February 2017

Business Intelligence for the New North

Reaching out beyond borders Regional collaborations break down barriers to help build workforce, economy in northeast Wisconsin

Growth Challenge

Manufacturing

School Funding Problem

From the Publisher

February 2017 | $3.95

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Business Intelligence for the New North

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February Features 16 COVER STORY

Reaching Out Beyond Borders

Regional collaborations break down barriers to help build workforce, economy in northeast Wisconsin

24 MANUFACTURING

Growth Challenge

Northeast Wisconsin manufacturers are still expanding, but the looming labor gap threatens to stunt that growth

24

28 Voices & Visions

What started as a brewing hobby of a college kid is now the center of a diverse and growing business enterprise

Departments 4

From the Publisher

6

Since We Last Met

10 Build Up Pages

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23 Guest Commentary 31

Professionally Speaking

32

Who’s News

36 Business Calendar 37 Advertising Index 38 Key Statistics

Cover design Candeo Creative of Oshkosh www.newnorthb2b.com

NNB2B | February 2017 | 3

From the Publisher

Our problem with school funding Increasingly successful referenda to exceed spending caps makes current public education funding model moot, and unfair to educators and communities

by Sean Fitzgerald, New North B2B publisher

There’s a good chance the school district where you live or where your business is located approved a referendum to increase its spending capacity in recent years, ultimately driving up property tax rates on your home or business.

It’s become a more common – and perhaps increasingly necessary – strategy for Wisconsin’s public schools to remain successful in the more than two decades since the state’s legislature limited the funding model for local K-12 education.

When legislation capped public school districts’ ability to generate nearly all of its needed revenue through local property taxes in 1994, the law provided two relief valves which would allow districts to tax its property owners more than the state maximum allowance if authorized by voters through referendum. The first method allows districts to borrow funds to finance larger-scale capital projects, while the second permits districts to exceed state spending limits by a designated amount for annual operating expenses only.

Altogether, more than 200 school districts across Wisconsin have approved this second method of spending increase referenda since 2012, and the percentage at which such referenda are successful has climbed above 80 percent during the past two years, according to data from the state Department of Public Instruction.

It’s become an expected and accepted approach to conducting business for public education in Wisconsin rather than the exception to and salvation from dire financial circumstances, and it’s unfair to both educators and the communities they serve.

Following a first decade of mostly failed referenda seeking additional operating revenue between 1994 and 2004, school officials have refined both the manner in which they design the architecture of such appeals for additional taxing authority, as well as the process by which they’ve lobbied voter support to offer their benediction for added spending through higher taxes.

Just this past month, the school districts in Little Chute and Green Bay set April referenda seeking additional spending authority for the next several years to maintain the pace of their budget growth. Little Chute is asking voters for an additional $275,000 a year for the next five years 4 | February 2017 | NNB2B

while Green Bay is asking its property owners to support an additional $16.5 million a year in spending for the next 10 years. That’s a 6.3 percent increase on top of the district’s $260 million budget for this current school year, which is up 8.3 percent from last year’s operating budget of $240 million.

It’s become an unfair dynamic for district officials to continually grow their budgets – often primarily a product of staff salary and benefits increases – while keeping up with advances in technology in order to provide the best educational experience for students. But it’s also unjust to voters when they don’t fully understand the full scope of what they’re voting on.

The Green Bay schools referendum on tap for April, for example, is being sold to voters as having no increase to the tax rate, just as voters in Waupun were told when they approved a $36 million borrowing referendum this past November. But that’s not entirely true, and as economists often say, “there’s no such thing as a free lunch.”

These referenda do increase local property tax rates, but those increases are replacing either previous debt service which is retiring or replacing increases in taxes from previously approved referenda to increase annual spending which are in the final year of authorization. In such circumstances, taxes could actually decrease if the referenda facing voters are not approved. But voters often aren’t provided such information.

The mostly unfettered success in recent years for school referenda to exceed a district’s annual operating spending limits begs the question of whether legislatively-imposed caps should be scrapped, going back to a system where local school districts have complete control over the revenues they generate by once again owning absolute authority for the property taxes they’re able to levy.

State Republican lawmakers are making plans to introduce legislation in this new session which would further limit school districts’ ability to approach voters for more tax revenue through the referendum process. That proposal would require districts to wait up to two years before reintroducing a spending or borrowing request which failed in a previous referendum. But that restriction in itself might provide school districts more ammunition to encourage voters to say ‘yes’ to spending requests, lest the district endure two years of financial hardship at the expense of students and educators waiting for the next opportunity to approach voters with a retooled referendum request.

Something eventually has to give. Will it be the seeds our communities plant for our workforce of the future? n www.newnorthb2b.com

Sean Fitzgerald Publisher & President x sean@newnorthb2b.com Kate Erbach Production Contributing writers Rick Berg Lee Marie Reinsch Chief Financial Officer Vicky Fitzgerald, CPA

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Since We Last Met

Since We Last Met

Since We Last Met is a digest of business related news occurring in the Greater Green Bay, Fox Cities, Oshkosh and Fond du Lac areas in the one month since the previous issue of New North B2B. December 23

December 27

Oneida Seven Generations Corp. filed a lawsuit against the City of Green Bay seeking damages from the wasteincineration energy plant the tribal business venture began construction on in 2010 but did not complete before city officials eventually rescinded the conditional use permit originally approved for the project. In its lawsuit, Oneida Seven Generations indicated it lost $5 million in start-up expenses, substantial legal fees, and claims an estimated $16 million in lost profits. Oneida Seven Generations received all necessary approvals from state and city officials before beginning construction in 2010 on the energy plant – which reportedly would have cleanly burned municipal waste at extremely high temperatures and create methane gas as a byproduct. Complaints from citizens after the city approved the project prompted a majority of city council members to change their minds and put forth a resolution to rescind the permit for the project. In 2015 the Wisconsin Supreme Court determined that action from the city was improper.

Village of Kimberly Administrator Adam Hammatt announced plans to resign his position in mid-February to take a job as city manager in Whitefish, Mont. Hammett has served as the top appointed municipal official in Kimberly for the past four years, having come to the office after serving as village administrator in Suamico. Elected village leaders began the process of hiring a new village administrator, and hired former village administrator Rick Hermus to assist with day-to-day operations as interim administrator until a new administrator comes on board.

2003 February 28 – Great Lakes Aviation made its last flight out of Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh after the U.S. Department of Transportation stopped subsidizing commercial flights earlier in the week, leaving the Oshkosh airport without a commercial passenger carrier for the first time in 75 years.

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. The total investment for this project is $31.4 million.

2009 February 2 – The City of Fond du Lac’s workplace smoking ban ordinance went into effect, prohibiting cigarette smoking in all city workplaces, including taverns, restaurants and bowling alleys. The city’s Common Council had approved the measure back in October 2008.

6 | February 2017 | NNB2B

December 30 Gov. Scott Walker declared an energy emergency for much of northeast Wisconsin related to the 9-month closure of the West Shore Pipeline from Milwaukee to Green Bay, which has led to gasoline and diesel fuel shortages across the region.

The governor’s action authorizes fuel tank truck carriers to

2011 February 18 – Both the Kimberly and Freedom Area school districts cancelled classes for the day after superintendents learned several faculty members didn’t plan to come to work in protest of Gov. Walker’s proposed budget repair bill. As many as 180 staff members in Kimberly participated in the “sick out,” while there appeared to be an organized effort to ensure substitute teachers from the area didn’t fill positions on that day.

2014 February 18 - Voters in the Appleton Area School District approved two referenda, allowing school officials to borrow $25 million for capital improvements across the district and will allow the board of education to tax property owners by $5 million beyond the state revenue limit next year.

The annual tax impact of all of these improvements will add 79 cents for every $1,000 of equalized property value, or an additional $79 on a home valued at $100,000.

2016 February 9 - The Village of Ashwaubenon Plan Commission approved the Green Bay Packers’ proposal for the 34-acre Titletown District planned development. The proposed $120 to $130 million development immediately west of Lambeau Field will include a 10-acre public space, a four-star Lodge Kohler hotel, a Bellin Health clinic and Hinterland Brewery.

Construction is expected to be complete by the summer of 2017.

www.newnorthb2b.com

transport overweight loads on Wisconsin roadways up to the end of February.

December 30 Wisconsin legislative leadership issued committee assignments for the 2017-19 session, including the following local officials appointed to the state’s Joint Finance Committee: Rep. John Nygren (R-Marinette) committee co-chair, Sen. Luther Olsen (R-Ripon), Rep. Mike Rohrkaste (R-Neenah) and Rep. Gordon Hintz (D-Oshkosh). The Joint Committee on Finance is charged with reviewing all state appropriations and revenues, and helping shape the governor’s budget proposal into one legislators must eventually approve before June 30.

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January 3 Following the conclusion of the nominating period for local elected offices, Winnebago County Executive Mark Harris is seeking his fourth four-year term in office and will be challenged by Menasha resident Tyler Doemel in the April 7 general election. The only area contested mayoral race is in Oshkosh, where one-term incumbent Oshkosh Mayor Steve Cummings is looking to retain his seat against Paul Esslinger, a former council member and one-term mayor.

January 6 The U.S. Department of Labor reported 156,000 new jobs were created in December, leaving the national unemployment rate relatively unchanged at 4.7 percent. Job growth occurred in health care and social assistance.

January 9 Appleton Area School District Superintendent Lee Allinger announced plans to retire at the end of June after 10 years at the helm of northeast Wisconsin’s second largest school district. Allinger has been with the district more than 30 years, having started his career as an elementary school teacher. The school board indicated it hopes to select a new superintendent by late spring.

January 9

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The board of directors for Thrivent Financial in Appleton authorized a $319 million dividend for 2017, an increase of about 2 percent from the $312 million dividend issued in 2016. The organization’s structure as a member-owned fraternal benefit society allows it to return its surplus to member organizations associated with Thrivent in the form of dividends.

January 10 The City of Green Bay Redevelopment Authority approved a $500,000 bridge loan to KPH Northland Hotel LLC to strengthen its position as its seeks additional financing in the wake of acquiring the partially completed Hotel Northland www.newnorthb2b.com

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NNB2B | February 2017 | 7

Since We Last Met renovation project from Frantz Community Investors of Iowa.

The city has already invested $4.7 million into the nearly $35 million project to renovate the historic downtown Green Bay property into a 160-room boutique hotel. Earlier in January, Frantz Community Investors – which is undertaking the nearly $20 million renovation of Retlaw Hotel in downtown Fond du Lac – divested its stake in the Hotel Northland project to Milwaukee-based KPH Northland Hotel for an undisclosed amount after First Merit Bank, the senior financier on the project, withdrew $12.8 million it committed toward the project’s financing package.

January 13

January 12

January 18

Hospital Sisters Health System indicated it will cut 85 nonclinical and administrative jobs from its four hospitals in northeastern Wisconsin, which includes HSHS St. Vincent Hospital in Green Bay and HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital Medical Center in Green Bay. Health system officials indicated patients are demanding a decreased quantity of care from hospitals as a greater number of patients are postponing care because of high-deductible health insurance plans and the growing number of outpatient medical procedures being performed at other day facilities. The organization did not indicate specifically how many positions would be cut from each hospital.

A report issued by Wisconsin’s Legislative Fiscal Bureau indicated state government revenue projections for the next three fiscal years are expected to be nearly $455 million higher than reported this past November, when bureau officials were anticipating a $700 million shortfall for the 2017-19 biennium. The updated analysis expects general fund tax collections to improve to $16.0 billion during the 2017-18 fiscal year and to $16.6 billion during 2018-19, both improvements from previous revenue projections which offered a lower outlook. The new report is likely to aid spending compromises as legislators begin negotiating the 2017-19 biennial state budget in coming months.

