INBOUND
marketing Northeast Wisconsin companies find success attracting new audiences through latest marketing trend
Engineering Manufacturing Skill
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Intelligent Business Reporting for the New North
new north b2b August 2013
24
18
Features
28
18 COVER STORY ❘ Inbound Marketing ❘ Regional firms attract new customer audiences with latest marketing trend 23 FIREFIGHTERS PROGRESS REPORT ❘ Our mid-year update from the trenches of our business owner makeover 24 WORKFORCE ❘ Engineering Manufacturing Skill ❘ Collaborative educational program will infuse world-class workforce 28 TRANSPORTATION ❘ “Fleet” Efficiency ❘ Compressed natural gas offers unique advantages to businesses in the region
Departments
4 From the Publisher 5, 32 Professionally Speaking 6 Since We Last Met 10 Build Up Pages 16 Around the Boardroom 34 Who’s News 40 Business Calendar 40 Advertiser Index 41 Guest Commentary 42 Key Statistics
On our Cover
Illustration by New North B2B.
NEW NORTH B2B l AUGUST 2013 l 3
FROM THE PUBLISHER
Harris for governor? Get in the ring
Winnebago Cty. Exec would present unique challenge to Walker’s reelection bid
Sean Fitzgerald New North B2B Publisher 4 l NEW NORTH B2B l AUGUST 2013
When I first heard the buzz in early June that Winnebago County Executive Mark Harris was considering a run for governor of Wisconsin in 2014, I have to admit my ears perked up. Most candidates for a statewide, partisan office came from the Madison or Milwaukee metro areas in recent decades – particularly those who end up winning the election – though Sen. Ron Johnson of Oshkosh bucked that trend in 2010. Similarly, most came from a lengthy career in government and politics, with little to no experience in private industry, another mold broke by Sen. Johnson. Harris fits both of those categories as well. And with an impressive resume of private sector success coupled with a dossier of unselfish, effective and efficient policy management in local government, Harris would make a worthy adversary for Gov. Walker to retain his post. I first met Harris 13 years ago when he worked as a trust officer for a local financial institution while also serving in his first term on the Oshkosh Common Council. Harris and I met to discuss the growing national debt crisis – which at the time was just a third of what stands today – a cause he passionately and thoroughly educates anyone who will listen. During his six years on the city council, and particularly during his one year as mayor, Harris demonstrated an unusual compassion for the constituents he served rarely observed in larger communities in contemporary times. In one instance I’ll never forget, a local government gadfly who attended nearly every city and school board meeting to rail against policy decisions became the subject of community jokes for citizens and other elected officials alike. But not to Harris, who – in recognizing the individual’s advancing dementia – took time out of his schedule to visit this individual’s home and discuss the growing concerns of his behavior at meetings with the man’s wife. In the eight-plus years Harris has served in a fulltime governmental capacity as county executive, he’s gracefully collaborated with represented employees to reduce taxpayer spending on staff benefits to the point where Act 10 had little fiscal impact on Winnebago County when it became law. Forward thinking and always cognizant of the shared responsibilities of federal, state and local units of government, Harris has
proven an effective leader well aware of the challenges in Madison and capable of facing them head on. A certified public accountant with a law degree as well, He understands macroeconomics as well as any fulltime elected official in the state, and his motives have always proved as pure and as genuine as they come. Harris said he expects to make a decision within the next month whether he’ll pursue the Democrat nomination to the governor’s race in late 2014. The rumor mill around the Dairy State has it that leadership for Wisconsin’s Democratic Party would prefer to see no primary and has already anointed Madison area philanthropist Mary Burke, the daughter of the founder of Trek Bicycle. Burke also served a two-year term as secretary of the state Department of Commerce under Gov. Jim Doyle, one of five appointees who held the revolving post during Doyle’s 8-year tenure. During her time in the post, Burke did little to make her mark on economic development in the state, most often reciting the Doyle camp’s Grow Wisconsin script as did Cory Nettles before her and Jack Fischer after. Burke has little recognition outside of Dane County, and she has no record in elected political service, both weaknesses compared to Harris matching up against Walker. In an early June interview on Eye On Wisconsin, Harris acknowledged he feels he would make a good governor, but he went on to say he didn’t know if he’d do as well as a gubernatorial candidate. Can Harris’ soft-mannered approach to working with opposition fare well in a drawn out campaign where faceless, heartless political action committees mechanically spew out attack upon attack? Can his compassionate approach to conflict endure the unforgiving sport of such a high-profile political campaign? Just as Sen. Johnson demonstrated in his firstever political pursuit, it takes an organized team of well experienced, highly qualified political strategists to overcome or avoid such obstacles. While I won’t endorse Harris for governor at this point - we’ll wait to see his platform on improving Wisconsin for tomorow - I’ll admit he’s an attractive choice for state Democrats to select. Mr. Harris, I hope you make the decision to get in the ring.
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PROFESSIONALLY SPEAKING
High Court offers relief to employers by Davis & Kuelthau, s.c.
Tony Renning
920.232.4842
If you have a particular labor/employment law question, forward it to Mr. Renning at info@newnorthb2b.com. If he responds to your email in a future issue, your name and company will be withheld to preserve your privacy.
Reader Question: What standard of proof did the Supreme Court adopt for those asserting retaliation claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964? Tony Renning: On June 24, 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down an important decision regarding the proof required for those asserting retaliation claims under Title VII. In University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center v. Nassar, 570 U.S. (2013), the Court held that individuals asserting Title VII retaliation must prove their protected activity was a “but for” cause of the adverse employment action suffered by the employee rather than simply a “motivating factor.” In other words, a plaintiff bringing a Title VII retaliation claim must demonstrate that he or she would not have suffered an adverse employment action “but for” his or her protected activity. Dr. Naiel Nassar alleged his employer denied him the opportunity to serve as a staff physician in retaliation for his resignation letter (from his faculty position) alleging race discrimination
Sean Fitzgerald
Publisher & President
sean@newnorthb2b.com
Carrie Rule
Sales Manager
carrie@newnorthb2b.com
Kate Erbach Production
Contributing writers
Robin Driessen Bruecker Lee Marie Reinsch Chief Financial Officer
Vicky Fitzgerald, CPA
in the workplace. Specifically, Nassar’s resignation letter cited his supervisor’s continuing harassment and discrimination as the primary reason for his resignation. The Court based its decision on its finding neither the language of Title VII as initially enacted, nor as amended, allowed for anything less than the “but for” test for establishing causation. The Court also rejected the longstanding Equal Employment Opportunity Commission position that an employee should be able to prove unlawful retaliation by demonstrating the alleged retaliatory motive of the employer was simply one motivating factor – out of possibly many other legitimate and lawful factors – for the challenged employment decision. When faced with a Title VII retaliation claim, the employee bears the burden of proving that even if the employee had not engaged in the alleged protected activity (i.e., a prior complaint of discrimination or harassment), the employee would have been subject to the same adverse action. The “but for” causation standard combined with a strong practice
of documenting and recording the legitimate and lawful reasons for taking any adverse employment action against an employee will provide employers with significantly more protection against Title VII retaliation claims. For advice and counsel concerning retaliation claims and, specifically, the defense thereof, contact Tony Renning at (920) 232-4842 or trenning@ dkattorneys.com or any other member of the Davis & Kuelthau Labor and Employment Team. Tony Renning is an attorney in the Oshkosh office of Davis & Kuelthau, s.c. (219 Washington Avenue). Mr. Renning provides counsel to private and public sector employers on a wide variety of labor and employment law matters. This article is intended to provide information only, not legal advice. For advice regarding a particular employment situation, please contact a member of the Davis & Kuelthau, s.c. Labor and Employment Team.
Green Bay
NEW NORTH B2B is published monthly by WINNEBAGO B2B LLC for $20 per year or $3.95 for a single issue. Printed by Digicorporation, 120 Lake St., Neenah, WI 54956. POSTMASTER: send address changes to: WINNEBAGO B2B LLC 923 S. Main St., Oshkosh, WI 54902. Bulk-rate postage paid at Oshkosh, WI. Reproduction of any contents of NEW NORTH B2B without express written permission of its publishers is strictly forbidden. The appearance of any advertisement or product information does not constitute endorsement of any product or service by WINNEBAGO B2B LLC. Copyright 2013.
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Fox Cities
Oshkosh
Fond du Lac NEW NORTH B2B l AUGUST 2013 l 5
SINCE WE LAST MET
Since we last met Since We Last Met is a digest of business related news occurring in the Green Bay, Fox Cities, Oshkosh and Fond du Lac areas in the one month since the previous issue of New North B2B.
June 25 The state Department of Transportation began work on the $17 million interchange project at State Road 29 and County Road FF west of Green Bay in Brown County. The project includes a diamond interchange with a bridge carrying County Road FF traffic over WIS 29, as well as roundabouts at the intersections of Shawano Avenue and Navajo Trail. The project is scheduled for completion in July 2014.
June 26 The City of De Pere received a $129,000 Brownfield Site Assessment Grant from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. for environmental site work and demolition activities on a site at South Broadway and South Wisconsin Street which formerly hosted a gas station and a dry cleaner. The property will be remediated for Midland Commercial Development Corp. to construct a 16,330-sq. ft. Walgreen’s store.
June 26 The City of Oshkosh received a $149,840 Brownfield Site Assessment Grant from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. for environmental site work on a 27-acre parcel along
2003 August 24 – Gov. Jim Doyle’s office eliminated the state Department of Employment Relations in an effort to streamline and downsize state government, cutting 19 positions and saving more than $1 million annually. The duties were transferred to the newly created Office of State Employment relations, which oversees the state civil service system, negotiates state labor contracts, manages labor relations, and leads the affirmative action and equal opportunity employment programs.
2007 August 2 – City of Appleton officials proposed a $2.1 million tax incremental finance district on the city’s southside to include the former Valley Fair shopping mall currently under demolition, Secura Insurance Co. headquarters, Memorial Florists & Greenhouse and a handful of other adjacent properties in the area.
6 l NEW NORTH B2B l AUGUST 2013
the Fox River that formerly housed Morgan Door Company/ Jeld-Wen manufacturing operations until 2009. The site has been acquired by Six Rivers Investment which plans to develop a series of multifamily apartment buildings, retail commercial space and a river walk.
June 26 The Fox-Wisconsin Heritage Parkway received a $125,000 grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to create a habitat restoration plan for 1,200 feet of Fox River shoreline at the Neville Public Museum in Green Bay. The plan will develop and enhance shallow water fish habitat and increase public access to the water when the stretch of river is remediated of PCB-contaminated sediments in 2015.
July 2 Representatives from Michigan-based Edgewater Resources unveiled its $15 million plans to purchase the city-owned Clarion Hotel in downtown Green Bay and replace it with a 16-story riverfront hotel, restaurant and marina. The hotel property – which plays an important role in plans to expand the adjacent KI Convention Center – is also being
2010 August 20 – Oshkosh Corp. laid off an estimated 1,440 employees, nearly 10 percent of its global workforce, in an attempt to reduce costs after recently reporting its first quarterly loss in more than 10 years. There were no reports of how many employees were laid off from its operations in northeast Wisconsin, but union laborers were not part of the layoffs.
2012 August 3 – The Greater Green Bay Lodging Association Board of Directors recommended a 2 point increase in the hotel room tax from 8 to 10 percent to help generate additional funds for the Greater Green Bay Area Convention & Visitors Bureau to market tourism in the area. The measure would generate an additional $800,000 to $1 million in room tax revenue each year. City of Green Bay officials would like to have half of any potential room tax increase go toward the proposed $18 million expansion of the KI Convention Center in downtown Green Bay.
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SINCE WE LAST MET sought by American Hospitality Management Inc., the current operations manager for the hotel, which offered $2.7 million to purchase the property and promised to invest an additional $4 million in upgrades.
July 2 The U.S. Treasury announced it’s delaying implementation of the provision of the Affordable Care Act requiring employers to provide health insurance for workers or pay a penalty from the end of 2014 until the end of 2015. The federal agency said it recognized employers across the country would not be prepared to meet the mandates of the new health care law by next year, believing the additional year will allow federal administrators to consider how to simplify employer requirements and enable more time to ensure the law could be implemented smoothly.
July 2 The Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. approved HuTerra LLC of De Pere as eligible to receive early stage tax credits through the state’s Qualified New Business Venture tax credit program, which allows investors in the charitable social network eligible for a 25 percent tax credit on the amount they invest in the business. WEDC also approved a $150,000 Technology Development Fund Loan to Shamrock Energy Corp. of Neenah, a developer of ultracapacitor technology.
July 2 The Wisconsin Department of Transportation awarded $925,341 in Lift Bridge Aids to the City of Green Bay for the Main Street Bridge downtown Green Bay. The grant reimburses the city for costs associated with maintaining and operating the lift bridge which makes up a segment of State Road 29.
July 2 Neenah-based Plexus Corp. laid off 35 employees, indicating it’s the result of the normal course of business at the contract electronics manufacturer. The company had recently come to the end of a long-standing production agreement with its largest customer, Juniper Networks.
