September 2011

Commercial Real Estate

NEW

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Adjusting to a depressed real estate climate

Going Digital in Dairyland Labor Relations and Social Media

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new north b2b September 2011

26 22

30

Features

22 COVER STORY ❘ Commercial Real Estate’s NEW Normal ❘ Adjusting to a depressed real estate climate

26 EDUCATION ❘ All in the Family ❘ New certificate program helps prepare family businesses for unexpected trials

30 TECHNOLOGY ❘ Going Digital in Dairyland ❘ Crafting the infrastructure for a world class high-tech workforce

Departments 4 From the Publisher 5, 36 Professionally Speaking 6 Since We Last Met 10 Corporate Earnings 14 Build Up Pages 20 Around the Boardroom 21 Pierce Stronglove 35 Firefighters Progress Report 38 Who’s News 44 Business Calendar 45 Advertiser Index 46 Key Statistics

On our Cover

Cover illustration by Kate Erbach of New North B2B.

NEW NORTH B2B l SEPTEMBER 2011 l 3

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Senator makes mark in first 8 months

With a message of responsible spending, Johnson is beginning to gain a national audience

Sean Fitzgerald New North B2B Publisher

Less than eight months into his new role in the capitol building, Wisconsin’s newest senator is already making a noticible mark on Washington, looking and sounding like a legislative leader with more experience in pulic policy than he actally has on his resume.

A newcomer to politics altogether, Oshkosh business owner Sen. Ron Johnson – the Republican junior senate for the state – has captured a segment of the nation’s attention when talking about the budget and federal debt limit discussions this past summer. He’s appeared on Fox News a handful of times, written editorials for the Wall Street Journal and Washington Post, and became a wellheeled and outspoken critic of efforts to increase the federal debt. An acountant by trade, Johnson ultimately voted against the measure to increase the nation’s deficit, believing the threats of massive financial crisis illustrated by supporters of the measure were inflated themselves.

Johnson was back in the state during most of August where he attended a cluster of functions in northeast Wisconsin, particularly those events reaching out to the region’s business community. I had the opportunity in early August to moderate a discussion with Sen. Johnson in front of a group of more than 120 professionals during an event hosted by First National Bank-Fox Valley in Neenah.

Audiences attending these events had to admire Johnson’s message - he didn’t show up to offer a shiny, white toothpaste commercial about the status of America’s debt and recent spending habits.

In much a lesson taken from running businesses, Johnson’s commentary to many of his audiences focused on the unsuccessful business model of continually spending more than is taken in. With the nation’s debt reaching five times that of a generation ago, Johnson shared a genuine concern that the downward progress of the nation’s credit rating and value of our currency could have a longstanding adverse affect on generations to come.

There is hope to change that scenario, the senator acknowledged, but it has to start immediately with dramatic changes to government spending. With entitlement programs taking up an inordinate portion of the federal budget, he indicated those efforts would likely be the first to be cut. Liberals and conservatives alike are wise to keep an eye on Johnson during the next few years as

4 l NEW NORTH B2B l SEPTEMBER 2011

he coninues to voice his common sense approach to sensible government spending.

New online capabilities It’s with a great deal of pride here at New North B2B that we announce the roll out of our new and improved Web site. Please take a moment to visit at newnorthb2b.com.

With the gracious help and expertise of Stellar Blue Web Design, we crafted a new online presence that’s more attractive, easier to navigate, and includes much more content from the actual print edition of B2B for an easy online read. Of course, we still maintain our virtual turn-page version of B2B, which can be accessed directly through the link on our home page.

Perhaps the most powerful feature of the magazine’s new Web site is a search feature programmed through the ingenuity of the folks at Stellar Blue. The feature allows readers to look up articles of interest from past editions of B2B quickly and easily by simply typing in words related to the article, like a business name, person or topic.

Readers will also notice the new site is supported by outstanding local advertisers who appear on the banner ads at the top and left side of each Web page. While at the site, please take a moment to click through to their Web site to learn more about the valuable products and services they provide.

Lastly, the B2B blog is now resident on the site itself. The previous version of the New North B2B Blog v.1.0 was set up through Wordpress, and while it served its purpose for us, did come with a host of limitations. I’ll fess up to falling short of our promise when we launched the blog initially back in mid2010. I said at the time that we’d provide daily updates of news and issues occurring in the northeast Wisconsin business community.

Like any number of bloggers who have the best of intentions when rolling out a new online initiative, we just ran into a number of other priorities that cast our good intentions aside. A lesson learned, we’re committing to updates twice a week at this point, bringing you news in between each edition of B2B. If you’d like a link to these updates sent directly to your email in-box, please take a moment to visit www.newnorthb2b.com/blog and subscribe to automated updates. All you need is an email address to sign up.

As always, thank you for reading B2B, and enjoy the new Web site. www.newnorthb2b.com

PROFESSIONALLY SPEAKING

The NLRB and Social Media

by Davis & Kuelthau, s.c.

Tony Renning

920.232.4842

If you have a particular labor/employment law question, please forward your question to Mr. Renning at info@ newnorthb2b.com. If he responds to your email in a future issue, your name and company will be withheld to preserve your privacy.

Reader Question: What issues does social media present from a labor-relations perspective?

Tony Renning: The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and its approach to employer social media policies and the discipline of employees under those policies continues to generate significant interest. This interest comes in the wake of some well-publicized cases involving employees who asserted they were engaged in “protected concerted activity” on social media sites.

In October 2010, the NLRB filed a complaint accusing an employer of firing an employee for criticizing her boss on Facebook. The case was settled and the employer agreed to revise its social media policy to permit employees to discuss wages, hours and working conditions outside of the workplace.

More recently, the NLRB warned an employer that it may have reprimanded an employee illegally over her criticism of management in a Twitter post. The

Sean Fitzgerald

Publisher & President

sean@newnorthb2b.com

Carrie Rule

Sales Manager

carrie@newnorthb2b.com

Kate Erbach

Creative Director

kate@newnorthb2b.com

Contributing writers

Cheryl Hentz Jessica La Plante-Wikgren Chief Financial Officer

Vicky Fitzgerald, CPA

matter was resolved when the employer adopted a new social media policy that included language protecting employees’ speech and the right to engage in other protected concerted activity.

The NLRB recently released a report that summarizes the outcomes and reasoning behind fourteen (14) cases before the NLRB the past year involving employees’ use of social media and the legality of social media policies. Of the cases detailed in the report, four (4) involved Facebook or Twitter posts that constituted protected concerted activity, five (5) involved social media use that did not warrant protection under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), five (5) dealt with employer social media policies found to be overbroad, one (1) concerned an employer’s policy deemed valid, and one (1) involved a union’s use of social media determined to be unlawful coercive activity.

Employers should exercise care from a labor-relations perspective in handling

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social media issues and treat recent NLRB scrutiny as an invitation to revisit their own social media policies.

For advice and counsel as to social media and the related labor and employment issues in the workplace, contact Tony Renning at (920) 232-4842 or trenning@dkattorneys.com or any other member of the Davis & Kuelthau Labor and Employment Team.

Tony Renning is an attorney in the Oshkosh office of Davis & Kuelthau, s.c.

(219 Washington Avenue). Mr. Renning provides counsel to private and public sector employers on a wide variety of labor and employment law matters. This article is intended to provide information only, not legal advice. For advice regarding a particular employment situation, please contact a member of the Davis & Kuelthau, s.c. Labor and Employment Team.

Green Bay

Fox Cities

Oshkosh

Fond du Lac NEW NORTH B2B l SEPTEMBER 2011 l 5

SINCE WE LAST MET

Since we last met Since We Last Met is a digest of business related news occurring in the Green Bay, Fox Cities, Oshkosh and Fond du Lac areas in the one month since the previous issue of New North B2B. July 26 National Football League players approved a labor agreement with franchise owners, ending a nearly five-month lockout. The agreement ensured the 2011 season would continue uninterrupted, salvaging the potential of a lost season’s worth of revenues to several Fox Valley businesses that thrive on Green Bay Packers home games.

July 26 Village of Suamico Administrator Adam Hammatt resigned suddenly, with no reason being given by either Hammatt or other village officials for the departure. Hammatt was hired by the village in May 2010.

July 26 Fond du Lac School District officials rolled out a plan to trim $4.36 million from its 2011-12 budget and balance it for the coming year. The proposal includes increased employee

2002 September 4 – Registration began for Wisconsin’s do-not-call list, which creates new regulations for companies both in and out of the state which use telemarketing.

2008 September 8 – NewPage Corp. officially closed down its Kimberly paper mill, with the remaining 125 workers leaving the plant for the final time. Nearly 600 employees of the plant had been laid off since early spring.

2009 September 9 – The U.S. Army told Oshkosh Corp. to stop production on a more than $20 million order while two of the losing bidders for the contract protest the award. Oshkosh announced in late August that it received a contract to provide up to 23,000 trucks and trailers to the army during the next five years.

6 l NEW NORTH B2B l SEPTEMBER 2011

contributions to their retirement accounts, which is expected to save the district $2.3 million; increased employee health and dental plan contributions, expected to save $650,000; a total of 43 teacher retirements and nine other employee retirements, expected to save $870,000; and an anticipated insurance premium credit estimated at $560,000.

July 27 Forbes magazine’s Best Small Places for Business and Careers listing for 2011 ranked Appleton No. 40 among smaller communities across the country, Oshkosh No. 70, and Fond du Lac No. 107. The ranking is based upon a variety of metrics including job growth, cost of living, cost of doing business, educational attainment, and projected economic growth. Cities throughout Wisconsin were named to the list, with Eau Claire ranking the highest at No. 38.

July 27 The Town of Harrison in Calumet County on the southeast edges of the Fox Cities began the process to incorporate itself as a village. Former portions of the town have already been annexed by Menasha, Appleton and Sherwood. The incorporation process is expected to take up to two years.

July 28 Bergstrom Automotive purchased the Gustman GMC of Green Bay dealership located at 301 N. Taylor St. Bergstrom will move its Cadillac dealership and Used Car Superstore to the newly acquired dealership location. As part of the deal, Gustman Automotive Group is adding Buick and GMC vehicles at its Kaukauna Chevrolet dealership.

August 1 The North Fond du Lac Village Board of Supervisors voted to discontinue a rule which capped its spending authority at $1 million on any municipal project without taking the matter to public referendum. The spending limit was set through a 2008 advisory referendum approved by village residents. The village board narrowly approved a new ordinance which raised the spending authority to $5 million before going to referendum.

August 2 The U.S. Senate passed emergency legislation to raise the federal debt limit by up to $2.1 trillion, accommodating the Treasury’s ability to pay bills through the end of 2012, and avoiding a national financial default and a potential economic calamity. The measure also included a provision to cut federal spending by at least $2.1 trillion over a decade without requiring tax increases.

www.newnorthb2b.com

SINCE WE LAST MET August 2 Officials from the Experimental Aircraft Association in Oshkosh reported attendance at its 2011 AirVenture convention topped 541,000, an increase of 1.3 percent above 2010 attendance. They also reported more than 10,000 aircraft descended on the region for the event.

