February 2012

Building

Global Trade

Training, assistance and grants help local companies develop international markets

Workplace clinics Health Care

Blog-tied Dumb

Pierce Stronglove

February 2012 $3.95

PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 66 OSHKOSH, WI

FIR E! Do you spend too much time putting out fires in your business and not enough time improving?

We’re here to help.

Nominate your business to receive no-cost assistance from our Fire Fighters of Northeast Wisconsin.

Send an email to sean@newnorthb2b.com or call 920.237.0254 for more information about this opportunity.

F i r e f ig h t e r s of northeast Wisconsin x coming april 2012

new north b2b February 2012

22 18

26

Features

18 COVER STORY ❘ Building Global Trade ❘ Training, assistance and grants help local firms develop foreign markets

22 HEALTH CARE ❘ Health Care @ Work ❘ Onsite clinics proving efficient and cost effective

26 HUMAN RESOURCES ❘ Benefits Compliance ❘ Looming fee disclosure deadlines for 401(k)-type plans

Departments

5,

On our Cover

4 From the Publisher 30 Professionally Speaking 6 Since We Last Met 10 Build Up Pages 17 Pierce Stronglove 25 Guest Commentary 32 Who’s News 37 Business Calendar 37 Advertiser Index 38 Key Statistics

Cover illustration by Kate Erbach.

NEW NORTH B2B l FEBRUARY 2012 l 3

FROM THE PUBLISHER

On the look out for local business owners who are always putting out fires and need help improving

Sean Fitzgerald New North B2B Publisher

Firefighters: Season 2

When we launched our inaugural Firefighters of Northeast Wisconsin initiative last spring, I’ll admit that I really didn’t know what to expect.

We came up with the idea back in late 2009 after watching so many small business owners needlessly suffer through day-to-day challenges of running their business. Often, their challenges didn’t arise from not offering a quality product or service – indeed, from their customer’s perspective, most appeared to be the best place to do business in the market.

But internally within their small company, these business owners were hurting because of a lack of organization, or a lack of consistent procedures, or challenges with technology, or in hiring and keeping good employees. These particular business owners were constantly putting out fires. They needed outside help to get back on track, an angel who could sit on their shoulder and work on fixing their business so that there no longer were any fires – or at the very least, fires that they didn’t have to extinguish alone.

The idea evolved into a concept in which B2B would match up these business owners who were constantly putting out fires with professional business consultants from the region who would donate their time and service to help get to the root of their problems, map out a solution, and point them toward the promised land. Throughout the nearly five months of this a sort-of businessowner-makeover, we’d chart the progress in the pages of each monthly magazine, offering some exposure to these small business and their consultants, and offering some lessons to our readers along the way.

Beginning last winter, B2B put out a call for small business owners who were brave enough to nakedly share their challenges of running a small business with our readers, yet, who genuinely wanted the assistance to improve and move their company to the next level of growth and success. For our April 2011 issue, we selected IT Connexx/DVM Connexx of Green Bay and Action Painting & Carpet Care of Appleton to receive a business management makeover at no cost other than to openly share their journey along the way.

Through the generous support of Steve Van Remortel, president and owner of SM Advisors in Green Bay, and Gary Vaughan, president and owner of Guident Business Solutions in Appleton, the two business-

4 l NEW NORTH B2B l FEBRUARY 2012

es received thousands of dollars worth of guidance to help them through some rough patches to get to a better place.

In the case of IT Connexx/DVM Connexx in Green Bay, co-owners Brian O’Shaughnessy and Kevin Scholz ultimately decided to dissolve their partnership, split the company in two and go their separate ways. It wasn’t that the two co-owners weren’t good together – the split resulted from recognition that the two companies weren’t as well aligned down the same path as they should’ve been to make it an efficient partnership. Through their work with Van Remortel, both recognized they can be much more effective with their respective staff now.

In its work with Vaughan, Action Painting co-owners Ruben and June Contreras were able to get a handle on their cash flow, implement job descriptions and policies, and ultimately sleep better at night.

“It seemed as if we were always doing what we needed to do for the moment,” said June Contreras, reflecting on their experience running the business before they began to work with Vaughan. “Now we have all that under control and we can look ahead to the future.”

Now that’s a firefighter endorsement.

B2B is back with our second annual Firefighters of Northeast Wisconsin campaign, beginning coverage with our April 2012 issue.

I’m accepting nominations between now and March 9 from small businesses owners who want out of the cycle of continually putting out fires. Feel free to nominate a vendor, a customer, even your own boss if you think it’s appropriate.

We’ll select a handful of nominated businesses to participate in our 2012 edition of Firefighters of Northeast Wisconsin, in which they’ll be provided counsel and training to improve their day-to-day operations, leaving more time and energy to concentrate on the bigger picture of the future of the business.

We’ll track the progress of their development along the way, sharing their lessons and their improvements with our B2B reading audience.

If you’d like to nominate yourself or another small business owner, send an email to sean@newnorthb2b.com outlining the challenges you face in running your small business. If you’d like more information about this campaign, feel free to email me or call me at 920.237.0254.

We’d be happy to share your story as a firefighter of 2012. www.newnorthb2b.com

PROFESSIONALLY SPEAKING

Overtime Concerns

by Davis & Kuelthau, s.c.

Tony Renning

920.232.4842

If you have a particular labor/employment law question, please forward your question 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: Are employees entitled to overtime even when the employer is not aware of the work being performed?

Tony Renning: The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) generally requires covered employers to pay overtime to nonexempt employees who work more than 40 hours in a workweek. In a recent decision, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals addressed the issue of employer overtime liability for work performed by an employee prior to the scheduled start of a shift where the employer had no knowledge or reason to know that such work was being performed. Keller v. Summit Seating, 09-CV-464 (Dec. 14, 2011).

In this case, the employee would regularly arrive for work between 15 and 45 minutes prior to the scheduled start time. The employee would then perform

Sean Fitzgerald

Publisher & President

sean@newnorthb2b.com

Carrie Rule

Sales Manager

carrie@newnorthb2b.com

Kate Erbach Production

Contributing writers

Jean Filut Lee Marie Reinsch

Chief Financial Officer

Vicky Fitzgerald, CPA

a number of activities (e.g., making coffee, reviewing schedules and distributing materials for use in manufacturing). The employee never informed supervisors, who arrived later than the employee, that the employee was working overtime (despite the existence of a policy requiring prior authorization to work overtime).

The Court of Appeals found the employee’s activities were an integral and indispensible part of the employee’s employment. Accordingly, the work the employee performed prior to the start time would generally be compensable.

However, the Court of Appeals found the work performed prior to the start time was not compensable because the employee’s supervisors neither knew nor should have known the employee was working overtime.

Albeit this particular employer ultimately prevailed, employers should

NEW NORTH B2B is published monthly

by WINNEBAGO B2B LLC for $20 per year or $3.95 for a single issue. A single complimentary subscription is offered to all members of the Fond du Lac Area Association of Commerce, Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, Heart of the Valley Chamber of Commerce, and the Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce.

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 2012.

Contact us: P.O. Box 559, Oshkosh, WI 54903-0559 • 920.237.0254 www.newnorthb2b.com

implement and enforce a policy governing overtime. Moreover, if unauthorized overtime is prohibited, employers must enforce their policy, including issuing discipline.

For counsel as to wage and hour issues, 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

Fox Cities

Oshkosh

Fond du Lac NEW NORTH B2B l FEBRUARY 2012 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.

December 22 Community Outreach Temporary Services in Appleton purchased the former Riverview Country Club site perched above the Fox River for $2.6 million to develop a community-based market garden and public green space. Expected to open later in 2012 as Riverview Gardens the plan calls for open green space to include nature trails as well as the initial construction of ten 2,000-sq. ft. greenhouses to allow for the cultivation of vegetables throughout the year.

December 22 Whitefield Industrial Coatings announced plans to close its Oshkosh manufacturing facility in February, effectively laying off its 30 employees. Officials from the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development were notified of the impending layoffs and are preparing to provide various reemployment services.

December 22 The Kaukauna Utilities Commission approved a $37.9 million hydroelectric facility replacement plan to replace four

generators – two of which are 104 years old each and two at 84 years old – with two modern generators that will increase output by 25 percent. The plan also calls for building a new power canal and various recreational amenities. The utility commission will borrow on 20-year bonds to finance the project.

December 27 The Green Bay Packers announced they would be offering an additional 30,000 shares of stock following the initial offering of 250,000 shares which nearly sold out after being made available to buyers just three weeks earlier. If the remaining 30,000 shares are sold at the $250-price-per-share, the organization will generate $70 million from the stock sale to help finance the planned $143 million expansion of Lambeau Field, which will add 6,700 seats, new scoreboards, new entrances and a new sound system.

December 28 The History Museum at the Castle in Appleton was awarded a $75,000 Wow Exhibits! Grant from the Fox Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau for its upcoming Leonardo da Vinci: Machines in Motion exhibit set for 14 weeks from September through the first week of 2013. The exhibit originated

2003

2006

February 6 – Hundreds of Wisconsin corrections workers didn’t show up for work at state prisons – including those in Oshkosh, Taycheedah and Waupun – all part of a staged sick-in to protest the union not coming to terms with the state on a labor contract. The state corrections workers union has not received a pay raise in two years.

February 1 – State officials reported the entire $3 million in allowable tax credits available for angel investing were used in 2005, the first year since Act 255 became law.

Act 255 provides a 25 percent tax credit for qualified angel investments in technology start-up businesses. A total of $15.5 million was invested during 2005 in new business ventures qualified under Act 255.

2005 February 4 – The City of Neenah received a $500,000 state Brownfields grant to clean up a contaminated site downtown for Alta Resources Corp. to expand. Once cleaned up, the city plans to build a seven-story office complex and public parking structure on the site, which will allow Alta Resources to create 336 jobs. The total investment in this project is $31.4 million.

6 l NEW NORTH B2B l FEBRUARY 2012

2009 February 20 – The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin approved a $5 million refund for electric customers of Wisconsin Public Service Corp. as a result of lower fuel costs during 2008. During the next few months, the average Wisconsin Public Service residential customer can expect a one-time refund of about $3.36 on an upcoming electric bill.

www.newnorthb2b.com

SINCE WE LAST MET in Florence, Italy and brings together the largest collection of full-size machine replicas of da Vinci’s famous codices, including a helicopter, glider, armored tank, the drive transmission, the printing press, the robot and the bicycle.

January 4 Ashwaubenon-based Shopko Stores announced plans to merge with Pamida and invest $80 million over the next year to convert its 193 stores in 17 states to the Shopko Hometown concept geared toward smaller communities. Both retail chains are owned by private-equity firm Sun Capital Partners of Florida. Through the merger, the combined company – operating as Shopko and based in Ashwaubenon – expects to create more than 120 new jobs in Wisconsin, and qualified to receive up to $2 million in Economic Development Tax Credits from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. The combined retail entity will have 350 stores in 22 states.

January 6 The U.S. Department of Labor reported 200,000 jobs were created in December, lowering the national unemployment rate to 8.5 percent. Job gains occurred in transportation and warehousing, retail trade, manufacturing, health care and mining.

January 7 Oshkosh Area School District Superintendent Don Viegut announced plans to leave his position at the end of June to

take a position as the administrator for the Cooperative Educational Service Agency No. 8 serving 27 school districts in northeast Wisconsin. Viegut began his job in Oshkosh in July 2010, and recently renewed his contract with the district for two more years.

January 9 Officials from United Way Fox Cities announced the 2011 community campaign met its $7 million goal for funding more than 100 programs offered by 41 partner agencies, including access to shelter, affordable housing, mental health services, clothing and transportation.

January 9 Wipfli LLP with offices in Appleton and Howard announced plans to merge with North Dakota-based Eide Bailly LLP on June 1. The new firm will be named EB Wipfli LLP and will rank among the country’s 15 largest accounting firms with annual revenue of $314 million.

January 9 Agnesian HealthCare purchased 20 acres of land adjacent to its clinic in Ripon to construct a replacement facility for Ripon Medical Center. While final details are not yet developed, initial plans call for an 80,000-sq. ft., 25-bed hospital and a separate 25,000-sq. ft. medical office building. Construction is expected to begin in late summer or early fall and be complete in early 2014.