July 3 Experimental Aircraft Association in Oshkosh filed a petition with the U.S. Court of Appeals in Chicago asking it to review the Federal Aviation Administration requirement that it pay $447,000 to support air traffic control services during its 2013 AirVenture convention at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh. The charges were imposed for the first time ever this past May following the federal government sequestration earlier this past spring, in which the FAA removed air traffic control services from the tower at Wittman Airport. The petition asks the court to block the FAA requirement seeking payment and to return those payments EAA has already made to the federal agency.
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Since 1960, Keller has seen a lot of changes in the building industry. Buildings have become much more complex and are built at warp speed. But some things never change... our commitment to craftsmanship, our outstanding warranty and service, and our promise to do the right thing. This will always be the Keller way!
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1.800.236.2534 l www.kellerbuilds.com NEW NORTH B2B l AUGUST 2013 l 7
SINCE WE LAST MET July 3 The U.S. Department of Agriculture designated Brown, Calumet, Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Outagamie and 19 other Wisconsin counties as natural disaster areas due to the excessive rain and snow during the first five months of 2013, as well as the thawing and refreezing cycles that occurred, which resulted in crop losses ranging from 30 to 70 percent. The designation will allow farmers in the designated disaster area to apply for emergency relief in the form of various grant and low-interest loan programs.
July 5 The U.S. Department of Labor reported 195,000 new jobs were created in June, leaving the national unemployment rate relatively unchanged at 7.6 percent. Employment increased in leisure and hospitality, professional and business services, retail trade, health care and financial activities.
July 5 Gov. Scott Walker signed Senate Bill 200 into law which expects to help save $11.5 million in the unemployment insurance reserve fund annually. The new law requires various state departments to revoke or deny licenses or certificates for individuals who are delinquent with unemployment insurance contributions, with the intention of reducing fraud and waste and providing more clarity for employers.
July 9 The University of Wisconsin Oshkosh and private part-
ners Milk Source of Kaukauna and BioFerm Energy Systems broke ground on the construction of a more than 2-megawatt biodigester at Rosendale Dairy in Fond du Lac County, the state’s largest dairy farm with about 9,000 cows. The energy facility – which uses methane from livestock waste to produce electricity – will serve as a learning laboratory for UW Oshkosh students as well as a public education center. The facility is expected to be complete and operational by the end of 2013.
July 10 The state Department of Transportation awarded a $2,285,957 harbor improvement grant to Noble Petro in Green Bay to improve barge dock facilities for shipment of petroleum products at the Port of Green Bay.
July 10 The state Department of Transportation approved a $1,050,638 design project at Austin Straubel International Airport in Green Bay to create a permanent terminal building for security personnel to clear passengers arriving from international destinations. The state will contribute $278,845 toward the cost of the design project, while Brown County will provide the remaining $771,793.
July 16 The Board of Commissioners of Public Lands approved a $2,644,100 State Trust Fund Loan to the City of Oshkosh to help finance the development of a new aviation business park immediately adjacent to Wittman Airport. Income generated by State Trust Fund Loans provides all of the state’s financial aid to public elementary, middle and high school libraries across the state.
July 17 Family Owned Commercial Cleaning and Building Maintenance Provider
Construction work began to replace the County Highway G overpass of U.S. Highway 41 south of Neenah in Winnebago County. The project will cause various single lane closures of U.S. 41 and will close the County G overpass until construction is complete in October.
July 18
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920.427.1202 www.cijanitorial.com 8 l NEW NORTH B2B l AUGUST 2013
Wisconsin’s new venture capital fund was signed into law, with the state allocating $25 million for a “fund of funds” to invest in multiple venture capital funds investing in Wisconsin-based, early-stage, high-growth firms along with private investment dollars. While the fund can generate income for itself through dividends and sale of corporate stock, the ultimate purpose of the new fund is to grow the number of private sector jobs in the state. The new venture capital funding program is based upon a model proven successful in several other states across the country.
July 22 Construction began on a $4.2 million project to improve 10 miles of State Road 96 between U.S. Highway 45 and State Road 76 in Outagamie County. The project includes repairing concrete pavement joints in Medina and Dale and overlaying asphalt on the entire length. The project is expected to be complete by November 1. www.newnorthb2b.com
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NEW NORTH B2B l AUGUST 2013 l 9
BUILD UP FOND DU LAC 1&2
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Build Up Fond du Lac
Project completion expected in August.
1 - 700 Stanton St., Ripon, Alliance Laundry, a 20,000-
4
sq. ft. addition for assembly, metal stamping and a press shop. Project completion expected in late summer.
2
- 790 Eastgate Dr., Ripon, Ripon Medical Center, a 120,000-sq. ft. hospital and medical office building. Project completion expected in early 2014.
3
- 121 N. Pioneer Road, Fond du Lac, Buffalo Wild Wings, an addition to and remodel of the previous restaurant.
- 51 Sheboygan St., Fond du Lac, Windhover Center for the Arts, a 17,700-sq. ft. addition to include additional classrooms and a new gallery. Project completion expected in September.
5 - 71 W. 9th St., Fond du Lac, Fruth Field - Fond du Lac School District, a new ticket center and a concessions and retail building at the existing athletic complex. Project completion expected in late August.
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...and more
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BUILD UP OSHKOSH 10 11
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C - Indicates a new listing
Build Up Oshkosh
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- 545 & 600 W. Pioneer Road, Fond du Lac, Mercury Marine, an addition to the product development and engineering facility and separate additions to its manufacturing and fabrication plants. Project completion expected in late 2013.
10 - 2017 Jackson St., Oshkosh, Family Dollar, a new retail store. 11 - 112 Viola St., Oshkosh, Oaklawn Elementary School, a two-story, 68,000-sq. ft. school building. Project completion expected in August.
7 - 123 E. Larsen Dr., Fond du Lac, McNeilus Steel, a 96,000-sq. ft. industrial coil processing plant. completion expected in August. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna. 8
12 - 625 Pearl Ave., Oshkosh, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Alumni Welcome and Conference Center, a twostory, 40,000-sq. ft. welcome center and meeting facility. Project completion expected in December.
9 - 20 Wisconsin-American Dr., Fond du Lac,
13 - 1736 W. 9th Ave., Oshkosh, CVS Pharmacy, a new retail pharmacy building.
- Fox Ridge Drive, Fond du Lac, Con-way Freight, a 47,000-sq. ft. freight service center. Project completion expected in March 2014.
Immanuel Trinity Lutheran Church, an addition to the sanctuary of the existing church building.
Projects completed since our July issue: None.
Coming to B2B in September Green Construction
Innovative facility improvements to achieve sustainability goals
NEW NORTH B2B l AUGUST 2013 l 11
BUILD UP FOX CITIES Build Up Fox Cities The Build Up department of New North B2B includes a monthly two-page spread identifying significant commercial and industrial construction projects ongoing in the Fox Cities area. C - Indicates a new listing
1 - W6390 Challenger Dr., town of Greenville, Outagamie County Regional Airport, an 8,000-sq. ft. general aviation terminal building and a separate 12,000-sq. ft. hangar for general aviation. Project completion expected in August. 2
- W6400 County Road BB, town of Greenville, Fox Valley Technical College Public Safety Training Center, a 93,000sq. ft. training facility for fire protection and law enforcement personnel. Project completion expected in December 2014.
3 - 1900 Prospect Ct., town of Grand Chute, C WaterRight, a two-story, 33,044-sq. ft. addition to and alterations of the existing industrial facility. 4 - 1825 N. Bluemound Dr., town of Grand Chute, Fox Valley Technical College Transportation Center, a 43,486-sq. ft. addition to the existing transportation education center. 5 - 1825 N. Bluemound Dr., town of Grand Chute,
Fox Valley Technical College Health Simulation and Technology Center, a three-story, 60,572-sq. ft. health care and emergency medical services education and training facility. Project completion expected in August.
6 - 1825 N. Bluemound Dr., town of Grand Chute, Fox Valley Technical College Student Success Center, a two-story, 96,750-sq. ft. academic building. Project completion expected in fall 2014.
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- N2749 French Road, Freedom, C St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church & School, a 34,655-sq. ft. addition to the existing church and school for new classrooms, kitchen, cafeteria and offices. Project completion expected in early 2014. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna.
13 - 2929 W. Evergreen Dr., Little Chute, Eagle Plastics, a 40,750-sq. ft. manufacturing facility. Project completion expected in October. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna.
14 - 340 Patriot Dr., Little Chute,
Green Stone Farm Credit Services, a two-story, 21,000-sq. ft. office building.
15 - 1101 Moasis Dr., Little Chute,
Victor Allen’s Coffee, an addition of office and warehousing space to the existing distribution facility. Project completion expected in late September. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna.
16 - 2600 E. Philip Lane, Appleton, C Fox Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, an addition to the existing church building. 17 - 1506 S. Oneida St., Appleton, St. Elizabeth Hospital, a five-story, 90-bed patient tower, as well as renovations to the cancer center and behavioral health.
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7 - 1825 N. Bluemound Dr., town of Grand Chute,
- 550 S. Green Bay Road, Neenah, First National Bank Fox Valley, an 8,000-sq. ft. addition to the existing financial institution. Project completion expected in the fall.
8 - 1025 W. Navitus Dr., town of Grand Chute,
19 - 601 S. Commercial St., Neenah, C Galloway Company, a 29,077-sq. ft. addition to the existing dairy processing facility.
Fox Valley Technical College Agricultural Building, a 7,659-sq. ft. addition to the existing academic building.
Navitus Health Solutions, a three-story, 68,600-sq. ft. new office building. Project completion expected in September.
9
- 421 W. Northland Ave., Appleton, Dollar Tree, a 12,350-sq. ft. multi-tenant retail center with two additional tenant spaces for lease. Project completion expected in August. General contractor is James J. Calmes Construction Co. of Kaukauna.
10
- 1910 E. Capitol Dr., Appleton, Grand Central Station, an 8,970-sq. ft. convenience store and fuel station. General contractor is Bayland Buildings of Green Bay.
20 - 2255 Brooks Ave., Neenah, C Promo Edge Company, a 25,585-sq. ft. addition to the existing industrial facility. General contractor is Bayland Buildings Inc. of Green Bay. 21 - 2444 Schultz Dr., Neenah, Plexus Corp., a 473,369sq. ft. manufacturing facility. Project completion expected in late fall. Projects completed since our July issue: • Pizza Ranch, N139 Eisenhower Dr., town of Buchanan.
11 - 2120 E. Edgewood Dr., Appleton, C Kwik Trip, a 9,821-sq. ft. convenience store, fuel station canopy and a 2,790-sq. ft. car wash.
12 l NEW NORTH B2B l AUGUST 2013
www.newnorthb2b.com
BUILD UP FOX CITIES 11 & 12 8
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NEW NORTH B2B l AUGUST 2013 l 13
BUILD UP GREEN BAY Build Up Green Bay The Build Up department of New North B2B includes a monthly two-page spread identifying significant commercial and industrial construction projects ongoing in the Green Bay area. C - Indicates a new listing
1 - 2380 Dousman St., Howard, C Nicolet National Bank, an addition and alterations to the existing bank building.
2 - 2641 Packerland Dr., Howard, C
Green Bay Converting, a new industrial facility.
3 - 2522 W. Mason St., Green Bay, Oneida Mason Street Casino, an 8,000-sq. ft. expansion of the existing facility to accommodate an on-site restaurant. Project completion expected in May 2014. 4 - 400 N. Washington St., Green Bay,
Schreiber Foods Inc., a five-story, 250,000sq. ft. corporate headquarters building. Project completion expected in early 2014.
5
- 3050 Walker Dr., Green Bay, AK Pizza Crust, a 48,036-sq. ft. addition to the existing manufacturing facility. Project completion expected in the fall. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna.
6 - 955 Challenger Dr., Green Bay, EuroPharma, an 11,700-sq. ft. addition to the existing packaging and warehouse facility. Project completion expected in late fall. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna. 7 - 2357 Costco Way, Bellevue, Costco Wholesale, a 150,000-sq. ft. retail store, including a separate tire center and fuel station. 8 - 2351 Holmgren Way, Ashwaubenon,
Gordmans, a 50,320-sq. ft. department
store.
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- 2441 Holmgren Way, Ashwaubenon, Amish Home Gallery, a 12,000-sq. ft. retail building. Project completion expected in September. General contractor is Bayland Buildings of Green Bay.
10
- 2020 Airport Dr., Ashwaubenon, Oneida Main Casino, an expansion and renovation of the existing casino to accommodate another on-site restaurant and additional gaming. Project completion expected in April 2014.
11
- 100 Grant St., De Pere, St. Norbert College Gehl-Mulva Science Center, a 150,000-sq. ft. education and research facility which will jointly house the Medical College of Wisconsin’s Green Bay campus. Project completion expected in spring 2015.
12 - 875 Lawrence Dr., De Pere, C Cummins Fire Power, a 39,875-sq. ft. addition to the existing warehouse facility. Project completion expected in September. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna. 13 -
2121 Innovation Ct., De Pere, Foth & Van Dyke LLC, a 95,000-sq. ft. office building. Project completion expected in fall.