The 2016 shipping season for the Port of Green Bay ended as officials closed the port for the season, which lasted nearly 10 months. Overall cargo shipments for the season totaled 1.8 million metric tons, down about 9 percent from the 2015 shipping season. Domestic imports of petroleum products increased substantially due to the closure of the West Shore Pipeline throughout 2016. A total of 158 vessels brought shipments into the port during the season, a 1 percent increase from a year ago.

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January 18 The Wisconsin Department of Justice filed a civil lawsuit against former University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Chancellor Richard Wells and former Vice Chancellor of Administrative Services Thomas Sonnleitner claiming both misappropriated millions of dollars of university funds between 2010 and 2014 to finance five UW Oshkosh Foundation real estate projects. Those projects include Best Western Waterfront Hotel in downtown Oshkosh, Oshkosh Sports Complex, UW Oshkosh Alumni Welcome and Conference Center, and two dry-fermentation biodigestors in Oshkosh and Rosendale. The suit is part of an ongoing investigation that began last April at the urging of the UW System Board of Regents and included a three-month independent review by retired Dane County Circuit Court Judge Patrick Fiedler. Current UW Oshkosh Chancellor Andy Leavitt indicated he terminated UW Oshkosh Foundation President Arthur Rathjen and placed another unidentified UW Oshkosh employee on administrative leave.

January 23 The Green Bay Area Public School District Board of Education approved two referenda for voters to consider April 4 which could total more than $230 million in additional spending. The first question seeks approval to borrow $68.25 million for a district wide construction package which includes: a new Baird Elementary School for $25.8 million; additions for more classroom space at Eisenhower, Danz, Red Smith, Sullivan and Martin elementary schools; and security upgrades at seven elementary schools across the district.

A second question asks voters permission to exceed state spending caps by $16.5 million a year for the next 10 years for various operational expenses including: hiring various paraprofessionals; improving transportations for students; and purchasing mobile learning devices for each student in the district, among other expenses.

January 23 The Little Chute School District Board of Education approved an April 4 referendum asking voters to approve borrowing $17.8 million to renovate and expand classroom space at the high school/middle school campus. The construction project would also provide a two-story addition for school and district offices. Any borrowing from an approved referendum is expected to impact the tax rate by an additional $1.31 for every $1,000 of equalized property value in its first two years, or about $131 additional on a property valued at $100,000. After the first two years, the additional tax impact on the debt service is expected to drop to 95 cents for every $1,000 of property valuation. n

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NNB2B | February 2017 | 9

Build Up Fond du Lac

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Build Up

Fond du Lac

Indicates a new listing

1 - 300 Seward St., Ripon Ripon College J.M. Storzer Center, an 88,000-sq. ft. addition to the existing athletic facility to include a fieldhouse with an indoor track, atrium, classrooms, locker rooms, fitness center and offices. Project completion expected in fall.

2- 221 Shepard St., Ripon Alliance Laundry Systems, two separate additions totaling 225,000 square feet of space to the existing manufacturing facility, warehouse and corporate headquarters office building. Project completion expected in late fall.

3 - 805 Park Ridge Lane, North Fond du Lac Side X Side Construction, a 9,600-sq. ft. office building and construction shop.

Project completion expected in March.

4 - 660 Van Dyne Road, Fond du Lac BCI Burke, a 13,500-sq. ft. warehouse adjacent to the existing manufacturing facility. Project completion expected in March. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna.

5 - 400 County Road K, Fond du Lac Agnesian Healthcare Hospice Home of Hope, an addition to the existing palliative care facility. Project completion expected in March.

(920)498-9300 baylandbuildings.com 10 | February 2017 | NNB2B

6 - 980 E. Division St., Fond du Lac Marian University Herr-Baker Field, a baseball pavilion for the Northwoods League team. Project completion expected in April. General contractor is CR Structures Group of Kimberly.

www.newnorthb2b.com

Build Up Oshkosh

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7 - 100 Camelot Dr., Fond du Lac Excel Engineering Inc., an addition to the existing commercial office building. Project completion expected in February.

14 - 2400 State Road 44, Oshkosh Continental Girbau Inc., a 24,000-sq. ft. warehouse addition to the existing industrial facility.

8 - 80 E. Larsen Dr., Fond du Lac Quartz Right, a new industrial facility.

Projects completed since our January issue: • Lawrence Screw Products, 1393 Capital Dr., Fond du Lac. • Moraine Park Tech College, 235 National Ave., Fond du Lac. • Mid-States Aluminum, 132 Trowbridge Dr., Fond du Lac.

9 - 3255 W. Fernau Ct., Oshkosh Monroe Equipment, an 11,500-sq. ft. sales office and warehouse for the commercial heating equipment distributor.

Project completion expected in February.

10 - 3160 W. Fernau Ct., Oshkosh Best Quality Tree Service, a 6,000-sq. ft. warehouse building.

General contractor is Bayland Buildings of Green Bay. 11 - 2923 Jackson St., Oshkosh Kyria Child Daycare Center, a new child daycare facility.

12 - 3465 Moser St., Oshkosh Strata Graph/Great Northern Corp., a 30,000-sq. ft. addition to the existing manufacturing facility.

13 - 324 Washington Ave., Oshkosh Oshkosh Community YMCA, a 55,000-sq. ft. addition to the existing community center and various interior renovations.

www.newnorthb2b.com

Better Business Bureau New Members Businesses accredited through the Northeast Wisconsin office during December 2016 B&B Basement Repairs, Bear Creek Caliber Law, S.C., Oshkosh Door County Honey, Algoma Express Garage Door Services, Green Bay Hard Luck Body Worx, Fond du Lac Hoersch Home Appliance, Appleton J & M Towing & Service, Fond du Lac Joski Sewer Cleaning, Denmark LaserForm LLC, Green Bay Rosenow Custom Roofing, Neenah Tidy Car of Sheboygan, Sheboygan

NNB2B | February 2017 | 11

Build Up Fox Cities Build Up

Fox Cities

13 - 201 Reaume Ave., Kaukauna City of Kaukauna Fire Department, a 29,174-sq. ft. fire station.

Indicates a new listing

1 - N1610 Midway Road, Hortonville Valley Snowmobile & Power Sports, a 5,000-sq. ft. facility.

Project completion expected in February.

2 - 3517 N. McCarthy Road, town of Grand Chute National Association of Tax Professionals, a 20,061-sq. ft. office and warehouse building. Project completion expected in February. General contractor is Consolidated Construction Co. of Appleton.

3 - 1911 W. Wisconsin Ave., town of Grand Chute American Overhead Door, a 26,651-sq. ft. warehouse and office. Project completion expected in February. General contractor is Frontier Builders & Consultants of Kaukauna.

4 - 1800 N. Morrison St., Appleton Erb Park/City of Appleton, an 8,600-sq. ft. bathhouse, new swimming pool, equipment facility and a 3,000-sq. ft. pavillion. Project completion expected in June.

5 - 750 W. Evergreen Dr., town of Grand Chute Unison Credit Union, a 4,800-sq. ft. financial office building.

Project completion expected in May. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna.

6 - 3000 Pershing St., Appleton CMD North, an addition to the existing commercial office building. Project completion expected in February. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna.

7 - 3300 E. Venture Dr., Appleton C3 Corp., a 15,000-sq. ft. addition to the existing manufacturing facility. Project completion expected in late winter. General contractor is Frontier Builders & Consultants of Kaukauna.

8 - 3301 E. Evergreen Dr., Appleton Allied Valve Inc., a 7,400-sq. ft. addition to the existing warehouse. Project completion expected in March. General contractor is Frontier Builders & Consultants of Kaukauna.

14 - 1662 E. Kennedy Ave., Kimberly Kimberly High School, a 54,000-sq. ft. addition to the school for an indoor athletic training facility. Project completion expected in August.

15 - 2515 S. Eisenhower Dr., Appleton Encapsys, a 37,000-sq. ft. new corporate office building and research facility.

16 - 101 S. Riverheath Way, Appleton Courtyard by Marriott, a 67,200-sq. ft., 95-room hotel. Project completion expected in summer.

17 - 300 Block of W. Lawrence St., Appleton Fox Cities Exhibition Center, a 65,000-sq. ft. convention and meeting facility. Project completion expected in fall.

18 - 2100 Holly Road, Fox Crossing R & L Carriers, a 19,918-sq. ft. addition to and interior remodel of the existing trucking transfer station and offices.

19 - 2560 Cold Spring Road, Fox Crossing Red-D-Mix Concrete, a 9,000-sq. ft. storage facility. Project completion expected in spring. General contractor is Frontier Builders & Consultants of Kaukauna.

20 - 1025 W. American Dr., Fox Crossing Pierce Manufacturing, a 15,455-sq. ft. manufacturing facility for vehicle finishing.

21 - 1450 McMahon Dr., Fox Crossing WOW Logistics, a 24,000-sq. ft. corporate office building.

22 - 1501 W. Plaza Drive, Fox Crossing Community First Credit Union, a 120,000-sq. ft. corporate office campus. Project completion expected in February.

23 - 2625 W. American Dr., town of Clayton Horn’s RV Center, a 12,000-sq. ft. recreational vehicle dealership and service center. Project completion expected in May. General contractor is Millennium Construction of Appleton.

9 - 3900 Freedom Road, Little Chute Nestle, a 313,153-sq. ft. cold storage warehouse and offices.

24 - 120 Main St., Neenah Plexus Corp., a four-story, 85,209-sq. ft. commercial office building to house the company’s design center.

10 - 1401 E. Elm St., Little Chute Village of Little Chute, a 55,000-sq. ft. municipal services building. Project completion expected in late summer.

25 - 304 Stone Crest Ct., Neenah Bent Tubes, a 22,259-sq. ft. addition to the existing industrial facility.

11 - 1700 Stephen St., Little Chute Heartland Business Systems, a 31,956-sq. ft. addition to the existing commercial office building. Project completion expected in June. General contractor is Bayland Buildings of Green Bay.

Projects completed since our January issue: • Harley-Davidson of Appleton, 5325 Clairemont Dr., Appleton.

• Konz Wood Products, 616 Perkins St., town of Grand Chute.

• Metal Products, 1197 N. Perkins St., town of Grand Chute.

• Boldt Construction, 2525 N. Roemer Road, Appleton.

• Orv’s Pizza/Bernatello’s Foods, 1601 Hyland Ave., Kaukauna.

• Orbis Corp., 1328 Earl St., Menasha.

• McMahon, 1445 McMahon Dr., Fox Crossing.

12 - 3601 Electric City Blvd., Kaukauna Albany International, a 6,062-sq. ft. office building. Project completion expected in February.

12 | February 2017 | NNB2B

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NNB2B | February 2017 | 13

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Greater Green Bay area 1 - 2793 Lineville Road, Howard Prevea Health Center, an addition to the existing health clinic.

2 - 2600 Larsen Road, Green Bay Green Bay Botanical Garden, a 2,183-sq. ft. concessions building and an amphitheatre. Project completion expected in spring.

3 - 2740 W. Mason St., Green Bay Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, a 67,760-sq. ft. addition to the existing Business and Information Technology Center and a separate 62,000-sq. ft. transportation center.

Project completion expected in early fall.

4 - 2211 Starr Ct., Green Bay CDRN - The Textile Experts, an addition to the existing 14 | February 2017 | NNB2B

Indicates a new listing

commercial building. Completion expected in late winter.

5 - 2015 Shawano Ave., Howard Meijer, 192,000-sq. ft. retail department store. Project completion expected in February.

6 - 907 N. Military Ave., Green Bay Vacuum, Pump and Compressor Inc., a 12,000-sq. ft. addition to the existing manufacturing facility. Project completion expected in April. General contractor is Bayland Buildings of Green Bay. 7 - 2231 N. Quincy St., Green Bay NEW Water/Green Bay Metropolitan Sewerage District, a wastewater treatment facility. Completion expected in 2018.

www.newnorthb2b.com

8 - 320 N. Broadway, Green Bay DDL Holdings/Titletown Brewing, an addition to the former industrial facility for a mixed-use retail development.