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NEW NORTH B2B l FEBRUARY 2012 l 7

SINCE WE LAST MET January 10 Alta Resources in Neenah held a job fair to help fill 300 new positions it plans to create in customer care, IT, sales and various team leader roles.

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Green Bay Mayor Jim Schmitt and Brown County Supervisor Pat Evans rolled out a plan for a $19 million expansion of KI Convention Center in downtown Green Bay which would add 78,000-sq. ft. and make it the fifth largest convention facility in the state. The plan to finance the expansion includes using half of the additional increment from a proposed 2 percent hike in the county’s hotel room tax – estimated to generate an additional $1 million a year – a kettle of new revenue which was initially proposed by local tourism officials to support destination marketing efforts in Green Bay. The financial plan to expand the convention center also includes nearly $8 million from the City of Green Bay through tax incremental financing, management fees and proceeds from naming rights.

January 10 The Green Bay-De Pere YWCA announced a $3.3 million campaign to provide a new roof and other facility improvements, as well as to launch new services through a Women’s Empowerment Center, a new anti-bullying program, and expanded after-school programs for kids. The new center will offer employment training, job search counseling, time management assistance and other services in addition to Women’s Closet, which provides donated clothing to low-income women for work and school. YWCA officials already raised $2.7 million and are conducting a community campaign for the remaining $600,000.

January 10 The Governor’s ad-hoc Commission on Waste, Fraud and Abuse released its final report after nearly a year of scrutinizing state government expenses and identifying a total of $445 million in potential government savings, including $82.6 million from local units of government and $373 million from state government. The largest portion of savings identified – estimated at more than $177 million – would come from rooting out abuse of state public assistance programs such as fraud in its FoodShare program or in unemployment insurance.

The recommendations also include reducing the amount of unnecessary overtime among state employees.

January 10

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Officials from the Neenah Joint School District reported $600,000 in cost savings for the 2011-12 school year from the 46 employees and retirees who opted for a voluntary health insurance buyout. Those employees accepted a $2,000 payment if they opted out of the district’s health and dental insurance package, which costs nearly $19,000 for a family plan.

January 11 Valley Plating & Fabricating moved into the former K&K Warehouse building in downtown Green Bay and expects to add 15 to 18 steel fabricators. The expanded space will allow for increased productivity, more equipment and increased liftwww.newnorthb2b.com

SINCE WE LAST MET ing capacity, which will accommodate the fabrication of larger products for the mining, marine, heavy machinery, trucking, paper and construction industries.

January 12 The Experimental Aircraft Association in Oshkosh fired or laid off nearly 30 people as part of an organizational restructuring plan aimed at increasing participation in aviation, building membership and making operations more effective.

EAA officials said they provided transition support and outplacement resources to affected employees, and offered severance packages to certain employees.

January 12 School Specialty Inc. of Greenville named Michael Lavelle, president of the education group for Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, as its new president and chief executive officer to replace David Vander Zanden, who plans to retire in late April.

Lavelle served in a variety of leadership roles with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, a Massachusetts company that also markets educational products.

January 16 Fond du Lac County Economic Development Corp. named Steve R. Jenkins, senior vice president of economic development at Go Topeka (Kan.) Economic Partnership, as its new president, filling a role vacant nearly eight months since Brenda Hicks-Sorensen left to work for Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. In his previous position, Jenkins helped with development projects for Mars Chocolate North American, Bimbo Bakeries USA and The Home Depot’s Rapid Deployment Center.

January 18 Officials for the Port of Green Bay reported the 2011 shipping season registered more than 2.16 metric tons passed through the port during the year, a 25 percent increase above 2010 data for the port. During the year the port registered a 130 percent increase in foreign imports of salt, a 69 percent increase in domestic imports of gypsum, and a 36 percent increase in imports of petroleum coke. The addition of the U.S. Venture terminal contributed to the export of more than 210,000 metric tons of petroleum products during the year.

January 18 The Fox Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau awarded a $250,000 grant toward the design of the proposed Fox Cities Exhibition Center in downtown Appleton. The total cost of design and engineering – including architecture, telecommunications, lighting, acoustics and graphics – is expected to cost $1.28 million. City of Appleton and Outagamie County officials are in the process of negotiating the purchase of land for the convention center, which is owned by the county and adjacent to the Radisson Paper Valley Hotel.

January 19 The state Department of Workforce Development reported 3,900 private-sector jobs were lost in Wisconsin during December, marking the sixth straight month of losses and a total gain of 13,500 jobs for all of 2011. The state’s unemployment rate fell from 7.3 to 7.1 percent for the month, and was down from 7.5 percent in December 2010.

January 17 Organizers of an effort to recall Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker delivered more than 1 million signatures to the state Government Accountability Board requesting a special election. The GAB has 30 days to certify the signatures, though it’s expected both sides of the recall effort will present numerous challenges during the process, potentially delaying certification and pushing back a recall election by several months.

January 17 The Fox Valley Technical College Board of Trustees approved a $66.5 million building referendum for April 3 asking property owners in the district to fund seven separate capital facilities projects aimed at increasing capacity to expand educational and job training programs. The largest project is a $32.5 million public safety training center proposed out at the Outagamie County Regional Airport. Other projects include a health simulation and technology center, an expansion of the general education area at the Appleton campus, an expansion of the existing transportation center, and an expansion of the current agriculture center. The projects would expand capacity for 700 degree-seeking students and 3,500 continuing education students.

The Better Business Bureau joins these 100 year old NE Wisconsin BBB Accredited businesses in celebrating a century of consumer trust!

Custom Metal Roofing-Oshkosh, Dama Plumbing & Heating-Crivitz, Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce-Green Bay, Heartland Farms-Hancock, Homestead Mutual Insurance Co.-Larsen, Maple Valley Mutual Ins. Co.-Lena, Meiselwitz-Vollstedt Funeral Home-Kiel, Pecard Chemical Co.-Green Bay, Quasius Construction-Sheboygan, Roe NurseriesOshkosh,Schroeder’s Flowers-Green Bay, Tennie’s Jewelry-Appleton, The Boldt Company-Appleton, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans-Appleton, Union Telephone Company-Plainfield, VerHalen -Green Bay, Welhouse Construction Services- Kaukauna, Zander Press-Brillion.

NEW NORTH B2B l FEBRUARY 2012 l 9

BUILD UP FOND DU LAC

1

Build Up Fond du Lac 1 - 336 Trowbridge Dr., Fond du Lac, Basic American Medical Products, a 40,000-sq. ft. expansion of the existing manufacturing facility. Project completion expected in February. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna.

Build Up Oshkosh

2 - 3870 Jackson St., Oshkosh, Christian Community Child Care Center, a 2,100-sq. ft. addition to the existing child care center. General contractor is R.J. Albright Inc. of Oshkosh.

3 - 606 E. Murdock Ave., Oshkosh, Muza Metal Products,

a 47,700-sq. ft. addition to the existing manufacturing facility.

General contractor is Frontier Builders of Kaukauna.

4-

600 Block of Algoma Blvd., Oshkosh, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, a five-story, 340-bed residence hall.

5 - 310 Ohio St., Oshkosh, ImproMed, a two-story, 10,684-sq. ft. addition to the existing tech campus. Project completion expected in April. Contractor is R.J. Albright Inc. of Oshkosh.

6-

1190 S. Koeller St., Oshkosh, Olive Garden, a new restaurant building.

7 - 1210 S. Koeller St., Oshkosh, U.S. Cellular, a new retail building.

10 l NEW NORTH B2B l FEBRUARY 2012

www.newnorthb2b.com

BUILD UP OSHKOSH 2 3

4

5 6 thru 8

9

C - Indicates a new listing

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11 & 12

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8 - 1250 S. Koeller St., Oshkosh, C T.J. Maxx, a new retail strip center development.

12 - 3365 S. Washburn St., Oshkosh, Bergstrom Used Cars, a new retail automotive dealership.

9 - 2045 W. 20th Ave., Oshkosh, Jay Manufacturing, a 52,871-sq. ft. addition to the existing industrial facility.

13 - 450 Ripple Ave., Oshkosh, Evco Plastics, a 30,734-

10 - 4000 State Road 91, Oshkosh,

sq. ft. addition to the existing manufacturing facility. Project completion expected in March.

AP West Shore, an

addition to the existing industrial facility.

11 - 3159 S. Washburn St., Oshkosh, Bergstrom Volkswagen, a new retail automotive dealership.

Projects completed since our January issue: • St. Agnes Hospital / Agnesian Healthcare. 430 E. Division St., Fond du Lac.

NEW NORTH B2B l FEBRUARY 2012 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

6 - 1700 Stephens St., Little Chute, Heartland Business Systems, a remodel and 30,000-sq. ft. addition to the existing office building. Project completion expected in the spring.

General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna.

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7 - 1700 Nixon St., Little Chute, C Poly Flex, a 54,000-sq.

119 N. McCarthy Road, town of Grand Chute, C Southern Graphics, an 8,076-sq. ft. addition to the industrial facility.

2 - 4601 W. College Ave., town of Grand Chute,

Buffalo

Wild Wings, a new 6,161-sq. ft. restaurant building.

ft. manufacturing facility. Project completion expected in June.

General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna.

8 - 130 W. Main St., Little Chute,

Little Chute Windmill Inc.,

a windmill and village visitor center.

3 - 2693 W. Grand Chute Blvd., town of Grand Chute, Appleton Alliance Church, a 105,300-sq. ft. addition to the existing church campus.

4 - 3335 N. Lynndale Dr., town of Grand Chute, Our Shepherd Child Care and Family Ministry Center, a 13,500-sq. ft. addition to the existing child care center. Project completion expected in May. 5

- 2551 Northridge Dr., Kaukauna, Classic Gears and Machining, a 19,504-sq. ft. addition to the existing industrial facility. Project completion expected in spring. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna.

9 - 558 Carter Ct., Kimberly, U.S. Venture, a 12,000-sq. ft. addition to the existing office building. Project completion expected in April. General contractor is Keller Inc. 10

- 101 Main St., Neenah, Affinity Health System, a two-story, 31,400-sq. ft. medical clinic building.

Projects completed since our January issue: • Wisconsin Electric Power Co., 800 S. Lynndale Dr., Appleton.

• R.R. Donnelley & Sons, 800 Midway Road, Menasha.

• Menasha Packaging Folding Carton Group, 1645 Bergstrom Road, Neenah.

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NEW NORTH B2B l FEBRUARY 2012 l 13

BUILD UP GREEN BAY Build Up Green Bay

Hagemeister Park restaurant and Children’s Museum of Green Bay. Completion expected in April.

The Build Up department of New North B2B includes a monthly twopage spread identifying significant commercial and industrial construction projects ongoing in the Green Bay area.

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C - Indicates a new listing

2800 University Ave., Green Bay, Milo C. Huempfner Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic, a new 192,000-sq. ft. outpatient clinic for veterans services. Project completion expected in the spring of 2013.

1-

8

- 1010 Centennial St., Ashwaubenon, Laser Form, a 9,000-sq. ft. addition to the existing industrial facility.

2 - 2300 Woodman Dr., Howard,

9 - 100 Grant St., De Pere, St. Norbert College Michels Commons, an addition to the existing student commons and cafeteria. Project completion expected in May.

3 - 1230 Hurlbut St., Green Bay, Oneida Energy Gasification,

10 - 1499 Lawrence Dr., De Pere, Culver’s Restaurant, a new restaurant building. Project completion expected in February.

1325 Cornell Road, Howard, C SMT Machine & Tool, a 25,450-sq. ft. addition to the existing manufacturing facility.

General contractor is Bayland Buildings Menard’s, a 214,000-sq. ft. retail store and offices and a 42,352-sq. ft. lumber warehouse.

a 70,000-sq. ft. pyrolytic gasification electricity generation plant.

4 - 904 S. Military Ave., Green Bay, Keith’s Hair Center, a 5,288-sq. ft. addition to the existing commercial building.

5 - 1077 W. Mason St., Green Bay, Tower Clock Surgery Center, a new ambulatory surgery center.