14 - 2400 Shady Ct., town of Lawrence, Town of Lawrence, a 7,100-sq. ft. town hall and municipal office building. Project completion expected in October. 15 - 2121 American Blvd., De Pere, VHC, a 3,931-sq. ft. addition to the existing warehousing facility.
14 l NEW NORTH B2B l AUGUST 2013
www.newnorthb2b.com
BUILD UP GREEN BAY
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16 - 2249 American Blvd., De Pere, Infinity Machine, a 39,060-sq. ft. addition to the existing industrial facility.
20 - 1881 Chicago St., De Pere, C Aurora Health Center, an addition to the existing medical clinic.
17 - 2275 American Blvd., De Pere, Green Bay Packaging, Folding Carton Division, an addition to the manufacturing facility.
Projects completed since our July issue: • BioLife Plasma Service, 900 Isbell St., Green Bay. • Cabela’s, 1499 Lombardi Ave., Green Bay. • Lambeau Field / Green Bay Packers, 922 Stadium Dr., Ashwaubenon. • Krist Oil Co., 2535 Babcock Road, Ashwaubenon.
18 - 1751 Matthew Dr., De Pere, Fox River Fiber, a 2,880sq. ft. addition to the existing industrial facility. 19 - 600 Heritage Road, De Pere, Belmark, an 18,803-sq. ft. addition to the existing industrial facility.
NEW NORTH B2B l AUGUST 2013 l 15
AROUND THE BOARDROOM
3.2
Title: Sales Shift: How inbound marketing has turned sales upside down making it more difficult and more lucrative at the same time Author: Frank Belzer Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (2013) Pages: 200 List Price: $16.99 Why Buy: What do buyers no longer need from sales people? What do all buyers want from sales people? How can sales people help without being pushy? Why should a sales strategy harmonize with an inbound marketing strategy and how do you do that? Frank has been sharing these thoughts at conferences, as part of his trainings and workshops and now the best of these suggestions are compiled in Sales Shift. If your company is looking to stay ahead and compete in this new world of selling - this is a great read and a must have for any business Library. Great tips and Great questions, well answered in Sales Shift.
The percent increase in the value of all goods and services produced in the state in 2012. Wisconsin’s growth was below average in 2012 but ranked in the middle of all states. Source: Wisconsin’s Taxpayers Alliance
Better Business Bureau New Members
Businesses accredited through the Northeast Wisconsin office during June 2013 AC Asphalt Specialists, Seymour American Mortgage and Equity Consultants, De Pere Auto Parts Express, Appleton CR Structures Group, Menasha Door County Custom Homes, Ellison Bay Expert Automotive Services, Oshkosh Hands on Enterprises, Ripon Horseless Carriage, Wautoma JSM Property Consultants, North Fond Du Lac
16 l NEW NORTH B2B l AUGUST 2013
Kosir’s Rapid Rafts, Athelstane Lakeshore Paintworks, Valders Maple Valley Heating & Cooling, Saint Cloud Mid-State Asphalt, New London Mighty Auto Sales and Service, Neenah South Bay Marina, Green Bay Steve’s Carpentry, Sheboygan Timberline Landscapes, Green Bay
www.newnorthb2b.com
AROUND THE BOARDROOM
Who wisely purchased BodyGuardz® device protection for his iPad before reviewing marketing communications that make coffee shoot out of his nose, causing him to crush their creators to dust under the full weight of his Birkenstocks.
Creative critic lost at sea! Regrettably, Mr. Stronglove was killed almost instantly when his tiki-style single-pontoon boat was struck by a rogue wave just off Easter Island. Beachcombers watched in horror as a powerful undertow swept him farther into deep waters where he was quickly devoured by sharks.
He is survived by his mother, Hilda Stronglove (ni Bang); Doo, his metrosexual capuchin monkey; a hi-fi Crap-OMatic® filtration system; a half-bottle of Gentleman Jack; and three Gurka Legend cigars. Originally, the concept behind this column was to offer instructive and constructive criticism for creative work by businesses near the 41 corridor from Fond du Lac to Green Bay. It’s helpful to learn from both the work of others – but it’s also difficult to “put yourself out there.” Seriously, I’ve shared what I’ve learned in 65 columns over 5.5 years – mostly the basic tenets of guiding or producing breakthrough B2B marketing communications. The rest is up to you. Behind the façade of Mr. Stronglove is an advertising professional wielding strategic and conceptual stealth in all forms of media (except book jackets). Happy trails…
Editor’s note: The staff at New North B2B is truly saddened to come to the end of the chapter in our publication that has been Pierce Stronglove. The writer behind Mr. Stronglove approached me in early 2007 with the intention of offering businesses in northeast Wisconsin genuine, honest feedback to the marketing communications they were creating. This writer wasn’t looking for an avenue to promote his own writing services to other businesses and organizations in
the region. He hoped to create a more intelligent marketing climate here in northeast Wisconsin. In my 17-year journalism career, I’ve never otherwise allowed any bit of editorial content to be published anonymously, though I couldn’t help but to take the writer behind Mr. Stronglove up on his generous offer to improve our readers’ experience with B2B. We’ve received numerous comments from readers during the past six years in regard to Mr. Stronglove’s clever wit and often
condescending style, and readers appreciated the parody of the cosmopolitan, haughty Big City ad agency juxtaposed against the more down-to-earth sensibility of northeast Wisconsin. We hope the lessons he’s provided have educated readers, and we hope the manner of his message provided some entertainment along the way. Mother Stronglove, Doo and Pierce - you’ll all be missed. We raise a snifter of Gentleman Jack to you. Adieu!
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COVER STORY
INBOUND
marketing Northeast Wisconsin companies find success attracting new audiences through latest marketing trend
Story by Sean Fitzgerald, New North B2B publisher
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www.newnorthb2b.com
COVER STORY One of Appleton-based Weidert Group’s most recent success stories comes from a specialty manufacturer in Pennsylvania whose estimators are busy preparing bids on proposal requests it didn’t even seek. The manufacturer is literally attracting these job contracts. What’s more, said Weidert president Greg Linnemanstons, is that neither he or any of his colleagues from the Weidert staff have ever met face to face with this promising client. Sounds like a far stretch from the time when businesses would cast out a wide net to promote their product or service, wait a few weeks, and then reel in the net to determine how many fish were caught. Welcome to the world of inbound marketing, a distinct change in paradigm from the longstanding pedagogy of traditional marketing in which one passively pursues an intended audience of clients and hopes such pursuit will ultimately result in a sale. Inbound marketing is about actively attracting an audience of potential customers that wants your products and services by freely sharing information they crave. It’s not about driving traffic to your website, at least not in the sense of driving a herd of cattle to market. Mention the phrase “driving traffic” to Linnemanstons during a discussion of inbound marketing and he’s likely to pause the conversation temporarily for clarification. “You don’t drive traffic anywhere on a web site. You attract it,” said Linnemanstons, who speaks to audiences of marketers across northeast Wisconsin and beyond extolling the virtues of this contemporary age of attracting audiences of would-be clients. His firm, Weidert Group, became students of inbound marketing – first learning to use it to attract clients to its marketing agency, then using its evolving practice to help its clients achieve similar results in attracting new business. “I had an epiphany that this is the direction that marketing is heading,” he noted. What’s fueling the trend toward inbound marketing? Consumer behaviors have changed to the point in which most major buying decisions – whether business or personal – will at one point involve a search on the Internet to research that purchase and often seek out reviews from others. Such a search could turn up a passing comment on Twitter, a more carefully thought out perspective from an individual writing on a blog, or information directly from the web site for the provider of the purchase under consideration. Google itself recognizes this trend, and is continually modifying its search parameters to genuinely help those researching
a topic. That means Google is measuring interactions through social media, rewarding authentic content with higher rankings, and penalizing those who attempt to disingenuously circumvent its search algorithms. As a result, optimizing your web site to show up in searches is critical for inbound marketing to demonstrate success. “You better show up on a search, or you’ve put a wall up around yourself, and you’re missing most of the traffic (that should be going to your web site),” Linnemanstons said.
Inbound marketing is about actively attracting an audience of potential customers that wants your products and services by freely sharing information they crave.
Getting started
Inbound marketing involves lots of moving parts – not always moving in the same direction – so coordination of efforts might feel a bit tricky. Don’t fret, though. Assembling and executing an inbound marketing strategy takes time and needs to evolve as your business is able to expend marketing resources. “The analogy we use for inbound marketing is that it’s like becoming physically fit,” Linnemanstons said, noting one has to balance eating right, improving exercise, cutting back on bad habits – all modestly at first – before meaningful results can eventually be demonstrated. The key to attracting interest in one’s web site – and ultimately in your company’s product or service – is generating original, authentic content with regular frequency. Linnemanstons said clients often aren’t sure what they’d write about in a blog post, or worry that they’d have to invent a topic simply to develop content. It’s not that tough, regardless of whether you’re selling the hottest new lawn and gardening tool or selling a product as seemingly esoteric as parts for the quill housing assembly on a millworking machine. Just write blog posts answering the common questions customers ask when your firm’s sales representatives are out calling on clients. The well-thought-out responses to those inquiries are precisely the kind of content that will attract the audience of customers you want. Be open and be honest with the content you share, Linnemanstons said. He said too many people worry about revealing “industry secrets” they believe they found which might
4 attractions for inbound marketing
Blogging – Inbound marketing starts off with blogging and is the best method to attract visitors to your web site. Social media – Share your unique and valuable content to the masses through channels that
allow you to define your targeted audience and engage them to seek you out. Keywords – Since many of your customers will include online search as some part of the buying process, ensure your web site is
optimized to allow search engines to track down the words you use to answer their questions. Web pages – Optimize your site to appeal to your ideal buyers and help them find the information they seek with ease.
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COVER STORY
help competitors improve their standing. “People worried about giving away proprietary information in this day and age are looking the wrong direction,” he noted. Social media tools such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter – the predominant platforms on the web, though others can be just as effective for certain audiences – serve as the avenue for sharing and delivering content to your targeted audience on the Web. Once an intended audience visits a blog or visits your site, they become a potential lead – they’re attracted to the content you’re willing to share, and chances are, they want more. Offering some call to action, whether it’s a download, an opportunity to receive regular updates through email, or another promotion allows you to collect ever-valuable contact information for these qualified sales leads, Linnemanstons noted. From that point, converting the leads to actual sales can take any number of forms, including more traditional outreach by phone or a visit in person. Remember, these aren’t cold calls – these prospects have already demonstrated a high degree of interest in the content you’ve provided online, and likely in the product or service you provide as well.
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Ministering to those lacking faith
Before MariBeth Theusch and her husband, Kim, opened Butcher Block Meats & Cheese in Oshkosh last November, friends and confidants had advised them both on offering virtual sneak previews of their boutique butcher shop through its web site using social media. MariBeth, an accountant by trade, and Kim – an engineer – were making their entrepreneurial debut and didn’t have theoretical or practical experience in marketing. Both were skeptical of the effectiveness of social media – particularly among a younger audience that doesn’t remember anything other than the meat counter in a supermarket. “We were dragged in (to social media) kicking and screaming,” Theusch admitted. “We don’t do Facebook and Twitter ourselves.” But their business would appear on both. Through the suggestion of a trusted marketing partner, Butcher Block began working with Oshkosh-based Candeo Creative in August a year ago to develop a social media strategy which would attract carnivores to the butcher shop’s web site. The team at Candeo set a series of goals for web site visits, “likes” and “shares”
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COVER STORY from Facebook, and other measurements to determine the effectiveness of the inbound marketing strategy after one year of implementing it fully. Theusch’s husband, Kim – doubtful that the firm could achieve such lofty results – bet Candeo owner Zack Pawlosky a box of steaks they wouldn’t achieve the targets for online visibility they set forth last fall. “They met (the reporting goals) and exceeded them at the six-month mark as opposed to the one-year mark,” said Theusch. “My husband owes them a box of steaks.” Despite the heavier-than-anticipated volume of visitors to its web site, Theusch acknowledged such virtual success hasn’t exactly translated into crowds breaking down the doors to the shop and cleaning out the meat and cheese counter by the end of each day, at least to the end that it’s been able to be measured. Though the store has only been open nine months at this point, Theusch said word-of-mouth promotion of Butcher Block Meats & Cheese has provided the most encouragement to its first-time customers to set foot in the store, though she recognizes social media has compelled much of the success of word-of-mouth promotion.