9 - 304 N. Adams St., Green Bay Hotel Northland, a substantial overhaul of the existing 8-story building for a 160-room luxury hotel with two restaurants and a spa. Project completion expected in summer.

10 - 1330 Bellevue Dr., Bellevue KI, a 60,000-sq. ft. expansion of the existing manufacturing facility.

11 - 1742 E. Mason St., Green Bay Fast n Easy Pawn/STD Properties, a 12,000-sq. ft. addition to the existing multi-tenant commercial retail building.

12 - 1901 Main St., Green Bay North Shore Bank, a 3,534-sq. ft. financial institution office.

Project completion expected in February. General contractor is CR Structures Group of Kimberly.

13 - 1111 S. Huron Road, Green Bay Inside Out International, an 18,000-sq. ft. office, showroom and warehouse facility. Project completion expected in March.

General contractor is Bayland Buildings of Green Bay. 14 - 1160 Kepler Dr., Green Bay Aurora Baycare Medical Center, a two-story, 11,000-sq. ft. addition for cancer care and a separate four-story addition to the surgery center. Project completion expected in late fall.

15 - 1267 Lombardi Ave., Ashwaubenon Hinterland Brewery, a two-story, 23,325-sq. ft. brewery and restaurant. Project completion expected in February.

23 - 3301 French Road, town of Lawrence Santa Barbara Fuels, a 12,400-sq. ft. warehouse facility.

Project completion expected in spring. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna.

24 - 1751 Matthew Dr. West, De Pere Fox River Fiber, an addition to the existing industrial facility.

Project completion expected in spring. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna.

25 - 601 Third St., De Pere St. Norbert College Mulva Family Fitness & Sports Center, a nearly 50,000-sq. ft. addition to the existing athletic facility for a competition swimming pool and fitness center. Project completion expected in May. 26 - 102 N. Broadway, De Pere The 102 On Broadway, a five-story mixed-use building with first floor commercial space and an attached parking garage.

27 - 633 Heritage Road, De Pere Belmark, a three-story, 41,000-sq ft. addition to the existing Plant #3 for an office building, as well as a skywalk connecting to another building on the industrial campus. Project completion expected in February 2018.

28 - 400 Destiny Dr., De Pere Paroubek Insurance Agency, a 3,000-sq. ft. commercial office building. Project completion expected in February.

Projects completed since our January issue: • Quality Insulators, 3142 S. Ridge Road, Ashwaubenon.

16 - 1950 S. Ridge Road, Ashwaubenon Lodge Kohler, a five-story, 150-room hotel, restaurant and spa. Project completion expected in July.

17 - 1900 Block of South Ridge Road, Ashwaubenon Bellin Health Sports Medicine Clinic, a 50,000-sq. ft. health care clinic. Project completion expected in summer.

18 - 2763-2817 S. Oneida St., Ashwaubenon Fresh Thyme Farmers Market/Bayside Marketplace Mall, demolition of portions of the existing multi-tenant retail center and reconstruction of a 28,675-sq. ft. addition for a new grocery store. Project completion expected in fall.

19 - 1801 Airport Dr., Ashwaubenon Green Bay Packaging Inc./ Jet Air, a 44,914-sq. ft. air hangar.

20 - 1020 Glory Road, Ashwaubenon Tenor Construction Supply, a 5,000-sq. ft. addition to the existing distribution facility for two shipping bays. Project completion expected in March. General contractor is Bayland Buildings of Green Bay. 21 - 1330 Contract Dr., Ashwaubenon Optima Machinery Corp., an addition to the existing manufacturing facility.

22 - 1800 Block Scheuring Road, town of Lawrence Denmark State Bank, a new bank. Project completion expected in spring. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna. www.newnorthb2b.com

NNB2B | February 2017 | 15

Cover Story

Reaching out beyond borders Regional collaborations break down barriers to help build workforce, economy in northeast Wisconsin

Story by Lee Marie Reinsch

A few generations ago,

our ancestors might have benefited from barn raising, the tradition of building cooperatively. Friends and family for miles would volunteer their muscle, free of charge, to build a structure for their neighbor. The only labor cost was lunch for the gang and returning the favor some day. Not only would the barn be built economically, it ideally would be done in a much shorter time than the farmer building the barn alone.

When the right people collaborate to accomplish a common agenda, they can often get more done than they might alone, and the same philosophy pertains to organizations. The collaborative spirit of the barn raising is alive and well in northeast Wisconsin. Only instead of cousins and neighbors building barns, it’s coalitions of groups that are creating career advancement opportunities, jobs and enhancing the economy of the region overall.

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www.newnorthb2b.com

Paving the path

People don’t spend all their time in the same community that they live or work.

So when it comes to attracting business to the area, it makes more sense to team up with neighboring communities to form a force to be reckoned with.

That’s what the members of the I-41 Corridor marketing collaborative did.

I-41 Corridor marketing collaborative Purpose: To attract employers to the communities along Interstate 41 from Fond du Lac to Green Bay. Website: i41corridor.com

“People are traveling. We know that it’s bigger than just our local communities.

We know we have a strong, welleducated, highly-skilled and productive workforce we could market together, and what’s good for Fond du Lac is good for Oshkosh and north and vice versa,” said Rob Kleman, senior vice president of economic development for the Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce and a member of the I-41 marketing collaborative.

The I-41 Corridor marketing collaborative consists of five economic development organizations serving communities along Interstate 41 from Fond du Lac to Green Bay. Its goal is to increase awareness of the corridor as a place to do business.

But rather than trying to attract another Dollar Tree, it aims for bigger job providers who bring dollars into the local economy, rather than churning dollars that are already here.

“Our goal is to work with primary employers – not retail, not commercial projects – although we would certainly not turn away a large retail project,” said Steve Jenkins, president of Fond du Lac County Economic Development Corp. “We’re working with those projects that have high leverage and multipliers in terms of their employment and their payroll. Our goal is to increase the wealth of the entire region by attracting good-paying jobs, particularly jobs that are in growth mode in this new economy we find ourselves in.”

The I-41 marketing collaborative

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is composed of Advance Economic Development, a program of Greater Green Bay Chamber; Fox Cities Regional Partnership; Greater Oshkosh Economic Development Corp.; Fond du Lac County Economic Development Corp.; and Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce.

It’s been around in varying capacities for several years, but recently rebooted under new leadership.

A D V I C E

F O R

L I F E

“We started talking about how we could collaborate because we had common interests down Highway 41,” Jenkins said. “We began to look at our commonalities and think we could have an opportunity.”

Last fall, the collaborative invited a handful of industry site selectors for a tour of the area. These scouts for companies looking to relocate or branch out to other locations affirmed the need for the collaborative. “(Site selectors) said, ‘Look, until you start working together, we’re not going to pay attention to you because – individually, or even two communities together – you’re not going to create enough critical mass for us to go to our clients and say this would be good place to locate our business,’” Jenkins said.

Collaborative members took that feedback to heart and started looking at commuting patterns for the workforce up and down the corridor.

“We all share workforce because of our close proximity to each other.

We started to look at the base of advanced manufacturing that we had in the region, and each community had a significant number of advanced manufacturing operations,” Jenkins said. “It just evolved from there.”

Overall, the site selectors were impressed with what the area had to offer, Jenkins said. “Long-term, we think it will pay off.”

Next fall Fond du Lac will be the host community for these site selectors visiting the I-41 corridor.

“Their goal is to make recommendations to their clients about where the most productive location would be to build a new facility or relocate a facility,” Jenkins said. “In our profession, they’re the ones we have to work with very closely and make

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Cover Story sure they understand what our region has to offer and build relationships with them, so that when they have a project, they have a good wealth of information about our area and can bring it to the attention of their client.”

Manufacturing talent

More than a decade ago, an equipment manufacturer in the Greater Green Bay area told Ann Franz that he had a lot of job openings at his company – and very little interest in them.

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“He said to me, ‘Is there any organization out there that’s interested in trying to improve the image of manufacturing?’”

That was 2005. It wasn’t easy to get people excited about working in a manufacturing plant at the time.

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“A lot of people who don’t know anyone in manufacturing still think of it as like the ‘I Love Lucy’ scene in the chocolate factory, or ‘Laverne & Shirley’ watching the bottles go past,” Franz said.

Northeast Wisconsin Manufacturing Alliance Purpose: Promoting manufacturing as a career choice and building relationships between manufacturing and education.

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So Franz, who serves as strategic partnerships manager for Northeast Wisconsin Technical College in Green Bay, helped bring together a handful of like-minded manufacturers for a team huddle and a brainstorm. In June 2006, the Northeast Wisconsin Manufacturing Alliance was formed. Through her work with NWTC, Franz serves as director of the alliance.

Manufacturers need skilled workers, and the state still has many manufacturers, despite the mindset that nothing’s made in the United States anymore. Nearly 23 percent of all jobs in northeast Wisconsin are in the manufacturing sector.

The percentage of jobs in manufacturing is more than a third lower in the rest of Wisconsin – 16 percent compared to 23 – Some efforts of NEW Manufacturing Alliance include: F Hosts Internship Draft Day at Lambeau Field in November. Every student attending gets a 20-minute consultation with the company of their choice. Students score points on their presentations and interviews, and at the end of the day, Packers President Mark Murphy announces the number one draft pick.

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but still higher than the national average of 9 percent, Franz said, calling northeast Wisconsin a ‘hotbed’ for manufacturing.

“They’re great-paying jobs, there’s a lot of them, and we need to help the region understand that if you want to live here and have a great life, you should consider manufacturing,” she said.

In the 10 years since its founding, the alliance has focused on bringing industry together to uncover the workforce needs of various manufacturers from the region and advocate for careers in manufacturing.

The alliance has nine task forces focusing on talent, retired workers, incumbent workers, STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) careers, raising awareness among parents about manufacturing careers, addressing the shortage of technical college instructors and technology teachers, promoting partnerships with K-12 education, and communications.

“Our vision is that every northeast Wisconsin manufacturer will find the talent it needs,” Franz said.

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The success of the alliance has bred the North Coast Marine Manufacturing Alliance, Greater Green Bay Healthcare Alliance and Northeast Wisconsin Insurance Consortium, with Franz administering all of them.

There should be an app for that

It’s said that necessity is the mother of invention. That’s the case with Northeast Wisconsin IT Alliance. A couple executives were sitting around talking about how hard it was to find IT talent in the region. So instead of just muttering ineffectually to themselves, they decided to do something about it.

They formed NEW IT Alliance to tackle the problem from the ground – or bottom of the screen – up by getting young people interested in information technology careers.

Sure, Millennials are taking over the world: they’re our bankers, our website designers, our movie stars. But they’re not studying the IT path in college or going into IT careers in large numbers, said Kim Iversen, director of NEW IT Alliance.

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“There have been numerous studies done without any clear answers coming out of them as to why we don’t see more people seeking IT careers,” said Iversen. “It’s a shame, because they are very lucrative.”

IT positions in the New North region range in salary from $44,000 up to six figures.

Iversen has been talking with businesses and organizations across northeast Wisconsin, asking what their technology challenges are and what programs they might already have in place, such as Fox Valley Technical College’s Megabites program for middle school students. She’s tapped into STEM organizations in Green Bay and Oshkosh. www.newnorthb2b.com

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Cover Story “We’re just trying to understanding what does the picture look like today, and then start developing programs we can lead or facilitate to help encourage our youth to explore IT as a viable career, to encourage those who might be looking for a second career to explore, and ultimately even to reach out to ‘boomerangers’ – people who have moved out of state but are looking to come back and may want careers in IT,” said Iversen.

She said the organization’s mission is to increase the talent pipeline.

“Doing that is going to require collaboration by area businesses, our (state) department of workforce development, the school districts, and IT organizations such as Women in Technology,” she said.

Paving the educational path

You probably know someone who seems to be in college forever. It’s easy to think they’re to blame, perhaps lazy or bad at setting goals. But it could just be glitches in the system.