6 - 315 N. Washington St., Green Bay,

Watermark, a sixstory, 70,000-sq. ft. mixed-use development which will house

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CORPORATE HEALTH & WELLNESS

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NEW NORTH B2B l FEBRUARY 2012 l 15

AROUND THE BOARDROOM

5

Title: Why People Don’t Buy Things: Five Proven Steps To Connect With Your Customers And Dramatically Improve Your Sales Author: Harry Washburn and Kim Wallace Publisher: Basic Books (2000) Pages: 208 List Price: $10.95

The number of University of Wisconsin campuses that enrolled fewer freshmen in the fall of 2010 than in the fall of 2000.

Source: Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance

10 weird excuses...

Why Buy: The authors explore the thought processes potential buyers go through every time they consider making a purchase. This guide offers a systematic approach to understanding customers’ motivations and tailoring the entire sales strategy to fit the customers’ buying path. By teaching salespeople how to recognize different buying profiles, this book offers strategies and tactics to turn promising prospects into repeat customers.

A

...workers use when late to work If you’re like me, there are days when you hit the snooze button on your alarm or phone at least 27 times. Eventually you get up, throw on some clothes without the pretense that it’s actually an outfit and slink into work, as if you’ve been there the last hour.

Sure, we’ve all had rough mornings, and sometimes the weirdest things do happen that prevent us from getting to work on time. I’ve walked all the way to the train station, only to realize I didn’t have my fare card. That was an extra 20 minutes lost. But never have I blamed my tardiness on my cat’s hiccups, but apparently some people have. Poor kitty.

A new CareerBuilder survey revealed 16 percent of workers reported arriving late to work at least once a week or more, up slightly from last year. In addition, more workers said they arrived late to work at least once a month, with 27 percent admitting to being tardy.

So what were some of the other crazy excuses that hiring managers shared with us?

❶ Employee’s cat had hiccups. ❷ Employee thought she had won the lottery

❻ Employee claimed a fox stole her car keys. ❼ Employee’s leg was trapped between the subway

❸ Employee got distracted watching the

❽ Employee said he wasn’t late, because he had no

(she didn’t).

“Today” show.

❹ Employee’s angry roommate cut the cord to his

phone charger, so it didn’t charge and his alarm didn’t go off.

❺ Employee believed his commute time should count

toward his work hours.

16 l NEW NORTH B2B l FEBRUARY 2012

car and the platform (turned out to be true).

intention of getting to work before 9 a.m. (his start time was 8 a.m.)

❾ Employee was late because of a job interview with

another company.

❿ Employee had to take a personal call from the

state governor (turned out to be true).

Source: By Justin Thompson, CareerBuilder writer www.newnorthb2b.com

AROUND THE BOARDROOM

Blog-tied Dumb

A

re we too excited to speak? Too drained of our own essence to think of anything to talk about? Too busy to blog?

Too bad. Maybe it explains why people rarely click through to blogs that show up in our search results unless they’re: 1) the product of a recognized expert or organization, or 2) liked, Tweeted or otherwise recommended by a trusted friend, colleague – even if only on their own blogs.

If you were working in marketing communications a billion years ago when the number of commercial websites began to mushroom (“They have a website. We need a website, too – and FAST, damn it.”), you might blush at the professional impropriety you were pressed into performing.

Don’t ask me how I know all about this.

Many didn’t care what their new Internet presence delivered, or how it paid out, or how it served anyone beyond quickening the delivery of their capabilities brochure’s contents to early adopters. They knew this was more than a fad, so they had to get a site quickly, before they looked out of date or, Mother forbid, lazy.

Some bloggers find themselves in the very same pinch today: Others have blogs, so they must blog, too. And like their salivating forbearers with stagnant versions of sales literature available instantly (and cheaply) online, they’re on a learning curve. They might have an attractive visual format, but the postings are meager, far between, lacking comments of others, and rife with nitwittery.

So, does your business just HAVE to have a blog? You’re not alone. As a long-tailed marketing strategy where prospects can not only find relevant info but also engage in symbiotic intercourse instead of being targeted, delivered

and penetrated with your best-constructed but self-gratifying content, your blog can be one of your most powerful marketing communications tools.

Still, there’s nothing new under the sun. People still like to talk with each other. Friends still tell friends about a good thing. And attributes that make for engaging conversation you wish would never end are still with us: Looking ahead. Have no fear. Making industry predictions will stimulate comments, especially from your core audience.

Leading with the chin. Forget shyness when you disagree with what popular sites and trade publications are saying. If you have a valid counterpoint, stir the pot.

Rejecting peek-a-boo. Why hold your best stuff back?

Attract loyal followers by making your blog the easiest, most accessible hub for your best marketing content.

Speaking Human. Your list of followers will grow when you abandon conventional BusinessSpeak and talk like an ordinary person. It’s rare these days, so it’s refreshingly welcome.

Introducing insightful and authentic thinkers. Have your internal experts discuss your company’s new products and services. Invite customers to share engaging stories about their experiences with the same.

Orienting around others. Wrong-O: “Oh enough about me. Let’s talk about what you think about me,” is why Mother Stronglove surrendered her Derringer chick pistol to local law enforcement. (Note: She still carries a very large whistle.) Instead of trying to make headlines with over-thetop claims, explain how your industry’s big, relevant stories impact your core readers.

If you want a good one, treat your blog like you would a prize horse: Ride it. Groom it. Show it off. If you can’t take care of it, it’s best to give it to someone who can give it the care it needs to be your winner.

Behind the façade of Mr. Stronglove is an advertising professional wielding strategic and conceptual stealth in all forms of media (except book jackets). Send comments (or crisp twenties) to piercestronglove@gmail.com. To submit work for review, it must be attached as a PDF in Adobe format with no other attachments.

NEW NORTH B2B l FEBRUARY 2012 l 17

COVER STORY

Building

Global Trade

Training, assistance and grants help local companies develop international markets Story by Sean Fitzgerald, New North B2B publisher While there are literally dozens of approaches government and economic development officials have proposed to lift the economy out of its slump and create a number of well-paying jobs in Wisconsin, few of those ideas look beyond our borders.

Even though our economy is still limping along compared with its break-neck speed of a decade ago, that doesn’t mean other regions around the world are in the same boat. On the contrary, demographic trends and new political regimes are creating an economic climate allowing certain Third World countries to transform into consumers with distinguished tastes for luxuries we take for granted, but they likely never realized existed. That demand opens new doors of opportunity for manufacturers of such products, many of which are made by or can be made by Wisconsin companies.

Coupled with a low value of the U.S. Dollar compared with various other currencies around the globe – which puts U.S.made products on sale for the rest of the world – and the recipe to grow business comes together by targeting new customers abroad.

On the whole, Wisconsin has been growing its exports sales steadily throughout the past decade. Exports from the Badger State were nearly $19.8 billion in 2010 – the most recent data available (2011 figures will be released in April) – down slightly from the all-time high of $20.5 billion in 2008 and close to double the $10.5 billion recorded back in 2001.

But the figures pale in comparison to other neighboring Midwestern states with industrial and agricultural bases similar to 18 l NEW NORTH B2B l FEBRUARY 2012

what Wisconsin has to offer. Export data from the U.S. Census Bureau indicates Illinois, Michigan and Ohio all exceeded $40 billion in sales abroad in 2010, while Indiana registered $28.7 million in exports, nearly 50 percent more than Wisconsin.

Many argue Wisconsin businesses simply don’t have the global mindset to think about expanding market development efforts beyond the comfort of U.S. borders. Others might argue a number of Wisconsin companies that should be selling their products and services abroad haven’t because of a lack of experience and a lack of knowledge of the basic premises of selling outside the U.S. That’s where assistance and training from resources like Wisconsin Economic Development Corp., the U.S. Department of Commerce, local technical colleges and local chambers of commerce can help make a difference.

Growing state jobs The state’s international business development team has been helping open doors and open ports for Wisconsin companies into foreign markets for more than 20 years, and the resource has thrived despite seemingly little respect from state legislators through budget appropriations. Budget cuts in past biennial cycles limited opportunities to open outreach offices in Europe and Asia, and in certain instances, former Gov. Jim Doyle used the threat of cutting off funding for international development services altogether as a bargaining chip during statewide budget negotiations. It was hardly viewed as or given the resources to be much of an engine for economic growth. www.newnorthb2b.com

COVER STORY “International was only kind of an add-on piece,” said Lora Klenke, the vice president of international business development for the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp., the new quasi-public agency that evolved from the state Department of Commerce during 2011 after Gov. Scott Walker took office.

“Now we’re looking to change the mindset that export growth is the next step in a company’s growth.”

Under the guise of an entirely new organization and new leadership from the top down, it’s clear to Klenke there’s a dedication to support her office to help Wisconsin manufacturers create jobs by growing sales abroad. The office has a clear goal of increasing the number of companies exporting from the state as well as increasing the dollar amount of exported goods.

How will they achieve those goals?

A new Global Business Development grant program rolled out just a few weeks ago will offer up to $3,000 for a company for tasks such as translating their Web site or various marketing literature into another language, or to help cover the cost of obtaining various certifications required to sell manufactured goods in other countries, particularly in Europe, which has different electrical standards than in the U.S. Klenke also said up to $10,000 is available for travel to determine and arrange market access to a corner of the world in which a Wisconsin company hasn’t sold before.

In addition, the agency has arranged three development missions this year to India, South America and Southeast Asia to help businesses uncover opportunities and better navigate regulatory hurdles when they do go to market in these emerging economies. Klenke said these areas in particular represent more than one billion people who are evolving from developing countries into the middle class and making more discriminating decisions when it comes to the non-essential products they’re looking to buy. And Wisconsin manufacturers already have a growing relationship in key areas of South America – Brazil ranked eighth as a state trade partner in 2010 with $559 million in exports, while Chile came in at No. 10 with $422 million in exports.

“The decisions we make on where our resources go really rely on where the global opportunities are,” Klenke said.

In addition, the office still maintains four development directors dedicated to outreach in Canada, Mexico, China and Brazil, and supports outreach coordinators in various regions through the state.

Now through a new affiliation with Wisconsin Manufactur-

2010 Exports by State Illinois ................................................$50.1 billion Indiana . ............................................ $28.7 billion Iowa .................................................. $10.8 billion Michigan . .......................................... $44.8 billion Minnesota . ........................................ $18.9 billion Ohio ...................................................$41.5 billion Wisconsin . ..........................................$19.8 billion Source:U. S. Census Bureau

ing Extension Partnership, WEDC plans to proactively identify state companies that have the capacity to export and approach those firms about pursuing foreign opportunities.

Learning the ropes Companies that have never sold products outside the U.S. before can often be intimidated by the variety of challenges associated with exporting. Marketing and selling are tasks that are heavily rooted in culture. Take the same approach to selling a two-stroke combustion engine to a customer in the U.S. and use that tactic in Japan, one might find themselves unintentionally offending the potential customer.

Regulatory issues vary from country to country. Tariffs are set at varying rates among countries. Legal systems vary. So, too, do banking and finance systems. Not to mention the barrage of language barriers.

Fortunately, there are resources available for local companies to learn the basics of exporting, or sharpen their edge when it comes to expanding beyond an already successful global business experience.

Fox Valley Technical College in Appleton launched a Global Business Professional certificate program in 2009 that allows working professionals to take up to six one-credit, two-week courses focusing on various aspects of international trade.

Once completed, students are prepared and can sit for the North American Small Business International Trade Educators (NASBITE) certification exam, according to Marie Martin, director of global education and services for FVTC. The program is designed to provide education in global

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COVER STORY Wisconsin’s Top 5 Export Destinations for 2010 Canada .....................................................................$6.0 billion Mexico . ....................................................................$2.0 billion China . ......................................................................$1.3 billion Germany ................................................................$747 million Japan .....................................................................$731 million Source: Wisconsin Dept. of Commerce sales and marketing, global banking and finance, global supply chain and logistics management, and global operations management, among other areas. The seminars are available online to accommodate the schedule of participants who might often be traveling for work.