Raising standards for performance
At first glance, it might appear an insurance carrier selling property and casualty coverage to businesses and organizations exclusively through a channel of independents agents has no place in the social media sphere. In some respects, that misplaced notion created the opportunity for Appleton-based Integrity Insurance to set itself apart from its competitors. “For us, our goal is always to raise the bar on what our agents can expect from us in terms of marketing,” said Tim McAdow, director of sales, marketing and communications for Integrity. “Inbound was a way to raise the bar. At the end of the day, it’s about helping our agents generate leads.” Developing content isn’t new to Integrity, McAdow said. Content answering the questions agents and policyholders might ask has long been available on brochures, web pages and other marketing material. Attracting customers through inbound meant getting started by retooling that information for delivery on social media platforms. Late last summer, the executive team at Integrity decided to make the necessary investment on inbound marketing, calling upon Weidert Group to guide its team members on executing an effective strategy, and ultimately, to train its network of independent agents to attract new policyholders through inbound tactics. The goals of the strategy are relatively simple: educate agents and policyholders; increase brand awareness; convert web visitors into leads; and lastly, to convert prospects into actual clients. Integrity Insurance does use Facebook and Twitter to push its informational content out onto the Web, but LinkedIn has been the primary social media platform to reach its intended audience of business owners and managers, McAdow said. Within the past four months since the insurance carrier’s inbound marketing strategy has been fully implemented, McAdow said Integrity has grown its online following by about 60 percent, and substantially surpassed initial expectations for lead conversion.
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COVER STORY
“We actually exceeded by three times the number of people we planned to convert into leads,” McAdow said. But McAdow noted it’s been critical that Integrity Insurance clearly think about its return on marketing investment – its ROMI, he referred to it in short. The web traffic data Integrity Insurance receives through its integrated HubSpot software allows it a broad array of tracking mechanisms and provides a regularly updated dashboard of activity to help identify trends. “We want to make sure we make marketing investments that make sense for our agency partners,” McAdow said.
Help from technology
Inbound marketing provides a heap of feedback on what’s working and with whom it’s working. As a result, obtaining, reviewing and responding to data collected from web traffic related to content shared online is critical to the success of an inbound strategy, and resources must be delegated to data collection and review. Most firms aren’t ready or able to dedicate an entire staff member or more toward such a task, but fortunately technology-based solutions make the task much more manageable for a price.
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We actually exceeded by three times the number of people we planned to convert into leads.
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Tim McAdow, director of sales, marketing and communications, Integrity Insurance Weidert Group began using HubSpot a few years ago before jumping in with both feet as a certified partner for the all-inone inbound marketing software. Its sophisticated capabilities allow users to define any and all aspects of web traffic they’d prefer to track, noted Linnemanstons. A performance scorecard can easily be assembled to offer daily updated metrics on web traffic patterns to a user’s site. Marketing – like any critical strategic decision made in operating a business – performs most effectively when executed with up-to-date, accurate information. “It’s having ready access to good analytics that allows us all to make better decisions,” Linnemanstons said.
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FIREFIGHTERS PROGRESS REPORT
Firefighters of Northeast Wisconsin New North B2B kicked off its 3rd annual Firefighters of Northeast Wisconsin initiative in April 2013, aimed at assisting those northeast Wisconsin small business owners who feel as if they’re constantly burning the candle at both ends, putting out fires, spinning their wheels, but intent on finding a way to improve. We put out a call for nominations back in January. In the end, our staff selected two area businesses for this endeavor: Cake Anatomy LLC of Kaukauna and RentSmartRewards of Green Bay. Guident Business Solutions LLC www.guidentbusinesssolutions.com
Through the generous help of Steve Van Remortel of Green Bay-based SM Advisors and Gary Vaughan of Guident Business Solutions in Appleton, the two dedicated-to-improve businesses are receiving five month’s worth of consulting at no cost to help their owners work on the strategy of growing their business rather than regularly attending to problems. B2B is providing a monthly update on the progress of their efforts in each issue leading up to a capstone article in the September 2013 issue of New North B2B magazine.
On the Web
SM Advisors www.smadvisors.com
Story by Sean Fitzgerald, New North B2B publisher Heading into August we’re more than halfway through our 3rd annual Firefighters of Northeast Wisconsin program, where two of the region’s leading small business strategists have donated nearly six months of expertise to help a pair of earlystage companies make that jump to the second level of development. Owners of both businesses admit to learning quite a bit at this point, and both are making changes within their organization to better position their business for the growth each are planning. For Green Bay-based RentSmartRewards and its owner, Jo Edwards, the challenges of growing the 2-year-old rental housing referral firm to attract more properties has been helped with the expertise of Steve Van Remortel from SM Advisors in Green Bay and his proprietary Stop Selling Vanilla Ice Cream process. The focus of the process – as well as Van Remortel’s training presentation and book by the same name – is on competitive differentiation and effective talent management. Edwards Edwards has been working to develop new marketing material, and as a result of her conversations with Van Remortel, they’ve developed the new tag line “We’re Different. We Match.” The clever use of opposing characteristics highlights the differentiating factor Edwards intends for RentSmartRewards – that it does a more thorough job than any other resource of matching a renter with a home Van Remortel they like and can afford. “This is something Steve and I have been trying to hammer down,” Edwards said. “Again, sets us apart.” As the sole employee of RentSmartRewards for much of the two years the company has been active, Edwards recently
added a business development associate, and she’s looking to hire additional staff down the road. Edwards is also working to update the website and the database powering the site to produce better matches, as well as letting site visitors know the percent of a match that a property would be to the ideal property for a potential renter. In our other Firefighters saga, Dawn Bybee of Kaukaunabased Cake Anatomy has been working alongside Gary Vaughan and his team from Guident Business Solutions of Appleton on the small bakery’s strategic plan, both for the short term in the next 12 months, as well as longer 3-year strategy. “There is a different way of thinking when you are an employee/manager and a business owner,” Vaughan said. “Some small business owners may struggle with a dual Bybee role that includes both manager and owner. Putting our minds in a place where we begin to think strategically rather than operationally is important.” The plan, according to Vaughan, is ultimately to settle on a vision of where Bybee would like her business to be in the next three years. “Once we know where we are going we can work backwards from that point to beVaughan gin creating milestones for the business to accomplish in order to reach its strategic goals,” Vaughan said. “Dawn and I are in the process of reviewing the strategic focus of her business, working on measureable goals, and establishing a realistic timeframe for the entire process.” It’s a process Vaughan is recommending Bybee include her husband and daughter, since they’re stakeholders in the success of the family business as well.
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WORKFORCE
Engineering new manufacturing employees
Unique collaborative educational program aims to continue world-class manufacturing workforce
Story by Robin Driessen Bruecker
24 l NEW NORTH B2B l AUGUST 2013
When the Northeast Wisconsin Manufacturing Alliance revealed in its latest Vitality Index that one out of every three of the region’s manufacturers planned to add workers during each quarter of 2013, it provided a bit of fire power to a program that had been in the works since 2010. Following a survey that year showing 48 percent of New North firms would continue with capital expansion and modernization due to job growth in mechanical, electrical and environmental engineering technology, the NEW Manufacturing Alliance joined forces along with the member institutions of the Northeast Wisconsin Educational Resource Alliance – or NEW ERA, for short – to develop new degree programs to meet this regional, and nationwide, industry demand for more science, technology, engineering and math graduates who can help keep companies current and competitive. “In the same survey, 15 of the companies recommended that their existing employees complete a baccalaureate in engineering technology degree,” noted NEW ERA Executive Director Linda Bartelt. “These findings demonstrate the commitment employers have to advancing the skills and knowledge of their workforce.”
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WORKFORCE Creating a solution
At a meeting this past July of the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents, official approval was granted for a new Leadership in Engineering Technology program, which consists of bachelor of science degrees in electrical engineering technology, mechanical engineering technology and environmental engineering technology. The highest demand in the New North has been for professionals who hold a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering technology. What is engineering technology? It’s not exactly the same as being an engineer. There are both similarities and differences between engineering and engineering technology, explained Mark Weber, dean of trades and engineering technologies at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College in Green Bay. “While they have similar skills and similar education and earn similar salaries and job titles, engineers are more theoretically based and engineering technologists are more applied,” Weber noted. According to the National Society of Professional Engineers, engineers typically focus on planning while technologists focus on implementing plans. Engineers focus more on conducting calculations to create technology to solve problems while engineering technologists focus on applying technology to solve problems. The aforementioned NEW Manufacturing Alliance survey also noted graduates of engineering technology baccalaureate programs are well-equipped for the evolving high-tech needs of the manufacturing industry including robotics, automation, programmable logic controls, power engineering, instrumentation, lean manufacturing and Six Sigma. The survey also found the New North contains major employers within the industries that commonly use engineering technologists, such as aerospace, biotechnology, defense, energy, water and wastewater. With its strong history in agribusiness, the region also has new opportunities in biofuels.
A unique delivery
Scott Furlong, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, noted these new degree programs are the first four-year engineering technology programs available in the New North. Before now, only associate degrees were available and students who wished to pursue a bachelor’s degree had to leave the region. There is a four-year engineering degree program through UW-Platteville which can be taken entirely through UW-Fox in Menasha, but it doesn’t focus on engineering technology. Through this unique, new collaborative program, students can pursue their coursework through any of the NEW ERA participating schools: UW-Green Bay, UW-Oshkosh, UW-Fond du Lac, UW-Fox Valley in Menasha, UW-Manitowoc, UWMarinette and UW-Sheboygan; Fox Valley, Lakeshore, Moraine Park and Northeast Wisconsin technical colleges; and the College of Menominee Nation. This first-ever collaborational degree for the region creates multiple entry paths for students, Furlong said. Students can choose to start and finish one of the degrees at UW-Green Bay or UW-Oshkosh, or they can begin with another NEW ERA partner institution and complete their degree at either Green Bay or Oshkosh, the two institutions which eventually
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WORKFORCE will award the graduating student their degree. Professionals who already hold engineering and higher education credentials can inquire about receiving credit for previous learning and job experiences toward this engineering technology program degree. The widespread collaboration additionally enables the sharing of lab facilities when necessary. Without the need to build new lab space at any of the NEW ERA higher education institutions, students can take lab courses in state-of-the-art facilities best equipped to meet curricular goals and learning outcomes, explained Bartelt. “This program reflects a unique and distinctive collaboration among NEW ERA institutions and the business community to make highly skilled engineering technology careers accessible to students in the New North region while meeting the high demand of businesses for well-prepared engineering technology graduates,” said Bartelt. The collaborative approach creates efficiencies for taxpayerfunded schools by taking advantage of assets already in place, noted Jeff Rafn, president of Northeast Wisconsin Technical College. “We’re sharing resources, improving credit transfer between institutions and providing access to the basic classes all over northeast Wisconsin,” Rafn said. “That makes this the best solution not only for our business community, but for taxpayers and students as well.”
Moving into the workforce
Another benefit for engineering technology students will be last-semester internship opportunities with New North engineering firms, energy companies and manufacturers such as Lindquist Machine Corp. in Ashwaubenon, which previously offered internships to engineering technology students often coming from outside of the region. In turn, employers will have access to a pool of science, technology, engineering and math students with fresh perspectives. “It is challenging to find qualified and experienced engineers in the job market today,” said Mark Kaiser, president and CEO of Lindquist Machine. “This degree will provide potential employees that have well-rounded engineering backgrounds. This will allow manufacturers to offer flexibility, respond quickly to changes in market and customer conditions, and help keep costs competitive.” Citing his passion for the long-term success of the manufacturing industry in the New North, Kaiser has been an active advocate for increased engineering training in the region. The new engineering technology program, he said, “will allow us to remain competitive on a global basis which should keep our manufacturers growing, thus creating new jobs.” Involving private industry in helping develop and advocate for the program was critical to educators’ success in getting it off the ground, Bartelt said. “Industry partners are committed to supporting the engi-
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Together, we look forward to better serving the students of our region, and ultimately boosting economic development in the New North. Tom Harden, UW-Green Bay Chancellor neering technology program in the form of internships, expert guest speakers, research collaborations, touring of facilities, advisement on programs and graduate placements,” noted Bartelt. Tim Weyenberg, chair of the board for Green Bay-based environmental engineering firm Foth and a member of the engineering technology advisory group at UW-Green Bay, noted a couple of unique aspects about this new educational initiative. “The first is that the curriculum is being created with the customer (the employer) in the planning phase such that the ‘product’ will more likely better suit the customer’s needs right after graduation, not five years into a career,” Weyenberg said. “The second is that there will be considerable emphasis in the engineering technology program to directly involve the students in the actual workplace with meaningful experience opportunities.” He noted challenges presented by the shortage of engineering technologists include restricted growth to support the demand manufacturers in the region are experiencing and having to look outside the state and even the country to find talent. Weyenberg is among the manufacturing advocates who have pushed for improved training in the New North, for two particular reasons, he said. “One is that the New North needs more technical people in science, math, engineering and technology and anything we can do to educate our own should be done! Secondly, we want our children to stay in the New North, and with more trained people we can attract more business and offer them great career opportunities right here.”