August 3 The Greater Green Bay Lodging Association Board of Directors recommended a 2 point increase in the hotel room tax from 8 to 10 percent to help generate additional funds for the Greater Green Bay Area Convention & Visitors Bureau to market tourism in the area. If approved by the seven Green Bay area cities and villages with hotels, the measure would generate an additional $800,000 to $1 million in room tax revenue each year. City of Green Bay officials would like to have half of any potential room tax rate increase go toward the proposed $18 million expansion of the KI Convention Center in downtown Green Bay. August 3 International Converter in Kaukauna filed a notice with the state Department of Workforce Development to gradually close its plant and lay off as many as 100 employees between September and February 2012. The company – owned

by Packaging Dynamics Corp. – is selling many of its assets to flexible packaging manufacturer Prolamina Corp., which is moving its operations to the former Kimberly-Clark diaper plant in the town of Menasha later this year. Prolamina expects to hire up to 70 employees initially, and could grow that number to more than 100 by early 2012. International Converter workers affected by the move will be able to apply for those jobs at Prolamina.

August 3 The Fox Cities Sports Commission launched a new grant program offering grants of up to $5,000 for nonprofit organizations to create or attract sporting competitions and events in the Fox Cities and generate overnight stays in area hotels.

Grants can be used to help offset start up expenses for such sporting competitions such as bid fees, facility/site costs, municipal services, or marketing to out-of-town participants. The grants are supported financially by the Fox Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau.

August 4 Forbes magazine’s annual list of America’s Top Colleges included Lawrence University in Appleton at No. 63 and St. Norbert College in De Pere at No. 84. The rankings weigh post-graduate success, student satisfaction, debt, fouryear graduation rate and competitive awards. Other Wisconsin schools named to the list included Marquette University in Milwaukee at No. 232 and University of Wisconsin-Madison at No. 316.

August 4 The City of Berlin received a $55,000 grant from the Community Development Block Grant - Public Facilities pro-

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SINCE WE LAST MET gram through the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. for a 1,000-sq. ft. addition to the Berlin Senior Center for more meeting space and storage. The total cost of the project is $177,800, with the city making up for the remaining funds.

August 5 The U.S. Department of Education renewed its Talent Search Grant with the University of Wisconsin-Fox Valley in Menasha and the Kaukauna and Menasha school districts. The $230,000 grant can be renewed each year for up to four years. The federal program identifies and assists individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds who have the potential to succeed in higher education by providing academic, career and financial counseling.

August 5 The U.S. Department of Labor reported 117,000 new jobs were created nationally in July, leaving the unemployment rate relatively unchanged at 9.1 percent. Job gains occurred in health care, retail trade, manufacturing and mining. Government employment continued to trend down.

August 9 In area recalls for the Wisconsin State Senate, voters ousted Sen. Randy Hopper (R-Fond du Lac) in the 18th Senate District, electing Democratic challenger Jessica King with 51 percent of the vote. In the 2nd Senate District, incumbent Sen. Rob Cowles (R-Allouez) retained his seat against challenger

8 l NEW NORTH B2B l SEPTEMBER 2011

Nancy Nusbaum with 60 percent of the vote, while in the 14th Senate District, incumbent Sen. Luther Olsen (R-Ripon) held off a challenge from Rep. Fred Clark (D-Baraboo) with 52 percent of ballots cast.

August 9 The Federal Reserve Board decided to maintain its target range for the federal funds rate at 0 to ¼ percent, noting that economic growth so far this year has been considerably slower than the Committee had expected. In making its decision, the committee noted a deterioration in overall labor market conditions in recent months and noted household spending has flattened. It anticipates economic conditions will likely keep the federal funds rate at exceptionally low levels at least through mid-2013.

August 11 Ed Delgado took office as tribal chairman for the Oneida Tribe of Indians following his election in mid July. Delgado had served as a tribal council member for six years.

August 11 Allegiant Air announced a new, nonstop flight between Outagamie County Regional Airport near Appleton and Phoenix will begin Nov. 10. The new route will operate twice weekly with service Thursday and Sunday. Allegiant currently provides nonstop service from Appleton to Las Vegas and to Orlando.

www.newnorthb2b.com

SINCE WE LAST MET August 12 Wisconsin Department of Transportation officials reopened North Main Street in the City of Fond du Lac after a more than four-month closure for a $2.6 million project to reconstruct the urban portion of U.S. Highway 45 from Johnson Street to Scott Street. The project was scheduled to go later into the fall, but wrapped up earlier than planned as a result of good weather.

August 15 ThedaCare closed its clinic at 1081 W. Fond du Lac St. in Ripon and moved most of the staff to its Oshkosh location.

The clinic opened in September 2008.

August 15 The Village of Howard hired Paul F. Evert as its new administrator. Evert has 19 years experience in government administration and currently serves as the assistant city administrator and legal director for the City of Sun Prairie near Madison, where he’s been since 2001.

He will assume his new position in Howard later in September.

August 16 Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership reported the assistance it provided during its fiscal year 2011 - which stretch from July 1, 2010 to this past June 30 - to more than 200 manufacturers across the state triggered a $130 million economic impact and helped to create or save 1,009 manufacturing jobs. The economic impact results break down in the following manner: $83 million in increased and retained sales; $16 million in cost savings, and $31 million in investment impact, including new plant and equipment.

August 17 The Children’s Museum of Fond du Lac received a $71,000 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services to develop Amazon Adventures, an education outreach program for area third grade students and teachers. During the two-year grant period, Amazon Adventures will be provided at no cost to students at up to as many as 33 schools within 30 miles of the museum.

August 17 The Village of Suamico hired Steve Kubacki as its new administrator, replacing Adam Hammatt, who resigned earlier in the summer. Kubacki – who’s been the administrator for Chippewa County during the past year – previously spent 15 years as administrator for the Village of Ashwaubenon. He will assume his new role later in September.

August 17 The City of Green Bay hired Gregory Flisram as its new economic development director. An urban redevelopment specialist, Flisram previously worked with Vandewalle & Associates Inc. in Madison, the firm that worked on a proposed development district between Lambeau Field and Bay Park Square in Ashwaubenon.

August 17 The Greater Green Bay Convention & Visitors Bureau received a $7,500 Ready, Set, Go! sports marketing grant from the state Department of Tourism to help stage the USA Hockey National Championships tournament for boys ages 16 and younger during March and April 2012. The grant will go toward renting ice time at Cornerstone Community Center. The hockey tournament is expected to bring in 900 players and 2,500 spectators and provide an estimated economic impact of $680,000.

August 18 The state Department of Workforce Development reported Wisconsin lost 12,500 private-sector jobs in July.

August 19 Neenah-based Morton Pharmacy sold 12 of its 13 retail pharmacies in northeast Wisconsin to Walgreens, and closed all of those retail stores at the end of August. The 79-year-old, familyowned business will maintain its Morton Pharmacy in Winneconne and will shift its emphasis to its long-term care business, Morton Long Term Care, which serves nearly 3,000 patients in nursing homes and assisted living facilities across the region. Morton Long Term Care kept 119 of Morton Pharmacy’s nearly 200 employees, and Walgreens is anticipated to hire some of the remaining staff.

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NEW NORTH B2B l SEPTEMBER 2011 l 9

CORPORATE EARNINGS

Once each quarter, New North B2B runs a digest of quarterly financial reports from local publicly traded companies, or from out-of-the-area parent companies with significant operations in the Fox Valley.

July 20

Revenue Income EPS

Plexus Corp.

3Q 2011 $559 million $22.0 million 58 cents

3Q 2010 $536 million s 4% $24.4 million ▼ 10% 59 cents ▼ 2%

The Neenah-based contract electronics manufacturer reported continued strength in its medical sector, which represented 10 percent of sales on the quarter. Its largest customer continued to be Juniper Networks, Inc., with 17 percent of total revenue on the quarter.

July 21

Income EPS

Associated Banc-Corp 2Q 2011 2Q 2010 $25.6 million ($10.2 million) s 351% 15 cents (6 cents) s 350%

The Ashwaubenon-based financial institution reported commercial and industrial loans grew by $230 million, or 8 percent from the first quarter of this year. It also indicated potential problem loans declined to $699 million, down 23 percent from $912 million for the first quarter and down 45 percent from $1.3 billion during the second quarter 2010. Net charge-offs on the quarter were $45 million, down 17 percent from $53 million for the first quarter and down 58 percent from $105 million for the second quarter 2010.

July 25

Revenue Income EPS

Kimberly-Clark 2Q 2011 $5.3 billion $432 million $1.03

Corp.

2Q 2010 $4.9 billion $523 million $1.20

s 8% ▼ 17% ▼ 14%

The manufacturer of consumer paper and tissue products with significant operations in the Fox Cities established all-time record second quarter sales of $5.3 billion, up 8 percent from the second quarter 2011. Profits were lower as a result of inflation in key cost inputs compared with the second quarter 2010, including $110 million more spent for raw materials other than fiber, primarily polymer resin and other oil-based materials; $45 million in higher fiber costs; $15 million more for energy costs; and $10 million more in distribution costs.

Revenues increased 7 percent in the company’s personal care 10 l NEW NORTH B2B l SEPTEMBER 2011

segment to $2.3 billion, while revenue in Kimberly-Clark’s consumer tissue segment grew 9 percent compared with the second quarter 2010 to $1.7 billion.

July 26

Revenue Income EPS

Bemis Company 2Q 2011 $1.4 billion $55.6 million 51 cents

2Q 2010 $1.3 billion s 8% $61.6 million ▼ 10% 54 cents ▼ 6%

The Neenah-based supplier of flexible packaging and pressure sensitive materials reported profit margins were lower on the second quarter as a result of raw material cost inflation that continued through May. The company’s management projected third quarter 2011 earnings in a range of 56 to 61 cents per share, and forecast full fiscal year 2011 earnings in a range of $2.08 to $2.18 per share.

July 26

Revenue Income EPS

Illinois Tool Works 2Q 2011 2Q 2010 $4.6 billion $3.9 billion $498 million $411 million 96 cents 79 cents

s 18% s 21% s 22%

The parent company of Miller Electric Manufacturing operations across the Fox Cities reported welding group revenues grew 18.2 percent in the second quarter, with both North American and international division sales increasing by double digits. The sales growth was attributed to solid demand from heavy equipment manufacturers.

July 28 Oshkosh Corp.

Revenue Income EPS

3Q 2011 $2.0 billion $68.4 million 75 cents

3Q 2010 $2.4 billion $211 million $2.31

t 17% t 68% t 68%

The manufacturer of specialty vehicles experienced a 35 percent decline in revenues in its defense segment to $1.11 billion for the third quarter 2011 as a result of an expected drop in sales under the MRAP-All Terrain Vehicle contract with the U.S. Army, which declined by $884 million. In its access www.newnorthb2b.com

CORPORATE EARNINGS

D E S I G N . P R I N T. M A I L .

510 N. Oneida Street Appleton, WI 54911 equipment segment, sales increased by 44 percent compared to the prior year third quarter primarily as a result of demand for replacement equipment in North America. The company saw a 3 percent drop in its fire and emergency segment sales, while its commercial segment sales remained flat.

July 28 Brunswick Corp.

2Q 2011 Revenue $1.1 billion Income $69.3 million EPS

75 cents

www.bouwerprinting.com

2Q 2010 $1.0 billion s 8% $13.7 million s 406% 15 cents s 400%

The parent company of Mercury Marine operations in Fond du Lac reported a 7 percent increase in its marine engine segment sales to $618 million on the quarter, up from $579 million in the second quarter 2010. International sales of its marine outboard engines increased by 6 percent on the quarter.

August 1 Humana Inc.