Maybe they started a degree at a tech school, intending to finish at a four-year school, and found out they practically had to start over because many credits didn’t transfer.

Northeast Wisconsin Educational Resource Alliance has endeavored to change that by making the path to success smoother with guided career pathway programs. NEW ERA is an alliance of universities and technical colleges across the region working together.

Comprising NEW ERA are: Fox Valley Technical College

UW Sheboygan

This dearth of technology talent of which she speaks isn’t limited to northeast Wisconsin – it exists across the country and around the globe. But that’s not to underestimate the problem here. Iversen said state economists estimate by 2020 there will be 4,000 IT positions in northeast Wisconsin that employers won’t be able to fill, with another 7,000 unfilled positions in the Milwaukee area.

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“As Baby Boomers retire and the demand for IT increases, so will the deficit of workers,” she said. In 2021, this gap is estimated to cost $203 million in lost income for northeast Wisconsin alone, she said.

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“The mission is to serve northeast Wisconsin with a seamless transition in higher education so the students and individuals of a community can have a variety of degree choices and

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Northeast Wisconsin Educational Resource Alliance Purpose: To serve the needs of lifelong learners Website: neweraonline.org

programming that support what they’d like to do,” said NEW ERA executive director Linda Bartelt.

The average student in an associate degree program takes 81 credits to finish his or her degree, when the typical requirement is 60, according to the higher education alliance Complete College America. Only about 17 percent of associate degree students finish their degree on time. Some 22 percent take twice the usual time to get their degree. Career pathways make the process of pursuing a degree less painful.

“Students can begin at any one of the northeast Wisconsin colleges or universities and get an associate degree and move toward a bachelor’s at UW Green Bay or UW Oshkosh,” Bartelt said. “It’s making sure those transitions – as you move across the colleges and universities – are not fraught with challenges of how and what do I need to achieve this career pathway.”

NEW ERA’s most recent program offering is the engineering technology career pathway program. NEW Manufacturing Alliance has been supportive of the program.

Since the pathway was created just a few years ago, more than 200 students have enrolled in the engineering technology program.

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“Students are working right side by side with operations managers and other types of individuals,” Bartelt said. “We call them the working professionals. It’s very much a hands-on professional degree.”

Similar career pathways are available for those in nursing, fire/emergency response, early childhood education and other subjects, Bartelt said. NEW ERA is working with Northeast Wisconsin IT Alliance to design a career pathway program in information technology.

Communication among faculty is crucial, and NEW ERA’s faculty dialog group meets during the school year to discuss curriculum. The group consists of about 40 educators representing each of the institutions involved in NEW ERA. “They work together to share best practices in education as well as to ensure there’s really a quality educational experience for each student as it relates to the strength of the program and the credentialing of the program,” Bartelt said.

NEW ERA works with NEW Manufacturing Alliance to promote internships in local companies, including sponsoring its Internship Draft Day at Lambeau Field.

A new tack

Following in the footsteps of the success of NEW Manufacturing Alliance, marine builders from the region asked Northeast Wisconsin Technical College for help developing a curriculum specific to their industry. That led

NNB2B | February 2017 | 21

Cover Story to the realization that the industry needed its own advocacy group, according to Ann Franz, who also directs the North Coast Marine Manufacturing Alliance in addition to NEW Manufacturing Alliance.

North Coast Marine Manufacturing Alliance

government, said Ted Gumieny, business representative for the building trades council.

According to the council, workers covered by unions earn more and have more benefits than their counterparts not covered by unions. The organization indicates 79 percent of those in unions have health insurance provided by their employers, compared to 52 percent of those not covered by unions.

Purpose: Promoting boat manufacturing and growing the industry through promotion of STEMrelated careers

“Union workers are 285 percent more likely to have definedbenefit pension plans” than those not covered by unions, Gumieny said.

Website: northcoastmma.org

One of the council’s key focuses is training and advocacy for those considering careers in the construction industry.

The alliance is a partnership of the six boat, yacht and ship builders in the region: Marinette Marine, Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay, ACE (Aluminum Center of Excellence) Marine in Green Bay, Burger Boat Co. in Manitowoc, Cruiser Yachts in Oconto and Marquis Yachts in Pulaski.

So what’s a “North Coast” and why is it in Wisconsin? Mainly to denote that the area isn’t landlocked.

“We could have called it ‘Great Lakes,’ but a lot of people think you can’t get to the ocean from a lake, and we’re trying to change the image of this area because Marinette Marine needs to get that littoral combat ship to the coast,” Franz said.

The marine alliance’s initiatives include attracting and training a skilled workforce, promoting the North Coast area as a hub for marine manufacturing, developing the supply chain inside the area, and strengthening relations with industry and government relations.

Building a foundation

“Apprenticeship and training and journey-worker upgrade programs benefit not only our members, but also our contractors and their customers,” said Gumieny.

Northeast Wisconsin Building & Construction Trades Council Focus: Improving the quality of life for construction industry employees Website: newbt.org

One benefit unions have for employers, he said, is they reduce turnover by making worksites safer.

For the last two years, the collaboration of construction trade unions along with the Labor Management Council of Northeast Wisconsin has held a construction trades career event allowing high school students hands-on experiences in building a wall with brick and mortar, using a jackhammer, and even operating a heavy construction equipment simulator.

The Northeast Wisconsin Building & Trades Council serves as the canopy organization for 34 construction trades unions spanning across 29 counties. It encompasses practically every facet of the construction process – from boilermakers and bricklayers to roofers and carpenters. Its trade unions boast 12,000 working and retired members across the region.

The second annual event last October at Shopko Hall in Green Bay drew 750 students from 30 school districts across northeast and northern Wisconsin. This year’s event is scheduled for October at Central Wisconsin Expo Center in Rothschild. n

The collaborative organization aims to improve wages and benefits, build communities through community and school involvement, promote apprenticeships, and work together with business owners, developers, architects, utilities and

Lee Marie Reinsch of Green Bay worked 18 years at daily newspapers before launching her freelance business, edgewise, in 2007.

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Guest Commentary

Think. Make. Happen. Here Attracting, retaining workers in Wisconsin requires more than job postings

by Tom Still

The rollout of the “Think. Make.

Happen.” initiative at the Future Wisconsin Summit in December is the latest effort to pitch Wisconsin as a place for young workers to find opportunity, put down roots and balance life and career.

That three-word bumper sticker is shorthand for think big, make your mark and anything can happen in Wisconsin.

It’s an ambitious initiative that will focus on young people already here as well as those who live elsewhere – in hopes they will check out what Wisconsin has to offer.

Wisconsin has a demographics problem. Economists and other experts have warned about a looming shortage of workers for years, and the crunch has finally hit home. Many companies can’t find enough young workers to replace retiring Baby Boomers. Even if those employers can find workers, they don’t always come with the skills required for the job.

The core problem is raw numbers. Assuming current trends continue, Wisconsin will have more retired workers than active workers within 15 years. Part of the problem is tied to a lower birth rate; part is “brain drain,” or out-migration; and part is a low attraction rate for workers who live elsewhere – whether that’s Indiana, India or many places in between.

Solving Wisconsin’s workforce puzzle will require keeping more students and young people at home by exposing them to overlooked opportunities in industries such as manufacturing, building trades, health care and tech.

It will also require persuading people outside the Badger State that life here has more to offer than beer, cheese and the Green Bay Packers.

It will involve fully engaging people who might otherwise fall outside the workforce – the disabled, people getting out of the corrections system, people who can be weaned off social aid programs and people who didn’t succeed in their initial run through the schools.

It will also require a rational approach to immigration law, something many Wisconsin business leaders believe is crucial.

The role of “Think. Make. Happen.” in solving this problem is to carry out a bottom-up story-telling campaign that builds on values consistent with Wisconsin’s entrepreneurial history and reiterated in surveys of people inside and outside Wisconsin.

Among them was the Wisconsin Perception Survey in late 2015, which was completed by 2,000 people across a mix of www.newnorthb2b.com

online formats. Roughly 1,300 people from Wisconsin took the survey, which was coordinated by the Wisconsin Technology Council, along with 700 others from 47 of the remaining 49 states.

The in-state group was older, slightly more male and decidedly angrier than the out-of-state group, which was younger, more female and much less likely to harbor negative perceptions of Wisconsin – beyond a few mental shivers over cold winters.

Common to both the in-state and out-of-state groups was limited recognition of career opportunities in Wisconsin beyond the stereotypical cheese, milk and more cheese.

Imbedded in the Perception Survey data and a later, larger survey by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. was a sense of values that matter to Millennials. Some examples include: v Young people are often motivated first by selecting where they want to live, then finding a job. Millennials value the elusive life-work balance. v That balance is often defined by a diverse nightlife, creative activities and a sense of community that includes them, not just older generations. v The outdoors is important to most Millennials. Parks and proximity to green space and recreational areas are a strong draw. v The right digital connections are a must. Communities without fast, reliable broadband connections might as well be located in Siberia. Young people won’t move to places that lack broadband and they certainly won’t start businesses there. v Millennials want to live where there are other Millennials, who often share similar values and social tolerances. They shy away from places they perceive aren’t welcoming.

“We know that drawing attention to available jobs in the state is not enough to motivate the next generation of workers to pursue opportunities here,” said Tricia Braun, deputy secretary of Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. “We need to celebrate the positive experiences that Wisconsin offers, and the social connections being developed among people committed to our state’s economic future. There is a strong desire among young people to make a contribution to be a part of something bigger than themselves.”

As “Think. Make. Happen.” unfolds, look for WEDC and others to paint a richer picture of what Wisconsin offers in terms of education, careers, community and quality of life. n Still is president of the Wisconsin Technology Council. He is the former associate editor of the Wisconsin State Journal. Learn more at www.thinkmakehappen.com.

NNB2B | February 2017 | 23

Manufacturing

Growth Challenge Northeast Wisconsin manufacturers are still expanding, but the looming labor gap threatens to stunt that growth

Story by Rick Berg

Despite more than two decades of rumors of its impending death, manufacturing in northeast Wisconsin continues to thrive, according to the NEW Manufacturing Alliance’s seventh annual Northeast Wisconsin Manufacturing Vitality Index.

The not-so-good news coming out of the survey that produced the index is that manufacturing leaders are increasingly concerned their ability to continue to expand will be limited by the availability of skilled workers.

Those findings are fairly consistent with the results from the six previous annual surveys. The biggest change over the past seven years has been the growing perception that the manufacturing talent gap is widening.

The survey was administered in October and November 2016 by the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh’s Business Success Center, with responses drawn from 149 manufacturers in the region with $3 million or more in annual revenue. The survey found more than half the manufacturers in the region plan to modernize their facilities in the year ahead and nearly a quarter plan to expand. Nearly 60 percent of respondents reported increased sales in 2016 and more than two-thirds expect increased sales in 2017.

Mike Kawleski, chair of the Manufacturing Alliance communications taskforce and public affairs manager for Georgia-Pacific Corp. in Green Bay, noted “80 percent expect to have difficulty finding people to fill their job openings.

In the first year of the study in 2011, only 29 percent of manufacturers believed there was a skills shortage. It is not surprising that, with the unemployment rate being the lowest in many years and Baby Boomers retiring, manufacturers are concerned about finding the talent they need.”

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The labor gap extends across the spectrum, according to Kawleski.

“Machinists were, overwhelmingly, the number one hard-tofill occupation mentioned in this year’s survey,” Kawleski said.

“In fact, machinist has been the number one occupation on this list over the last several years of the study.

“Interestingly, for the second straight year, general labor was cited as the second most difficult to find. In a nutshell, both skilled and unskilled talent is in demand.”

“80 percent expect to have difficulty finding people to fill their job openings. In the first year of the study in 2011, only 29 percent of manufacturers believed there was a skills shortage.”