Preparing to launch
The new engineering technology programs get under way next month with the start of the 2013-14 academic year. “We expect this program will hit the ground running, benefiting from a surge of strong enrollment from students throughout
”
the New North, noted Lane Earns, UW-Oshkosh Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. “They will be students eager to dive into a high-quality and high-tech program never before offered in our region. These degrees are built upon an education that is accessible and develops career-propelling, quality-of-life-enhancing knowledge and leadership in high demand by regional employers.” Student awareness of the program is increasing and interest is high. “Students are very interested and requesting information to apply,” said NWTC’s Weber. “We have literally hundreds of associate degree engineering technology grads over the past 20 years in mechanical design and electrical engineering technology and related degrees – electro-mechanical engineering technology, automation engineering technology, electronic. Many of these people want and need to complete their engineering technology degrees while living in our area – they are place-bound. Plus we want to keep them here in our communities.” Ultimately, though, this first attempt at a collaborative degree program in the New North region demonstrated a genuine ability for educators and private industry leaders to come together to develop meaningful solutions to workforce challenges. Hopefully it can be a model for additional programs to follow in the future. “With these collaborative degree programs, our institutions will be better able to respond to changing educational and workforce needs here in northeastern Wisconsin,” said UWGreen Bay Chancellor Tom Harden. “Together, we look forward to better serving the students of our region, and ultimately boosting economic development in the New North.” Robin Bruecker has 17 years experience in magazine and marcom writing. Contact her at robinbrueck@yahoo.com.
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TRANSPORTATION
Operating at “fleet” efficiency
Businesses finding savings on fuel, maintenance in turning to compressed natural gas
The newest CNG station constructed by Gain Clean Fuel in Green Bay.
Story by Lee Marie Reinsch
Some companies and organizations with fleets of vehicles think they may have found the answer to the problems of diesel and gasoline fuel: compressed natural gas. Although it’s not a household term yet, compressed natural gas – or CNG for short – has been around for decades. It’s been used in some engines for that long, too.
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TRANSPORTATION “It never really took off like it has today,” said Joel Hirschboeck, superintendent of alternative fuels for the La Crossebased Kwik Trip Inc., which has a network of several dozen locations across northeast Wisconsin. “The reason there’s so much more momentum is that basically, through horizontal drilling, we’ve been able to secure a 100-plus-year supply of natural gas, and ultimately it’s driven the cost per gallon to levels so low that now you’re getting $2 per gallon-equivalent savings at the pump.” CNG is the same kind of natural gas that heats our homes, only it’s compressed into a smaller space, according to Hirschboeck. On the green side, CNG pollutes less than gasoline or diesel, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Alternative Fuel Data Center. Because it’s lighter than air, CNG evaporates quickly. So if it gets spilled in an accident, it’s less likely to burst into flames, making it safer to handle. And it comes from the United States, rather than being imported from abroad. Karen Smerchek, president of Veriha Trucking, Inc., of Marinette, said her decision to test-drive CNG came after looking down the proverbial road. “It wasn’t just a matter of cost, it was a combination of what does the future hold from a diesel-price standpoint as well as clean air for the environment,” she said. So far, her over-the-road hauling company has upgraded 15 of its 250 trucks with CNG-fueled versions and has another 10 on order.
Still the underdog
So if it’s so much better than gasoline and diesel, why isn’t it the No. 1 fuel for cars and trucks? Back when regular gasoline became the norm for cars and trucks, the supply of gasoline was high and the price was low, according to Hirschboeck. And regular gasoline was more convenient: “Being a liquid fuel (and more dense than natural gas), gasoline can be stored in low-pressure tanks and take up less space in the vehicle,” he said. CNG needs to be stored in large, high-pressure tanks that can accommodate 3,600 pounds of pressure per square inch. It’s measured in what’s known in the industry as “gasolinegallon equivalents,” or GGEs. Although the gas mileage (or GGE-mileage) for CNG-fueled heavy-duty trucks is slightly lower than with diesel or gasoline (about 5 to 10 percent lower, according to Hirschboeck), lightduty vehicles and passenger cars get the same mileage per gallon-equivalent as their gasoline-fueled counterparts. For companies like Paper Transport, Inc. of Green Bay, whose fleet travels 36 million miles per year, a savings of $2 per gallon-equivalent has the potential to add up. But PTI isn’t diving into CNG head first. So far, it has replaced 35 of its 390 trucks with CNG-burning trucks. “We’ve been looking at CNG since 2009,” said Jeff Shefchik, president of Paper Transport. “We’re looking at it on a customer-by-customer and also line-of-business basis – where can we run the trucks, where is the fueling infrastructure, whether or not it makes economic sense. A lot of factors go into it.”
CNG Stations across northeast Wisconsin 2 Appleton
Gain Clean Fuel - 800 S. Lynndale Dr. Kwik Trip - 4737 Converters Dr.
2 De Pere
Trillium CNG - 1501 W. Main Ave.
2 Green Bay
Gain - 1618 Velp Ave.
2 Marinette
Gain - 2700 Cleveland Ave.
2 Oshkosh
Kwik Trip - 2400 S. Washburn St.
2 Sheboygan
Kwik Trip - 4220 County Road J
Making fueling more convenient
It turns out infrastructure is a pretty important detail. You can’t just fill up a CNG-fueled vehicle at a regular old gas station. That little caveat affects where your route can take you. Kwik Trip is in the process of installing CNG fueling sites in Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota. “Oshkosh will have the heaviest concentration of stations,” Hirschboeck said. “We’re about to open a second one in Oshkosh, one in Appleton, and we’re looking at another one in that area.” Kimberly-based U.S. Oil – which is best known to the general public for the Express Convenience Centers it operates across northeast Wisconsin – is also developing a network of CNG filling stations east of the Rocky Mountains, according to Bill Renz, general manager for Gain Clean Fuel, Inc., a division of U.S. Oil. “We’re reaching out to fleets throughout the nation and asking them to partner with us to get them to convert to CNG from diesel,” Renz said. “We say, ‘If you’re willing to switch your fleet or a portion of it, we’ll come in, install and pay for the CNG stations, since we’re the experts. We maintain it, we do the sales marketing to help grow the site.’ We provide them fuel for a good $2 savings per gallon fuel versus diesel.” Both sides win, according to Renz. “As part of a partnership, they allow us to get into the market, and we’re helping them to save money,” Renz said. It doesn’t take that much radical infrastructure to put in a CNG station: it ties right into the natural gas pipelines already in existence, Renz said. For light-duty and passenger CNG ve-
NEW NORTH B2B l AUGUST 2013 l 29
TRANSPORTATION hicles, owners could potentially fill their tanks at home, from their natural gas pipeline. All they need is a small compressor. “I could put a station in your backyard; it’s readily available,” Renz said. “However, we want to create a network across the nation. Everybody wins if it’s public.” Since each CNG filling station costs around $1.5 million to install, the bigger a sales volume a station can do, the better, Renz said.
“
We haven’t seen a loss in power with CNG engines, and the reduced emissions and environmental benefits have been positive as well.
”
Kevin Uhen, superintendent of streets City of Oshkosh
Quieter engines, money saved
The City of Oshkosh got its first few CNG vehicles last fall when it invested in fuel-efficient refuse vehicles. Kevin Uhen, superintendent of streets and manager of the central garage for the city, said he’s pleased with the results so far.
“We’re seeing 60 to 70 cents per mile savings with CNG over our diesel sanitation vehicles” in combined fuel and maintenance costs, Uhen said. “Our CNG cost per mile is about $1.25, and for diesel it’s $1.58 per mile, so we’re saving almost 35 cents per mile on fuel.” The city decided to buy CNG-powered trucks at the same time it went to automated refuse collection, Uhen said. As for the logistics of fueling those trucks, serendipity worked in its favor. “The cost for a city-owned fueling station is one of the determining factors, as we were in the process of finalizing plans for building a new public works field-operations facility,” Uhen said. “At that point, we were fortunate enough that Kwik Trip was looking to develop a network of CNG stations – and one of the first was in Oshkosh. The timing of it was perfect with the arrival of our first five trucks, so we’ve been relying on them for our fueling needs.” Uhen said the CNG vehicles operate more quietly than the diesel vehicles, especially during idling. “We haven’t seen a loss in power with CNG engines, and the reduced emissions and environmental benefits have been positive as well,” Uhen said.
Actual costs unknown
The jury’s still out on the cost-per-mile numbers at Veriha Trucking, according to Smerchek. “There are a lot of unknowns at this point as to the maintenance of the equipment, because we haven’t seen the end of
Business Briefing
With Change Comes Opportunity!
When: A Strategic Discussion About:
Where:
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Speaker:
Tuesday, September 17th 7:30am - Breakfast 8:00am - 9:30am - Presentation Bridgewood Conference Center 1000 Cameron Way Neenah, WI 54956 Dustin McClone Executive Vice President McClone
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30 l NEW NORTH B2B l AUGUST 2013
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TRANSPORTATION life (of a CNG-burning truck) so we don’t know a true cost per mile,” Smerchek said. “Everyone has figures but nothing has been confirmed.” She said she’s found the vehicles to be “cost neutral” rather than cost saving at this point. The higher price tag of CNG-fueled vehicles skews the math calculation, she noted. A regular diesel truck – the big kind with 18 wheels – costs around $125,000, whereas a truck powered by CNG runs around $185,000. Kevlar-coated composite storage tanks for the CNG add to the cost of the trucks, Hirschboeck said. Paper Transport’s Shefchik said it will take about four years for his trucks to pay for themselves in gas savings, depending upon the price of the fuel they otherwise would be using. “If diesel comes down (in price), the payback is longer; if diesel goes up to $4 a gallon, then the payback time is better,” Shefchik said. Shefchik described the savings so far as “pretty minimal” due to the bigger price tag on the CNG trucks. Yet the potential savings is what drove his company to switch over to CNG vehicles. “There are three reasons you switch to CNG: It’s American fuel versus foreign oil; it’s cleaner for the environment; and for the economic reasons,” Shefchik said. But not necessarily in that order. “At the end of the day, when you’re making business decisions, 95 percent of business decisions are economic,” Shefchik said. “Everyone wants to be green, but very few people are willing to pay significantly more to be green. If it’s cost-neutral, then sure, we’ll go green, but with the fluctuating cost of fuel, there’s a lot of risk in that.” Shefchik indicated Paper Transport Inc. is still planning on buying diesel trucks as well as their CNG-fueled counterparts. “We think the payoff will get better in the future as naturalgas trucks become more fuel efficient and hopefully the cost of natural-gas trucks will come down to reduce that $60,000 upcharge.”
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Change can be scary
Reservations about CNG aren’t uncommon, according to Gain Clean Fuel’s Bill Renz. “Fleets have been using diesel forever; it’s something they’ve always known,” Renz said. The challenge lies in getting company owners to switch to something new. “It’s new, and on paper it looks like a no-brainer,” Renz said. “If they (fleets) are running 100,000 miles and burning 20,000 gallons a year, the payback comes in less than 2 years, and it’s all profit after that. It’s an investment for them as well, but given the economics of natural gas versus diesel, it’s well worth the investment.” Seeing is believing, Renz said. “Once they commit to the minimal level up front, it’s to their and our advantage if we do more and more and more,” he said. “Once they see it (the savings), then they believe it. They think ‘Holy cow, this is for real!’ They see that the savings aren’t just on paper – that’s when they get excited.” Lee Reinsch writes and edits from Green Bay.
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920-499-0631 2750 Ramada Way Green Bay NEW NORTH B2B l AUGUST 2013 l 31
PROFESSIONALLY SPEAKING
New opportunities in Health Information Management Technology by University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
We are all familiar with the people who provide hands-on Tyczkowski health care such as doctors, nurses and laboratory technicians in various health care settings. However, did you ever wonder about those who take care of keeping critical information flowing between all of these care providers? These individuals are Health Information Management Technology (HIMT) professionals. Today, HIMT professionals are key players in all facets of the healthcare system. The Affordable Care Act has provided funding for healthcare providers to facilitate the transition to Electronic Health Records (EHRs), to meet quality of care goals, and to improve the efficiency of care. This has led to the need for specialists who are prepared to assist medical facilities to meet these challenges. HIMT professionals are experts in implementing and maximizing the value derived from using an EHR. Care providers enter their own information Brenda
into an EHR on a computer instead of dictating or handwriting their notes. HIMT professionals then analyze the data entered to ensure reimbursement is maximized and that standards of care are met. HIMT professionals make recommendations for improvements to documentation methods and to communication strategies within a specific hospital or between various providers of health care, all the while managing data security and privacy. In recognition of this growing and changing field, the University of WisconsinGreen Bay, in partnership with UWExtension and other UW System campuses, is now offering a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Information Management Technology (HIMT). The program is available completely online and is designed for those who already have a Liberal Arts Associate Degree (such as one from a UW Colleges or Wisconsin Technical College campus) or who have at least 60 credits of college course work completed. All of the courses in the program are
877.895.3276
offered online, allowing great flexibility for adults who are returning to school. These courses provide a knowledge base for a career in the health care field which prepares them to work with computer systems. Students enroll in either the Management Track where they learn about such things as human resource management and quality assurance processes, or they pursue the Technology Track which focuses on data management and health care information and technology standards. The program concludes with a capstone experience, placing students in a health care industry setting where they work closely with an HIMT professional to gain hands-on experience. To learn more, visit us online at himt.wisconsin.edu or call toll free (877) 895-3276. Brenda Tyczkowski, RN DNP, is the Director/Advisor for the HIMT degree program at the University of WisconsinGreen Bay.