Revenue Income EPS

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2Q 2011 $9.3 billion $460 million $2.71

2Q 2010 $8.6 billion $340 million $2.00

s 8% s 35% s 36%

The health and benefits company with extensive operations in the Green Bay area increased its earnings projections for the fiscal year by 75 cents per share to a range of $7.50 to $7.60 per share. Humana saw a 41 percent enrollment increase in its individual stand-alone prescription drug plans from 1.7 million members to 2.4 million members at the end of the second quarter 2010. Revenues in its health and well-being services segment increased 22 percent to $2.73 billion from $2.23 billion in the second quarter 2010.

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August 2 First Business Financial Services, Inc.

2Q 2011 2Q 2010 Income $2.5 million ($1.5 million) s 267% EPS

98 cents (60 cents) s 263% Executives for the commercial-oriented financial institution serving Madison, Milwaukee and Northeast Wisconsin explained the substantial losses from the second quarter of last year were due to a $2.7 million goodwill impairment charge.

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NEW NORTH B2B l SEPTEMBER 2011 l 11

CORPORATE EARNINGS

August 3 R. R. Donnelly

Revenue Income EPS

& Sons Co. 2Q 2011 $2.6 billion $12.2 million 6 cents

2Q 2010 $2.4 billion s 9% $88.8 million t 86% 42 cents t 86%

The printing company with significant operations in the Fox Cities reported a substantially lower income on the quarter attributed to $51.4 million in restructuring charges, $24.3 million in impairment charges, and $68.6 million spent on debt extinguishment. R.R. Donnelly increased domestic sales by 6 percent on the quarter and increased revenues in its international segment by 17 percent.

August 3 Integrys Energy Group, Inc.

2Q 2011 Revenue $1.0 billion Income $29 million EPS

37 cents

2Q 2010 $1.0 billion $79 million $1.02

t 1% t 63% t 64%

August 8 Alliance Laundry Holdings LLC

2Q 2011 Revenue $118 million Income $5.8 million

2Q 2010 $113 million $6.6 million

s 4% t 12%

The Ripon-based manufacturer of commercial and residential laundry equipment reported the bulk of its sales growth on the quarter came from the U.S. and Canada, where aggregate revenues improved by $3.4 million. Revenues also improved in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, but declined in Latin America.

August 8 Appleton Inc.

Revenue Income

2Q 2011 2Q 2010 $217 million $221 million t 2% ($3.3 million) ($15.0 million) s 78%

The parent company of Wisconsin Public Service Corp. operations across northeast and northcentral Wisconsin reported higher natural gas utility sales in the second quarter due to the colder-than-average weather this past spring.

The employee-owned producer of thermal papers reported improved operating income during the second quarter based upon improved pricing for Appleton products and ongoing cost reduction efforts. The company reported sales increased in its thermal papers segment 5.3 percent compared with the second quarter 2010, while revenues in its Encapsys segment improved 18 percent on the quarter to $14 million.

August 4 Dean Foods Company

2Q 2011 Revenue $3.3 billion Income ($51 million) (28 cents) EPS

August 8 Neenah Paper, Inc.

2Q 2011 Revenue $183 million Income $7.8 million EPS

49 cents

2Q 2010 $3.0 billion $45 million 25 cents

s 10% t 213% t 212%

The dairy-based foods company with extensive operations in Wisconsin, including the Green Bay area, explained the loss during the quarter stemmed primarily from a $131 million charge related to a Tennessee dairy farmer class action litigation. The company’s cost of milk during the quarter was up 21 percent from the first quarter of the year and up 41 percent above the second quarter 2010.

2Q 2010 $169 million $6.3 million 1 cent

s 8% s 24% s 20%

Neenah reported revenues in its technical products segment increased 15 percent to $114 million during the second quarter 2010, while sales in its fine paper segment remained relatively flat on the quarter.

August 12 Tufco Technologies, Inc.

3Q 2011 Revenue $28.0 million Income ($67,000) EPS

(2 cents)

3Q 2010 $24.4 million s 15% ($87,000) s 23% (2 cents) Unchang.

The Green Bay-based contract paper converter saw an increase in sales losses fell slightly closer to profitability on the quarter.

12 l NEW NORTH B2B l SEPTEMBER 2011

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BUILD UP FOND DU LAC

7 5

6

1

4 2 3

C - Indicates a new listing

Build Up Fond du Lac

3 - 217 E. Larsen Dr., Fond du Lac,

1

- N6425 Stanchfield Dr., Fond du Lac, Wausau Equipment Company, a 6,300-sq. ft. addition to the existing manufacturing facility. Project completion expected in September. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna.

2 - 1155 S. Military Road, Fond du Lac, Rolling Meadows Development, renovation of a former nursing home building and an addition to the fourth floor shell for a 101room hotel and conference center. Project completion expected in the spring of 2012.

C Tru-Fire, a 17,900sq. ft. office and warehouse facility. Project completion expected in December. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna.

4 - 855 Martin Ave., Fond du Lac, C Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, an addition and interior alterations to the existing daycare center.

5 - 430 E. Division St., Fond du Lac,

Agnesian Healthcare St. Agnes Hospital, a build out of the fourth through sixth floors of the existing South Tower of the hospital for private

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14 l NEW NORTH B2B l SEPTEMBER 2011

MANITOWOC

SHEBOYGAN

920-921-2070 LINCOLN, NE

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240 West Arndt Street, Fond du Lac

www.newnorthb2b.com

BUILD UP OSHKOSH

8

9

C - Indicates a new listing patient care rooms.

6 - 980 E. Division St., Fond du Lac, C Marian University, a new indoor athletic facility. Project completion expected in November.

7

- 1045 E. Johnson St., Fond du Lac, CitizensFirst Credit Union, a 4,100-sq. ft. new credit union office. Project completion expected in December.

Build Up Oshkosh

8 - 600 Block of Algoma Blvd., Oshkosh, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, a five-story, 340-bed student residence hall. Project completion expected in mid-2012.

9

- 2541 W. 20th Ave., Oshkosh, Pepsi Cola Bottling Company-Oshkosh, a 6,000-sq. ft. addition to the existing industrial facility. Project completion expected in September.

Projects completed since our August issue: • UW-Oshkosh College of Business, 800 High Ave., Oshkosh.

NEW NORTH B2B l SEPTEMBER 2011 l 15

BUILD UP FOX CITIES The Build Up department of New North B2B includes a monthly two-page spread identifying significant commercial and industrial construction projects ongoing in the Fox Cities area.

C - Indicates a new listing

1 - 4082 N. Richmond St., Appleton,

Timbercrest Dental Center, a 3,594-sq. ft. dental office. Project completion expected in the fall. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna.

2

- 2701 Winslow Ave., Appleton, A to Z Machine Company, a 38,855-sq. ft. addition to the existing industrial facility.

3

- 2351 Northridge Dr., Kaukauna, Andres Machine Service, a 16,800-sq. ft. addition to the existing industrial facility. Project completion expected in October. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna.

4

- 1111 DeLanglade St., Kaukauna, Badger Utility Inc., a 13,340-sq. ft. addition for offices and additional truck maintenance and repair space. Project completion expected in October. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna.

5

- 1500 Lamers Dr., Little Chute, Building Services Group, a 4,430-sq. ft. addition and remodel of the existing industrial facility. Project completion expected in the fall.

General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna.

16 l NEW NORTH B2B l SEPTEMBER 2011

6 - 1506 S. Oneida St., Appleton, St. Elizabeth Hospital, a 6,370-sq. ft. addition as part of the ongoing campus revitalization project.

7

- 310 S. Lynndale Dr., Appleton, Gustman Subaru, a 2,793-sq. ft. addition and remodel of the existing car dealership building to accommodate a new showroom and customer service area. Project completion expected in November. General contractor is Keller Inc. of Kaukauna.

8

- Two Plexus Way, Neenah, Plexus Corp., a two-story, 20,000-sq. ft. training and development center. Project completion expected in the summer of 2012.

9 - 1645 Bergstrom Road, Neenah, C Menasha Packaging Folding Carton Group, a 20,000-sq. ft. addition to the existing manufacturing facility for a new sheeter and scrap removal system.

Projects completed since our August issue: • CVS Pharmacy, 901 S. Green Bay Road, Neenah.

• Kwik Trip, 913 S. Green Bay Road, Neenah.

• Webex Inc., 1035 Breezewood Lane, Neenah.

www.newnorthb2b.com

BUILD UP FOX CITIES 1 3&4 2

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NEW NORTH B2B l SEPTEMBER 2011 l 17

BUILD UP GREEN BAY The Build Up department of New North B2B includes a monthly two-page spread identifying significant commercial and industrial construction projects ongoing in the Green Bay area.

C - Indicates a new listing

1 - 2500 Block of Lineville Road, Suamico,

Auto Zone,

a 7,575-sq. ft. automotive retail store.

2 - 2348 Lineville Road, Suamico, C Midwest Expansion, a 15,000-sq. ft. addition to the existing multi-tenant retail center.

3 - 1520 Brookfield Ave., Howard,

6

- 300 Block of N. Washington St., Green Bay, Watermark, a six-story, 70,000-sq. ft. mixed-use development which will house Hagemeister Park restaurant and Children’s Museum of Green Bay. Completion expected in early 2012.

7 - 930 Main St., Green Bay,

CVS Pharmacy, a new retail store and pharmacy. Project completion expected in September.

The Solberg Company, a 20,000-sq. ft. manufacturing facility and corporate office headquarters, as well as a separate 6,800-sq. ft. research and test laboratory. Project completion expected in late fall.

Medical Center, an addition to house a linear accelerator and supporting equipment.

4 - 2949 Riverview Dr., Howard,

9

5

10

Community First Credit Union, a 6,705-sq. ft. credit union office. Project completion expected in fall.

- 2600 Larsen Road, Green Bay, Donald & Patricia Schneider Education Center at Green Bay Botanical Garden, a 13,000-sq. ft. education and training facility.

8 - 2845 Greenbriar Road, Green Bay, C Aurora Baycare

- 1330 Lime Kiln Road, Green Bay, JBS-Green Bay/ Packerland Packing Company, 18,000-sq. ft. of existing industrial space for a lunch room, locker rooms and restrooms.

- 2502 S. Ashland Ave., Ashwaubenon, Western Racquet & Fitness Club/ Prevea Medical, a two-story, 28,418sq. ft. addition to the existing fitness center and a new health care clinic.

11 - 871 Hansen Road, Ashwaubenon, Kwik Trip, a new convenience store, fuel station and car wash facility.

12 - 100 Grant St., De Pere, St. Norbert College Michels Commons, an addition to the existing student commons and cafeteria, as well as the Ariens Family Welcome Center. Project completion expected in May 2012.

Build on what we know

For over 30 years, Larson Engineering has been providing Owners, Contractors and Architects superior quality, cost-conscious engineering design services. For Industrial, Manufacturing or Commercial projects, Larson Engineering will provide the detail oriented services necessary for a successful construction project whether it is new construction, rehabilitation or an addition. Projects large or small, you can depend on Larson Engineering to deliver.

Licensed in all 50 states, 7 Canadian provinces, Puerto Rico and District of Columbia.

2801 E. Enterprise Ave. Appleton, Wisconsin 920.734.9867

13 - 1313 Lawrence Dr., De Pere, Menard’s, a 162,340sq. ft. retail store and warehouse space as well as a nearly 50,000-sq. ft. covered lumberyard.

14 - 352 High St., Wrightstown,

Village of Wrightstown Municipal Office Building, a 10,000-sq. ft. office building.

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

Projects completed since our August issue: • Dermatology Associates of WI, 2806 Riverview Dr., Howard.