The program helped strengthen the rules and practices used

by VF Outdoor to manage its letters of credit, said Adam Jaehnig, the organization’s international credit manager who completed the global business certificate program through FVTC in 2009. He then went on to earn his NASBITE certification.

Jaehnig, who works from VF’s Jansport office in Appleton but manages international business for its Vans, Reef, Jansport, The North Face and Eagle Creek brands, said the company had a protocol in place for letters of credit, but discovered during the seminar on global banking that its practices could have lead to unforeseen problems. So, he helped to tighten those practices

so that its letters of credit would be more secure as the company expands its global outreach. Jaehnig said the company has taken steps to expand the exposure of some of its popular brands into central and South America in recent years, which led him toward the course and the eventual certification.

“It was nice that they covered all areas of international business,” said Jaehnig, who noted that even though he doesn’t have certain responsibilities internationally like marketing or managing operations, it’s helpful to know how each component of international business fits into the bigger picture, which is especially helpful to a company moving into international markets for the first time. “(The global business certificate program) gives them some sort of structure on where to begin and how to get started,” he said.

Navigating through the challenges of selling abroad without any help is possible, but it often is accompanied by a lot of mistakes, lost time and can often prove costly. That’s how Frank Verhagen started out when Appleton-based Pacon Corp. first began selling into the United Kingdom in 2001. Today – through the help of lessons learned along the way and outreach from the state’s international trade office – the paper converter of art and educational products ships its goods to 57 countries around the world.

Verhagen, the international sales manager for Pacon, said tariffs and regulations vary from country to country, both of which ultimately have an impact on pricing strategies and other aspects of making a sale internationally.

“Going into it, you’re not going to know these nuances right away,” he said. “You’re going to learn it as you go. There’s a huge

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COVER STORY pool of resources that people don’t even know are out there.”

Verhagen also completed the Global Business Professional program through FVTC and earned his NASBITE certification, even though he already came into the program with several years experience in international sales, freight, finance and management. He said the course helped prepare him for his certification exam, and helped identify other resources available for specific export assistance.

Leading the way Green Bay-based Paradocs Embryo Transfer, Inc. has been on the cutting edge of bovine embryo transfer since the dawn of the industry back in the early 1980s. And since that time, it’s also become a leader in exporting frozen embryos to foreign countries where there’s a high demand for world-class, disease free cows bred in Wisconsin and the Midwest.

During the last 20 of those years, Paradocs has exported to a variety of countries, though its biggest markets continue to be Germany, Japan, and China. In 2009 the small company received one of the Governor’s Export Achievement Awards for its service to Wisconsin dairy farmers.

“We’re trying to provide a way of exporting genetics in a complicated world market,” said Dr. Scott Armbrust, a veterinarian by training and president and owner of Paradocs. “Our biggest problem is that we don’t have enough product to meet demand.”

In 2011, the company exported 2,100 bovine embryos to a handful of foreign countries. In doing so, the company has to comply with rigorous regulations from both the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as well as import authorities in the countries where their

Wisconsin’s Top 5 Export Product Categories for 2010 Industrial Machinery ............................................. $6.4 billion Electrical Machinery .............................................. $2.3 billion Medical & Scientific Instruments ............................ $2.2 billion Vehicles .................................................................$1.1 billion Paper Products . .................................................. $835 million Source: Wisconsin Dept. of Commerce buyers are located. All paperwork needs to be correct, insurance needs to be up to date, and certifications and inspections need to be renewed regularly.

There’s substantial demand for more bovine embryos from the region to farmers and breeders abroad, Armbrust said, and all indication that Wisconsin and other Midwest farmers can meet that demand. The problem, he said, is working with the governments of these importing countries to allow frozen embryos from the U.S. Some simply won’t allow it, he said.

“If we can share these genetics (with developing countries), they can feed their people. They can lead better lives,” Armbrust said.

And that’s the basis for developing nations to become healthier, move into the middle class, and ultimately demand and be able to afford products made in Wisconsin and the U.S.

NEW NORTH B2B l FEBRUARY 2012 l 21

HEALTH CARE

health care @ work Onsite clinics proving efficient, cost effective and generate higher rates of employee use of health care If there’s one microscopic thing Republicans and Democrats can agree on these days, it’s probably this: The health-insurance situation in this country is one colossal gut ache for just about everybody. Job creators hate it because it’s obnoxiously expensive, and workers hate knowing that their organ transplants and cancer exams are at the mercy of their fulltime status.

Just what to do about this mutually distasteful state of affairs, nobody seems to have all the answers. So until someone comes up with a halfway workable plan, some employers are taking matters into their own hands – they’re finding that onsite clinics can help them get a grip on costs.

No longer the exclusive domain of huge, top-tier companies like Apple, onsite clinics are becoming more viable for smaller companies, if only because the cost of health care keeps skyrocketing.

Why take on the extra cost?

It might sound counterintuitive to install a company clinic if you’re trying to cut down on overhead. But the logic is that if you catch a leaky pipe now, you might stop the bathroom floor from rotting away and the throne from crashing through the living room ceiling on to your mother-in-law, who is wrapped in her Snuggie catching up on “Cougar Town.”

Like most health care services, an ounce of prevention can cost far less than tons of chronic issues down the road. And the cost doesn’t have to be insurmountable.

“It’s not based on a fee-for-service (basis),” said Jenn

22 l NEW NORTH B2B l FEBRUARY 2012

Story by Lee Marie Reinsch

Younk, health and wellness sales manager for Prevea Health’s corporate wellness program, LeadWell, in Green Bay. “There’s one hourly rate. That’s made it easier for a lot of smaller companies to join together and share a clinic.”

In other words, if 10 employees see your company’s nurse Monday morning, your company pays by the hour for the nurse’s time rather than for 10 office visits. If the same 10 employees were to go to traditional clinics, you or insurance would pay for 10 office visits.

Health care is the top-ranked expenditure for many employers outside of payroll, yet 40 to 60 percent of employees don’t take advantage of their primary care benefit, Younk said.

“Either they don’t know where to go because they don’t have a regular doctor, or they don’t feel the need to go unless they are sick,” Younk said. “The onsite clinic model offers them a place to go to get their preventive care done as well as other types of things. We can catch so many things when it comes to preventive care – whether it’s getting your blood pressure taken or having a full (blood) lipid panel done, or getting your fasting glucose level measured.”

Before the first phase of the Affordable Care Act took effect last fall, preventive care exams were not covered by many high-deductible insurance plans. That meant patients with such plans had to pay out of pocket for basic exams intended to establish and monitor their basic level of health. Often that means some patients will go years without seeing a doctor, rather than face large out-of-pocket medical bills, which in turn means serious conditions such as diabetes or high blood pres-

www.newnorthb2b.com

HEALTH CARE sure were allowed to flourish undetected.

Under the new health care law, insurance companies are prohibited from charging copays, co-insurance or deductibles for procedures like colonoscopies, mammograms or well-baby exams.

But even with federally mandated preventive care coverage, getting employees to have little abnormalities looked at before they become more complex medical issues is still a challenge, said Margo Kane, director of human resources for Master Fleet, a Green Bay-based service provider to the trucking industry which just launched a clinic in its facility late last year through the assistance of Prevea.

“In this industry, it’s 95 percent men, and they all think they’re immortal,” said Kane. “Anything we can do to make it convenient for them to go and get something checked out is a win-win all around, and when you split the cost three ways, it really isn’t expensive at all.”

Master Fleet helped make its clinic more efficient by teaming up with two of its customers, Paper Transport Inc. of Green Bay and Marinette-based John Veriha Trucking. Employees from the three companies don’t pay a copayment or deductible to use the onsite clinic, and they don’t have to show an insurance card, Kane said. The clinic itself is open to all employees and their dependents, even those who don’t have employersponsored insurance coverage through the company.

“If we can catch one heart issue or one diabetes case, it will pay for itself right away,” said Barb Kornowske, director of human resources for Paper Transport Inc. Indeed, it did in at least one case. One employee saw the onsite nurse practitioner because he just didn’t feel right. The nurse took his blood pressure and found it to be so high that she made an appointment with the cardiology team.

“They ended up finding out that he had a 99 percent blockage in one artery and a 66 percent blockage in another – he was a walking time bomb,” Younk said. “Had he not had a physical, he probably wouldn’t have seen a doctor until something happened or he was admitted to the emergency room.

We probably prevented him from having open heart surgery.

He had a couple stents put in and was back at work four days later.”

A less dramatic example is Kornowske’s colleague, who suspected she was coming down with the flu. The clinic’s onsite nurse practitioner determined she had appendicitis. While no surgery is cheap, catching the need for one on time is usually cheaper than one involving a trip to the emergency room.

While the “partnership” clinic at Master Fleet is offsite for Veriha and PTI employees, PTI is only about a mile away from Master Fleet, and although Veriha is based in Marinette, around 80 of its employees live in Green Bay. In addition, Kane pointed out that truckers are mobile and seldom in the home office anyway.

But I don’t want my boss knowing I have…

Patient privacy laws are the same in onsite clinics as they are for any other type of clinic, Kane said.

“When you hit that doorway, it’s no longer Master Fleet at all,” Kane said. “Every HIPAA rule applies; all confidentiality is in place.”

Electronic medical records keep track of procedures and re-

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NEW NORTH B2B l FEBRUARY 2012 l 23

HEALTH CARE sults to tests aren’t duplicated, Younk said.

The interaction between employee and nurse helps to promote health almost as much as the actual medical advice, Kane said.

“You develop a relationship with someone, as opposed to going to a (random) doctor who only sees you for five minutes and sends you out the door with no follow up. Trust builds and (employees) see that (the nurse practitioner) is dedicated,” Kane said. “If she has time, she can go out onto the shop floor and say ‘Hey, I haven’t seen you in a while; let’s get a blood pressure reading on you.’ It’s a very comfortable way for these guys to slide into the health care arena.”

Prevea is one of several health care systems getting in on the business of helping companies develop these types of workplace programs.

“A lot of other health care models have acute care where they treat a sinus infection or take a look in your ear and say ‘Yes, you have an ear infection,’ but our nurse practitioner can prescribe as well as diagnose. That individual can do a full-blown preventative exam,” Younk said. “We have full lab capabilities in these onsite clinics so any type of lab work you get done at the doctor’s office is done at quite a discounted price compared to sending it out. Anything you would do at your primary care physician’s office other than X-rays or imaging all can be done onsite at the employer’s location.”

Show me the money The first year it had its onsite clinic, J. J. Keller & Associates of Neenah avoided $150,000 in health care costs, said Tim Pingel, director of health and wellness for the provider of safety and regulatory compliance products and services.

The second year, Keller avoided $190,000 in health care costs.

Add to that what J. J. Keller estimates it saved in productivity and paid-time off from employees having to leave work to get their health matters taken care of, and you have more than $550,000 in savings in the first two years of its onsite clinic, according to Pingel’s numbers.

Pingel said he figured on the low end for the amount of paidtime off saved.

“We aren’t right in town – we are a little out in the country, outside of town – so if anybody would have to go see their doc-

tor, more than likely they would be taking a minimum of two hours to a half day of PTO to drive out to the appointment and wait and see their doctor and come back to work,” Pingel said.

Even using a lowball figure of 90 minutes of paid-time off per visit, he estimates $90,000 in PTO saved the first year and $121,000 in PTO saved the second year.

“It is much easier to have it onsite, where they can schedule an appointment for basic care-type things and go downstairs or into the next building for it,” Pingel said.

Prevea’s Younk said onsite clinics work best for self-insured companies with at least 200 employees. Companies that are self-insured pay for a portion of their employees’ medical bills out of a fund contributed to by employees.

“Even those preventive exams that are covered 100 percent, if I am a self-insured company, I am paying for that. If a (preventative care exam) costs $150, the employee may not have to pay for it, but I as an employer am responsible for paying that.”

With an onsite clinic program like LeadWell, the company pays the hourly rate.

Employees not in the habit of getting regular checkups might not have a primary care doctor at all, and can end up in the emergency room after-hours for relatively minor things like sinus infections or earaches. “As the employer (with a self-funded insurance plan), I am paying for that ER visit,” Younk said.

If the employee had visited the nurse onsite at work, the same 15 minutes of medical attention would cost the employer a fraction of the ER bill.