EARN YOUR HEALTH MANAGEMENT DEGREE ONLINE AT UW-GREEN BAY The next ten years will see incredible demand for highly skilled health information management (HIM) professionals who also possess the technology skills to acquire, integrate, analyze, and interpret the data they need to lead. Graduates of this online Bachelor’s Degree Program will be well prepared to succeed in tomorrow’s health information jobs. For more information on this University of Wisconsin online collaborative degree, visit himt.wisconsin.edu and download your free program guide.
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32 l NEW NORTH B2B l AUGUST 2013
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PROFESSIONALLY SPEAKING
Invest in your future leaders! by NEWCAE
For the last five years
Jane Calkins many companies have op-
erated in survival mode, but it’s time to make the shift and start reinvesting in our future leaders! The tough economic times forced many companies to pull back the reins and put their tuition reimbursement spending on hold, or totally eliminated it all together. The economy is trending up according to Wall Street and there is growth in the housing market, so it’s time to look at how we can invest within our companies and empower employees. Investing in your employees helps reduce turnover, which in the long run may cost your company $12K-15K each to replace. By keeping those valuable and engaged employees and offering additional benefits, they will be assured you believe in them and will invest in their future. An additional bonus is most tuition reimbursement can be deducted from company expenses for tax purposes.
920.750.5965
I attend a nondenominational church in the Fox Valley. In the last year we have seen a dramatic spike in attendance, particularly among young families in the 20 to 30-year age group. My church has invested in adding another church on the east side of Oshkosh, and has additionally ramped up our music team by adding another musician, a benefit which draws in this demographic. One may not think of a church as a business, but it has a profit and loss statement just like any other business. The church knows in order to grow it needs to invest in its people despite the initial cost involved! Our future leaders will run this country and our companies long after we are gone. It’s only good business to look toward the future. At NEWCAE we have a group of eight colleges who offer Ed Fairs you can incorporate into your annual benefit meetings that take place in the Fall. We can attend your meet-
ings as a group of colleges or have one representative attend your meeting. We can offer your employees certificates all the way up to doctoral degrees. Some of our schools offer online education to make it flexible for the non-traditional student to complete their degree. Additionally, some of our schools offer incentives for partnering which can stretch the FREE money students can use to go back to school. You can schedule your Ed Fair by contacting us through our interactive website www.newcae.org or call Jane Calkins at 920-750-5965. Invest in your employee’s future, invest in your company and join the train that is moving uphill! Jane Calkins is chair of the Northeast Wisconsin Consortium on Adult Education. To schedule an education fair for your organization, please check out the NEWCAE website at www.newcae.org or call Calkins at 920-750-5965.
NEW NORTH B2B l AUGUST 2013 l 33
WHO’S NEWS Incorporations New North B2B publishes monthly new business incorporations filed with the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions.
Brown County
Perspective Inspection Services LLC, Thomas James Hermes, 821 Spruce St., De Pere 54115. Auctus Life Sciences LLC, Vikas Narendra, 1410 Bingham Dr., De Pere 54115. Patriot Tissue LLC, Environmental Advanced Reclamation Technology, 2107 American Blvd., De Pere 54115. Diamond Dan’s Smokehouse LLC, Daniel Biebel, 1827 S. Sunkist Cir., De Pere 54115. Midwest Retirement Solutions LLC, Chad J. Hudziak, 1674 Eisenhower Road, De Pere 54115. Four Seasons Self Storage LLC, Jeremy G. Maus, 2118 Potter Dr., De Pere 54115. Shiocton Kayak and Canoe LLC, Lawrence J. Berken, 1311 Bruss St., De Pere 54115. Western Railcar Repair LLC, Tom Farley, 2049 Creamery Road, De Pere 54115. Ritter Knight Creative LLC, David Ritter, 121 E. Briar Lane, Green Bay 54301. L&D Pier LLC, Lori Jean Mc Clure, 1026 Elmore St., Green Bay 54303. M. Holman Energy Consulting LLC, Michael Glen Holman, 1236 Roscoe St., Green Bay 54304. TMK Janitorial Services LLC, Todd M. Konitzer, 1291 Brockwood Dr., Green Bay 54304. Three Sisters Cookie Company LLC, Tara Lynn Gokey, 316 Heidelberg Ct., Green Bay 54302. Chen’s New China INC., Guo Wen Chen, 1923 S. Webster Ave., Green Bay 54301. Ahlborgs Mowing & Landscaping LLC, Mike Ahlborg, 2911 Big Timber Cir., Green Bay 54313. Kopp Financial LLC, John David Kopp, 3190 Olde Hickory Tr., Green Bay 54313. Fun Fan Clothing INC., Jennifer A. Yanda, 1310 Villa Park Cir. #7, Green Bay 54302. Gold & Silver Wealth Solutions LLC, Dean Samuel Listle, 3061 Allied St., Green Bay 54304. Unique Spaces By Lori LLC, Lori Slusarek, 1145 Frost Ct., Green Bay 54311. Pro Vision Mobile Ag Services LLC, Cory J. Van Pay, 2993 Brighton Pl., Green Bay 54311. SNB Cab and Shuttle LTD., Scott Bryant Ellis, 2870 Ramada Way, Green Bay 54304. Titletown Mixed Martial Arts Academy LLC, Eric Chang, 335 N. Washington, Green Bay 54301. Renard Realty LLC, Shane J. Renard, 1203 Kellogg St., Green Bay 54303. Klem Studios LLC, Kathleen McFadzen, 2435 Downy St., Green Bay 54303. JMC Roofing LLC, Arica Betty Cortes, 1168 E. Walnut St., Green Bay 54301. STL Transportation INC., Michael A. Demuth, 820 Coronis Way, Green Bay 54304. Jajora Spa LLC, Michelle L. Kulesa, 2679 Radinz Road, Green Bay 54311. Dubon Janitorial Services LLC, Jennifer A. Dubon-Alvarado, 127 S. Platten St., Green Bay 54303. Law Office of Attorney George S. Pappas, Jr. LLC, George Steve Pappas, Jr., 1345 W. Mason St., Green Bay 54303. Communication Pathways LLC, Mary-Beth Friday, 808 Glenhaven Lane, Green Bay 54301. 34 l NEW NORTH B2B l AUGUST 2013
Wisconsin Badger State Sheriff’s Association INC., John R. Gossage, 2684 Development Dr., Green Bay 54311. El Patron Entertainment LLC, Jose Luis Sanchez, 2853 Crab Apple Lane, Green Bay 54311. Green Bay Professional Cleaning Services LLC, Roy Alfred Hanson, 1530 Temple More Lane, Green Bay 54313. Thielke Property Maintenance LLC, William Thielke, 2882 Sleepy Hallow Dr., Green Bay 54311. Easttown Emporium LLC, Scott Thomas Champion, 2350 E. Mason St., Green Bay 54302. Leisner Hauling LLC, Joshua Leisner, 2615 Bay Port Lane, Green Bay 54313. Another Way Entertainment LLC, Galen Sherbon, 613 Park St., Green Bay 54303. Affordable Business Cleaning LLC, Lesly Claudett Fischer, 2912 Brookview Dr., Green Bay 54313. Star Janitorial LLC, Gloria M. Matamoros, 1137 Hobart Dr., #6, Green Bay 54304. NEWI Holistic Directory LLC, Craig Salentine, 2205 Fox Heights Lane, Green Bay 54304. Fonferek Designs LLC, Michael G. Fonferek, 2408 Deprey St., New Franken 54229. Forensic Prosthetic and Orthotic Consulting LLC, Brian Gustin, 3071 Seafarer Way, Suamico 54173.
Calumet County
Empire Roofing & Siding LLC, William Paul, N7757 Sundown Ct., Sherwood 54169.
Fond du Lac County
Triple B Trucking LLC, Breanna R. Buerger, W1439 County Road HH, Brownsville 53006. Shade Tree Massage LLC, Kristin Schlosser, W6609 Saint Killian Dr., Campbellsport 53010. Concierge Motorwerks INC., Todd J. Lavey, 47 Oakridge Ct., Fond du Lac 54937. Innovative Advertising LLC, David A. Saylor, 344 Amory St., Fond du Lac 54935. Red Wagon Popcorn LLC, Deborah McFarlane, W8093 Randall Wood Lane, Fond du Lac 54937. Commonwealth Coffee Company LLC, Commonwealth Management Corp., 54 E. First St., Fond du Lac 54935. RDG Consulting LLC, Richard D. Gudex, 361 E. Division St., Fond du Lac 54935. Screamin Eagle Transport LLC, Justin J. Manke, N6553 State Road 26, Rosendale 54974.
Green Lake County
Supportive Learning Care LLC, Shannan Raabe, N1886 Junction Lane, Berlin 54923.
Oconto County
Masternak Auto Sales LLP, Debora J. Kitchenmaster, 2118 W. Frontier Road, Abrams 54101.
Outagamie County
Fine Point Marketing LLC, Leon Hatzenbihler, N288 Marion Ave., Appleton 54915. GetNFit LLC, Clint Joseph Broemer, 545 Creekview Lane, Appleton 54915. Preferred Podiatry Group, P.C., Ronald Roberts, 2215 S. Gladys Ave., Appleton 54915. Fox Valley Realty LLC, Michael M. Smits, 1003A E. Green Tree Ct., Appleton 54915. Asian Food of Appleton INC., Xuejuan Chen, 201 W. Northland
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WHO’S NEWS Ave., Appleton 54911. Fox Valley Fitness LLC, Christopher Betow, 1931 S. Lawe St., Appleton 54915. Brian’s Antenna LLC, Brian Ray Zeuske, 812 S. Telulah Ave., Appleton 54915. L.J.B. Guardian Services INC., Laurie J. Bonnin, 848 E. Glendale Ave., Appleton 54911. El Presidente Mexican Restaurant LLC, Antonio Sandoval, 4017 E. Appleview Dr., Appleton 54913. Digital-X Media & Design LLC, Aaron Robert Dreier, 611 N. Lynndale Dr., Appleton 54914. Lorgeline Painting LLC, Jason D. Lorge, 501 S. Pierce Ave., Appleton 54914. Stellar Pellets LLC, Dennis D. Williams, W3042 Van Roy Road, Appleton 54915. S&R Delivery Services LLC, Susan Louise Watkins, 2006 E. Forest St., Appleton 54915. Fun Food Tools LLC, W. Richardson McKinney, 825 N. Canterbury Dr., Appleton 54915. Appleton Rock School LLC, Jason Lipsky, 309 E. Washington St., Appleton 54911. Polka Dot Umbrella Photography LLC, Danielle Marie Kruse, 518 E. Roosevelt St., Appleton 54911. TR’s Welding and Fab LLC, Theodore VanBoxtel, W2040 Patrick St., Freedom 54130. Todd Schadrie Poured Walls LLC, Todd Schadrie, W3889 Sharon Rose Ct., Freedom 54913. OC Detailing LLC, Adam Sell, 1694 N. Silver Spring Dr., Grand Chute 54913. Corkadoodles Design LLC, Courtney Rose Ninneman, W6771 School Road, Greenville 54942. Mojitos Mexican Grill & Bar LLC, Shirley B. Gregory, N1472 Wildwood Dr., Greenville 54942. Nova Pension Valuations LLC, Jennifer Wendt, W7980 Hillveiw Road, Hortonville 54944. Widow’s Mite Woodworking and Furniture Company, Andrew Thomas, 305 Honeysuckle Dr., Hortonville 54944. Revolt Manufacturing LLC, Nathan Oberg, W8303 County Road MM, Hortonville 54944. Glenview and Henry Caramel Company LLC, Daniel Neubauer, 2803 Fieldstone Ct., Kaukauna 54130. Sunsation Pools and Spas LLC, Vicki Lorge, 915 Kristy St., Kaukauna 54130. Precision Laser Screed Services LLC, Corry A. Roffers, 309 Green St., Seymour 54165. Kropp’s Welding Service LLC, Devin L. Kropp, N9579 County Road Y, Seymour 54165.