• Rabideau Auto Mart, 1461 W. Mason St., Green Bay. • Family Dollar, 1960 University Ave., Green Bay. • Martin Elementary School, 626 Pinehurst Ave., Green Bay. • The Salvation Army Ray & Joan Kroc Corps Community Center, 1315 Lime Kiln Road, Green Bay. • Circle Business Center, 1160 Ashwaubenon St., Ashwaubenon.

www.larsonengr.com

18 l NEW NORTH B2B l SEPTEMBER 2011

www.newnorthb2b.com

BUILD UP GREEN BAY 1

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13 & 14

10

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NEW NORTH B2B l SEPTEMBER 2011 l 19

AROUND THE BOARDROOM

48 Wisconsin’s ranking among the 50 states for its “share” of industry research spending as a percentage of the state’s total academic R&D. Source: Wisconsin Technology Council

Title: Aftershock: Protect Yourself and Profit in the Next Global Financial Meltdown Author: David Wiedemer, Robert Wiedemer, Cindy Spitzer Publisher: Wiley; 1st edition (2009) Pages: 273 List Price: $27.95 Why Buy: Aftershock, now updated and revised, warns of a very different economic future. Home prices and stocks will continue to fall, inflation and unemployment will rise, and the current recession will not automatically cycle back to recovery. Aftershock goes beyond the outdated notion of “market cycles” to help readers clearly recognize and quickly respond to the rapidly evolving economy.

QUOTEWORTHY “An entrepreneur tends to bite off a little more than he can chew hoping he’ll quickly learn how to chew it.”

Roy Ash, co-founder of Litton Industries

20 l NEW NORTH B2B l SEPTEMBER 2011

www.newnorthb2b.com

AROUND THE BOARDROOM

I want to play a game

A

ppealing to the baser instincts of our society’s darkest corners, the horror movie series Saw delivers the continuing and sordid torture of the antagonist’s sickly justification in pitting one captive’s immorality against another’s…

“Are you awake? Don’t struggle. Be assured your restraints are secure. You’re a well-practiced narcissist – something I find particularly hideous. You have one minute to throw this switch, electrocuting your insurrectionist trophy lover. If not, the mechanism encasing your perfect body will lower your pedicure into that piranha tank while shearing your scalp and tearing your eyelids off – and electrocutes you.”

So far, seven films compose the series. It’s wrong, but gratifies enough fans to keep it profitable.

It’s 9 a.m. Lounging on our hi-fi downtown condo’s lanai, Mother Stronglove wrinkles her nose, then relaxes it as she sniffs the wasabi in her Bloody Maria with pickled okra before passing judgment: “That smut encourages the same sickness that brought an end to the Roman Empire. We’re going to hell in a hand basket.” She righteously flips the page of her current issue of People Magazine.

Hell aside, the series as well as the lady make a provocative point. Facing hungry lions, most of us would gladly yield the coliseum doorway to someone else in the holding area.

Maybe even get a little pushy about it.

And this, gentle reader, is what I’m asking of you. I’ve welcomed submissions of your own work – good and bad and fugly, for the sole purpose of instruction here. A few brave souls have submitted their own work to the Crap-O-Matic® filtration system, but they’re few and insufficient to satisfy our readers’ requirements.

So here’s our modest proposal. It’s the brainchild of Doo, my euro-stylish capuchin monkey. Instead of subjecting your own work to scrutiny and possible public humiliation, send me the worst – as well as the best – of other organizations’ B2B and B2C marketing communications. Fun, yes?

Get your stinking paws off me, you damned dirty ape!

If you want to remain anonymous (for whatever reason), that’s okay. If you want credit for your nomination, you’ll be handsomely rewarded for your vigilance with a free plug about you and your company.

It’s bonus content. Like DVDs! Some headlines and hopeless hooks to inspire you: v Don’t wait for your situation to worsen. Call any of our partners, including myself, today. v Hurry in for best selection during our Semi-Annual AfterSummer Sale! v Guaranteed easiest way to loose weight. v You are warmly invited to utilize our close proximity to facilitate your next endeavor. v Lenten Dinner Special: Fresh Lake Perch Plate: $14.99; Haddock $12.25; Children $7.99 v WOW! v Save $$$ Now! v XYZ Auto Repair is the name you can trust. Try us once and you’ll never go anywhere again. v XYZ cleaner will not affect septic tanks. v Find out why XYZ’s variety sausage keeps coming up wherever people talk. v Where ideas become innovation. v Garden seeds for garden centers. v Stock up and save! (Limit one) Boneheaded examples, but fun. What can I say? We needed filler. So if you notice a pearl of wisdom or a blunder of nitwittery in your corner of Marketing Communications World, please send it over. In fact, send anything. If nothing else, it will help use up the Crap-O-Matic’s burden time.

Behind the façade of Mr. Stronglove is an advertising professional with more than 25 years of award-winning industry experience. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin – Madison, he has wielded his strategic and conceptual skills and talents in all forms of media (except book jackets) for small independent businesses as well as Fortune 500 companies, both consumer and trade, from local to global. You can contact him at piercestronglove@gmail. com. To submit work for review, it must be attached as a PDF in Adobe format with no other attachments.

NEW NORTH B2B l SEPTEMBER 2011 l 21

COVER STORY

NEW normal

co mm er c i a l r e a l e s ta te

the

22 l NEW NORTH B2B l SEPTEMBER 2011

Investors, developers, bankers and contractors adjust to a depressed real estate climate

Story by Sean Fitzgerald, New North B2B publlisher When recessions hit, the economic calamities take many forms, from a slowdown in customer orders and cutting back business operations to layoffs and even closure.

Perhaps no where else is the impact of such a downturn as tangibly visible as the commercial and retail real estate market, where business closures and downsizing take the form of empty storefronts and vacant office spaces.

To say the least, areas of northeast Wisconsin have their share of “For Sale” and “For Lease” signs up at buildings across the region. That’s had an impact on landlords and developers across the New North, who often concede to more lenient lease terms to keep existing tenants and to lure new tenants to fill vacant space. It’s also contributed to lower sale prices on properties owners hope to unload – perhaps a potential treasure for a would-be owner who can step up to the deal with enough financing – but a bit of a raw deal for the seller, as well as for owners of similar nearby properties, of which values can drop considerably.

“Nothing (in real estate) is worth the value that it was three years ago,” noted Steve Seidl, a more than 40-year veteran commercial office real estate broker and founder of Seidl & Associates in Green Bay. Similar to the housing market, a number of relatively new multi-tenant office and retail projects built on spec by developers that couldn’t cash flow enough to pay the bank have been foreclosed upon. The bank, in turn, needs liquidity and doesn’t want to hold on to the property long, so it’s sold at sometimes half the value that it might otherwise if sold through a private-party transaction.

“That’s created a lot of deflation in the marketplace,” indicated Seidl, noting that property value deflation has risen to double-digit percentages for the first time in nearly a century. He believes these years will be regarded as a historic period of our economy.

“It’s a downward spiral, and it’s difficult to see how it ends,” Seidl said.

Not all real estate professionals in the region view the local commercial

www.newnorthb2b.com

COVER STORY real estate environment quite as grim. Appleton-based Pfefferle Companies President Mike Pfefferle feels the commercial real estate market in northeast Wisconsin was spared much of the devastating toll it took on other markets around the country, and said there’s already signs a rebound is on the horizon.

“The recession that hit the country didn’t hit us as hard here in Wisconsin, and so we didn’t quite see the dip in (commercial) real estate that most of the country saw,” said Pfefferle, whose company manages commercial properties through its Pfefferle Management division and also brokers commercial, retail and industrial properties through its Grubb & Ellis/Pfefferle brokerage.

Property value deflation has risen to double-digit percentages for the first time in nearly a century.

The brokerage releases a semi-annual office trends report for the Fox Cities market and separate report for the Green Bay area. It’s most recent report for Green Bay indicated office vacancy rates have been leveling off at about 15 to 16 percent since late 2009 and still remain lower than the 18- to 19-percent range where vacancy rates hovered in Green Bay during 2007 and 2008 prior to the start of the recession. In the Fox Cities, office vacancy rates have continued to trend upward to nearly 17 percent as of the first quarter of this year, but rental

prices have remained relatively stable since late 2007, dropping less than $1 per square foot for prime Class A office space.

“There’s some moving around of tenants,” said Pfefferle, noting that some are moving from more expensive Class A space to a little less comfortable – yet, manageable – Class B office space. For the most part, however, tenants have been in the driver seat for a few years now.

Leasing space If your business leases its office or retail space from a landlord and you’re approaching the end of the current lease agreement, chances are you’re still in a good position to negotiate even more favorable terms than you might already have in writing.

Though not universally the case, landlords suffering from less-than-forecast cash flow due to unexpected vacancies may be willing to make some concessions to steady, long-term tenants to keep them on site.

“I think landlords have realized it’s better to keep the tenants in there than to have to look for another tenant and let the space sit empty for a while,” said Steve Kremer, a commercial broker with Adashun Jones Real Estate in Fond du Lac. Kremer said he’s spent more time than ever before working through negotiations on re-doing leases with existing tenants of his clients, simply because tenants have so many other options making it cost-effective to pick up and move.

Seidl points to a similar dynamic in the Green Bay market.

“The cost of vacancy is very high (to a landlord),” Seidl said.

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MBA Graduate Education Center 333 Main Street, Green Bay

NEW NORTH B2B l SEPTEMBER 2011 l 23

COVER STORY “And the tenants know that.”

Lease concessions have meant everything from lower pricing to rent space to shorter lease periods, even some situations where existing tenants are entitled to lease space on a monthto-month basis. In retail environments, concessions have meant newer, more creative provisions at the lease signing.

Grant Schwab, a commercial real estate and development representative with First Weber Group Commercial in Oshkosh, said he recently negotiated with a national retailer to move into a vacant Oshkosh retail store with the provision that the retailer could break the lease without penalty if their sales numbers at that particular location didn’t meet a certain threshold. Schwab said that kind of negotiation by retail tenants has become more common as national retailers look to spur the growth of their store count with as little long-term risk as possible.

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Of course, with the increased amount of vacant office and retail property available compared with four years ago, an interested buyer can get a real deal if they can come up with the financing to cover the negotiated price. That’s been the case across the country.

“I have properties listed with clients where they’ve had to come down on their prices substantially from three years ago,” said Tom Scharpf, a commercial and industrial broker and owner of Oshkosh-based Thomas James Real Estate.

With low interest rates and low selling prices, now is the time to do a deal for any investor who has the cash, said Adashun Jones’ Kremer, who noted, “I’m starting to see ‘Sold’ signs again.”

That has been the case for a number of investors who’ve withdrawn from the volatility of the stock market and parked substantial portions of their portfolio in investment real estate.

“We’re having a tremendous year selling to investors,” said Schwab of First Weber, indicating investments in apartment buildings have been popular. Schwab said these investors acknowledge that a stock value can literally drop down to just a few pennies in a relatively short period of time, and all the investor has remaining is a few pieces of paper proving they own the stock. With a building, Schwab said, it could still lose a substantial portion of its value in a worst-case situation, “but at the end of the day, you still have bricks and mortar.”

Changes in the real estate climate have made their mark in the banking community, where banks have taken a much more strict approach to non-owner-occupied developments. In such projects, banks now often require double the amount of cash they might have to write a loan for such a development four years ago. In some cases, the bank won’t loan funds for such projects altogether.

“Because there’s been such a correction in value, banks are requiring more cash in,” said Will Deppiesse, a vice president with First Business Bank Northeast. At the same time, banks are facing new, tougher rules from regulators designed to prevent many of the financial calamities that led up to the recession in late 2008.

