and litigation claims manager. She has 17 years experience in the insurance industry.
Heart of the Valley Chamber of Commerce presented its 2015 Emerging Leader Award to Lindsay Wiese, director of marketing and business development for Keller Inc. in Kaukauna. Appleton Downtown Inc. presented the following awards to individuals during its recent annual recognition: Dreamers and Doers Award to Tom and Steve Lonsway of Stone Cellar Brew Pub, Stone Arch Brewery and Stone Cellar at Riverview Gardens; Bernie Pearlman Downtowner Award to Mark Behnke, owner of Bazil’s Pub, Olde Town Tavern and No Idea Bar; and Volunteer of the Year Award to Gregg Frank for technology services during the past 15 years. The U.S. Small Business Administration – Wisconsin office presented its Small Business Development Center Service Excellence Award to Colleen Merrill, director of the UW Oshkosh SBDC.
Warpinski
Better Business Bureau New Members Businesses accredited through the Northeast Wisconsin office during February 2016 Beversdorf Garage, Wittenberg Camp Away from Home, Greenville Daun’s Professional Lawns, Sheboygan Duchow Home Inspections, Sheboygan Golden Opportunities, Brillion Hedgehog Yard & Garden Services, Oshkosh Hochstetler Construction, Sheboygan Falls
Lang Landscape, Black Creek Midwest Overhead Door, Fond du Lac Premier Hair Studio, Manitowoc RTR Construction, Oostburg Soldwedel and Horn Enterprises, Plymouth Tender Hearts Senior Care, Sheboygan
Cartier
46 | April 2016 | NNB2B
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Business Calendar
Zahorik
Schwei
May
Thiel
Woodward
Elections/appointments Dana Zahorik, a counselor at Fox Valley Technical College in Appleton, was elected president of the Global Community for Academic Advising. New North Inc. named the following business leaders to its board of directors: Susan May, president and CEO of Fox Valley Technical College in Appleton; Mark Schwei, executive vice president and partner at Consolidated Construction Company in Appleton; David Thiel, executive director of Waupaca County Economic Development Corp. in Waupaca; and William Woodward, shareholder and attorney with the Green Bay office of Davis & Kuelthau, s.c.
Business calendar
New North B2B encourages businesses and organizations looking to attract interested persons to upcoming events to email info@newnorthb2b.com. April 5 Greater Green Bay Chamber Power Networking Breakfast, 7:30 to 9 a.m. at the chamber offices, 300 N. Broadway, Ste. 3A in Green Bay. No cost to attend for chamber members. For more information, call 920.437.8704 or email members@ titletown.org. April 6 Fond du Lac Area Association of Commerce Coffee Connection, 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. at Blue Heron Ponds Apartments, Blue Heron Blvd. in Fond du Lac. For more information or to register, call 920.921.9500 or go online to www.fdlac.com. April 12 Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce Sales Club, 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. at the chamber building, 120 Jackson St. in Oshkosh. No cost to attend for chamber members. For more information, call 920.303.2266 or go online to www.oshkoshchamber.com. April 12 Heart of the Valley Chamber of Commerce Business Before Hours, 8 to 9 a.m. at the chamber office, 101 E. Wisconsin Ave. in Kaukauna. For more information or to register, call 920.766.1616 or go online to www.heartofthevalleychamber.com.