Winnebago County
Boyea Landscaping and Services LLC, Brian Boyea, 6225 County Road MM, Larsen 54947. Mr. Taco Authentic Mexican Cuisine Corp., Luis A. Morales, 535 Schindler Pl., #15, Menasha 54952. Jeff’s North Shore Auto Body and Trailer Sales LLC, Tracy Frees, W7150 Highway 10 and 114, Menasha 54952. Four Loons Resort LLC, Penny Kriplean, 1040 Apple Blossom Dr., Neenah 54956. Fox Valley Massage and Therapeutic Bodywork LLC, Pam Ann Kososki, 907 Tullar Road, Neenah 54956. Mike’s Got Java LLC, Michael W. Holborn, 303 N. Commercial St., Neenah 54956. Wisconsin Chiropractic & Wellness Center LLC, Hoan-Vu Quang Nguyen, 1576 Kingswood Dr., Neenah 54956. Rock Garden Studio LLC, Brandon Charles Heise, 874 Highland Park Road, Neenah 54956. Finch and Hall Charters LLC, Thomas Edward Finch, 1009 E. NEW NORTH B2B l AUGUST 2013 l 35
WHO’S NEWS Forest Ave., Neenah 54956. Everglow Photography LLC, Amanda Nicole Schaalma, 137 E. Scott St., Omro 54963. Wisconsin CLEC Transport Telecom INC., Anton Hajducek, 2018 Burr Oak Road, Oshkosh 54904. Interiors By Tracy LLC, Tracy M. Butler, 1515 Galway Ct., Oshkosh 54904. AM Economy Graphics LLC, Margarito Ledesma, 636 Waugoo Ave., Oshkosh 54901. Roundabout Apparel LLC, Erik Gialdella, 1111 Park Ridge Ave., Oshkosh 54901. Alpha Dogs Mobile Food Services LLC, Isaac Dillon Schroeder, 2791 Fond du Lac Road, Oshkosh 54902. Ruffed Up Sewing LLC, Allison E. Ruf, 145 S. Westhaven Dr., Oshkosh 54904. Sheryl Ann Photography LLC, Benjamin Bauer, 321 N. Westhaven Dr., R108, Oshkosh 54904. Island View Pottery LLC, Peggy Ann McDaniel, 2857 Sunset Point Lane, Oshkosh 54904. Sustain Sound Lighting Power LLC, Daniel Long, 4019 Shangrila Pt. Road, Oshkosh 54904. Hustle Inn Pizza LLC, Cheri L. Hopper, 803 Otter Ave., Oshkosh 54901. Saving Grace Salvage Company LLC, D.K. Palecek, 914 Bismark Ave., Oshkosh 54902. Scheidecker Electrical Service LLC, Tyler Scheidecker, 325 Baldwin Ave., Oshkosh 54901. Pneumatic Systems Plus LLC, Megan R. Friedauer, 104 N. 3rd Ave., Winneconne 54986.
Building permits B2B includes a monthly list of building permits (not to include residential projects) in excess of $400,000. Belmark Inc., 600 Heritage Road, De Pere. $1,390,370 for an 18,803sq. ft. addition to the existing industrial facility. General contractor is Boldt Construction Co. of Appleton. May 2. Galloway Company, 601 S. Commercial St., Neenah. $4,000,000 for a 29,077-sq. ft. addition to the existing dairy processing facility. General contractor is Miron Construction Co. of Neenah. May 9. Promo Edge Company, 2255 Brooks Ave., Neenah. $800,000 for a 25,585-sq. ft. addition to the existing industrial facility. General contractor is Bayland Buildings Inc. of Green Bay. May 20. Aurora Health Center, 1881 Chicago St., De Pere. $960,000 for an addition to the existing medical clinic. General contractor is Joseph Schmitt & Sons Construction Co. of Sheboygan. May 21. Fox Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, 2600 E. Philip Lane, Appleton. $1,580,000 for an addition to the existing church building. General contractor is Boldt Construction Co. of Appleton. June 3. Fox River Fiber, 1751 Matthew Dr., De Pere. $2,500,000 for 2,880-sq. ft. addition to the existing industrial facility. General contractor is Boldt Construction Co. of Appleton. June 3. Oshkosh West High School, 375 N. Eagle St. Oshkosh. $1,124,000 to reroof the existing school building. Contractor is E.D. Chase Inc. of Oshkosh. June 7. St. Elizabeth Hospital, 1506 S. Oneida St., Appleton. $30,300,000 for a five-story, 90-bed patient tower for the existing hospital. General contractor is Boldt Construction Co. of Appleton. June 7.
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Gander Mountain, 2323 Woodman Dr., Howard. $650,000 for alterations to the existing retail store. No contractor listed. June 10. Nicolet National Bank, 2380 Dousman St., Howard. $687,532 for an addition and alterations to the existing bank building. General contractor is Howard Immel Inc. of Green Bay. June 13. Kwik Trip Stores, 2120 E. Edgewood Dr., Appleton. $1,400,000 for a 9,831-sq. ft. convenience store, fuel station canopy and a 2,790-sq. ft. car wash. Contractor listed as self. June 13. Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, 2470 W. Mason St., Green Bay. $1,600,000 for an interior remodel of the existing school building. General contractor is Zeise Construction of Green Bay. June 18. No owner listed, 1225 Lawrence Dr., De Pere. $400,000 for alterations to the existing commercial/warehouse building. General contractor is Fox Cities Builders of Seymour. June 21. Green Bay Converting / Hattiesburg Paper Co., 2641 Packerland Dr., Howard. $1,675,000 for a new industrial facility. No general contractor listed. June 23.
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36 l NEW NORTH B2B l AUGUST 2013
Curwood Inc., 2200 Badger Ave., Oshkosh. $670,000 for interior alterations to the existing office building. General contractor is C.R. Meyer & Sons Inc. of Oshkosh. June 26. Cummins Fire Power, 875 Lawrence Dr., De Pere. $1,810,000 for an
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WHO’S NEWS addition to the existing industrial facility. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna. June 27. Water-Right, 1900 Prospect Ct., town of Grand Chute. $1,400,000 for a two-story, 33,044-sq. ft. addition and alterations to the existing industrial facility. General contractor is Fox Structures Inc. of Kaukauna. July 8. The Regus Group, 4321 W. College Ave., town of Grand Chute. $450,000 for alterations to the second floor or the existing office building. General contractor is Miron Construction Co. of Neenah. July 15.
New businesses Complete Auto Repair opened at 187 S. Green Bay Road in Neenah by Mike Sakis and Mike Brandow, who both have more than 20 years experience as automotive technicians. The business is a full service auto repair shop and is open weekdays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays until noon. Complete Auto Repair can be reached by calling 920.215.3541 or online at www.completeautorepair-neenah.com. Foot of the Lake Candle Co. opened at 35 N. Main St. in Fond du Lac by Shawn Tamblin. The business features a wide variety of candles hand poured in the store, as well as handmade incense, purses, backpacks, tapestries, incense burners, shirts, soapstone oil warmers, electric oil warmers and candle tarts. Foot of the Lake Candle Co. can be reached by calling 920.960.4464 or found on Facebook. Elite Auto Group opened at 2944 Jackson St. in Oshkosh, offering automotive sales, service and detailing in a comfortable setting. The business is open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday until 6 p.m. and Saturday until 5 p.m. Elite Auto Group can be reached by calling 920.651.7600.
Mergers/acquisitions Hermsen Wealth Management and Johnson Wealth Management, both of Green Bay, merged together with Navigator Planning Group of Green Bay. Financial advisors Andrew Hermsen and Michael Johnson join the investment advice, retirement planning, insurance and employee benefits, and business and succession planning firm. Navigator moved the former offices of Hermsen and Johnson wealth management to 4696 Golden Pond Park Ct., Ste. 300 in Hobart. The phone number for the office remains the same at 920.496.0123.
New locations Fond du Lac-based EP-Direct opened a satellite shop specializing in signs, graphics, displays and design at 406 N. Monroe Ave. in Green Bay. The shop is equipped with two wide format printers and a laminator, and has access to a plotter and a small short run color copier for fast turn digital color jobs. The shop can be reached by calling 920.435.9770 or by going online to www.ep-direct.com.
Sakis
Brandow NEW NORTH B2B l AUGUST 2013 l 37
WHO’S NEWS Quality Packaging Inc. moved into The Advance Business & Manufacturing Center at 2701 Larsen Road in Green Bay. The Fond du Lac-based company sought the incubator space in an effort to help it grow in the Green Bay area. Candeo Creative moved into new offices at 21B Waugoo Ave. in Oshkosh. The digital marketing and consulting firm can be reached by calling 920.267.7992 or by going online to www.candeocreative.com.
Name changes Windhover Center for the Arts in Fond du Lac changed its name to Thelma Sadoff Center for the Arts, named for the matriarch of the Sadoff Family Foundation.
Business honors Appleton-based ThedaCare was named to the “100 Most Wired” hospitals and health systems list as selected by Hospitals & Health Networks magazine, the journal of the American Hospital Association. ThedaCare is one of nine health systems to be named to the list. It marked the 12th consecutive year ThedaCare was recognized among the nation’s most technologically advanced health care systems. The annual Most Wired Survey and Benchmarking Study measures hospital IT activities in five areas: quality, customer service, public health and safety, business processes and workforce issues. Skyline Technologies in Green Bay and Appleton received the 2013 Central Region Azure Partner of the Year from Microsoft. Skyline was an early adopter of the Microsoft Azure platform, having used it for the past three years. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans in Appleton, Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company of Neenah and Acuity Insurance of Sheboygan were all named to the 2013 Ward’s 50 Top Performing Insurance Companies. Ward Group, a consulting firm that provides benchmarking services to the insurance industry, evaluates insurers based on the following criteria: five-year average return on equity; five-year average return on assets; five-year average return on total revenue; five-year growth in revenue; and five-year growth in surplus. This is the ninth consecutive year Thrivent has been named to the list, and the third consecutive year for Jewelers Mutual, which has received the designation a total of five times in the past eight years.
New hires H.C. Miller in Green Bay hired Tom Sonntag as its president/CEO, replacing Bill Hayes who is retiring but remains as chairman of the board. Sonntag is the former president of Resource One in Little Chute. H.C. Miller also hired the following new employees: Marlin Charles, director of operations for the print division; John Lavery, national accounts manager
Schmidt
Nowakowski
38 l NEW NORTH B2B l AUGUST 2013
Sewall
for the print division; Patricia Cobos-Welle, business development for the press division; My Pa Yang, planner for the print division; Teresa Wolf, estimator for the print division; Darlene Lambert, administrative assistant for the press and print divisions; and Sydney Ly, Sharon Sobeck, Sandra Glish, Shane Phillips and Ly Kong Xiong, all in bindery operations. Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company in Neenah hired Tim Riedl as senior vice president of commercial lines. Riedl has 28 years of insurance industry experience, most recently serving as vice president of commercial underwriting at Secura Insurance in Appleton. He’s also worked with Integrity Mutual Insurance Company, Auto-Owners Insurance Company and Milwaukee Insurance Company. American Animal Hospital in Neenah hired Dr. Sandra Ketchum to its veterinary team. Dr. Ketchum most recently practiced as a veterinarian for more than 10 years in Washington state. Prior to that, she taught in the veterinary assisting program at Waukesha County Technical College. The Derksen Company in Omro hired Mike Schmidt for its sales and marketing operations. Schmidt has five years experience in the printing industry, in addition to nearly 20 years of marketing in the financial industry. The Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce and Industry hired Dawn Nowakowski to its member services team and Kristin Sewall as its marketing coordinator. Nowakowski has been a longtime chamber member and volunteer, and was named the 2011 Chamber Ambassador of the Year. Sewall previously worked with the Menasha Farm Fresh Market and the Downtown Menasha Trick or Treat event since 2008. In addition to marketing, Sewall also organizes the Cultivate-Business Growth Series. Candeo Creative in Oshkosh hired Jamie Boucher as its media manager to handle clients’ design solutions such as websites, advertising, print and social media branding. Boucher has eight years of customer service and team management experience, having previously held design positions at Oshkosh Corp., College Kids and Shopko. Schenck in Appleton hired the following new employees: Elizabeth Brown and Jaclyn Cropp as staff accountants; Jody Eggert as an administrative assistant in the payroll department; Nick Fehrmann as an associate accountant; Ashley Fisher as a staff accountant in the tax and audit department; Bobbi Jo Huss as a medical billing coder; Cristina Kanethavong as a staff accountant working with employee benefit plan and not-for-profit audits; Denise Kastman as an executive administrative assistant; Nykki Milhaupt as a human resource generalist; Ashley Murphy as a staff accountant in the tax and audit department; Matt Prentice as a health services accountant; and Madelyn Sobieck and Tyler Starbird as staff accountants. BayCare Clinic in Green Bay hired Kate Willhite as its director of payor contracting. Most recently, Willhite was executive director of Orthopaedic
Oestreicher
Cherney
Niesen www.newnorthb2b.com
WHO’S NEWS Associates of Manitowoc, Manitowoc Surgery Center and Expert Therapy, also in Manitowoc. Catalpa Health in Appleton hired Susan M. Oestreicher as a clinical psychologist. Dr. Oestreicher specializes in the mental health evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of children and adolescents with an interest in anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders, depressive disorders, ADHD, oppositional behaviors and parent-child issues. Nsight Telservices in De Pere hired Brian Robinson as the account executive for tower sales. In his role, Robinson will work with wireless carriers to sell tower space and backhaul services. Robinson has nearly 15 years experience in the telecommunications industry with the majority of it focused in tower space.