The savings add up quickly.

“It makes more sense for those companies to put a clinic in.

They pay X amount of dollars to put in the clinic and pay a lower cost per hour than it is for the employees to go to a local doctor and the employer to write a check,” said Derek Boyce, owner of Interra Health, the Brookfield-based company that manages J. J. Keller & Associates’ onsite clinic.

“You can get a positive return on investment within the first year, and that can outweigh the actual costs of setting up and running the clinic,” Boyce said. “You do have to lay a little money out front, but as long as you have proper utilization of that clinic, you will come out ahead.”

Lee Reinsch writes and edits from Green Bay.

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GUEST COMMENTARY

The rhetoric of job creation Even if 250,000 jobs aren’t achievable, goal of robust economic recovery must remain

Tom Still President Wisconsin Technology Council

It’s a foregone conclusion that Gov. Scott Walker won’t hit his goal of 250,000 new jobs in Wisconsin by 2015.

It’s also a fact that Wisconsin’s best interests are served if everyone keeps that ambitious job creation goal firmly in mind.

The rhetoricians who came up with Walker’s 250,000 new jobs figure during the 2010 campaign weren’t entirely out of touch with reality when they came up with the number. Wisconsin had about 2.7 million non-farm workers in the fall of 2010, so adding 250,000 jobs by the end of a standard gubernatorial term didn’t seem impossible. The 250,000 goal represented about 9.2 percent growth spread over four years – or roughly 2.3 percent growth per year.

Aggressive? Yes. Out of line with historic trends? Not completely, given what economists knew at the time.

In fact, Walker’s Democratic opponent in the 2010 general election, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, set a goal of creating 180,000 jobs over his four-year term.

That’s about 1.6 percent job growth per year. So it’s not as if Democrats don’t buy the importance of setting vigorous economic goals.

If a recall election takes place sometime in 2012, no Democratic candidate will run on a platform of being timid about job creation. “Let’s settle for less” doesn’t make for a winning bumper sticker, even if it does fit. In politics as in business as in life, people respond to clear, aspirational goals.

So the real questions become how many jobs can Wisconsin realistically create over time – and what are the right strategies for getting there? Here’s what we know: n According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 47,000 fewer jobs in Wisconsin in October 2011 than there were in October 2001. That’s a 10-year growth rate of minus 0.2 percent, which compared to 0.0 percent growth in Minnesota, minus 0.5 percent in Illinois, minus 0.1 percent in Iowa and minus 1.4 percent in Michigan. In short, flat job growth has been a regional phenomenon tied largely to the recession that began in late 2008 but also reflective of the manufacturing downturn that began much earlier. n The Wisconsin Department of Revenue

predicted in October, based on its internal modeling, that 136,000 would be added to the state’s private payrolls by 2015.

Wisconsin showed a modest net gain for 2011 – but the pace must quicken to achieve even the Revenue Department’s prediction. n Wisconsin may already be faring better than expected on job creation, at least in comparison to what other states are doing. A recent report by Economic Modeling Specialist Inc., a national firm headquartered in Idaho, examined all 50 states from the perspective of “expected” job creation in 2011 to actual performance.

“Boom states” – mostly in the Great Plains and Rocky Mountain regions – were best at beating expectations. Wisconsin ranked 22nd on the list, adding 10,745 more jobs than a national formula might predict.

Critics can pound Walker all they want for setting a lofty goal, and it was risky for him to suggest state policies alone would be enough to trump national and international mega-trends. It’s not Scott Walker’s fault that parts of the European Union are an economic basket case or that Congress and the White House can’t come to terms on the budget deficit – but it was his mistake not to anticipate how external factors could wash up on Wisconsin’s shores.

So, what’s next? The 250,000 goal can be second-guessed forever, and probably will be in a recall-election environment. But there’s little doubt that Wisconsin needs a stronger economy and strategic job-creation strategies. Democrats and Republicans alike should be able to agree on that.

As the Legislature returns to duty, there are several opportunities for both sides to work together on key bills that can help the private sector do what only it can do – create jobs.

Barring an economic miracle, Wisconsin won’t have 250,000 new jobs by 2015.

But the goal should remain as a constant reminder that everyone has a stake in creating a more productive, prosperous Wisconsin.

Still is president of the Wisconsin Technology Council. He is the former associate editor of the Wisconsin State Journal.

NEW NORTH B2B l FEBRUARY 2012 l 25

HUMAN RESOURCES

Benefits compliance double check Fee disclosure deadlines loom for 401(k)-type plans Story by Jean Filut

New fee disclosure rules for 401(k)-type plans take effect early this year. Plan sponsors, providers, and administrators should be aware of the new rules and have a plan for complying.

Most plan providers, especially the larger ones with legal departments and other professionals on staff, have been working diligently to gear up for the increase in information they will need to give plan sponsors, which are generally employers. Employers, however, might be less prepared. They could be caught off guard when they receive new detailed information that they are not accustomed to seeing from vendors. More importantly, they may not fully understand their increased responsibilities or be prepared for the time, analysis, diligence, and accountability required to comply with their new obligations.

Two levels of fee disclosure rules are new: first, fiduciarylevel disclosures under ERISA Section 408(b)(2), and second, participant-level disclosures under ERISA Section 404(a)(5).

First enacted in 2010, these requirements were originally scheduled to be effective in the middle of 2011 and have been extended twice since then.

In its most recent extension, the U.S. Department of La-

26 l NEW NORTH B2B l FEBRUARY 2012

bor moved the deadline for participant-level disclosures to 60 days after the deadline for fiduciary-level disclosures, which is April 1. As a result, the extended deadline for calendar-year plans is May 31 for participant-level disclosures.

Employers have some work to do The fiduciary-level guidelines require plan sponsors to verify they received the required disclosures from vendors, examine the disclosures and determine whether they are adequate under the new rules, and determine if the fee information is reasonable and fair for the services provided.

Therefore the burden is on sponsors to monitor and determine the acceptability of vendor behavior.

“Many plan sponsors don’t seem to understand that it is their responsibility to fulfill this new obligation,” according to Michael Scott, financial advisor and principal with Independence Financial LLC, an Oshkosh firm specializing in retirement planning for more than 80 years. “They think it is something required of the plan provider or record-keeper. In many cases, the major retirement plan providers have chosen to gather the necessary information on behalf of the plan sponsor to help

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HUMAN RESOURCES them meet their obligations. This will relieve the majority of the legwork involved in the new requirements. Of course it is ultimately up to the plan sponsor to review this information to make sure their plan is in line.”

Plan sponsors might be accustomed to trusting their vendors and presuming that they provide all the required information. However, the vendors might not be acting in the best interests of plan participants. The DOL cautions that vendors may charge excessive fees and use certain reporting tactics to conceal them.

In Mike Scott’s experience, “Some providers have a history of providing excellent fee transparency, while unfortunately others do not. For those that have been fee-transparent for years, there will not be a lot of surprises with the 408(b)(2) disclosure. The others, however, may have many surprises uncovered. While reviewing others’ plans, I certainly run across situations where even as an experienced advisor it is extremely difficult to determine where all the fees are.”

Lifelong learning is very important to our future, and FVTC is a key resource for us.

Margie Harvey VP of Human Resources Miles Kimball Co.

Services for Business & Industry

“

In the long run, it will help to clear out many service providers who are merely dabbling in this marketplace, which will improve the overall products and services to the plan participants.

”

Smarter. Faster. Leaner.

Contact our industry experts today! www.fvtc.edu/bis Appleton (920) 735-2525 • Oshkosh (920) 236-6156

Michael Scott, financial advisor and principal Independence Financial LLC

Will failure to comply disqualify your plan?

If you are an employer offering a 401(k) plan and fail to fulfill your fiduciary responsibilities, what are the consequences? We asked John Stiglich, vice president of employee benefit services for Clifton Gunderson Wealth Advisors in Oshkosh, who explained the new rules will not immediately affect the plan’s qualification. They focus instead on fiduciary responsibility and do not provide new penalties for a fiduciary’s failure to comply because adequate penalties are already in place.

For example, suppose your company’s 401(k) plan continues to offer investments with a vendor after receiving fiduciary-level disclosure information. If you cannot show you continued the relationship because you determined the fees are reasonable and fair, the DOL could rule subsequent transactions with this vendor are prohibited and therefore subject to excise taxes.

Stiglich noted that “reasonable and fair” does not necessarily mean the fees must be the lowest available. It means that they are appropriate for the services provided.

With regard to failure to provide the required disclosures – the annual and quarterly disclosures required for participants – Stiglich mentioned a standard already in place for other required notices carries a penalty of $110 per participant, per day in similar situations, without limit.

NEW NORTH B2B l FEBRUARY 2012 l 27

HUMAN RESOURCES Benchmarking might help Stiglich added that cost structure depends a lot on size as it relates to the number of participants and the dollars per participant. Software programs are available to benchmark or compare your fees to other plans of the same size in the same industry, to all plans in that industry, and to other plans of your size across the country.

Right now available information is limited, but these programs will become more useful as data is complied. If you haven’t had an objective review of your retirement plan design and investment options recently, now could be an excellent time to have it done.

Independence Financial is also involved with benchmarking, according to Scott.

“We benchmark to plans of similar size and similar industries,” he said. “Benchmarking plan fees is only one of the many factors we analyze. We also benchmark participation, utilization, fund performance, vesting periods, match level, average account balance, etc. Benchmarking is certainly a helpful tool in understanding the success of a plan.”

What should you expect from participants?

When participants receive their 401(k) statements with all costs stated clearly in real-dollar amounts, they are more likely to become engaged.

What are the major participant-level disclosures?

As a plan sponsor, you are responsible to make sure your employees participating in the plan receive certain disclosures at least quarterly, including information about the following: • The plan’s general structure and mechanics; • Administrative fees and expenses that may be charged to individual accounts for legal, recordkeeping, distributions, accounting, loan processing, and similar services;

• Participant rights and limitations, including investment alternatives and options and the right to give investment instructions; • Investment alternatives in a format that makes it easy for participants to compare their options, with specific information for investments with a fixed rate of return and with a variable rate of return, and special disclosures for plans using an annuity contract.

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HUMAN RESOURCES

Fees make a difference The need for clear and readily available information about fees has long been a concern. You may have seen examples of the effect of what appear to be modest differences in fees over the long haul. One such example from the DOL illustrates how additional fees of 1 percent with 35 years to go before retirement would deplete the value of a 401(k) plan by $64,000, assuming a $25,000

one-time investment, an average 7 percent rate of return, and no deposits or withdrawals over the next 35 years. Instead of $227,000 at the time of retirement, the account balance would grow to only $163,000.

Although fee disclosure will soon be required on 401(k) statements, it is not required on personal IRA statements. Mike Scott explained that extending the fee disclosure requirements to all investment accounts would be an improvement.

“When a participant compares their personal IRA statement to their 401(k) statement, it will appear that their 401(k) has fees that don’t exist in the IRA,” he said. “In reality, the 401(k) is typically less expensive than the IRA investment due to the reduced pricing associated with investing as part of a larger overall plan.”

Focus on the positive With regard to the outcome of fiduciary-level disclosure, Scott goes on to say, “I don’t see any big drawbacks to it with the exception that it adds yet another layer to the plan sponsor’s responsibilities. The benefits seem worth it though. In the long run, it will help to clear out many service providers who are merely dabbling in this marketplace, which will improve the overall products and services to the plan participants.”

Pressure from both participants and plan sponsors is likely to push fees and expenses down and spur the development of plans with lower fees without compromising quality of service.

Stiglich pointed out the goal of the new fiduciary-level disclosures is to make plan administration more competitive, resulting in lower expense ratios and fees. Participant-level disclosures will make information more readily available, which should result in better investment choices, better value and cost savings. Positive results should help us move in the direction of better retirement savings and a better economy.

Jean Filut writes from Appleton.