48 | April 2016 | NNB2B
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April 12 Morning Business 60, a no-cost networking and education forum for business owners sponsored by Epiphany Law LLC, 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. at Cambria Suites, 3940 N. Gateway Dr. in Appleton. Event will include a panel of commercial bankers from across the region. Registration is required by contacting Amanda at 920.996.0000 or afredrick@epiphanylaw.com. April 13 Greater Green Bay Chamber Business After Hours, 5 to 6:30 p.m. at Backstage at the Meyer and Breakthrough Fuel, 400 S. Washington St. in Green Bay. For more information, call 920.437.8704 or email members@titletown.org. April 14 Women in Management – Oshkosh Chapter monthly meeting, 11:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. at La Sure’s Banquet Hall, 3125 S. Washburn St. in Oshkosh. For more information or to register, go online to www.wimiwi.org or email Anne at anne@steinertprinting.com. April 19 Fond du Lac Area Association of Commerce Business Connection, 5 to 7 p.m. at Whispering Springs Golf Club, 380 Whispering Springs Dr. in Fond du Lac. For more information or to register, call 920.921.9500 or go online to www.fdlac.com. April 20 Heart of the Valley Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours, 5 to 7 p.m. at BLC Community Bank, 206 E. Main St. in Little Chute. No charge for members. For more information or to register, go online to www.heartofthevalleychamber.com or call 920.766.1616. April 21 A.M. Oshkosh, a morning networking event from the Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce, 7:45 to 9 a.m. at Aegis Financial, 530 N. Koeller St. in Oshkosh. Cost to attend is $2. For more information or to register, call 920.303.2266 or go online to www.oshkoshchamber.com. April 27 Labor Management Council of Northeast Wisconsin Spring Conference, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Liberty Hall, 800 Eisenhower Dr. in Kimberly. Various speakers will address managing stress, wellness programs and labor history. Cost to attend is $99. For more information or to register, go online to lmcouncil.org. April 28 “Code: Debugging the Gender Gap,” a film screening and panel discussion presented by Wisconsin Women in Technology, 4 to 8 p.m. at UW Fox Valley Perry Hall, 1478 Midway Road in Menasha. Documentarian Robin Hauser Reynolds will participate in a panel discussion with local IT leaders. Cost to attend is $25 for members or $35 for non¬members. For more information or to register, go online to witwisconsin.com. May 3 Greater Green Bay Chamber Power Networking Breakfast, 7:30 to 9 a.m. at the chamber offices, 300 N. Broadway, Ste. 3A in Green Bay. No cost to attend for chamber members. For more information, call 920.437.8704 or email members@ titletown.org. may 10 Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce Sales Club, 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. at the chamber building, 120 Jackson St. in Oshkosh. No cost to attend for chamber members. For more information, call 920.303.2266 or go online to www.oshkoshchamber.com. n
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Thank you to the advertisers who made the April 2016 issue of New North B2B possible. Aegis Financial ⎮aegisfinancialplanners.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Alberts & Heling CPAs ⎮alberts-heling-cpas.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Appleton International Airport ⎮atwairport.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Bank First National ⎮bankfirstnational.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Bayland Buildings ⎮baylandbuildings.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Borsche Roofing Professionals ⎮wiroofer.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Candeo Creative ⎮modmadmen.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Cineviz ⎮cineviz.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Consolidated Construction Company ⎮1call2build.com . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 CR Structures Group ⎮crstructures.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Davis & Kuelthau, s.c. ⎮dkattorneys.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Dynamic Designs ⎮dynamicdesignspulaski.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Energy Bank ⎮energybankinc.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 EP Direct ⎮ep-direct.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 First National Bank ~ Fox Valley ⎮fnbfoxvalley.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Fox Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau ⎮FoxCities.org/bringithome . . 9 Fox Communities Credit Union ⎮foxcu.org. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Fox Valley Savings Bank ⎮fvsbank.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Fox Valley Technical College ⎮fvtc.edu/bis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Frontier Builders and Consultants ⎮frontierbuilds.com. . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Guident Business Solutions ⎮guidentbusinesssolutions.com. . . . . . . 38 Horicon Bank ⎮horiconbank.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 James J. Calmes & Sons Inc. ⎮jamesjcalmesconstruction.com. . . . . . 28 J. F. Ahern ⎮jfahern.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Kaldas Center for Fertility, Surgery & Pregnancy, S.C. ⎮ kaldascenter.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Keller Inc. ⎮kellerbuilds.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Lake Winnebago Conference Center ⎮wiscohotels.com. . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Marian University ⎮marianuniversity.edu/apply. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Millennium Construction Inc. ⎮millenniumconstructionwi.com. . . . . . 11 Moraine Park Technical College ⎮morainepark.edu/training. . . . . . . . 47 Network Health ⎮meetnetworkhealth.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 NEW Building & Construction Trades Council ⎮newbt.org. . . . . . . . . . 10 NWTC Corporate Training & Economic Development ⎮ corporatetraining.nwtc.edu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Open Road Harley-Davidson ⎮openroadhd.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Specialists of Green Bay ⎮osmsgb.com.41 Oshkosh Public Museum ⎮oshkoshmuseum.org. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Precision Roofing Services ⎮precisionroofinginc.net. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 SITE Landscape Architecture ⎮SITElandscapearchitecture.com . . . . . 24 St. Norbert College MBA program ⎮snc.edu/go/mbasnc . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Strang, Patteson, Renning, Lewis & Lacy ⎮strangpatteson.com. . . . . 21 Suttner Accounting ⎮suttnercpa.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Thomas James Real Estate ⎮tjrsite.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Verve, a Credit Union ⎮verveacu.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Village of Little Chute⎮littlechutewi.org. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Winnebago County Solid Waste Management ⎮ www.co.winnebago.wi.us/solid-waste/container-rental-program. . 38 NNB2B | April 2016 | 49
Key Statistics local gasoline prices
If there are indicators you’d like to see in this space, contact our office at 920.237.0254 or email sean@newnorthb2b.com.