Promotions Wipfli LLP elected Kevin Cherney to partner with the firm. Cherney, who works out of Wipfli’s Green Bay office, has more than 20 years of accounting experience, specializing in serving the auto dealership industry. In addition, Dan Pichler has been appointed partner-in-charge of Wipfli’s Green Bay office. In this role, Pichler oversees 119 accounting professionals and guides the office’s involvement in the local community. St. Elizabeth Hospital in Appleton promoted Janice M. Jackering to service line operations director where she develops cardiovascular, cancer and neuroscience services for the hospital. Previously, Jackering served as the system strategic planning director for Ministry Health Care. She has been working for Affinity Health System, the parent organization of St. Elizabeth, since 2004.
Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company in Neenah promoted Joel Matthies to senior vice president of personal lines. Matthies previously served as Jewelers Mutual’s chief information officer and has been with the company since 2005. In 2010, under Matthies’ guidance, Jewelers Mutual received the prestigious CIO 100 Award for IT innovation. The Boldt Company in Appleton promoted Jeff Niesen to executive vice president of human resources and risk management. Niesen has been with Boldt for 32 years and most recently served as vice president of Boldt’s central operations. Prior to that role, Niesen spent three years developing and leading Boldt’s training program. Wisconsin Business Development Finance Corp. promoted Dan Schneider to president and chief operating officer. Schneider has more than 30 years experience in small business lending and finance, and has been with WBD Finance Corp. working out of its Oshkosh and Green Bay offices for 10 years.
Business calendar New North B2B encourages businesses and organizations looking to attract interested persons to upcoming events to send an announcement to: New North B2B, Attn: Who’s News, P.O. Box 559, Oshkosh, WI 54903. For more events, log on to www.thenewnorthevents.com. August 7 Fond du Lac Area Association of Commerce Coffee Connection, 7:30
NEW NORTH B2B l AUGUST 2013 l 39
BUSINESS CALENDAR to 8:30 a.m. at Erberts and Gerberts Bistro at Marian University, 45 S. National Ave. in Fond du Lac. Cost to attend is $5. For more information or to register, go online to www.fdlac.com or call 920.921.9500. August 8 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. Program will be a panel discussion on health care reform. For more information or to register, go online to www.wimiwi.org or email Patty at pshea@sheaelectricllc.com. August 13 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 information, call 920.303.2266 or go online to www.oshkoshchamber.com. August 13 Inventors and Entrepreneurs Club, 5 to 7 p.m. at Elks Club, 33 Sheboygan St. in Fond du Lac. No cost to attend. For more information go online to www.fcedc.com. August 13 “Bringing Your Nonprofit to Life – And Other Options to Fulfill Your Cause,” a seminar presented by the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce 7:30 to 9 a.m. at Advanced Business & Manufacturing Center, 2701 Larsen Road in Green Bay. Cost is $10 and includes continental breakfast. Register by calling 920.496.9010 by Aug. 6. August 14 A.M. Oshkosh, a morning networking from the Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce, 7:45 to 9 a.m. at Benesch, 4614 Red Fox Road in Oshkosh. Cost to attend is $2. Registration is required by going online to www. oshkoshchamber.com or calling 920.303.2266. Waterfest Celebrates Summer 2013
by Rocking the Fox!
Leach Amphitheater • Oshkosh, WI
August 15
August 8
THE TUBES
SPIN DOCTORS
Dwight Twilley
Copper Box
2-for-1 admission before 6pm
Show starts at 5pm • Special Pricing
August 22
RUSTED ROOT
The Iguanas The Traveling Suitcase ADMISSION:
August 29
KENNY LOGGINS
Blue Sky Riders, The Whigs, The Outer Vibe
$8 before 6pm, $10 before 7pm and $15 after 7pm
Visit www.waterfest.org for all concert information. info@waterfest.org ❘ 920.303.2265 ext. 22 40 l NEW NORTH B2B l AUGUST 2013
August 14 Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours/Heart of the Valley Chamber of Commerce PM Connect, 5 to 7 p.m. at High Cliff Restaurant, Banquets and Catering, W5095 Golf Course Road in Sherwood. For more information or to register, go online to www.foxcitieschamber.com or www.heartofthevalleychamber.com or call 920.766.1616. August 14 Women in Management – Fox Cities Chapter monthly meeting, 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Fox Banquets & Rivertyme Catering, 111 E. Kimball St. in Appleton. Program is “Talking about my Generation.” For more information or to register, go online to www.wimiwi.org. August 15 Biz Blends, a morning networking event from the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce & Industry, 7:30 to 9 a.m. at Lawrence University – Warch Campus, 711 E. Boldt Way in Appleton. Cost to attend is $18 for members or $30 for nonmembers. For more information or to register, contact Susan Vanden Heuvel at 920.734.7101 or svandenheuval@ foxcitieschamber.com. August 20 Fond du Lac Area Association of Commerce Business Connection, 5 to 7 p.m. at Fond du Lac Elks Lodge #57, 33 Sheboygan St. in Fond du Lac. Cost to attend is $5. For more information or to register, go online to www. fdlac.com or call 920.921.9500.
Advertiser Index
Aspen Coffee & Tea www.aspencoffee-tea.com................................. 39 Bank First National www.bankfirstnational.com.................................. 21 Bayland Buildings www.baylandbuildings.com................................... 14 Borsche Roofing Professionals www.wiroofer.com........................... 36 Builders Exchange of Wisconsin www.bxwi.com............................ 13 Capital Credit Union www.capitalcu.com........................................ 22 CitizensFirst Credit Union www.citizensfirst.com . .............................. 9 Clean Image Janitorial www.cijanitorial.com..................................... 8 Davis & Kuelthau, s.c. www.dkattorneys.com..................................... 5 Fast Signs www.fastsigns.com....................................................... 20 First Business Bank www.firstbusiness.com. ...................................... 2 First National Bank ~ Fox Valley www.fnbfoxvalley.com. ................... 30 Fox Valley Savings Bank www.FVSBank.com................................... 20 Fox Valley Technical College www.fvtc.edu/bis. .............................. 21 Guident Business Solutions www.guidentbusinesssolutions.com............ 35 Keller Inc. www.kellerbuilds.com. ..................................................... 7 Moraine Park Technical College www.morainepark.edu....................... 9 Netsonic www.netsonic.net........................................................... 25 Network Health Plan www.networkhealth.com . ................................ 43 NEW Building & Construction Trades Council www.newbt.org.......... 27 NEWCAE www.newcae.org........................................................... 33 NWTC Corporate Training & Economic Development www.corporatetraining.nwtc.edu......................................................... 37 Outagamie County Regional Airport www.atwairport.com. ................ 42 Pioneer Credit Union www.pioneercu.org........................................ 16 Ramada Plaza Green Bay www.greenbayramada.com........................ 31 R&R Steel Construction Company Inc. www.rrsteelconstruction.com..... 25 Sadoff & Rudoy Industries www.sadoff.com................................... 10 Skyline Technologies www.skylinetechnologies.com............................ 37 Stop Selling Vanilla Ice Cream www.stopsellingvanillaicecream.com....... 33 Thomas James Real Estate www.tjrsite.com.................................. 44 UW-Green Bay Adult Degree Program www.himt.wisconsin.edu......... 32 Waterfest www.waterfest.org......................................................... 40 Weidert Group www.weidert.com................................................... 26 Winnebago County Solid Waste Management www.co.winnebago.wi.us/solid-waste/container-rental-program. ..................... 35 www.newnorthb2b.com
GUEST COMMENTARY
Back to the Future? The new state budget Stop-gap measures enacted years ago to deter overspending have been ignored
Todd A. Berry President Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance
Save before you spend. Don’t spend more than you earn. Financial planners often share this common-sense advice with clients. It is wise counsel for state officials, too. Unfortunately, our political leaders have long had difficulty following it. It’s not that they don’t understand the value of saving and balancing budgets. As years of economic boom, surging tax revenues, and overly ambitious state budget commitments gave way to recession and deficits, state lawmakers enacted two laws aimed at avoiding future fiscal problems. The first, part of the 1999-2001 budget, required the state to build a contingency reserve equal to 2 percent of general fund spending by 2005-06. Problems began immediately, as that same budget exempted 2001-02 from the requirement. The budgets that followed continued to ignore, reduce, or delay the required fiscal cushion. The 2011-13 budget deferred the 2 percent requirement to 2015-16. And the 2013-15 budget passed by the legislature pushed it off to 2017-18. The second law – holding spending below revenue in any given year – has fared no better. A Democratic legislature amended the 2009-11 budget to exempt fiscal 2011 from the law’s impact. The 2011-13 Republican legislature went further, requiring that spending had to be less than revenue – but only in the second year of a biennium, not both. This legislature continued the drift from discipline. When lawmakers discovered late this past spring that revised, ongoing revenues would not cover ongoing appropria-
tions, they simply exempted 2014-15 from the second-year rule. Of the last eight biennial budgets, this latest one is perhaps the most surprising – and ironic. Having made extraordinarily difficult fiscal decisions two years ago, state officials ended the most recent fiscal year with $670 million in the bank. That’s a surplus equal to more than 4 percent of annual state spending – double the 2 percent requirement. Preserving even half that would have provided some protection against repeating the controversial spending cuts and growth-sapping tax increases of recent years. In the end, the legislature reserved only $65 million of the $670 million as a recession hedge. And even that amount assumes that state revenues in each of the next two years will run $180 million ahead of January’s projections. This is risky, for the $180 million the state now expects is less than the average annual forecasting error of the past decade. To their credit, state leaders some years ago enacted laws to encourage precautionary saving and prudent spending. Sadly, the laws were ignored. How ironic that, with the best prospects in years to restore long-term fiscal stability to Wisconsin, the 2013-15 budget risks returning us to the difficult years of the previous decade. Todd A. Berry is president of Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance, a nonpartisan, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization promoting good government through research and citizen education since 1932. More information about the organization and its work can be found online at www.wistax.org.
NEW NORTH B2B l AUGUST 2013 l 41
KEY STATISTICS Per gallon of regular unleaded gasoline.
$3.69 July 14 $3.58 July 7 $3.45 June 30 $3.49 July 21, 2012 $3.47 July 21
Source: New North B2B observations
June
911,000
7.5%
from May
16.1%
from June 2012 May
$1.058 billion
3.2%
from May 2012
June
$422.8 billion
0.4%
from May
5.7%
from June 2012 (2007 = 100)
June
99.1
0.3%
from May
2.0%
from June 2012 (Manufacturers and trade)
May
$1,657 billion
0.1% from April
3.8%
Appleton Fond du Lac Green Bay Neenah Oshkosh Wisconsin
May Apr. May ‘12 8.0% 7.5% 8.6% 8.3% 7.1% 6.7%
8.3% 7.9% 9.2% 8.7% 7.3% 7.2%
8.2% 7.5% 9.0% 8.9% 6.8% 6.7%
Prices for small businesses using less than 20,000 therms. Listed price is per therm.
$0.635 June $0.695 July 2012 $0.574 July
Source: Integrys Energy (Numbers above 50 mean expansion. Numbers below 50 mean contraction.)
June May
50.9 49.0
from May 2012 If there are indicators you’d like to see in this space, contact our office at 920.237.0254 or email info@newnorthb2b.com.
42 l NEW NORTH B2B l AUGUST 2013
www.newnorthb2b.com
TOM SCHARPF (920-379-0744) (tjr2216@aol.com) (www.tjrsite.com) POSSIBLE SELLER FINANCING
SALE PRICE REDUCED
POSSIBLE SELLER FINANCING
2308 Jackson Street, Oshkosh
200 Tower Road, Winneconne
110 Washington Street, Winneconne 200 Ingersoll Road, Winneconne
For Sale or Lease 3,900 SF Retail/Office Nice Corner Location
For Sale Or Lease 22,200 SF Warehouse-Distribution-Office
POSSIBLE SELLER FINANCING
755 W 5th Avenue, Oshkosh For Sale or Lease 2,050 SF Retail/Office Building
SALE PRICE REDUCED
236 W 23rd Avenue, Oshkosh For Sale 18,000 SF Industrial Building
ALL 10 UNITS LEASED
SALE PENDING
2909 Green Hill Court, Vinland
136 High Avenue, Oshkosh
2,600 SF or 5,200 SF Units
For Sale 90,000 SF Industrial Building
16 Unit Apartment Building
3483-3475 Jackson Street, Oshkosh For Sale 25,000 SF Bldg and 6,000 SF Bldg-6 acres of excess land zoned R-1 Lease-4,875 SF to 19,000 SF-Collect income on 12,000 SF of leased space
2850 Universal Street, Oshkosh For Sale Or Lease 6,370 SF Office Building W/Basement & Heated Garage w/Bathroom
1315-1335-1375 Moreland St., Oshkosh For Sale 3 - Four Plexes with Garages Many Improvements Being Made
3434-3444-3454 Jackson St., Oshkosh For Sale 2,500 SF Building - Building w/6 Shop Spaces - Building w/54 Mini Warehouses
LAND FOR SALE – Oshkosh – Starting at $79,900 Jackson Street (South of Snell Road) Washburn Street (Off 20th Avenue) – Washburn Street (Off Hwy 41 & State Road 44) State Road 44 – State Road 44 & 91 – State Road 91 Universal Business Park (Off State Road 44)