West Side Association Annual Meeting Tuesday, March 13th 7:30 – 9:00AM

$10 INCLUDES CONTINENTAL B REAKFAST

La Sure’s Banquet Hall 3125 S. Washburn Ave Oshkosh RSVP by March 7th to info@westsideassociation.com

Questions & Discussion with

“Sadly, the majority of 401(k) participants don’t pay very close attention to their investment allocation and the fees that make up their portfolio,” said Scott. “Because of this, displaying the participants’ actual investment costs front and center on their quarterly statements will likely create questions and potential confusion. It’s good to know what you are paying, but difficult to know if it is fair when you don’t know what to compare it to.”

Although a clear disclosure of fees has long been needed, employers could be faced with a barrage of inquiries. We asked Jason Henderson, owner and principal of Orchard Financial, an Appleton-based investment firm, if he has advice for employers. Henderson has been following this issue closely for nearly two years, and conducts seminars for plan sponsors on the rule changes.

He suggested educating participants proactively about this newly disclosed information before they find it on their statements. Human resource directors should be prepared to handle employees’ questions.

Newly designed plans clearly showing all direct and indirect compensation levels the playing field and provides easier comparison. Ask the Heart of the Valley Chamber of Commerce about their “401(k) for Members” program. Jason, along with his partner, recentlydeveloped the full fee-transparent platform which leverages the combined purchasing power of a traditional association plan without losing the individual customization and legal separation of a singleemployer retirement platform – an industry first.

Moderated by Sean Fitzgerald Publisher New North B2B NEW NORTH B2B l FEBRUARY 2012 l 29

PROFESSIONALLY SPEAKING

Torch Awards for Ethical Enterprising

by Better Business Bureau

The Torch Awards were created to showcase ethical Wisconsin companies and charities that build trust, advertise honestly, tell the truth, remain transparent and honor their promises. Spotlighting the winners fits the BBB mission to be the leader in advancing marketplace trust.

Why enter? Entering your company or charity shows your customers, vendors and employees that your company is committed to honest and ethical business practices. We invite you to apply today or nominate another deserving company or charity.

Who is eligible to enter? This award is open to all Wisconsin for-profit businesses and 501 (c)(3) non-profit organizations physically located within the state of Wisconsin, whether or not they are members of the Better Business Bureau (BBB).

Exclusions - Companies are not eligible if any of the following conditions apply: if they are a local, state or federal governJoEllen Wollangk

30 l NEW NORTH B2B l FEBRUARY 2012

ment agency; they have been in business less than three years; they have earned less than a “B” rating from the BBB; there are indications they have not met their financial obligations; or they have already been the recipient of the Torch Awards.

Companies entering the 2012 Torch Award competition will be judged in one of four categories based on the number of employees. These categories are: 1-10 employees, 11-50 employees, 51-175 employees and 175 or more employees.

Non-profit organizations will also be judged in one of two separate categories based on their number of employees: 1-50 employees and 51 or more employees.

How are the entries judged? Applications are reviewed by a prestigious panel of judges for their best proven examples of ethical practices or ethical dilemmas in the following six criteria: 1. Leadership commitment to ethical practices; 2. Communications of ethical practices;

920.734.4352 3. Organizational commitment to ethical practices; 4. Organizational commitment to performance management practices; 5. Organizational commitment to ethical human resource practices; 6. Organizational commitment to the community.

If you have questions about the application process, you’re invited to attend one of the FREE application workshops held monthly in Appleton from November through May. Go to www.wisconsin.bbb. org or call JoEllen Wollangk at 920-7344352 for more information.

JoEllen Wollangk is the Northeast Regional Manager for the Better Business Bureau (BBB) of Wisconsin.

JoEllen opened the first branch office of the Better Business Bureau of Wisconsin in Appleton in November of 2006.

www.newnorthb2b.com

PROFESSIONALLY SPEAKING

Everyone Deserves Legal Protection

by Biewer & Associates, Legal Shield It is commonplace to think about and offer health benefits in today’s workplace. But how often are your employees faced with a legal or identity theft issue?

Here are some startling statistics about employee productivity, when faced with either one: • One in three employees took time off work (an average of 13 days) for a legal problem in the last year (Russell Research, April 2007), while 70 percent of those enrolled in a group legal plan did not take any vacation days toward resolving their legal issues, compared to half of those who hired their own attorney (Harris Interactive, 2011).

• Workers enrolled in a legal plan spent 25 percent less time resolving their legal matters compared to those who hired an attorney on their own (4.4 weeks vs. 6.1 weeks on average, Harris Interactive, 2011).

• When employees are stressed from

Paula Biewer

legal or identity theft issues, their health suffers and medical claims may go up.

Up to 90 percent of the doctor visits in the United States may be triggered by stress-related illnesses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (USA Today).

• It’s reported that 70 percent of Americans have at least one new or ongoing legal issue each year, and 50percent of Americans do not have a Will (Harris Interactive, 2011).

The Bottom Line...

Life happens. You can demonstrate that you care about your employees and impact your bottom line. Reduce absenteeism, increase productivity, and reduce stress all while presenting a progressive image, simply by offering a voluntary legal protection plan, similar to a health plan benefit. When offered as a benefit, employees cannot use a protection plan against your company.

A legal protection plan should offer

920.924.9928 legal coverage no matter how trivial or how traumatic the situation is that your employee is facing. From real estate to divorce advice, identity theft and beyond they should be protected.

Legal and identity theft issues can be complex and everyone should have peace of mind that they can easily access counsel should they need it.

Paula Biewer is an Independent Associate for Legal Shield, offering legal and identity theft plans for individuals and businesses. She can be reached at biewer@legalshield.com.

“Professionally Speaking” is a promotional spot for business professionals to share their expertise with New North B2B readers. To learn more about how your business can take advantage of opportunities with Professionally Speaking, contact Carrie at 920.237.0254 or email carrie@newnorthb2b.com.

NEW NORTH B2B l FEBRUARY 2012 l 31

WHO’S NEWS Incorporations New North B2B includes a monthly list of new business incorporations filed with the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions.

Brown County

Eddie’s Livestock LLC, Eduardo A. Leza De La Rosa, 1800 Briarwood Ct., De Pere 54115.

Accuracy Pharmaceutical Machining LLC, Gordon Renn, 5772 Gold Dust Dr., De Pere 54115.

Green Energy Partners Inc., Robyn L. Larsen, 6601 County Road K, Denmark 54208.

Infinity Home Care Inc., John J. Jagmin, 218 Wisconsin Ave., Denmark 54208.

Sassy Girl LLC, Nicole Zich, 107 N. Broadway, Ste. 3, Green Bay 54303.

Dr. Meredith Walton, O.D. LLC, Rick Cohler, 1615 Beauchamp St., Green Bay 54304.

MLC Trailer Rental LLC, Jeffrey R. LeClaire, 2174 Gloucester Dr., Green Bay 54304.

Endless Energy Nutrition LLC, Thomas C. Pomeroy, 912 Hansen Road, Green Bay 54304.

Star One Staffing of Madison Inc., Lori Degrave, 2605 S. Oneida St., Ste. 106, Green Bay 54304.

Living Justice Society of the Diocese of Green Bay Inc., John F. Doerfler, 1825 Riverside Dr., Green Bay 54301.

Parins Insurance Services LLC, Tina M. Parins, 3136 Holmgren Way, Ste. C, Green Bay 54304.

Eagle1 Collission Center LLC, Cole Michael Peters, 2001A Bellevue St., Green Bay 54311.

Salon Fifty Four LLC, Danica Renee Kiedinger, 154 N. Broadway, Green Bay 54303.

M.T. Trucking & Transport LLC, Michael S. Bohm, 2290 Brick Dr., Green Bay 54303.

Rustique Pizzeria & Lounge LLC, Katie Witthuhn, 13201 Velp Ave., Green Bay 54313.

Furniture Repair Center LLC, Mike Arendt, 1996 Commercial Way, Green Bay 54311.

Church Of The Blessed Sacrament Inc., Raymond W. Ryerson, 825 N. Webster Ave., Green Bay 54302.

PM Flynn Retirement Services LLC, Patrick M. Flynn Insurance/ Investments Inc., 2000 S. Point Road, Green Bay 54313.

Casa Alba Melanie: Hispanic Community Resource Center of Green Bay Inc., David Littig, 721 S. Quincy St., Green Bay 54301.

Quiet-Crest Farm LLC, James D. Cleven, 7607 Holly Mor Road, Greenleaf 54126.

Cutting Edge Technologies LLC, Jeffrey Paul Noeldner, 2300 Lineville Road, Ste. 200, Green Bay 54313.

Panda House Inc., Kong Chang Gao, 2465 Lineville Road, Howard 54313.

Proper T Maintenance LLC, Kit C. Vanden Heuvel, 1024 12th Ave., Green Bay 54304.

4G Plastering Inc., Katherine M. Wendricks, 815 Resort Road, Suamico 54173.

At Your Surface Floor Cleaning & Restoration Specialists LLC, Michael Lee Dohm, 2239 Merganser Ct., Green Bay 54313.

A to Z Tree Service LLC, Kevin Patnode, 2421 Woodington Way, Suamico 54173.

Bon Orient Buffet Inc., Jason Wang, 2260 W. Mason St., Green Bay 54303.

Bayland Electric LLC, Jeff Glen Tetzlaff, 357 Longwood Lane, Wrightstown 54180.

X-Treme Trucking LLC, Travis Nelson, 3203 Manitowoc Road, Green Bay 54311.

Calumet County

Tangobravo Technologies LLC, Thomas Charles Betka, 3067 Windland Dr., Green Bay 54311.

Minds Eye Video Production LLC, Nikolas Rastia, 152 Gwynn St., Green Bay 54301.

Wayne’s Handyman Service LLC, Wayne Georgel, 1320 Eliza St., Green Bay 54301.

Arbor Marine Used Boat Parts LLC, Michael Rugg, 3136 Coronet Way, Green Bay 54304.

Inspired Design by Dawn Egan LLC, Dawn Marie Egan, W4797 Nature Lane, Sherwood 54169.

Fond du Lac County

Liegls Repair LLC, Jeremy Lee Liegl, W6818 County Road Y, Brownsville 53006.

Brath Dairy & Commercial Real Estate LLC, Ronald R. Brath, W178 County Road KK, Campbellsport 53010.

American Hay Transport LLC, Kenton Gregory Lambert, W4410 Campbell Dr., Campbellsport 53010.

Function Thru Fitness Personal Training Inc., Glen Gadwood, 706 St. Joseph St., Green Bay 54301.

Gray Matter Creation LLC, Shane Stoffel, N1998 N. River Road, Campbellsport 53010.

Floor Care and Beyond LLC, Bradley Alan Lemke, 2422 E. Ridge Terrace, Green Bay 54311.

Mathieu Family Farm LLC, Diane Peters, N1006 Maple Dr., Campbellsport 53010.

Above and Beyond Childcare and Development Center LLC, Tamitha King, 852 Howard St., Green Bay 54303.

Quality Hay & Equipment LLC, Hardy Stewart, W2965 U.S. Highway 45, Eden 53019.

Siding Doctor Construction LLC, David Alan Duval, 1652 7th St., Green Bay 54304.

Vision-Aire Dairy LLC and Vision-Aire Farms LLC, Roger L. Grade, W8676 State Road 23, Eldorado 54932.

Good Bit Digital LLC, Troy Anthony Foley, 708 James St., P.O. Box 393, Green Bay 54303.

Friends of Taylor Park and Pool Inc., Gary L. Miller, 1042 Holly Tree Lane, Fond du Lac 54935.

Aspen Psychology LLC, Heidi A. Bemowski, Ph.D., 2131 S. Webster Ave., #105, Green Bay 54301.

Camben Law LLC, William B. Everson, 104 S. Main St., Ste. 315, Fond du Lac 54935.

Community Baptist Church of Green Bay Inc., Orlando Reed, 1367 Servais St., Green Bay 54304.

32 l NEW NORTH B2B l FEBRUARY 2012

Vir-Clar Farm Power LLC, Gary Boyke, N5119 County Road K, Fond du Lac 54937.

www.newnorthb2b.com

WHO’S NEWS Aqua-Doctor LLC, Arthur J. Soffner, N7144 Winnebago Dr., Fond du Lac 54935.

TDI Machining LLC, Craig Matthew Weber, W7563 County Road F, Oakfield 53065.