Mike Kawleski, public affairs manager Georgia-Pacific Corp. in Green Bay Plant modernization and technology can help diminish demand for skilled labor, but the available labor supply still has to grow to maintain the industry’s growth trajectory, according to industry leaders. The 2017 Vitality Index report cites several recommendations to meet that challenge, including using retiring workers as mentors to the next generation of manufacturing employees.

Boomers as mentors

“Manufacturers need to consider how to capture the skills and knowledge of the huge upcoming retired workforce and perhaps engage some of them to stay at your company on a part-time basis, possibly as mentors to new hires,” Kawleski said.

“This can be very effective, as we have a number of retirees with a wide variety of experience. Sharing this knowledge with students and younger workers in the manufacturing sector can potentially have a large positive impact on the talent gap,” said Mark Kaiser, president and CEO at Lindquist Machine Corp. in Ashwaubenon and chair of the Manufacturing Alliance.

Jim Golembeski, executive director of Bay Area Workforce Development Board, is a big fan of that strategy.

“We’re talking about Millennials coming into the workforce, and Millennials as a generation thrive on mentoring,” Golembeski said. “They’ve had coaches, teachers and helicopter parents as mentors throughout their lives. They thrive on that, so this can be a great match.”

Manufacturing Vitality Snapshot The NEW Manufacturing Alliance’s seventh annual Northeast Wisconsin Manufacturing Vitality Index found the manufacturing sector – which encompasses 23 percent of the region’s employment base – remained strong over the past year.

The survey was administered in October and November 2016 by the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh’s Business Success Center. The sample was drawn from 392 manufacturers in northeast Wisconsin with $3 million or more in annual revenue and 25 or more employees. A total of 149 companies completed the telephone survey, reflecting a 38 percent response rate.

• Financial Health - Manufacturers’ plans in 2017 for sales growth and capital investments remain strong positive indicators of the vitality of the manufacturing community in the New North. Almost all respondents said they expect their companies’ financial health in the next 6 to 12 months to be “healthy” or “quite healthy.”

• Business Growth - The survey points to sustained industry growth in 2017 – 57 percent of respondents reported increased sales in 2016.

Over two-thirds of manufacturers expect increased sales in 2017.

• Plant Expansion & Modernization - 2017 plant expansion plans are higher than 2016. Interest in plant modernization has increased over the past year compared to 2016, with a whopping 68 percent of firms planning a plant modernization project in the coming year.

• Manufacturing Workforce Hiring Needs - 38 percent of respondents anticipate hiring new personnel in the first quarter of 2017, and 37 percent expect to do so in the second quarter. An additional 42 percent of respondents expect to add staff over the course of the year.

Slightly more manufacturers anticipate hiring in 2017 than in years past, pointing to increased activity.

• Difficulty Finding Talent - More than three-quarters of companies will experience difficulty finding qualified employees in 2017. The skills shortage has increased from 29 percent in 2011 to 80 percent in 2017.

• Most Difficult-To-Fill Occupations - Machinists/CNC operator has been the most difficult-to-fill position every year the study has asked this question. However, manufacturers say welders, engineers and electro-mechanical technicians and even general laborers are also in short supply.

• Skills Highest in Demand - Many employers are finding the workforce deficient in “soft skills” – non-technical skills such as communication, attendance, work ethic, math and teamwork.

It also works well for the Baby Boomers who are retiring, said Golembeski. www.newnorthb2b.com

NNB2B | February 2017 | 25

Manufacturing “As a generation, I think it’s very important to us to continue to feel that our careers mean something and that we still have value,” Golembeski said. “We love to tell our story, and this provides an opportunity to do that. It’s a very good strategy that can work in a lot of ways.”

Connecting students, parents and educators As a long-term solution, the report also recommends manufacturers individually and collectively increase outreach to school systems, students and parents through plant tours and career days designed to increase general awareness of the career opportunities available in manufacturing.

“Parents are still a key in attracting talent into the manufacturing arena,” said Kaiser. “We need to share our message with parents and hopefully change their impression of the nature of manufacturing jobs. This will allow them to encourage their children to explore a career in manufacturing.”

The manufacturing sector in the New North region has already done a good job of connecting with the school systems and technical colleges, Golembeski said. But the task isn’t quite done, and it’s likely an ongoing effort.

“The educators are getting it – they’ve gotten the message,” Golembeski said. “We’ve come such a long way in 10 years in terms of improving the image of manufacturing to the point where we’ve quadrupled the number of students enrolled in

welding programs at our technical colleges and tripled the number of students in machinist degree programs. But we’re far from meeting the need, so we need to continue to work at finding ways to reach parents more effectively.”

Focus on career planning

Golembeski said an increasingly popular strategy is to focus on career planning early in students’ education – with the goal of matching high school students who are unsure of their career paths with known career opportunities. He pointed to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction’s Academic and Career Planning initiative, which requires school districts to provide programs “to prepare elementary and secondary pupils for employment, to promote cooperation between business and industry and public schools, and to establish a role for public schools in the economic development of Wisconsin.”

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The challenge extends beyond the school districts, Golembeski said. For the initiative to work fully, business leaders and local government need to participate.

“It’s really a four-step process,” Golembeski said. “First, you need a career planning tool such as Wisconsin Career Pathways to integrate career planning into the school curriculum and sustain it throughout the K-12 experience.

Then you need a connection to the business community.”

Golembeski said one of the best examples already in play is the InspireWisconsin program in Sheboygan County, which connects employers, students and parents through a webbased career preparation and readiness platform.

The third step, Golembeski said, “is to have someone out there working through the issues and sustaining the linkages.

Chambers of commerce in Sheboygan, the Fox Cities and Green Bay have been able to demonstrate the effectiveness (of such links).”

An industry-specific model like the NEW Manufacturing Alliance can provide sustainable links within that industry.

You need one to win.

Let’s build it together.

“Lastly,” Golembeski said, “we need to be able to take these initiatives and create a regional collaboration through components like the New North, the Manufacturing Alliance, the workforce development boards and the technical colleges.”

Successful Journeys Need a Guide™ 920.427.5077 www.guidentbusiness.com

Reason to believe

While the challenges will remain significant for the foreseeable future, initiatives like those proposed by the Manufacturing Alliance hold great promise, indicated Jeffrey Sachse, director and senior economist with the state Office of Economic Advisors through the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development.

“I believe that all of the strategies are necessary given the sizeable needs in the industry,” said Sachse, who helped produce the Vitality Index report.

“I’m very optimistic,” said Kaiser. “We have already made a lot of progress, but still have a long way to go. This issue is so broad and complicated that it will take time to resolve it, and will require true collaboration.”

“The challenge can seem daunting, but just look how far we have come in just 10 years,” said Golembeski. “We have so many major players working at this from so many different angles. There is still a lot that needs to be done, but we have some pretty bright minds working on it.” n Rick Berg is a freelance writer and editor based in Green Bay.

www.newnorthb2b.com

NNB2B | February 2017 | 27

Hospitality

V V

oices isions &

A monthly conversation with New North small business owners, each shedding light on the local economy through the perspective of their industry sector.

What started as a brewing hobby of a college kid is now the center of a diverse and growing business enterprise.

Titletown Brewery founder Brent Weycker grew up near the historic downtown train depot that he and wife, Joanne, transformed into a brewery and restaurant in 1996. His family long owned several business on Broadway, and he’s honored to continue that tradition in newer, larger ways.

Now involved with DDL Holdings, he and his partners renovated portions of the old Larsen Co. cannery into a new brewery and taproom. Adjacent warehouses will soon become mixed-use space for offices and boutique retail as part of the Larsen Green redevelopment project, with Titletown Brewing as its established anchor on the river.

What prompted the idea for Titletown Brewery?

Brent Weycker Co-owner

Titletown Brewery Green Bay titletownbrewing.com

After graduating college I noticed this new concept of a brewery and restaurant and thought it was a perfect fit for the Green Bay market.

This was the early 90s and this was a new phenomenon of the local brewery making a comeback. I also had a very supportive wife and family – especially my parents – who were there from day one to help in every way they could.

Did you expect microbreweries to gain in popularity?

I never thought it would explode like it has, but America now has some of the best beer in the world and we have more styles than we’ve ever had in our history. While more competition in our industry will bring new challenges, the beer market is large and most beer consumed is still mainstream light lagers. So more craft breweries will continue to introduce more people to more beer styles and that, I feel, is good for us.

When we first opened, most bars and restaurants you went into had a few options of beer, and they mostly were similar in flavor. Now most places you go throughout Wisconsin have numerous state beers on tap and in bottles and we have choices of different flavors and profiles.

28 | February 2017 | NNB2B

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Do you see continued growth in the market?

Before we opened, Green Bay had not had a brewery since 1967. Now the Green Bay area will have seven or eight breweries, some large and some small. The Fox Valley, too, has some new ones as well. Some are what we call “brewpubs,” which include a restaurant and some are just microbreweries which usually only have a taproom. We’re sort of a hybrid which has a brewery that distributes and a place to eat.

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Now we’re seeing many really small breweries opening which have small production compared to some of the other breweries. These are called nano breweries. These are interesting in that they have a great place in the market by producing some very unique styles and have low start-up costs. It will be interesting to see where these will go.

As someone who is a history buff, I see this brewery growth as something that existed before prohibition in 1919 when America, and especially Wisconsin, had many breweries. Green Bay had five before prohibition and many were producing large quantities of beer for, basically, local and state markets. Also, it seems as though breweries are built in areas that are in need of rejuvenation and seem to be part of economic development of an area.

Any plans to grow Titletown outside Titletown?

We’re continually being asked to expand to different cities. However, we feel that we’re very happy where we’re at. Our packaged product is how we’ll expand to other parts of the state. That way people can drink Titletown Beer anytime they want and enjoy a taste of Green Bay.

To stay competitive, you need to find, select and train new and existing employees.

Let Fox Valley Technical College help you: • Find new employees • Evaluate with employee assessments • Enhance employee skills with seminars and customized training

Is the 2014 expansion achieving its goals?

Things are going well with the new brewery. It’s given us the ability to produce more beer and package our beer into bottles. It will allow us to grow for the foreseeable future and keep us competitive in the growing craft beer market.

We were brewing close to 2,000 barrels at the depot, mostly for consumption within our four walls. We did a little over 5,500 bbl. in 2016 and our new capacity with our new beer tanks is 12,000 bbl. a year. So, we should be good for the next couple years of growth. Also, all of our brewing tanks are made in Wisconsin, not to mention that we get most of our malt from Wisconsin as well.

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NNB2B | February 2017 | 29

Hospitality Do you handle your own distribution?

We sell our beer at our brewery and restaurant location downtown. However, we have a distributor network that allows our draft and bottles to be sold in all 72 counties in Wisconsin. We produce draught which is kegs that bars and restaurants serve, and bottles which are sold in liquor and grocery stores, as well as bars and restaurants, too.

It must be good business when a Packer visits.

Obviously, in a city our size we see many players and coaches around town. We do have players stop in from time to time and we don’t really make a big deal as they deserve to come in and enjoy some privacy. We are very fortunate to have such a well-known historic team in our town.

Has the new rooftop patio been an attraction?

With our expansion into the historic vegetable warehouses next to our original depot location, we had a great opportunity to make use of this rooftop with a commanding view of the heart of Green Bay and create another space where guests can enjoy one of our beers.

Also, it was another way to show the Green Bay area that historic preservation is important and we can create some great experiences in our spaces.

30 | February 2017 | NNB2B

We’re currently finishing the renovation of the two other warehouses that are attached to our new brewery. These warehouses will continue to transform our downtown, and especially our brewery campus.

What else will occur with the Larsen Green redevelopment?

We have a chance to create some great things next to us and we’re part of team with a vested interest in making this area great again by saving the historic warehouses.

All of this property is next to our business, so we care about what happens there. Our new brewery is in the original Larsen Canning buildings which make up about five buildings in total all to the south along Broadway.