“I think the days of doing a development with little to no cash in – I just don’t see that working anymore,” Deppiesse said.

www.newnorthb2b.com

COVER STORY

“

When they have looked at so-called ‘bargains’ and find out what it costs to make it acceptable and the concessions they have to live with, most of them are building new.

”

Wayne Stellmacher, president and CEO, Keller Inc.

Not too worried, though, Deppiesse said banks still receive a good deal of real estate financing activity for re-financing as well as financing requests for build-outs and alterations of vacant space. Those opportunities continue to grow as more businesses looking to expand buy existing buildings at a bargain and retrofit the facilities to suit their operating needs.

Building new versus buying used Of course, the perceived downturn in the commercial real estate market has also had an impact on commercial contractors. For those businesses willing to step into an existing facility and make it accommodate their operations – either by simply putting up with the configuration or hiring a construction contractor to renovate and alter it to fit their needs – the sticker price to buy the property can prove to be a bargain.

Much more so than buying new.

Ironically, that was case for Green Bay-based general contractor DeLeers Construction, which needed to expand into a different facility. Late last month, the builder of commercial structures moved into vacant warehouse and office space in the same building with Orde Sign & Graphics in De Pere, rather than building a new headquarters for itself, said Paul DeLeers, senior business development consultant with DeLeers Construction.

“From a cost standpoint, it didn’t make any sense,” DeLeers said. “For us, we needed basic office space and we needed basic warehouse space.”

But using an existing facility isn’t the best choice for every business. Kaukauna-based Keller Inc. has fared well during the past three years with a variety of new commercial, industrial and agricultural construction projects. In many cases, according to Keller President and CEO Wayne Stellmacher, its clients have discovered some of those real estate bargains, but ultimately decided the cumulative costs of moving into an existing building couldn’t be justified.

“When people build a new location they invest substantial dollars,” Stellmacher said. “When they have looked at socalled ‘bargains’ and find out what it costs to make it acceptable and the concessions they have to live with, most of them are building new. The old saying, ‘if it’s too good to be true...’ has played out in many of these situations.”

By and large though, a majority of the commercial building permits issued across northeast Wisconsin so far in 2011 have been for alterations and additions to existing buildings rather than for entirely new construction. But even though the price tags on such projects are a bit less than a new construction, they still help pay the bills for contractors and keep crews on

the job. Both Keller and DeLeers have had their share of building addition, renovation and alteration projects during the past year or so since the number of new building projects has virtually ground to a halt.

Particularly in cases with office space, builders are discovering business owners are much more economical and willing to allow the price to dictate where they locate and the kind of space they call home. In one example, said Bob Albright , Jr., a project manager and estimator with Oshkosh-based general contractor R. J. Albright Inc., they have a client who owns two office locations and is looking to remodel one office, consolidate the staff into that location once it’s complete, then lease out the second location for additional income.

“I find with office spaces, businesses will look to go anywhere,” Albright said. “I think the remodeling end is something builders definitely have to pay attention to.”

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NEW NORTH B2B l SEPTEMBER 2011l 25

EDUCATION

business in the family family intact

Keeping while keeping the

New certificate program helps prepare family businesses for unexpected trials

Story by Cheryl Hentz

26l NEW NORTH B2B l SEPTEMBER 2011

Approximately 80 percent of businesses in the United States are family-owned, and unlike non-family-owned businesses, a family-owned company offers a number of professional and personal advantages to family members who participate in the business.

Freedom, independence, less bureaucracy, and closer control without having to go through layers of administration to get authorization for decisions, are just some of those advantages. Family businesses also have a built-in trust factor with alreadyestablished, lifelong relationships, and provide for hands-on training and early exposure of the next generation to the business.

But family-owned and operated businesses also come with a unique set of challenges: Issues surrounding succession, including selecting and preparing the next generation; transferring ownership to that generation; identity development; and communication and conflict involving parents, siblings and/or other family members both inside and outside the company.

Clearly, succession is one of the biggest hurdles family-owned business face, and in many cases the process is either resisted or avoided altogether – sometimes until it’s too late. It can also be an issue if the senior generation doesn’t allow the next generation to have proper room to grow, develop and eventually take over the reins of the business.

But succession can also be an issue where siblings are involved. Which child should assume control of the business and how do you avoid friction between siblings surwww.newnorthb2b.com

EDUCATION “How do you do that without saying ‘Hey I’m a greedy kid and I want you to give me the business now?’... rounding that decision? Sibling relationships, along with family communication and conflict with other relatives who may work in the business, rank among the top ten concerns for family-owned businesses. These are all things that can negatively impact a family business if not dealt with.

It was because of these very issues that the Family Business Education series, offered by the Wisconsin Family Business Forum at the University of WisconsinOshkosh, was started two years ago. As part of its offerings, the forum presents a seven-part course of study that provides basic learning for the next generation of leaders regarding the dynamics of leading and maintaining a family business.

Participants completing the series earn a Certificate in Family Business Education.

“This program was developed because there are a lot of people in family businesses where those businesses are handed down to the next generation that know the business they’re in and have some general knowledge of running a business, but not know so much about the unique issues associated with it being a family business,” explained program coordinator Dale Feinauer, a professor of human resources and management in UW-Oshkosh’s College of Business. “The focus of the Wisconsin Family Business Forum in general is to help family businesses be successful, help them pass from one generation to the next and this (certificate) program is focused particularly on folks who are newer in family businesses or who are advisors to family businesses and helping them think through the issues that are unique to a family business.”

Civility at the dinner table Professional disagreements can often spill over into family members’ personal lives, Feinauer added.

“So one of the things we talk about is how people can manage their business in such a way that the family can still have Thanksgiving together. Unfortunately, in some cases they can’t,” he said. “There are some families that own a business that, over debates about who’s going to take over as CEO or how the business will be managed, people end up getting upset with each other and they lose the family relationship.”

When it comes to succession issues, these are often difficult conversations families have to discuss. For example, as a child whose parents intend to eventually turn the business over to him or her, it’s difficult to know when to have that conversation about exactly when the business will change hands.

“How do you do that without saying ‘Hey I’m a greedy kid and I want you to give me the business now?’ But on the other hand, from the next generation’s perspective, if they’re going to dedicate their life to working in the business, they have a right to know that the will is written in such a way that it transfers the business to the next generation,” said Feinauer.

If there are siblings, some of whom work in the business and some who don’t, that can also cause problems if not handled appropriately in the parents’ will.

For the child or children who’ve worked in and helped grow the business, they’ve anticipated a future in the company. But assume something unexpected occurs

...But on the other hand, from the next generation’s perspective, if they’re going to dedicate their life to working in the business, they have a right to know that the will is written in such a way that it transfers the business to the next generation.”

Dale Feinauer, professor of human resources and management, University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh College of Business NEW NORTH B2B l SEPTEMBER 2011 l 27

EDUCATION with the parents and the siblings not involved in the business sell the company out from under those working in the business day to day. That can happen if not addressed correctly in advance, and it can certainly create tension, said Feinauer.

“So how do you manage those transitions from one generation to the next and does ownership pass to family members not working in the business and how can that be done equitably?

These are all things we talk about in this program,” he said.

“We want to see family businesses be successful into those next generations,” said Donna Nelson, assistant director of the program. “That’s why we encourage them to attend the class so they can work with their next generation leaders through mentoring and leadership development, and really to identify where they should be placed within the family business – if at all.”

“But every session is based on the family business and different concepts or challenges that they have or are experiencing,” Nelson continued. “Then we try to bring family businesses together so it’s like a community or support group where we’re working with them and to let them know that they’re not alone going through these issues. So they not only learn from our professional advisors, but they learn from each other.”

Family business in action That networking component has been critical for several of the program’s graduates.

“The networking between other family members in familyowned businesses was huge. We shared ideas and talked about why we each did what we did. It helps in some cases by your not having to reinvent the wheel but also because some-

times someone else is doing something you haven’t thought of,” said Donna Dorn, vice president of Tri-City Glass & Door in Appleton, a second generation family business. “It was just neat to get to know other family business owners and have the opportunity to share ideas, examples and getting to know them a little bit better.”

Anika Conger-Capelle, general manager of Conger ToyotaLift, Inc. in Green Bay, said learning about ouside-the-box approaches to organizational structure stood out to her as a real value of the program, and a lesson she hopes to implement into her family business culture.

“So instead of having managers you might have teams. Nobody is really over anybody else. We haven’t actually gone to that structure, yet, but there were tidbits of information within that discussion that could be beneficial even without adopting that entire structure,” she said. “But I think daily I probably use something that has come out of the class. One of the biggest things is that our management group facilitates more meetings now and is more of a hands-on component to the business than before. But in general the course has been a very good piece to the puzzle to help solidify what we were doing before.”

Badger Mining Corp. of Berlin is in its third generation of leadership and is in the process of involving and educating its fourth generation of family members to get involved in the company.

“When this program was first developed, we thought it would be a great learning opportunity for all interested family members,” said Vicky Wuest, one of the directors of Badger Mining.

“I personally did not participate in the program, but three members of our fourth generation did participate in the first program

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EDUCATION in 2009 and found it to be very educational and worthwhile. They came back with questions from assignments that prompted us to know how much more information and education we can provide internally as we proceed in their development.”

Conger-Capelle believes the program includes at least some nugget of valuable information for anyone involved in a family business, and would encourage such individuals to consider taking it.

“My philosophy in life is no one can ever take away education, so people should go out and learn and hear about what’s out there,” Conger-Capelle said.

“You’ll always come back with something.

It may be good, it may be bad and you may say ‘You know what, that just isn’t going to work for us and I don’t want to go through those struggles.’ Or you may say ‘That is something that will really work for us so let’s give it a try.’ So I really would encourage people to take the class because no matter what the experience, they’ll be able to take something back with them.”

If you’re in a family business and you either have some issues associated with being a family business or you proactively want to avoid those issues, all agree this is a cost-effective approach to not only learn from the presenters, but also to learn from each other.

Cheryl Hentz is a freelance writer from Oshkosh with more than 25 years experience. Her articles cover topics including business and economic development, minority issues, family pets and animal rights, finance, politics and women’s issues. She can be reached at 920.426.4123 or via email at cheryl.hentz@gmail.com.

Wisconsin Family Business Forum The third session of Family Business Education program series kicks off this October. Listed below is the schedule for the coming year: 10.12.2011 - Defining the Family Business: How family systems dynamics impact governance, legal, accounting, wealth management and human resource management perspectives.

11.09.2011 - Family Business Governance: Options for management of family business; A variety of human resource and general management topics are covered.

12.07.2011 - Strategic Planning in a Family Business: How to engage in strategic planning for both the family and the business, and how to merge these often competing plans.

01.18.2012 - Business Management: Options for the compensation, promotion and other human resource issues in a family business.

02.08.2012 - Evolving Ownership in the Family Business: How to manage succession planning and the evolution of ownership in a family business.

03.14.2012 - Evolving Leadership in the Family Business: How to maximize the benefits of, and overcome the limitations of, being “the next generation” of a family business; How to manage the often critical role of non-family members in the leadership of a family business.

04.11.2012 - Managing Culture, Change and Conflict: How to manage these critical dimensions in a family business.

For more information or to enroll, contact the Wisconsin Family Business Forum at 920.424.1541 or go online to http://wfbf.uwosh.edu.