Extreme Wrecker Sales & Equipment LLC, Kay Page, W12875 Cork St. Road, Ripon 54971.

Paul’s Tech Supply & Recycling LLC, Paul F. Kollmann, N9370 Viaduct Road, Van Dyne 54979.

Trinity Reformed Church Inc., Jim Nummerdor, W6352 Milligan Road, Waupun 53963.

Oconto County

Decorative Films by Maryanne LLC, Mary Anne Antoinette De Larwelle, 3339 Froelich Road, Abrams 54101.

Outagamie County Relieve and Relax Massage LLC, Wendy W. Schultz, 5601 Grande Market Dr., Appleton 54913.

Hi-Tech Office Furnishings Ltd., Mark T. Ambrose, 3811 N. Alvin St., Appleton 54913.

Priority 1 Construction Services LLC, Scott Thiel, 1816 S. Angela Dr., Appleton 54915.

Thiel Technical Communications LLC, Bradley Thiel, 4609 N. Windingbrook Dr., Appleton 54913.

Exposed Recruiting Assistance Inc., Laron Terell Wilder, 1666 W. Greenlawn Lane, Appleton 54914.

Caring Heart Companion Services LLC, Julie Ann Pitsch, 4808 W. Wildflower Lane, Appleton 54914.

Cheryl’s Cleaning Service LLC, Cheryl A. Moak, N4121 Jared Ct., Appleton 54913.

Alternatives Holistic Health & Wellness Center LLC, Kathryn L. Trnka, 345 E. Wisconsin Ave., Ste. 7, Appleton 54911.

54913.

Electrical Services Emergency Communications Systems Inc., Richard Van Dyn Hoven, 4700 N. Tanglewood Dr., Appleton 54913.

D.P.E. Realty LLC, Gregory B. Gill, Sr., 128 N. Durkee St., Appleton 54911.

DC Auto Repair and Quick Lube LLC, Chad W. Katalinick, W5570 Sumac Lane, Appleton 54915.

Academy Insurance Agency LLC, Jerold Cook, 1918 McIntosh Dr., Appleton 54914.

All Wisconsin Flooring Inspections Inc., James R. Pleshek, 3514 N. Capitol Ct., Appleton 54913.

JLM Transport LLC, Bruce Truskowski, 1400 N. Rankin St., Appleton 54911.

Holiday Painting & Windows LLC, Jon William Totzke, N281 Marion Ave., Appleton 54915.

StableEarth Products Inc., Daniel Fredrick Senf, 3805 N. Woodside Ct., Grand Chute 54913.

Hortonville Area School District Music Boosters Inc., Gary B. Cebulski, N1122 Barnwood Ct., Greenville 54942.

Kautz Distributing LLC, Thomas Joel Kautz, W6889 Greenridge Dr., Greenville 54942.

Fox Valley Courier LLC, Robert Allen Schmidt, 331 N. Pine St., Hortonville 54944.

Baumgartner Restoration LLC, Jason J. Baumgartner, 425 W. Seventh St., Kaukauna 54130.

Schuh Technologies LLC, William Joseph Schuh Sr., N2286 Maloney Road, Kaukauna 54130.

Van Wychen Farms LLC, George Van Wychen, W688 Golden Glow Road, Kaukauna 54130.

Weather Proctector Inc., Eladio Duarte, 407 Taylor St., #3, Kimberly 54136.

Maggie’s Daycare LLC, Margaret Tornio, 415 Fidelis St., Appleton 54915.

Cornerstone Benefits Consulting LLC, Walter Matthew Kowalczyk, 521 E. Kimberly Ave., Kimberly 54136.

3H Speech Therapy LLC, Allison Jean Halada, W5422 Amy Ave., Appleton 54915.

Winnebago County

Harvest Of Praise Church Inc. and Alpha Healthcare Services LLC, Olayemi Awosanya, 2831 W. Glenpark Dr., Appleton 54914.

Regal Nails Wisconsin LLC, Aileen X. Tang, 955 N. Mutual Way, Appleton 54913.

Buss Lawncare LLC, Chad H. Buss, N2293 Holland Road, Appleton

Caring 4 Kids Child Learning Center LLC, Daniel J. Schreurs, W6549 Firelane 8, Menasha 54952.

Chagos Landscaping & Janitorial LLC, Santiago Sierra, 513 De Pere St., Menasha 54952.

Power Systems Testing and Maintenance LLC, Robert Van Handel, 1120 De Pere St., Menasha 54952.

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WHO’S NEWS

Leaman

Otto

Lehl

Dickert

Nelson

Stengel

Red Granite Renewable Resources LLC and Red Granite Alternative Energy LLC, John Michael Rathburn, 834 Green St., Menasha 54952.

$3,062,000 for a new retail automotive dealership. General contractor is Miron Construction Co. of Neenah. December 5.

Door County Granola Inc., Scott Ozark, 606 Laudan Blvd., Neenah 54956.

ImproMed, 310 Ohio St., Oshkosh. $565,000 for a two-story, 10,684sq. ft. office building. General contractor is R.J. Albright Inc. of Oshkosh.

December 21.

Diamond Defensive Firearms Training LLC, Mark Harley Stromme, 1780 Dublin Trail, Apt. #17, Neenah 54956.

Fox Valley Digital Media LLC, Mitchell J. Dolley, 961 Sund St., Neenah 54956.

Escape Effect Records LLC, Amanda F. Heyn, 843 Higgins Ave., Neenah 54956.

Westmark Medical LLC, Mark Westfall, 2413 Woodland Terrace, Neenah 54956.

Suds of Fun Soaps LLC, Julie Fink, 205 Riva Ridge Lane, Neenah 54956.

Smarter Wave Digital Marketing Inc., Walter Reade, 691 S. Green Bay Road, Ste.135, Neenah 54956.

Sunset Medical Sales LLC, Leisha M. Schunk, 3238 Fondotto Dr., Neenah 54956.

CJ’s Nuisance Wildlife Solutions LLC, Clayton Rasmussen, 1661 Harrison St., Apt. 4, Neenah 54956.

Nayarit Market Mexico LLC, Robert Gonzalez, 250 W. 8th St., Oshkosh 54902.

Thompson Regulatory Services S.C., Cindy Thompson, 882 Wylde Oak Dr., Oshkosh 54904.

Responsive Product Marketing International Inc., Steven R. Elbing, 50 W. Fernau Ave., Oshkosh 54901.

Touched By Cancer Corp., Teresa Grose, 1259 Walnut St., Oshkosh 54901.

Environmental Equipment Services LLC, Steven M. Wienkes, 1760 Alexandria Ct., Ste. A, Oshkosh 54902.

Envisionink Printing Solutions Inc., Patrick R. Raaths, 908 E. Main St., Winneconne 54986.

Building Permits B2B includes a monthly list of building permits (not to include residential projects) in excess of $400,000.

SMT Machine & Tool, 1325 Cornell Road, Howard. $1,000,000 for a 25,450-sq. ft. addition to the existing manufacturing facility. General contractor is Bayland Buildings of Green Bay. December 2.

Target Stores, 1900 S. Koeller St., Oshkosh. $560,000 for interior alterations to expand the grocery department in the store. Contractor is Novak Construction. December 2.

Bergstrom Used Cars, 3365 S. Washburn St., Oshkosh.

34 l NEW NORTH B2B l FEBRUARY 2012

City Deck/Astor Place Partners, 100 Main St., Green Bay. $3,150,000 for the second phase of the City Deck project to accommodate the new Hagemeister Park restaurant in the Watermark building. Contractor is SMA Construction Services. December 28.

Southern Graphics, 119 N. McCarthy Road, town of Grand Chute. $500,000 for an 8,076-sq. ft. addition to the existing industrial building.

Contractor is Russ Woldt Construction of Stockbridge. December 29.

River Vision Partnership, 315 N. Washington St., Green Bay. $930,000 for a build out for Children’s Museum of Green Bay. General contractor is Ganther Construction of Oshkosh. December 29.

Name changes Boatyard Bar & Grill reopened at 425 Nebraska St. in Oshkosh along the banks of the Fox River as Dockside Tavern, Food & Spirits. Dockside is managed by the Supple Restaurant Group. Dockside Tavern can be contacted by calling 920.230.6900.

New products/services American Animal Hospital in Neenah is offering pet laser therapy, a pain-free, drug-free, surgery-free method to reduce pain and speed healing in cats and dogs. A video demonstration of the pet laser therapy machine is available on the American Animal Hospital YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/user/ameranimal.

Business honors Awards and honors earned by individuals are listed separately in the Who’s News section of New North B2B. Goodwill Industries of North Central Wisconsin has received the Most Innovative Health and Benefits Plan Award from The Institute for HealthCare Consumerism.

New hires Directions Marketing in Neenah hired Bob Bodmer as director of strategic business development. Bodmer worked for Directions from 1998 to 2008 as the agency’s director of business development and has more than 25 years of sales, marketing, executive management and business development experience.

Horicon Bank hired Steven Leaman as a business bank assistant vice president for its Fond du Lac office and Ryan Otto as a vice president/ www.newnorthb2b.com

WHO’S NEWS

Vande Hey

Yeghiaian

Joecks

branch manager for its Oshkosh office. Leaman has 13 years experience in banking, while Otto has 14 years experience in the financial services industry.

Appleton-based Ledgeview Partners hired Kelly Lehl as an inside sales account manager in the sales and customer care division and hired Jesse Dickert as a CRM development consultant in the software services division. Lehl has 31 years experience in account management, sales and research, and Dickert has three years of IT experience, including one year of CRM experience.

The Emergency Shelter of the Fox Valley hired Jerome Martin as its executive director. Martin has served in law enforcement for 26 years, 18 of which were with the Grand Chute Police Department, most recently as its technical operations division commander.

Valley VNA Senior Services in Neenah hired Jessica Nelson as its director of human resources. Nelson has four years of human resources experience in long term care.

Cypress Benefit Administrators in Appleton hired Angie Stengel as its sales coordinator and Christa Vande Hey as an account manager. Stengel has more than 10 years experience in the health insurance industry, while Vande Hey has 18 years experience in health insurance.

Pathmakers, Inc. in Oneida hired David Yeghiaian as a partner and consultant. Yeghiaian was formerly executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeastern Wisconsin and principal/founder of Unique Business Solutions, LLC. He is also author of the business strategy book Pieces for Profit.

With more than 20 years experience, he has advised large, medium and small organizations in more than 10 industries.

Moraine Park Technical College in Fond du Lac hired Jeremy Joecks as its entrepreneurial associate. He provides education programming and assistance to entrepreneurs and small business owners in the district. Joecks previously worked in higher education administration as an area director for Kaplan Test Prep, and has previously owned and operated businesses in the retail and service industries.

Experimental Aircraft Association in Oshkosh hired Jeff Skiles as its vice president of chapters and youth education.

Skiles – one of the famed “Miracle on the Hudson” pilots – has served as volunteer co-chair of EAA’s Young Eagles program for the past two years.

The University of Wisconsin-Fox Valley in Menasha hired Tammie DeVooght Blaney as the director of its Trio Educational Talent Search program to attract and prepare first generation or low-income students for postsecondary edu-

DeVooght Blaney

Cooper

cation. UW Fox also hired Kaitlyn Cooper as the Kaukauna Trio site coordinator and Tim Maylander as the Menasha Trio site coordinator. Blaney previously worked with the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction-Wisconsin Educational Opportunity Programs in Green Bay, where she administered a similar federal grant. Cooper most recently worked as a class facilitator for the Emerging Leaders Model at Drake University in Iowa. Maylander previously worked for Trio and Upward Bound programs at UW-Green Bay.

Skyline Technologies, Inc. in Appleton hired Gabrielle DuBois to its custom solutions team as a software engineer.

DuBois began a software engineer internship with Skyline this past summer before being hired on fulltime.

Maylander

DuBois

Evergreen in Oshkosh hired Tom Tuchscherer as its facilities manager. He leads the building services, grounds and laundry departments in Evergreen’s facilities.