We’re finishing the last two warehouses which will be predominantly offices with some first floor retail. The two buildings are both four stories tall. No residential is planned for anything south of Kellogg street.

We’re currently working on the property north of Kellogg Street and have an option to purchase from the city.

This is where the urban WalMart was proposed. This site contains two large warehouses and lots of open land for some urban development. Hopefully we’ll have more to talk about in the near future. n

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Professionally Speaking

Professionally Speaking is a paid promotional spot in B2B.

New Accident Reporting Regulations Include So Much More

by Geoffrey Lacy of Strang, Patteson, Renning, Lewis & Lacy, s.c. 844.833.0824 The Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued final regulations in May 2016 – effective beginning in July 2016 and January 2017 – that require employers to improve accident reporting. Specifically, these regulations require employers to begin submitting their annual report of workrelated injuries electronically, but also add measures ostensibly intended to improve employee injury reporting by, among other things, removing what OSHA believes are deterrents to employees reporting injuries.

Employer Programs Determined to Potentially Deter Accident Reporting The rule requires employers to adopt reasonable procedures for employees to report workplace injuries. An employer’s procedures may be deemed unreasonable if that employer also has policies that would tend to deter reporting. Specifically, OSHA

identified three typical initiatives it believes have an impermissible deterrent effect.

to employees following the report of a workplace injury.

First, the rule asserts post-accident drug testing policies deter employees from reporting injuries, but does agree that a balance can be struck between competing interests. Therefore, the rules states, postaccident drug testing should be limited to situations in which an employee’s drug use could have contributed to the incident.

Many employers have policies in place that cover these particular areas of concern.

Likewise, employers are likely to have policies regarding accident reporting. These policies should all be reviewed in light of these regulations.

Second, the rule asserts some incentive programs also deter injury reporting. Such programs that reward a workforce for accident-free days violates the law. An employer may provide incentives for such things as consistently following safety rules, or for meeting established safety training participation rates as an alternative.

Third and finally, the rule notes employer workplace rules cannot include vague statements pertaining to safety, such as “work safely” or “maintain situational awareness.” These types of rules are too easily used as a basis to issue discipline

Employers Advised to Review Policies

For advice and counsel pertaining to the OSHA workplace injury reporting regulations, please contact Attorney Geoffrey Lacy, email glacy@strangpatteson.com or (844) 833-0824.

Geoffrey Lacy is a founding shareholder with Strang, Patteson, Renning, Lewis & Lacy, s.c. and is located in the firm’s Green Bay office.

This article is intended to provide information only, not legal advice. For advice regarding a particular labor or employment situation, please contact the attorneys at Strang, Patteson, Renning, Lewis & Lacy, s.c. (www.strangpatteson.com).

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NNB2B | February 2017 | 31

Who’s News

Incorporations

New North B2B publishes monthly new business incorporations filed with the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions.

Brown County

HEALY AND SON GRASS CUTTING LLC, Bob Healy, 5381 Little Apple Road, De Pere 54115.

LEE ONLINE MARKETING LLC, Julia Marie Lee, 1945 Terry Lane, De Pere 54115.

MEADOWBROOK SMILES S.C., Rebecca P. Van Miller, 3590 Meadow Sound Dr., De Pere 54115.

ANYTIME TAXI LLC, Billy Joe Free, 1901 Ridgeway Dr., De Pere 54115.

GILLIS VENDING LLC, Andrew N. Gillis, 1680 W. Main Cir., De Pere 54115.

TUNDRA LAWN CARE AND SERVICES LLC, Tracy J. Roffers, 388 Lantern Lane, De Pere 54115.

AUTOMATION & VISION SOLUTIONS INC., Mar N. Stevens-Nawar, 1948 Stone Silo Cir., De Pere 54115.

FERRIS LAW LLC, Stephen M. Ferris, 2093 Lost Dauphin Road, De Pere 54115.

GROOMING BY BETH LLC, Beth Roszak, 2081 E. Baraboo Cir., De Pere 54115.

THE RIVIERA BAR AND GRILLE LLC, Mari E. O’Brien, 1954 Tyler Lane, De Pere 54115.

CUSTOM FENCE INC., Eric Schwartz, 5335 State Road 29, Denmark 54208.

BEST TAX MANAGEMENT LLC, Jeff Cichocki, 3516 Keweaton Lake Ct., Denmark 54208.

CONCRETE FINISHERS LLC, Nicholas Degrand, 4668 S County Road T, Denmark 54208.

DECLERC TRANSPORT LLC, Dylan J. DeClerc, 1112 Crown Pointe Cir., Green Bay 54173.

JAY T’S YARD SERVICE LLC, Jason Joseph Tease, 2554 Wildflower Row, Green Bay 54311.

EQUITY TRUCK AND EQUIPMENT SALES LLC, JW Holdings Group LLC, 2650 S. Packerland Dr., Green Bay 54313.

SPOT ON PAINTING LLC, David J. Braatz, 2247 Nottingham Ct., Green Bay 54311.

ALICIA SLUSAREK NUTRITION SERVICES LLC, Alicia Ann Slusarek, 801 Hoffman Road, Green Bay 54301.

GREAT BEGINNING’S HOMES LLC, Gregory Michael Kaster, 403 N. Ashland Ave., Green Bay 54303.

ALL AMERICAN INSPECTIONS LLC, Cory Samson, 2926 Jauquet Dr., Green Bay 54311.

ACUMEN BUSINESS CONSULTING LLC, Michael J. Feeney, 2961 Shelter Creek Lane, Green Bay 54313.

BE A BELLE SALON LLC, Courtney Jae Krabbe, 2514 Parkwood, Green Bay 54304.

H. J. MARTIN WOODSTONE CONSTRUCTION LLC, Edward N. Martin, 320 S. Military Ave., Green Bay 54303.

A & A RIVAS JANITORIAL LTD, Ana Laura Rivas, 1981 Spring Creek Cir., Green Bay 54311.

DOXTATOR MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS LLC, Brenda Black Thunder, 1235 Shepherds Path, Green Bay 54313.

GOOD GROUND FOODS LLC, Elizabeth Mari Slade, 2701 Larsen Road, Green Bay 54303.

DATA WITHOUT DISTURBANCE LLC, Mike Swan, 1222 Guns Road, Green Bay 54311.

ACME GRINDING LLC, Jeffrey Treml, 710 Potts Ave., Green Bay 54304.

DSQUARED TRUCKING LLC, Dennis L. Diny, 2008 Oakdale Ave., Green Bay 54302.

MR. WILSON TINTING INC., Jacquelyn J. Wilson, 1232 Hill Crest Heights, Green Bay 54313.

LEALIOU STUDIO’S LLC, Kylenne Lorraine Lealiou, 900 Park St., Green Bay 54303.

C&C JANITORIAL SERVICES LLC, Cesar Ulises Tavares-Amezcua, 1120 Elizabeth St. 7-3, Green Bay 54302.

PROCLEANING SOLUTIONS USA LLC, David D. Daul, 417 S. Adams St., Green Bay 54305.

32 | February 2017 | NNB2B

L & M CONSTRUCTION LLC, Lisa Klitzman, 918 N. Platten St., Green Bay 54303.

SKORZEWSKI SCHOOL OF BALLET LLC, Ross Allen Skorzewski, 1259 S. Quincy St., Green Bay 54301.

REIKI, A TOUCH OF TRANQUILITY LLC, Jena Lynn Milstead, 2640 Soman Ct., Green Bay 54311.

MICHAELS CUSTOM METAL WORK LLC, Timothy Alan Michaels, 1188 Nova Lane, Green Bay 54304.

RIVER’S BEND STEAKHOUSE & PUB INC., Stephen R. Vandenlangenberg, 792 Riverview Dr., Green Bay 54303.

THOMSON INTERIORS LLC, Michael J. Thomson, 806 Bond St., Green Bay 54303.

G & G TREE SERVICE LLC, Leon Gorman, 1939 Kane Lane, Green Bay 54311.

PRO-TEC AUTO CARE LLC, David Hoffmann, 5286 Warehouse Dr., New Franken 54229.

TAUSCHEK EXCAVATING LLC, Derek Tauschek, 2379 Saint Kilian Road, New Franken 54229.

PRECISION GRANITE & STONE LLC, Cody Welch, 14720 Velp Ave., Suamico 54313.

NORTHERN CUSTOM ROOFING INC., Paul Collins, 2368 E. Deerfield Ave., Suamico 54173.

Fond du Lac County

AMUSEMENT ENTERPRISES LLC, David M. Kober, N1635 County Road GGG, Campbellsport 53010.

KREIS WELDING & REPAIR LLC, Bryan William Kreis, W8102 State Road 23, Eldorado 54932.

FIT FOR YOU LULAROE BOUTIQUE LLC, Whittney Pultz, W8404 Orchard Road, Fond du Lac 54937.

EFFICACY ENGINEERING LLC, Kevin J. McWithey, 61 Lennora Crescent, Fond du Lac 54935.

CALVARY CHAPEL FOND DU LAC INC., Heath M. Perry, 357 18th St., Fond du Lac 54935.

BREEZY OAKS FARMS LLC, Norman J. Waldschmidt, W3401 Golf Course Dr., Fond du Lac 54937.

FONDY AQUA PARK INC., Daniel L. Deuster, N7745 U.S. Highway 151, Fond du Lac 54937.

JOSEPH SCHUESSLER LAW OFFICE S.C., Joseph W. Schuessler, 706 Glenwood Dr., Fond du Lac 54935.

STAR PROTECTION AND PATROL LLC, Zachary Taft Partridge, 963 Eastman Lane, Fond du Lac 54935.

THE ROCK STONE AND LANDSCAPE SUPPLY LLC, David Wirtz, N8173 Ashberry Ave., Fond du Lac 54937.

HILL CREST FIREARMS LLC, John Totz, N6165 Hill Crest Road, Fond du Lac 54937.

EDWARDS AUCTION SERVICE LLC, Royce J. Edwards, 729 Minnesota Ave., North Fond du Lac 54937.

RIPON SALES AND SERVICE LLC, Dustin Volkmann, 412 E. Fond du Lac St., Ripon 54971.

UP IN ARMS GUNSMITHING & SALES LLC, Donald M. Cook, N11534 County Road MM, Waupun 53963.

Outagamie County

JET LENSES INC., Nitin Pandya, M.D., 2301 E. Ashbury Dr., Appleton 54913.

RESURGENCE MMA & FITNESS LLC, Andrew Elijah Kauzlaric, 1307 N. Summit St., Appleton 54914.

KRATOS GYM LLC, Jeffrey Venable, 1700 S. Fidelis St., Appleton 54915.

IT EVOLUTION INC., Sarah M. Reyes, 212 E. College Ave., Appleton 54911.

WOELFEL, RASCHKE AND ASSOCIATES LLC, James C. Woelfel, 4620 N. Ballard Road, Appleton 54913.

LUCKYS PILOT CAR LLC, David Richard Morales, 3541 N. Northridge Lane, Appleton 54914.

TORUS TECH COMPANY LLC, Gurucharan Angisetty, 111 E. Water St., Appleton 54911.

INDIANWAY TRANSPORT LLC, Cody B. Leroy, 1620 Holland Road, Apt. 104, Appleton 54911.

CARBON SALON LLC, Jessica Lynn Koehler, 334 N. Mall Dr., Appleton 54913. www.newnorthb2b.com

VAN DYKE HOME INSPECTION LLC, Chad Joseph Van Dyke, 1031 W. Lawrence St., Appleton 54914.

PLISCH LAW LLC, Ryan Plisch, 103 W. College Ave., Appleton 54911.

NEST BOTANICALS LLC, Robin Gwen Ahrens, 939 E. Eldorado St., Appleton 54911.

FIRST QUALITY FORKLIFT TRAINING LLC, Timothy G. Wiemer, 911 S. Fidelis St., Appleton 54915.

APPLE VALLEY RV RENTALS LLC, Daniel L. Wagner, 5200 Greenville Dr., Appleton 54913.