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TECHNOLOGY

Going Digital in Dairyland

New North employers, educators are crafting the infrastructure for a world class high-tech workforce Story by Jessica La Plante-Wikgren

The Wisconsin versus California rivalry is not just limited to cheesemaking and milk production. While agriculture and manufacturing have traditionally occupied the state’s economic limelight, a host of locally owned high-tech companies are helping the Dairy State earn a reputation as a trailblazing pioneer of the digital frontier.

With its track record of leadership in advanced manufacturing and nationally renowned network of two- and four-year colleges, the New North and Fox River Valley are demonstrating “shades of Silicon Valley-ness” as a hub of IT innovation.

To that end, local universities and IT companies are ramping up efforts to upgrade Wisconsin’s image as a digital utopia – a place where IT professionals can forge cutting-edge careers and high-tech entrepreneurs can find the raw talent and infrastructure needed to fuel their technology dreams.

New North’s high-tech history Located on the southern edge of the Fox River Valley – a landscape dotted by picturesque farms and historic and distinctive factories – is the nation’s oldest vendor of veterinary practice management software. Founded in 1979, Oshkosh-based ImproMed, Inc. is the leading software development firm in its industry, employing more than 130 people at multiple locations throughout the U.S. In an era where many U.S. firms are scaling back their budgets and operations, ImproMed (www.impromed.com) is enjoying a growth spurt, having recently purchased a Walnut Creek, Calif. company located in the heart of Silicon Valley.

Despite the company’s acquisition of a Silicon Valley firm, ImproMed President Ron Detjen said he has no intentions of moving his base of operations to the IT capital of the world.

That’s because ImproMed has a more than ample supply of world-class IT talent in its current northeast Wisconsin location, thanks to the state’s strong higher education system and a spirit of innovation that can be traced back to the industrial revolution. Detjen said northeast Wisconsin has all the raw ingredients needed to become a world leader in the IT industry.

“The Wisconsin educational system at the universities and the tech school is so powerful that it can supply us with very high quality employees,” Detjen said, adding that Wisconsin technology workers are “well-anchored; they have exceptional job skills and education and an exceptionally strong work ethic.”

30 l NEW NORTH B2B l SEPTEMBER 2011

“A lot of people don’t realize it, but Wisconsin is actually a powerful player in the software market,” Detjen said.

In addition to a strong Midwestern work ethic, the Wisconsin labor force also boasts another quality that has contributed to ImproMed’s competitive edge – a spirit of innovation that dates back to the state’s leadership during the industrial revolution.

“Before I was born, the state of Wisconsin had an extreme industrial complex,” Detjen said. “Wisconsin created more innovation in the automotive industry than any state in the nation. When you look at all of the big companies that we have in Wisconsin, all of those companies have this huge (tradition of) industrial innovation. The engineering that came out of Wisconsin was phenomenal.”

“I think Wisconsin still has this great capability of innovation,” Detjen said. “I don’t know why, but I do know it’s here.

I think the innovation is now going to shift from the industrial complex to IT and computer software.”

Several factors make software engineering an ideal vehicle for launching the state’s next economic revolution. In terms of start-up capital, the market is easier to break into than traditional industries.

In software development, “two or three people can come up with a wonderful idea, get it into a 60 to 70 percent (condition), get some additional capital help and take it to the market,” Detjen said. “If you were to build a new car, you’d have to have millions and millions of dollars just to build the infrastructure and equipment.”

By contrast, a “software company can be started anywhere,” Detjen said, adding that “a software company has almost no load on the infrastructure.”

In addition, software companies confer another economic advantage: They bring money into the state and put it into the hands of local workers, fueling regional economic growth.

Unlike manufacturing, there’s little operational expense on raw materials or out-of-state components vendors, as examples.

“Almost all the money that we collect annually that comes in is spent on wages,” Detjen said. “We are actually a money importer to the city of Oshkosh.”

Detjen said the state should focus more attention on the growth of its intellectual property industries, noting that IP companies pose little economic burden and offer enormous potential in terms of economic growth and creating high-paying, professional jobs.

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TECHNOLOGY Educating the next generation of IT workers Increasing awareness of software engineering among college students and providing more support for hightech startups are two ways the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh is hoping to spur the growth of the state’s IT industry.

At a time when many new graduates are having difficulty breaking into a tight job market, UW-Oshkosh’s Information Systems and Computer Science graduates are in high demand.

“We’re definitely seeing an increase in terms of the number of internships and employers that are looking to hire for IT positions,” said Jessie Pondell, professional development director of the College of Business at UW-Oshkosh. “We’re seeing a huge demand for these types of skills, and we’re increasing the supply and we will continue to do that.”

UW-Oshkosh recently formed a curriculum advisory board consisting of local IT professionals and business leaders. A close partnership with business and industry has been one of the school’s historic strengths. As a result, graduates leave the IS program with hands-on experience and real-world skills in business processes, software engineering and project management.

“Every single one of our IS students is going to have an internship before they graduate so they are able to integrate their curriculum and academic knowledge into a real-world situation before they go into the workforce,” Pondell said.

The strength of UW-Oshkosh’s IS internship program – combined with the College of Business’ reputation for producing well-rounded business graduates – has made it a popular recruiting venue for IT employers.

“We’re seeing that we can place almost all the students we’re graduating,” said Jakob Iversen, associate professor of Information Systems at UW-Oshkosh. Our graduates are “able to find good jobs. We’re actually getting companies contacting us looking for more students than we can supply.”

Demand for IT graduates is expected to grow in the coming decades as Baby Boomers – the pioneers who authored the IT industry’s growth, and whose multi-decade reservoir of experience will be difficult to replace – begin retiring in larger numbers. After the Dotcom bubble burst early last decade, enrollment levels in computer science programs declined sharply. Although UW-Oshkosh witnessed a modest increase in the number of Information Systems degrees awarded last year, there is still the need to make college students, especially women, more aware of opportunities in the IT profession.

“A lot of students are not aware that unemployment within the IT sector – especially in this (geographic) area – is really low and salaries are still strong,” Iversen said. “One of the challenges that we have is that not a lot of women are going into the IS program, and that may be contributing quite significantly to the downturn in enrollment.”

Attracting more people into the industry means educating young people about the breadth and variety of career opportunities that exist in IT, emphasizing the fact that the industry is home to people of all talents, not just programmers.

“There are a lot of jobs where you’re not just sitting in a cubicle working on technology, but you’re actually working with customers and clients and interacting with many people,”

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TECHNOLOGY Iversen said.

To prepare students for the digital economy, UW-Oshkosh recently upgraded its business programs to include a greater emphasis on technology. Software development students are trained in such industry best practices as agile development, while students in other majors, such as journalism and marketing, gain experience working with social media and digital tools of their trade. In addition, all College of Business majors are required to take at least one information systems course.

The College of Business (www.uwosh.edu/cob/) is also promoting entrepreneurism as a career path for people who enjoy innovating and are interested in carving out their own career niche. As part of the university’s high-tech makeover, UW-Oshkosh launched an Interactive Web Technology Management program to prepare students for careers as IT entrepreneurs.

“We hope that it will be a good engine for students to have the courage to start a company,” Iversen said. “The degree will focus on not only core marketing but also social media marketing and PR within the technology world.”

Given the dizzying array of technologies currently used in the software development and IT world, hiring college graduates who are already familiar with the specific technologies used at one’s company is a major advantage for local employers. To that end, UW-Oshkosh’s IS internship program has served as an important resource for local companies who want to diversify their IT staff by developing young talent.

The high-tech ripple effect DealerFire – an Oshkosh-based Web development company specializing in building Web applications for the automotive industry – is one example of a local company that’s tapped UW-Oshkosh’s IS program to find new talent. In recent years, the company transitioned several IS graduates from intern status to full-time employees.

The success of one technology firm in a community tends to cause a ripple effect, attracting other like-minded firms to the area due to the guaranteed pool of labor and the region’s reputation as being home to world-class talent. DealerFire’s founder, Eric Hoopman, has seen Oshkosh’s IT industry gain momentum in recent years, mirroring a statewide trend in technology job growth.

“As we’re getting a bigger footprint in our industry and establishing our brand, we’re getting more inquiries and interest from people around the country that are looking to come to Oshkosh to work for DealerFire,” Hoopman said.

Founded in 1999, DealerFire is now 45 employees strong.

The company provides Web design and development, multimedia, social media and search engine marketing services to more than 800 automotive dealerships located throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe.

DealerFire is a textbook example of the importance of finding focus within the IT industry. A conversation with a Dallas Toyota dealership several years ago prompted DealerFire to “discover the automotive space,” recognizing a need to make automotive Web sites easier to market. As a result, “we started to build our own (online marketing) engine.”

In 2009, DealerFire won the Pinnacle Automotive Website Award for Search Marketing. The national attention also won

32 l NEW NORTH B2B l SEPTEMBER 2011

www.newnorthb2b.com

TECHNOLOGY Hoopman a myriad of new clients and marked a breakthrough in terms of sales growth. Winning the title a second time in 2010, DealerFire remains the only company with fewer than 100 employees to receive the prestigious award.

DealerFire is now building more than 50 major Web sites a month and is the recipient of a $75,000 tax credit awarded by the former Wisconsin Department of Commerce for creating hightech jobs in the state. The Economic Development Tax Credit will be used to expand DealerFire’s already robust workforce.

Hoopman credits the talent, energy and work ethic of his staff as being the driving force behind his company’s success: “Our team is really going toe-to-toe with billion-dollar companies out of Chicago, New York and L.A.,” Hoopman said.

“We’re told by our customers that our rural rates are the same as or close to India’s. Companies have no reason now to go offshore just to save money.”

Christopher Hytry Derrington, co-founder, Rural America OnShore Outsourcing He sees northeast Wisconsin’s IT industry emerging as a major engine of economic growth and job creation in the state.

“There’s a ton of tech startups in the area,” Hoopman said, noting that a good idea is the great equalizer in the industry, where all a person needs to bring a product to market is “a laptop, a great idea and a really strong drive.” For the most part, the sluggish national economy hasn’t affected small IT startups as much as businesses in other sectors.

“You don’t need a ton of money and you don’t need a degree or a huge amount of banking connections to get started,” he said, adding that “there are a lot of self-starter Web development companies in the area of iPhone applications, application development and social media plug-ins.”

The same reasons that make northeast Wisconsin an attrac-

tive place to live and raise a family also make it a good place to start and grow a tech business. Hoopman cites the region’s strong educational system, low cost of living and high quality of life as factors that are putting the New North on the national technology map.

Recently, the growth of Wisconsin’s technology sector captured the attention of Wired magazine. A map published in the June 2011 issue of Wired magazine identified hotspots of U.S. tech job creation, where thousands of new technology jobs were added between 2003 and 2008. The Green Bay, Fox Cities and Oshkosh region – as well as the entire Eastern Wisconsin coastline – was identified as a hotspot. DealerFire’s blog, located at www.dealerfire.com/blog, contains a link to the map, which paints a promising picture for Wisconsin’s technology sectors, especially the biotechnology, automotive, plastics and manufacturing industries.

A haven for high-tech transplants Northeast Wisconsin natives aren’t the only ones reaping the benefits of the state’s rapidly growing technology centers. The New North has already attracted its share of hightech transplants.

Christopher Hytry Derrington – co-founder of the Two Riversbased Rural America OnShore Outsourcing – is one example of an IT professional and career entrepreneur who found the business climate in northeast Wisconsin ideal for growing a high-tech startup.