Goodwill Industries of North Central Wisconsin hired the following new staff: Patrick Curran, program operations leader for the Financial Information and Service Center in Menasha; Molly Farady-Sultze, vocational coordinator for the Circles of Support program; Jeff Malin, work services/case manager; Anthony Omabele, assistant team leader overseeing books and media for the Shiner Center’s e-commerce team in Appleton; Kevin Anderle, creator of lightbulb moments; and Greg Younk, junior database administrator/report writer.

FulfillNet in Green Bay hired Chris Levesque as its national business development manager and Nick Rentsch as a business analyst and project manager. Levesque has 12 years of sales and business development experience. Rentsch has eight years of project management experience and is a Six Sigma-certified Green Belt.

Tuchscherer

Levesque

Promotions J. J. Keller and Associates, Inc. in Neenah promoted James J. Keller from president and chief operating officer to president/CEO, taking over CEO duties from his brother, Robert L. Keller, who remains as chairman of the board of directors. Jim joined the family business fulltime in 1968 and has worked in a variety of positions, becoming the company’s president in 2006.

ThedaCare promoted Kim Barnas to senior vice president, Appleton Medical Center and Theda Clark Medical Center in Neenah, and promoted Theresa Moore to director of laboratory services. Barnas joined ThedaCare in 1994 as vice president of development. In 2003, she was named vice president of hospital operations and was promoted to system vice president of oncology and spine services in 2010. Moore

Rentsch

Barnas

NEW NORTH B2B l FEBRUARY 2012 l 35

WHO’S NEWS

Moore

Farley

Standley

joined ThedaCare in 2006 as a facilitator for the ThedaCare Improvement System. Since 2009, Moore has overseen the Appleton Medical Center, Theda Clark Medical Center and ThedaCare laboratories.

Bayland Buildings Inc. in Green Bay promoted Abe Farley to chief operating officer at Bayland Buildings, Inc. Farley has been with Bayland Buildings for six years, starting as an estimator and most recently as a sales representative. He has more than 15 years experience in the construction industry.

Evergreen in Oshkosh promoted Erin Standley to employment coordinator and Kristen Pouzar to executive assistant. Standley has been with Evergreen for four years. Pouzar manages front office operations and Evergreen’s transportation program, as well as acts as secretary to the board of directors.

IPS Testing in Appleton promoted Chris Reitmeyer to vice president overseeing testing services, operations and customer relations. He will continue to direct sales for the company. Reitmeyer joined IPS in 2010 as a sales engineer. He has previous background in the medical device and pharmaceutical industries, and is the co-inventor of five U.S. patents.

36 l NEW NORTH B2B l FEBRUARY 2012

Reitmeyer

Rentmeester

DiSalvi

The Experimental Aircraft Association in Oshkosh promoted the following employees: John Carrier to vice president of information technology; Chad Jensen to manager of communities; Cari Erickson to sales manager; Mike Hertz to supervisor for headquarters buildings; Kelly Nelson to managing editor of publications; and Steve Taylor to director of facilities.

FulfillNet in Green Bay promoted Kayla Rentmeester from client satisfaction teammate to account coordinator.

Choice Bank in Oshkosh promoted Christopher Leitch to vice president of residential lending and Michael Bobusch to assistant vice president of residential lending. Leitch joined Choice Bank in 2006 and previously served as assistant vice president and residential loan manager. He also serves the bank as its CRA officer. Bobusch joined Choice Bank in 2007 and previously served as a residential loan officer.

Elections/appointments Bill Goodman, president of Appleton-based Schenck SC, was elected chair of AGN International-North America, Inc., one of the leading associations of independent accounting firms in North America. Goodman

www.newnorthb2b.com

BUSINESS CALENDAR has served on AGN-NA’s board of directors since 2006 and on its executive committee since 2009. He joined Schenck as president in 2003.

Thomas DiSalvi, director of safety and loss prevention at Schneider National in Green Bay, was elected to serve on the 22-member board of directors for the Wisconsin Safety Council, a division of Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, the state’s leading provider of workplace safety training and programming.

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.

February 2 Follow-up Discussion on the 2011 Retirement Study, a session from the Fond du Lac Area HR Association, 5 to 7 p.m. at Moraine Park Technical College in Fond du Lac. This program will feature discussion of employee development, workplace flexibility, workplace culture and recruiting talent. For more information or to register, contact the Fond du Lac Area Association of Commerce at 920.921.9500.

February 3 Coffee and Conversation with Area State Legislators, an event from the Heart of the Valley Chamber of Commerce, 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. at Little Chute Village Hall, 108 W. Main St. in Little Chute. Legislators invited include Sen. Frank Lasee (R-Ledgeview), Sen. Rob Cowles (R-Green Bay), Rep. Al Ott (R-Forest Junction), Rep. Jim Steineke (R-Kaukauna) and Rep. Penny Bernard Schaber (D-Appleton). There is no charge to attend, though registration is appreciated by calling 920.766.1616 or going online to www.heartofthevalleychamber.com.

February 9 Fond du Lac Area Association of Commerce 100th Annual Meeting, 5:30 to 9 p.m. at Holiday Inn of Fond du Lac. Cost to attend is $35. For more information, call 920.921.9500 or go online to www.fdlac.com.

February 14 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 920.303.2265.

February 15 New Opportunities for Small Business Lending, a financing seminar presented by Wisconsin Business Development, 8 to 11:45 a.m. at Hilton Garden Inn, 1355 W. 20th Ave. in Oshkosh. This event is designed for lenders to stay current on credit structuring strategies and solutions for SBA-guaranteed financing. Cost is $25 and includes materials and continental breakfast. For information or to register, call 608.819.0390 or go online to www.wbd.org.

February 23 New Opportunities for Small Business Lending, a financing seminar presented by Wisconsin Business Development, 8 to 11:45 a.m. at Ramada Plaza, 2750 Ramada Way in Green Bay. Cost is $25. For information or to register, call 608.819.0390 or go online to www.wbd.org.

March 4-6 Wisconsin Governor’s Conference on Tourism, at KI Convention Center in Green Bay. Keynote speakers include Peter Shankman, who will present on customer service, social media and public relations, and travel journalist Peter Greenberg. Event details, including a full agenda, as well as registration is available online at www.wigcot.org.

Better Business Bureau New Members

Businesses accredited through the Northeast Wisconsin office during December 2011 Accel Automotive Repair LLC, Waupun C & S Heating and Air Conditioning LLC, Appleton Chain Portables and Septic, Waupaca Chuck’s Auto Service & Parts LLC, Seymour Cineviz, Green Bay County Line Pet Grooming & Boutique, Oxford Four Seasons Comfort LLC, Sheboygan Kinzel Wood Products LLC, Manitowoc Sabertooth Enterprises Inc., Waupaca Schulze Exteriors LLC, Oshkosh Shellie Kappelman Photography LLC, Two Rivers Strong & Strong Attorneys at Law, Green Bay

Advertiser Index 44 Degrees North Advertising & Design www.fortyfournorth.com.......... 8 Bank First National www.bankfirstnational.com.................................... 8 Better Business Bureau www.wisconsin.bbb.org........................... 9, 30 Bouwer Printing & Mailing www.bouwerprinting.com.......................... 12 Breakthrough Solutions www.breakthroughsolutionsllc.net..................... 28 C.D. Smith Construction, Inc. www.cdsmith.com. ........................... 20 CitizensFirst Credit Union www.citizensfirst.com . ............................ 21 Davis & Kuelthau, s.c. www.dkattorneys.com..................................... 5 Digiprint www.digiprint.biz............................................................ 31 Fast Signs www.fastsigns.com....................................................... 10 First Business Bank www.firstbusiness.com. .................................... 40 First National Bank ~ Fox Valley www.fnbfoxvalley.com. ................... 12 Fox Valley Technical College www.fvtc.edu. .................................. 27 Guident Business Solutions www.guidentbusinesssolutions.com............ 27 J. F. Ahern & Co. www.jfahern.com............................................... 23 Keller Inc. www.kellerbuilds.com ................................................... 38 Legal Shield www.biewer.prepaidlegal.com. ....................................... 31 Network Health Plan www.networkhealth.com . ................................ 39 NEW Building & Construction Trades Council www.newbt.org.......... 24 Outagamie County Regional Airport www.atwairport.com. ........... 11-15 Prevea Health & Wellness www.leadwellwis.com............................. 14 Rhyme www.rhymebiz.com........................................................... 19 Sadoff & Rudoy Industries www.sadoff.com................................... 33 Stifel, Nicolaus & Co. www.stifel.com . ......................................... 28 TEC www.tecmidwest.com. ............................................................ 30 Thome Benefit Solutions www.thomebenefitsolutions.com.................... 23 Tri City Glass & Door www.tricityglass-door.com................................ 19 UW-Oshkosh College of Business www.mba.uwosh.edu..................... 7 West Side Association www.westsideassociation.com......................... 29 Winnebago County Solid Waste Management www.co.winnebago.wi.us/solid-waste/container-rental-program. .................... 36

NEW NORTH B2B l FEBRUARY 2012 l 37

KEY STATISTICS Per gallon of regular unleaded gasoline.

$3.35 January 15 $3.40 January 8 $3.38 January 1 $3.36 Jan. 22, 2011 $3.10 January 22

Source: New North B2B observations

December

657,000

4.1%

from November

24.9%

from December 2010 December

0.1%

December

$400.6 billion

0.1%

from November

6.5%

from December 2010

Appleton Fond du Lac Green Bay Neenah Oshkosh Wisconsin

Nov. Oct. Nov. ‘10 8.0% 98.1% 7.9% 7.9% 9.4% 9.2% 7.9% 7.9% 6.7% 6.9% 6.6% 6.8%

8.5% 8.6% 10.1% 9.1% 6.9% 7.2%

Prices for small businesses using less than 20,000 therms.

Listed price is per therm.

(2007 = 100)

December

95.3

0.4%

fromNovember

2.9%

from December 2010 (Manufacturers and trade)

November

$1,550 billion

0.3%

from November

from October

from December 2010

from November 2010

8.5%

8.5%

$0.821 December $ 0.831 Jan. 2011 $0.882 January

Source: Integrys Energy (Numbers above 50 mean expansion. Numbers below 50 mean contraction.)

December November

53.9 52.7

If there are indicators you’d like to see in this space, contact our office at 920.237.0254 or email info@newnorthb2b.com.

You’ve met the FACES of Keller, now...

Let the ling l a C e m Na Begin!

Call Me “FOUR EYES”

I’ve been called “Four Eyes” all my life.

It helps as a Project Manager to have an eye on all aspects of your construction project. I always have one eye on the design, one on the planning, one on the construction, and one on the customer to be sure they are happy throughout the entire building process.

I am a face of Keller and four eyes or two eyes, I’m going to do my best to get your project completed on time and within your budget. I am an Employee Owner, Regional Manager, and Design/Build Expert. But don’t just take me at face value, call today and experience for yourself the difference that is Keller, Inc.

Construction Excellence Since 1960 Dave Regional Manager Co-Owner

A

FACE of Keller

38 l NEW NORTH B2B l FEBRUARY 2012

See Dave’s work at the following local businesses: Enterprise Center, New York Life, Liebovich Brothers, Services Plus, Baker Tilly, and Holland Cold Storage to name a few.

1.800.236.2534 l www.kellerbuilds.com Offices in the Fox Cities, Madison, Milwaukee & Wausau www.newnorthb2b.com

Network Health

Your Partner for the Future 920.720.1300 | 800.826.0940 | NetworkHealth.com

Our people

KNOW BUSINESS. That’s why they’re our people.

There’s a difference between bankers who “do” business banking and bankers who know business.

At First Business we’ve built a team whose expertise extends to specific types of businesses and the unique challenges they face. We know why businesses succeed — and what makes them fail. What we’ve learned working with hundreds of successful businesses can help your business thrive.

Call us today.

(L-R) Mickey Noone, President Will Deppiesse, Vice President First Business Bank - Northeast

Y O U R S U C C E S S C O M E S F I R S T. Member FDIC

www.firstbusiness.com

Commercial Lending : Treasury Management : Equipment Finance : Asset-based Lending : Trust & Investments : Private Banking

Fox Cities: 920-734-1800 Oshkosh: 920-231-2400 Green Bay: 920-435-5442