TODD’S TRUCKING LLC, Todd Quade, 3405 N. Suncrest Lane, Appleton 54914.

CHRISTENSEN PAINTING AND DECORATING LLC, Bjorn James Christensen, 212 N. Story St., Appleton 54914.

PREMIER HOSTING COMPANY INC., Mark Busnelli, 1300 E. Glendale Ave., Appleton 54911.

FOX VALLEY CRYOTHERAPY LLC, Erin Marie Mattice, 1529 W. Commercial St., Appleton 54914.

GARY’S QUALITY LAWN CARE LLC, Gary Tesch, 308 Clearfield Lane, Appleton 54913.

PRO FLOOR RESTORE LLC, David Sawicky, 121 Hidden Ridges Cir., Combined Locks 54113.

GREAT WOOD DESIGNS LLC, John Okrzesik, W3056 Sunshine Road, Freedom 54130.

MARKS LANDSCAPING LLC, Mark Richard Pynenberg, W3609 Center Valley Road, Freedom 54913.

QUALITY REFINISHING AND RESTORATION LLC, Greg Gartzke, N3890 Sharon Rose Ct., Freedom 54913.

TIFFANY HOLTZ REAL ESTATE GROUP LLC, Tiffany Holtz, N1399 Winds End Lane, Greenville 54942.

VALLEY HOME REMODELING LLC, Jason Wurz, 411 E. Main, Hortonville 54944.

WOLFRATH’S LANDSCAPING LLC, Chad Wolfrath, N2998 State Road 15, Hortonville 54944.

CALL ME AL ENTERTAINMENT LLC, Alexander Krizek, 1348 Moonridge Ct., Kaukauna 54130.

CREATIVE MINDS DAY CARE LLC, Shari Therese Van Mun, 510 W. 7th St., Kaukauna 54130.

TOP SHINE FITNESS LLC, Trevian Goss, 211 Klein St., Kaukauna 54130.

HARTJES ELECTICAL CONTRACTING LLC, Eric Hartjes, 312 ½ E. 7th St., Kaukauna 54130.

CLEAN FREAKS JANITORIAL SERVICE LLC, Jason Scott Huss, 123 N. Washington St., Kimberly 54136.

BE DRIVEN! TRANSPORT LLC, Carla A. Kempen, N5204 Vine, Seymour 54165.

BAD DOG STUMP GRINDING LLC, Thomas J. Court, N1243 Lawn Road, Seymour 54165.

Winnebago County

MML EQUINE LLC, Megan Lisowe, N9016 Papermaker Pass, Menasha 54952.

SCHWARZY’S REEL TIME FISHING GUIDE LLC, Scott David Schwarz, N8396 Muirfield Way, Menasha 54952.

KIEL MART LLC, Durga Tiwari, 955 Lotus Tr., Menasha 54952.

JILLTEC ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS LLC, Jill Hiroskey, 1085 Memorial Ct., Neenah 54956.

VINLAND STORAGE LLC, Gerhard Geiger, 7285 State Road 76, Neenah 54956.

TOM’S CONCRETE LLC, Thomas Bernhardt, 1705 Dixie Dr., Neenah 54956.

SOPER TOWING LLC, Chad J. Pugh, 910 W. Murdock Ave., Omro 54901.

WISCO TRUCKING LLC, Allen R. Lambert, 5206 State Road 21, Omro 54963.

MOTIVATION FITNESS LLC, Candace M. Wilke, 7042 Kromm Road, Omro 54963.

SHORELINE TREE REMOVAL LLC, James Dobish, 1428 Monroe St., Oshkosh 54901.

MARIUCCI J. DESIGNS LLC, Jonathan Scott Mariucci, 824 W. 12th Ave., Oshkosh 54902.

EXPERT TOWING LLC, Adam Lyle Pugh, 910 W. Murdock Ave., Oshkosh 54901.

GKZ ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES LLC, Rebecca Lynne Zinecker, 3756 Glenbrook Lane, Oshkosh 54904.

EASTERN NURTURE MASSAGE SPA INC., Juhua You, 1775 Witzel Ave., Oshkosh 54902.

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Stephanie Geurts, CPA Partner sjg@suttnercpa.com 920.235.6789

Tax Planning & Preparation Financial Statements Bookkeeping/Write Up Payroll Services Visit suttnercpa.com/client services for a more complete list of services

Quality ❘ Value ❘ Timeliness NNB2B | February 2017 | 33

Who’s News CADAZL ADVANCED ANALYTICS LLC, David Janotha, 301 Forest View Road, Oshkosh 54904.

COMPLEMENTARY DESIGNS LLC, Rebecca Berg, 689 S. Oakwood Road, Oshkosh 54904.

BETHY BEE’S LAWN CARE LLC, Beth A. Boegh, 606 Dove St., Oshkosh 54902.

OSHKOSH YOUTH TAG RUGBY INC., Matthew Stenerson, 527 Monroe St., Oshkosh 54901.

ANIMAL HOUSE FEED CO. LLC, Ross Krings, 981 County FF, Oshkosh 54904.

Building permits

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

HEARTLAND BUSINESS SYSTEMS, 1700 Stephen St., Little Chute. $2,200,000 for a 31,956-sq. ft. addition to and interior remodel of the existing commercial office building. General contractor is Bayland Buildings of Green Bay. November 7.

KIMBERLY-CLARK-CORP., 2100 County Road II, Fox Crossing. $1,023,317 for interior alterations to the existing commercial office building. General contractor is Boldt Construction of Appleton. November 15.

NORTHEAST WISCONSIN TECHNICAL COLLEGE, 840 Packerland Dr., Green Bay. $7,900,000 for a 62,000-sq. ft. transportation center. General contractor is Scherrer Construction of Burlington. December.

ENCAPSYS, 2515 S. Eisenhower Dr., Appleton. $13,200,000 for a 37,000-sq. ft. corporate office building and research facility. General contractor is Miron Construction of Fox Crossing. December 5.

HAMPTON INN, 350 N. Fox River Dr., town of Grand Chute. $699,258 for various interior renovations to the existing hotel. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna.

December 9.

LAMBEAU FIELD/CITY OF GREEN BAY, 1265 Lombardi Ave., Green Bay. $2,000,000 for a 1,500-sq. ft. electrical substation near the south end zone. General contractor is Miron Construction of Fox Crossing. December.

ALLIED VALVE, 3301 E. Evergreen Dr., Appleton. $610,000 for a 7,400-sq. ft. addition to the existing warehouse. General contractor is Roseneck Construction of Appleton.

December 20.

FOX RIVER FIBER, 1751 Matthew Dr. West, De Pere. $516,510 for an addition to the existing industrial facility. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna. December 27.

ROSS DRESS FOR LESS, 1185 N. Mutual Way, town of Grand Chute. $643,000 for a build out and façade renovation to an existing commercial retail building. General contractor is Blue Sky Contractors of Appleton. December 27.

NESTLE, 3900 Freedom Road, Little Chute. $21,300,000 for a 313,153-sq. ft. cold storage warehouse and offices. General contractor is FCL Builders of Illinois.

December 27.

KIMBERLY-CLARK CORP., 2001 Marathon Ave., Neenah. $3,963,475 for an interior renovation of the existing office building for a new testing laboratory. General contractor is CR Meyer of Oshkosh. December 27.

CONTINENTAL GIRBAU INC., 2400 State Road 44, Oshkosh. $653,000 for a 24,000-sq. ft. warehouse addition to the existing industrial facility. General contractor is Utschig Design Construction Development of Greenville. December 29.

ALTER METALS, 2175 Badgerland Dr., Howard. $550,000 for electrical work to its new addition. No contractor listed. December 6.

New locations

INSIDE OUT INTERNATIONAL, 1111 S. Huron Road, Green Bay. $959,000 for an 18,000-sq. ft. office, showroom and warehouse facility. General contractor is Bayland Buildings of Green Bay. December.

BROWN COUNTY ORAL HEALTH PARTNERSHIP opened its third clinic at 2247 Fox Heights Road on the west side of Green Bay.

AMERICAN FOUNDATION OF COUNSELING SERVICES INC., 1061 W. Mason St., Green Bay. $2,000,000 for an interior renovation of the existing commercial office building. General contractor is SMA Construction Services of Green Bay. December.

R & L CARRIERS, INC., 2100 Holly Road, Fox Crossing. $1,400,000 for a 19,918-sq. ft. addition to and interior remodel of the existing trucking transfer station and offices.

General contractor is Hoffman LLC of Appleton. December 7.

QUILL CREATIVE moved into new offices at 136 Jackson St., Ste. 3 in downtown Oshkosh in the historic Pabst Square Building.

The Oshkosh-based law firm YOUNG & MASLOWSKI LLP opened a Fond du Lac office at 195 N. Main St. The telephone number for this second office location is 920.933.6620.

• Prime Highway 41/441 corridor with commercial and industrial sites available

• Many commercial and industrial sites are located in Tax Increment Districts

• Favorable tax and utility rates with fully serviced sites available

• Quality schools, great Village park system and excellent municipal services available Contact James Fenlon, Village Administrator, at 920-423-3850 or visit www.littlechutewi.org.

34 | February 2017 | NNB2B

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Godsill

LeFevre

Garvin

Baumgarten

Eldred

Hilt

Name changes

Eldred has eight years experience in banking, having most recently worked as a private client banker at Chase Bank.

Stat Imaging Solutions of Appleton changed its name to STAT INFORMATIC SOLUTIONS.

PELLA WINDOWS AND DOORS OF WISCONSIN in Ashwaubenon hired Nate Hilt as an architectural consultant. Hilt has more than 20 years of design and managerial experience, most recently owning and operating Hilt Design. Prior to that, he was executive vice president of operations at Tomahawk Log and Country Homes, Inc.

Business honors FOTH of De Pere received the eighth annual New North Workplace Excellence Award.

OMNNI ASSOCIATES of Appleton was recognized by American Concrete Pavement Association with a gold award for Outstanding Design and Construction for its work on improvements to the County Road CE and Eisenhower Drive corridor in the town of Buchanan and a silver award for its administration work on the construction of the State Road 47/Appleton Road interchange with State Road 441 in Menasha.

GREEN BAY PACKAGING in Ashwaubenon received the Green Masters designation from the Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council for the seventh consecutive year.

New hires APPLETON HOUSING AUTHORITY hired Kari Godsill as property manager for its Oneida Heights affordable living complex in Appleton.

Kaukauna-based KELLER, INC. hired Jason Boche as an architectural draftsman and Tricia LeFevre as an accounts payable administrator.

De Pere-based ELEMENT hired Jenna Garvin as a graphic designer. Garvin previously worked for BConnected in Appleton and Sendik’s Food Market in the Milwaukee area.

H.J. MARTIN AND SON in Green Bay hired Brooke Baumgarten as an accounts payable administrator. Baumgarten previously worked as a project accountant and payroll assistant for building and transportation companies in northeast Wisconsin.

PROSPERA CREDIT UNION hired Matt Eldred as manager of its Oshkosh branch.

Wallace

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Snyder

Rueff

EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION in Oshkosh hired the following new employees: Lorrie Penner as executive director of its International Aerobatic Club; Joe Norris as flight training manager; Jay T. Meidl as visual properties manager; David Leiting as a chapter outreach specialist; Carolyn Becker as a developer for information technology; and Cody Gustafson as a member services representative.

Neenah-based FIRST NATIONAL BANK – FOX VALLEY hired Andy Wallace as a vice president of commercial banking. Wallace has more than 10 years experience in the financial industry, most recently serving as a vice president of commercial lending at Old National Bank.

KERBER ROSE hired Michael Stratman, CPA as a senior manager in its Green Bay office and Deann Faubel, CPA as a manager in its Appleton office. Stratman has particular accounting experience in manufacturing, construction, service and retail.

Faubel has 15 years accounting experience in the Fox Cities, having worked with small to mid-sized businesses.