Prior to moving to the Lake Michigan shoreline – a decision prompted by his wife’s native ties to Sheboygan Falls – Hytry Derrington had been involved with 13 high-tech start-up companies located in such sprawling urban centers as Salt Lake City.

Before founding his IT staffing company in 2008, he had been outsourcing software development work to Indian and urban vendors. Like many entrepreneurs in his industry, Hytry Derrington quickly discovered that finding affordable help was perhaps the biggest obstacle to his business’s growth. Disappointed by a lack of cost-savings realized from offshoring work to India – and disheartened by the high cost of hiring urban IT talent – Hytry Derrington began looking for a solution to his

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TECHNOLOGY problem off the beaten path.

Inspired by his wife’s native ties to the Dairy State, he took his search for IT talent to Wisconsin, where he found not only an innovative solution to his staffing problems but also inspiration for launching a new business venture. The hourly rate for Wisconsin software developers was “a fraction of what I was paying to Chicago-type developers, and it opened my eyes to a whole subset of the U.S. population who is highly talented, well educated, hard working and chooses to live in rural areas,” Hytry Derrington said.

Eager to help other companies tap an under-utilized talent base in northeast Wisconsin and rural America, Hytry Derrington launched Rural America OnShore Outsourcing, a business process outsourcing firm that offers professional services in a myriad of industries, ranging from software development to graphic design and interactive marketing. By allowing IT professionals to telecommute from communities such as Menasha and Appleton, where the cost of living is lower, Hytry Derrington is able to save his clients between 25 and 40 percent on labor costs.

“We’re told by our customers that our rural rates are the same as or close to India’s,” Hytry Derrington said. “Companies have no reason now to go offshore just to save money.

Businesses want to outsource, and now they can but still create American jobs.”

Hytry Derrington made Two Rivers the permanent home of his IT staffing firm in 2009. Today, his business is experiencing rapid growth. With development offices located in three states, Rural America (www.ruralamericaonshore.com) recruits talent

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in 47 states and maintains a database of more than 4,000 candidates, most of whom are seasoned professionals with college degrees and years of industry experience.

Hytry Derrington said it is the growth of rural broadband that has made his business model possible.

“Because $7 billion is being spent on broadband throughout the USA, there’s an estimated 11 million Americans who will be entering the virtual workforce,” Hytry Derrington said.

“Our whole business model is based on the fact that we bring work to the person without the person having to relocate,” he said.

Helping companies and rural professionals discover opportunities that lie outside the traditional geographic box is more than just a business idea to Hytry Derrington. He has made the concept behind Rural America OnShore Outsourcing his life’s mission. To that end, he recently collaborated with county and state economic development officials to launch TechShore. org – a nonprofit organization committed to educating IT professionals and entrepreneurs about high-tech opportunities in Wisconsin. The online economic development platform is expected to launch this fall.

In order to grow Wisconsin’s IT industry, “we have to talk about the talent pool that’s here, the cost of wages and the low cost of buildings that are here,” Hytry Derrington said.

“We’re going to have Web cams up and down the whole coast lines so people can see how beautiful it is here.”

A second goal of TechShore.org is to help aspiring entrepreneurs in the state connect with the resources needed to launch their own home-grown, high-tech startups.

“Having moved here three years ago, the resources for technology startups outside of Milwaukee, Madison and Green Bay were limited,” Hytry Derrington said, a trend he hopes to change with the help of other IT professionals and economic development officials. A long-term goal of TechShore.org is to “provide entrepreneurs with resources of where to go to access technology attorneys, good bankers, good accountants (who understand intellectual property),” Hytry Derrington said, adding there are “banks all around the country that cater to early-stage companies; we need resources like that here in Wisconsin.”

Companies like Rural America, DealerFire and ImproMed are proof that IT workers and high-tech entrepreneurs no longer have to choose between cutting-edge careers and their hometown communities. Driven by the expansion of rural broadband, a long-standing tradition of high-tech innovation, and Wisconsin’s strong technical college and university systems, the New North is abounding with as much world-class talent and raw potential as Silicon Valley. To a large extent, developing that potential is simply a matter of changing public perception and raising national awareness.

“We have to educate people about the opportunities here in Wisconsin,” Hytry Derrington said. “That is how you’re going to create technology jobs here.”

Jessica La Plante-Wikgren is a freelance writer based out of Green Bay. She previously worked as a feature writer and staff reporter for The Door County Advocate and the Green Bay News-Chronicle. La Plante-Wikgren can be reached by email at jlaplante@centurytel.net.

www.newnorthb2b.com

FIREFIGHTERS PROGRESS REPORT

Firefighters of northeast Wisconsin Sprint to the finish As we come down the final stretch of our inaugural Firefighters of Northeast Wisconsin initiative, all three of our business owners have made dramatic strides to improve the outlook for their companies.

Since we last heard Vaughn about the progress of Action Painting and Carpet Care, LLC of Appleton in our July 2011 edition of New North B2B, owners June and Ruben Contreras have continued their work with Guident Business Solutions to establish their annual budget.

The couple worked with Gary Vaughan, president of Guident, to identify the various profit centers of the business and establish a related cost-of-goodssold for each profit center.

“This allows Ruben and June to calculate which r e v e n u e sources make the company the most money in the form of gross profit,” Vaughan explained.

From there, the Contrerases establish a job costing process which allows Ruben to know how each specific job preformed against the estimate he calculated, and to identify which jobs are most profitable. Now at the end of each month, the Contrerases can compare their actual financials to their budgeted financial performance. Most importantly, Vaughn said, they can see what areas of their company need immediate attention rather than waiting months to fix a problem once it’s already cropped up.

“In today’s economy, making good, informed decisions is more important than ever,” Vaughan said. “Valid financial data can often be the determinant in realizing the expected outcome and being able to sleep at night.”

Guident Business Solutions LLC www.guidentbusinesssolutions.com

Since the last update on Green Baybased IT Connexx and DVM Connexx in our August issue, the two companies have come quite a long way in exploring options for the future of the two companies. From the outset back in April, coVan Remortel owners Kevin Scholz and Brian O’Shaughnessy organized a development team of their staff to help them define strategy for the future.

Working with Steve Van Remortel from SM Advisors in Green Bay, the development team held a host of breakthrough discussions on why a customer would choose to do business with IT Connexx compared with one of its competitors.

“The team development process got the team in their proverbial ‘underwear’ that led to some of the most candid discussions the leadership team ever had,” Van Remortel said.

After defining competencies that differentiated IT Connexx and DVM Connexx in the markets in which they both compete, the development team crafted a vision for 3 years out that all employees can use to make informed decisions, and it mapped out a functional organizational structure to achieve that vision.

“The company was on its way to stop selling vanilla ice cream,” Van Remortel said, noting the results they’ve experienced so far are similar to those of other companies with which he’s worked.

In our October 2011 edition, we’ll include a full feature length article wrapping up the Firefighters initiative and highlighting the changes each business made and what they each learned about themselves.

On the Web

SM Advisors www.smadvisors.com

Methodology New North B2B kicked off its inaugural Firefighters of Northeast Wisconsin initiative in April 2011, aimed at assisting those northeast Wisconsin small business owners who feel as if they’re constantly burning the candle at both ends, putting out fires, spinning their wheels, but intent on finding a way to improve.

We put out a call for nominations back in January. In the end, our staff selected two businesses: IT Connexx of Green Bay, an IT contractor for small to mid-sized companies throughout the region, and Action Painting & Carpet Care of Appleton.

Through the generous help of Steve Van Remortel of SM Advisors in Green Bay and Gary Vaughan of Guident Business Solutions in Appleton, the two dedicated-to-improve businesses are receiving four to five month’s worth of consulting at no cost to help their owners work on the strategy of growing their business rather than regularly attending to problems.

B2B is providing a monthly update on the progress of their efforts in each issue of B2B leading up to October 2011. In between issues, additional updates will be provided online at our blog newnorthb2b.wordpress.com.

NEW NORTH B2B l SEPTEMBER 2011 l 35

PROFESSIONALLY SPEAKING

Weekend at Bernie’s?

by Reinhart Partners Inc.

In this 1980s film a pair of losers pretend their murdered employer is really alive, but the murderer is out to ‘finish him off.’ A series of escapades is designed to convince everyone that Bernie is still alive.

The Greeks are essentially starring in the financial remake of this film as the European Central Bank continues trying to convince all interested parties that just a little more credit will make everything OK. The reality is, like Bernie, Greece is already financially dead. Nothing will bring them back to a position to be able to pay all their accumulated debts. Traders are actively keeping track of when debt rollovers are due for Greece, events that have become a critical variable for the markets. As the world watches to see if new credit will service Greece’s old debts that are coming due, the markets tend to sell off. Once credit is extended, investors come flooding positively back into the market until the next worrisome rollover. This is a micro example of the “risk on, risk off” trade that has become the

Greg Pierce

36 l NEW NORTH B2B l SEPTEMBER 2011

norm for individual and institutional investors since the financial crisis.

But just like a Hollywood movie, this plotline cannot go on forever. At some point the value of Greek debt is going to be written down to something closer to half its current value. European banks will then reduce their capital levels and the fear is that another 2008 chain reaction will begin.

It is painfully clear why political and economic leadership is anxious to avoid even the potential for this, and this is the reason why there is such aggressive intervention anytime the credit markets sense a problem. Unfortunately, the stakes keep rising.

Greece is a small country in population and economic output, but Ireland and Portugal also fit this profile and have their own debt issues. Spain has been mentioned as the next most likely problem area, but it appears that Italy is going to beat them to it.

Interest rates have recently spiked in Italy as fear of their high levels of debt to GDP grips the markets. Ironically, private debt is not a problem in Italy but government debt

920.230.6850 is 125 percent of economic output. The Italians are currently working on an austerity plan to reduce their vulnerability to the credit markets.

All of these examples continue to convince us the Euro is not going to be a “forever” currency. Its demise is likely a few years away, but its death appears to be inevitable. The continued currency partnership of multiple countries with divergent fiscal policies, growth rates, and social constructs would be a challenge under any circumstance. Once a “tipping point” number of these countries go their own fiscal ways, the underpinnings of the experiment in a common currency will fall away and narrower self-interest will be the order of the day, which is already beginning to happen.

Greg Pierce, Partner and Financial Advisor at Reinhart Partners Inc., is well known and respected in the investment industry nationwide. You can reach Greg at 920-230-6850 or gpierce@reinhartpartnersinc.com.

www.newnorthb2b.com

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Offering your employees a plan with 100% preventive care coverage means they can give 100% too. From annual checkups to flu shots and other preventive care services like well-child visits and immunizations. All at no extra cost to your employees. So they stay healthy. And your business does too.

Learn more about what Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield has to offer at anthem.com/connects2

Life and Disability products underwritten by Anthem Life Insurance Company. Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is the trade name of: In Colorado: Rocky Mountain Hospital and Medical Service, Inc. HMO products underwritten by HMO Colorado, Inc. In Connecticut: Anthem Health Plans, Inc. In Indiana: Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc. In Kentucky: Anthem Health Plans of Kentucky, Inc. In Maine: Anthem Health Plans of Maine, Inc. In Missouri (excluding 30 counties in the Kansas City area): RightCHOICE速 Managed Care, Inc. (RIT), Healthy Alliance速 Life Insurance Company (HALIC), and HMO Missouri, Inc. RIT and certain affiliates administer non-HMO benefits underwritten by HALIC and HMO benefits underwritten by HMO Missouri, Inc. RIT and certain affiliates only provide administrative services for self-funded plans and do not underwrite benefits. In Nevada: Rocky Mountain Hospital and Medical Service, Inc. HMO products underwritten by HMO Colorado, Inc., dba HMO Nevada.