u.s. retail sales
Per gallon of regular unleaded gasoline.
february
march 20 . . . . . . . . . $1.98 march 13 . . . . . . . . . $1.92 march 6 . . . . . . . . . . $1.80 february 28. . . . . . . $1.72 march 20, 2015 . . . . $2.40
$447.3 billion 0.1% from January 3.1% from February 2015
Source: New North B2B observations
existing home sales
u.s. industrial production
february
(2012 = 100)
homes sold median price brown cty . ....................177 ....................$150,000 Fond du Lac cty ..............56 .................... $103,950 outagamie cty . ............108 ....................$129,250 winnebago cty .............108 ....................$125,450 WI Dept. Revenue Collections
february
106.3
0.5% from January 1.0% from February 2015 air passenger TRAFFIC
january 2016
$1.677 Billion 9.5% from January 2015
(Local enplanements) feb 2016 feb 2015 Appleton Int’l ATW.....................20,970 ...... 19,482 Austin Straubel GRB.....................19,716 ....... 21,370
local unemployment january dec jan ‘15 Appleton ....... 4.4% ...... 3.6% ........4.4% Fond du Lac ... 4.6% ...... 3.9% ....... 5.0% Green Bay........5.1% ...... 4.2% ....... 5.3% Neenah ........... 4.3% ...... 3.5%.........4.6% Oshkosh . ....... 4.6% ...... 3.9% ....... 5.3% Wisconsin ..... 5.2% ...... 4.2% ........5.4%
natural gas prices Prices for small businesses using less than 20,000 therms. Listed price is per therm.
march........................ $0.430 february................... $0.459 march 2015................$0.551 Source: Wisconsin Public Service
ism index Numbers above 50 mean expansion. Numbers below 50 mean contraction. february . . . . . . . . 49.5 january . . . . . . . . . 48.2
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online or on ground in Appleton, Fond du Lac, and West Allis.
• Valuable and relevant. Cohorts featuring
individuals with 10+ years of experience, allowing you to share experiences and implement best practices today.
APPLY TODAY! marianuniversity.edu/apply
Program begins in fall!
45 S. National Ave. l Fond du Lac, WI 54935 l 1-800-2-MARIAN
50 | April 2016 | NNB2B
www.newnorthb2b.com
Thomas Scharpf (920-379-0744) (tjr2216@aol.com) (www.tjrsite.com) INDUSTRIAL - RETAIL - OFFICE - LAND - MULTI FAMILY - SALE LEASEBACKS PLEASE VIEW THE DETAILS ABOUT THESE PROPERTIES @ www.tjrsite.com
FLEXIBLE LEASE TERMS
1871 Stillman Drive, Oshkosh Lease 10,000 SF to 106,800 SF $3.50 PSF NNN Annually 12,000 SF of Finished Office Space 14 Loading Docks
43 E 7th Avenue, Oshkosh Lease 38,184 SF $3.00 PSF NNN Annually 1,335 SF of Office Space Outside Storage Area
ONLY $499,900
200 Tower Road, Winneconne Lease 9,000 SF to 22,200 SF $3.00 PSF NNN Annually 2 Separate Office Areas 2 Loading Docks - 4 Overhead Doors
GREAT BUILDING TO OWNER OCCUPY
GREAT BUILDING TO OWNER OCCUPY
1020 W 20th Avenue, Oshkosh Neighborhood Strip Center 12,075 SF - Purchase Price $1,275,000 Occupy 4,930 SF And Collect Rent On 3 Tenant Spaces Or Lease From 1,200 SF To 4,930 SF $11.00 PSF NNN Annually
2850 Universal Street, Oshkosh 6,370 SF Office Building w/Basement Separate Heated Garage with Bathroom Lease Rate $9.00 PSF NNN Annually Purchase Price $599,900 Make Your Best Offer!!
1110 Midway Road, Menasha Retail Building 7,750 SF - Purchase Price $875,000 Occupy 6,250 SF While Collecting Rent On 1,500 SF Space Purchase Price is 81% of Appraised Price
2380-2390 State Road 44, Oshkosh Easy Access To Hwy 41 Most Expenses Paid By Landlord 140 SF Offices $395 per Month 4 Office Suite $1,395 Per Month The Above Property is Owned By Broker. Broker Does Not Offer Other Broker Participation or Compensation
PLEASE VIEW THE DETAILS ABOUT THESE PROPERTIES @ www.tjrsite.com