FOX VALLEY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD hired Anthony E. Snyder as its chief executive officer. Snyder most recently worked in various roles at Thrivent Financial in Appleton, including change management, business development and community relations. Prior to Thrivent he served as vice president of membership, marketing and communications for the American Fraternal Alliance in suburban Chicago.

OMNI GLASS & PAINT, INC. in Oshkosh hired Leon Peterik as safety and risk manager. Peterik most recently worked as the safety coordinator for Hoffman LLC in Appleton.

Appleton-based CATALPA HEALTH hired Eric Rueff, D.O. as a child psychiatrist.

Dr. Rueff specializes in anxiety disorders, mood disorders, emotional difficulties and parent/child relational conflicts.

Hendricks

Pable

Roble

NNB2B | February 2017 | 35

Business Calendar

Bukouricz

Barry

Trochil

Tolly

Tierney

Promotions

INVESTORS COMMUNITY BANK promoted Cyrene Wilke to senior vice president of operations, Laura Wiegert to senior vice president of marketing, and Elena Staabs to portfolio manager in the bank’s ag credit department.

Appleton-based SCHENCK S.C. named Deb Bukouricz, CPA, Chris Hendricks, CPA, Sue Pable, CPA, and Chris Roble, CPA as shareholders of the organization. All four are based out of the firm’s Green Bay office. Bukouricz has more than 25 years accounting experience serves as co-leader of the firm’s hospitality and retail practice. Hendricks is certified to perform business valuations and also leads the grain division of the firm’s agriculture and food processing team. Pable has more than 20 years experience in governmental accounting and auditing and is a member of the firm’s government and not-for-profit team. Roble has nearly 15 years of audit experience and is a leader in the firm’s trucking and logistics team.

Elections/appointments

FIRST NATIONAL BANK – FOX VALLEY promoted Steve Barry to vice president of commercial banking, working out of the bank’s Appleton eastside branch on Calumet Street. Barry joined FNB-Fox Valley in 2012 as an assistant vice president of commercial banking.

INTEGRITY INSURANCE in Appleton promoted Dan Trochil to director of commercial lines underwriting. Trochil joined Integrity in 2012 as commercial field underwriter and was subsequently promoted to commercial lines underwriting manager.

PROSPERA CREDIT UNION promoted Katie Falk to branch manager at its north Appleton location; Stacy Lenhart to manager at its Darboy branch; Greg Van Beek to branch manager at its Menasha location; and Heather Funk to manager at its Neenah branch. Falk has worked in member services at Prospera for 21 years, including 13 years in management. Lenhart has been with the credit union for two years, while Van Beek has 17 years experience in the banking industry and has been with Prospera for six years. Funk has been with Prospera for nearly 20 years and has been in management since 2004.

Appleton-based WRITING BY DESIGN promoted Peter Tolly to communications manager. Tolly joined the firm in 2015 as a communications specialist.

NEW NORTH INC. appointed Maureen Pistone, senior vice president of talent development and human resources for Appleton-based ThedaCare, Inc., and Catherine Tierney, president and CEO of Appleton-based Community First Credit Union, to its board of directors.

Business Calendar

New North B2B encourages businesses and organizations looking to attract interested persons to upcoming events to email sean@newnorthb2b.com.

FEBRUARY 1 Fond du Lac Area Association of Commerce Coffee Connection, 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. at Ray’s TV & Appliance, 33 S. Pioneer Road in Fond du Lac. Cost to attend is $5 for members. For more information, call 920.921.9500 or email info@fdlac.com.

FEBRUARY 7 Greater Green Bay Chamber Power Networking Breakfast, 7:30 to 9 a.m. at the chamber offices, 300 N. Broadway, Ste. 3A in Green Bay. No cost to attend for chamber members. For more information, call 920.437.8704 or email members@titletown.org.

FEBRUARY 8 Women in Management – Fond du Lac chapter monthly meeting, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Holiday Inn, 625 W. Rolling Meadows Dr. in Fond du Lac. For more information or to register, go online to www.wimiwi.org or contact Vicki at 920.929.8271 or vicki. woschnick@usbank.com.

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FEBRUARY 8 Green Bay Chamber Business After Hours, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at black & Tan Grille, 130 E. Walnut St. in Green Bay. No cost to attend for chamber members. To register or for more information, call 920.437.8704 or email members@titletown.org.

FEBRUARY 9 Women in Management – Oshkosh chapter monthly meeting, 11:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. at La Sure’s Banquet Hall, 3125 S. Washburn St. in Oshkosh. For more information or to register, go online to www.wimiwi.org or email Anne at anne@steinertprinting.com.

FEBRUARY 9 “How Fox Valley Firms Raised Angel and Venture Capital,” a luncheon event from Wisconsin Technology Council Innovation Network, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Fox Valley Technical College D.J. Bordini Center, 5 N. Systems Dr. in Appleton. Cost to attend is $10 for members and students and $20 for general admission. For more information or to register, go online to www.wisconsintechnologycouncil.com or call 608.442.7557.

FEBRUARY 9 Heart of the Valley Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours, 5 to 7 p.m. at Draft Gastropub, 2639 S. Oneida St. in Appleton. No cost to attend for members. For more information, go online to www.heartofthevalleychamber.com or call 920.766.1616.

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 more information, call 920.303.2266 or go online to www.oshkoshchamber.com.

FEBRUARY 15 A.M. Oshkosh, a morning networking event from the Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce, 7:45 to 9 a.m. at Muza Metal Products, 606 E. Murdock Ave. in Oshkosh. Cost to attend is $2. For more information or to register, call 920.303.2266 or go online to www. oshkoshchamber.com.

FEBRUARY 16 Effective Evaluations, Discipline and Severance a Breakfast Briefing event from the Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce, 7:30 to 9 a.m. at the law offices of von Briesen & Roper, 2905 Universal St. in Oshkosh. Presenters are Jim Macy and Bill Bracken of von Briesen & Roper, s.c. No cost to attend, but registration is encouraged by going online to vonbriesen.com.

FEBRUARY 16 Heart of the Valley Chamber of Commerce Business Card Exchange, 11 a.m. to 12 noon at Recyclist Bicycle Co., 631 Saunders Road in Kaukauna. No charge for members. For more information or to register, go online to www.heartofthevalleychamber.com.

FEBRUARY 21 Fond du Lac Area Association of Commerce Business Connection, 5 to 7 p.m. at St. Mary’s Springs Academy, 255 County Road K in Fond du Lac. Cost to attend is $5 for members. For more information, call 920.921.9500 or email info@fdlac.com.

FEBRUARY 23 Current Young Professional Awards, 5 to 9 p.m. at Hyatt Regency, 333 Main St. in Green Bay. This dinner event includes the presentation of the Future 15 for 2017. Cost to attend is $50. To register, go online to www.titletown.org or call 920.437.8704.

MARCH 1 Fond du Lac Area Association of Commerce Coffee Connection, 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. at AMC of Wisconsin, 98 Halbach Ct. in Fond du Lac. Cost to attend is $5 for members.

For more information, call 920.921.9500 or email info@fdlac.com.

MARCH 7 Greater Green Bay Chamber Power Networking Breakfast, 7:30 to 9 a.m. at the chamber offices, 300 N. Broadway, Ste. 3A in Green Bay. No cost to attend for chamber members. For more information, call 920.437.8704 or email members@titletown.org.

MARCH 9 Heart of the Valley Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours, 5 to 7 p.m. at Investors Community Bank, 5643 Waterford Lane in Appleton. No cost to attend for members. For more information, go online to www.heartofthevalleychamber.com or call 920.766.1616. n

Thank you

to the advertisers who made the February 2017 issue of New North B2B possible.

AEGIS Financial ⎮aegisfinancialplanners.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Appleton International Airport ⎮atwairport.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Bank First National ⎮bankfirstnational.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Bayland Buildings ⎮baylandbuildings.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Borsche Roofing Professionals ⎮wiroofer.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Candeo Creative ⎮candeocreative.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Consolidated Construction Company ⎮1call2build.com . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 CR Structures Group ⎮crstructures.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Dynamic Designs ⎮dynamicdesignspulaski.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 EP Direct ⎮ep-direct.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 First National Bank ~ Fox Valley ⎮fnbfoxvalley.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Fox Communities Credit Union ⎮foxcu.org. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Fox Valley Savings Bank ⎮fvsbank.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Fox Valley Technical College ⎮fvtc.edu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Frontier Builders & Consultants ⎮FrontierBuilds.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Guident Business Solutions ⎮guidentbusinesssolutions.com. . . . . . . 27 www.newnorthb2b.com

Investors Community Bank ⎮investorscommunitybank.com. . . . . . . . 30 Kaldas Center for Fertility, Surgery & Pregnancy, S.C. ⎮ kaldascenter.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Keller Inc. ⎮kellerbuilds.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Millennium Construction Inc. ⎮millenniumconstructionwi.com. . . . . . 19 Network Health ⎮meetnetworkhealth.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 NEW Building & Construction Trades Council ⎮newbt.org. . . . . . . . . . 13 NWTC Corporate Training & Economic Development ⎮ corporatetraining.nwtc.edu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Prevea LeadWell ⎮prevea.com/leadwell. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 St. Norbert College MBA program ⎮snc.edu/mba. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Strang, Patteson, Renning, Lewis & Lacy ⎮strangpatteson.com. . . . . 31 Suttner Accounting ⎮suttnercpa.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Village of Little Chute ⎮littlechutewi.org. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 von Briesen & Roper ⎮vonbriesen.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

NNB2B | February 2017 | 37

Key Statistics LOCAL GASOLINE PRICES Per gallon of regular unleaded gasoline.

JANUARY 22. . . . . . . . $2.29 JANUARY 15. . . . . . . . $2.28 JANUARY 8. . . . . . . . . $2.34 JANUARY 1. . . . . . . . . $2.35 JANUARY 22, 2016. . . $1.70

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

U.S. RETAIL SALES

DECEMBER

$469.1 BILLION 0.6% from November 4.1% from December 2015

Source: New North B2B observations

EXISTING HOME SALES

DECEMBER

HOMES SOLD MEDIAN PRICE BROWN County .................248.......................$158,200 FOND du LAC County .........97 ......................$133,000 OUTAGAMIE County ......... 170 ......................$142,000 WINNEBAGO County ........160 ......................$129,950 WI DEPT. REVENUE COLLECTIONS

NOVEMBER FY 2017

$1.241 BILLION 2.3% from November FY 2016

U.S. INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION (2012 = 100)

DECEMBER

104.6

0.8% from November 0.5% from December 2015 AIR PASSENGER TRAFFIC (Local enplanements)

DEC 2016 DEC 2015 Appleton Int’l ATW..................... 21,563..........20,957 Austin Straubel GRB..................... 24,217 .........21,761

LOCAL UNEMPLOYMENT

NOVEMBER OCT NOV ‘15 APPLETON ........3.4% ...... 3.4% .........3.7% FOND du LAC ....3.0% .......3.1% .........3.7% GREEN BAY........3.7% .......3.6% ........ 4.2% NEENAH .............3.2% ...... 3.4%..........3.7% OSHKOSH ..........3.5% ...... 3.4% ........ 4.0% WISCONSIN .......3.6% .......3.5% ........ 4.2%

NATURAL GAS PRICES Prices for small businesses using less than 20,000 therms. Listed price is per therm.

JANUARY..................... $0.558 DECEMBER................... $0.487 JANUARY 2016............ $0.464 Source: Wisconsin Public Service

ISM INDEX Numbers above 50 mean expansion.

Numbers below 50 mean contraction.

DECEMBER. . . . . . . . 53.7 NOVEMBER. . . . . . . . 53.2

Building Trust Since 1960

Featuring Smoky Hill Ranch-Gove County,Kansas

www.kellerbuilds.com 38 | February 2017 | NNB2B

www.newnorthb2b.com

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