In New Hampshire: Anthem Health Plans of New Hampshire, Inc. In Ohio: Community Insurance Company. In Virginia: Anthem Health Plans of Virginia, Inc. trades as Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Virginia, and its service area is all of Virginia except for the City of Fairfax, the Town of Vienna, and the area east of State Route 123. In Wisconsin: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wisconsin (BCBSWi), which underwrites or administers the PPO and indemnity policies; Compcare Health Services Insurance Corporation (Compcare), which underwrites or administers the HMO policies; and Compcare and BCBSWi collectively, which underwrite or administer the POS policies. Independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. 速 ANTHEM is a registered trademark of Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield names and symbols are registered marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

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

Brown County Titletown Distillery LLC, Josh Kozinski, 835 Potts Ave., Ashwaubenon 54304.

Shalom Medical Staffing LLC, Adetunji Akinlolu Adejumo, 2082 River Point Ct., De Pere 54115.

Erdmann Family Dairy LLC, Thomas N. Erdmann, Sr., 2646 Apple Creek Road, De Pere 54115.

The Right Alignment Company Inc., Kelly Wendricks, 1313 Rita Lane, De Pere 54115.

Precision Martial Arts LLC, Adam B. Brown, 3550 Heritage Road, De Pere 54115.

Bay Area Packaging LLC, Bryan Vander Bloomen, 1334 Sand Acres Dr., De Pere 54115.

George Street Cafe LLC, Amy J. Dunbar, 528 N. Washington St., De Pere 54115.

Northern Division Trophies of Grace/ Kings Collection Inc., James R. Panetti, 2698 Lost Dauphin Road, De Pere 54115.

Fritsch Carpentry Plus LLC, Sue Ellen Fritsch, 4390 Flagstone Ct., De Pere 54115.

Joseph A. Interiors LLC, Thomas John DeLeers, 1825 Nimitz Dr., De Pere 54115.

Daikon Controls LLC, Axel Riemer, 2809 Viking Dr., Apt. 207, Green Bay 54304.

New Immigrant Support Center LLC, Dahir O. Nur, 1600 Shawano Ave., Ste. 208, Green Bay 54303.

Bob’s Lawn Care LLC, Robert L. Matuszewski, 2444 Sunrise Ct., Green Bay 54302.

KP Custom Woodwork LLC, Kirk James Prosser, 916 Green Ridge Dr., Green Bay 54313.

Lee Transportation Services LLC, Choua Lee, 989 W. Mason St., Green Bay 54303.

Love Seed Enterprises Inc., Steven P. Nys, 3003 Holland Road, Green Bay 54313.

Housecalls LLC, Christopher Charles Gustafson, 2702 Ravine Way, Green Bay 54301.

38 l NEW NORTH B2B l SEPTEMBER 2011

Casaloma Towers LLC and Casaloma Apartments LLC, Jeffrey T. Marlow, 1300 N. Kimps Ct., Green Bay 54313.

Mathys Painting & Staining Inc., Scott M. Daul, 605 Doe Trail Ct., Green Bay 54313.

H & L Cleaning LLC, Hilda Valencia, 2801 E. Edward Dr., Green Bay 54302.

Skyliner Fabrics Inc. and Bay Enviro Tire Inc., Arnold W. Schmidt, 2929 Walker Dr., Green Bay 54311.

New Creations of Wisconsin LLC, Michael J. Nemec, 1114 N. Military Ave., Ste. E, Green Bay 54303.

F.A.S.T. Consulting LLC, Samantha Jane McKenzie, 2420 S. Webster Ave., Green Bay 54301.

Psychological Solutions LLC, Katie M. Rollin, 2061 Bellevue St., Green Bay 54311.

Kapone Floral LLC, Stephanie L. Kaponya, 1220 Loch Dr., Green Bay 54304.

Up Daily Deals LLC, David Aregoni, 317 N. Locust, Green Bay 54303.

Daphni Band LLC, Michael Patrick Casey, 818 S. Maple Ave., Green Bay 54304.

Silver Thimble Quilt & Gift Shoppe LLC, Nanette Guzzonato, 2475 University Ave., Green Bay 54302.

East Side Auto Sales LLC, Oscar C. Rios, 1322 Main St., Green Bay 54302.

ESA Printing and Promo LLC, Edison Sumbio Amachree, 425 Steven St., Green Bay 54303.

The Grass Barber LLC, Nicholas John Hendricks, 1598 Grandview, Green Bay 54311.

Taste of Chicago Inc., Zeid Alshorah, 2815 S. Oneida St., Green Bay 54304.

Pike River Construction LLC, Terence E. Williams, 1248 Crestwood Dr., Green Bay 54313.

Polka Dots Children’s Store LLC, Michelle L. Vista, 60 Brookwood Circle, Oneida 54155.

Provative Energy Consulting LLC, Chris Matthiesen, 2474 Woodington Way, Suamico 54173.

All Purpose Cleaning LLC, Lee Chamberlain, 1386 Longtail Beach Road, Suamico 54173.

Calumet County Quality Living Consultants LLC, Margaret M. Storey, W4773 Nature Lane, Sherwood 54169. www.newnorthb2b.com

WHO’S NEWS Fond

du

Lac County

Flyway Agency LLC, Steven L. Peters, N3921 Oak Grove Road, Brandon 53919.

Jaws Electric LLC, Randy J. Zeman, 26 Manor Hill Dr., Eden 53019.

Gassner Custom Carpentry LLC, Nicholas Gassner, W5176 Maple Ridge Dr., Fond du Lac 54937.

Eagle Eye Firearms Training LLC, Andrew Vissers, 525 Winnebago Dr., Fond du Lac 54935.

Hazel Photography LLC, Jody N. Fugiel, 39 Olcott St., Fond du Lac 54935.

D&A Auto Sales LLC, Doug Psenicka, 624 S. Hickory St., Fond du Lac 54935.

Epic Trucking LLC, Peter Frank, Jr., 25 Mulberry Ct., Fond du Lac 54935.

Trails End Pub ‘n Grub LLC, Ronald E. Boda, 440 Satterlee St., Fond du Lac 54935.

Pine Breeze Dairy LLC, Brian L. Gerrits, W2651 Kiel Road, Malone 53049.

L&L Lodge LLC, Steven P. Lewis, 863 Nordane Ave., Ripon 54971.

Galactic Trucking LLC, Noah A. Machkovich, W235 Prairie Road, Ripon

Amazing Fall & Winter Deals!

54971.

Viaggio LLC, Lisa Marie Stollenwerk, 215 E. Main St., Waupun 53963.

Oconto County

Bilingual Speech & Language Service LLC, Anne Marie Rose Martin, 3420 Nikodem Lane, Abrams 54101.

Outagamie County Transmodal Specialist Inc., Carl A. Stechly, 1114 E. Sylvan Ave., Appleton 54915.

Midwestfest LLC, Robert Burke, 1928 W. Wisconsin Ave., Appleton 54914.

Trusty Restoration LLC, John Dossett, 536 N. Richmond St., Appleton 54911.

Blissful Bodywork LLC, Kristie Ross, 5601 W. Grande Market Dr., Appleton 54913.

Healthy Steps Massage LLC, Tammy Jean Schleicher, 5601 Grande Market Dr., Ste. B, Appleton 54913.

Custom Manufacturing Consulting LLC, Ralph A. Neely, Sr., 1003 W. Commercial St., Appleton 54914.

Compass Personal Home Care LLC, Jeremy Vetter, 3602 N. Marcos Lane, Appleton 54911.

CCB Air Duct Cleaning LLC, Scott A. Doran, W2412 Tree Line Ct., Appleton 54915.

Fox Cities Residential Services LLC, Michael Kenneth Langworthy, Sr., 1700 E. Longview Dr., #4, Appleton 54911.

Growing Together Child Care Center LLC, Katie J. Goffard, 1411 N. Lynndale Dr., Appleton 54914.

Edgewater Tech LLC, Kathleen Milbach, 1202 W. Hiawatha Dr., Appleton 54914.

Reliable Writing Services LLC, Susan Borowski, W6841 Greenridge Dr., Greenville 54942.

The Chiropractic Advantage LLC, Brent Alan Buss, W6393 Rickey Lane, Greenville 54942.

Life Line Fitness LLC, David D. Immel, N1833 Hyacinth Ct., Greenville 54942.

Big Head Golf LLC, James Lee Murray, 624 Frances St., #2, Kaukauna 54130.

Get ‘em Hooked Guide Service LLC, Kevin W. Davidson, 120 E. 4th Street, Ste. 101, Kaukauna 54130.

The Pastry Pixie LLC, Ashley De Goey, 2227 E. Wisconsin Ave., Kaukauna 54130.

Visit Green Lake for your next event

Hold your next event with us between September 1, 2011 and March 31, 2012 and receive ALL items below: • FREE meeting room rental • 30% off published guest room rates (based on availability) • 15% off catered food (excluding government menus) • FREE hosted cookie/soda break Offer valid on new bookings only, minimum of 10 rooms.

Must be booked by December 1, 2011. Restrictions apply.

Return to the place you’ve always wanted to be.

Green Lake, WI • www.heidelhouse.com • 920.294.3344

NEW NORTH B2B l SEPTEMBER 2011 l 39

WHO’S NEWS We bring years of experience and knowledge together in a way that exceeds our customers’ expectations over and over.

Pflag Appleton Inc., Jennifer Perrin, 2100 Chesterfield Ct., Kaukauna 54130.

United Hmong American Association Inc., Tracie Houa Hang, 820 Schelfhout Lane, Kimberly 54136.

Progressive Controls Inc., Jay Blasewitz, 571 Marcella St., Kimberly 54136.

Tullar Townhomes LLC, Robert A. De Bruin, 1718 Van Zeeland Ct., Little Chute 54140.

Winnebago County

Becky Cook Customer Service 13 years experience Our benefit services team, based in Wisconsin, averages nine years of experience at Delta Dental of Wisconsin. To find out more about Becky and her team visit: experience.deltadentalwi.com

Experience. The Delta Dental Difference.

40 l NEW NORTH B2B l SEPTEMBER 2011

TNT Limousine Service LLC, Tina A. Simmons, 936 9th St., Menasha 54952.

Hand Up Guardians Inc., Kathleen A. Miller, 850 2nd St., Menasha 54952.

Laurent Insurance Agency LLC, Victoria Marie Laurent, 842 Emily St., Menasha 54952.

Andrew Mark Englebert Attorney at Law LLC, Andrew Mark Englebert, 180 Main St., Ste. A, Menasha 54952.

Spark Engineering Services LLC, Gurjinder Dhami, 215 Bosworth Ct., Neenah 54956.

Broken H-Art Restoration LLC, Ruth Melzer, 512 Laudan Blvd., Neenah 54956.

Computer Central Inc., Jesse Chase, 1496 North St., Neenah 54956.

Canine Clicker College LLC, Mary Margaret Johnson, 527 Kessler Dr., Neenah 54956.

Finch Graphic Design LLC, David Jon Finch, Jr., 204 Olde School Road, Neenah 54956.

Mindfulness Center for Wellbeing LLC, Judy A. Rogers, 1605 Bluebird Ct., Neenah 54956.

Hendricks Family Distillery LLC, Peggy L. Hendricks, 3570 N. County Road K, Omro 54963.

Cyber Online Marketing LLC, Voua Vang, 923 S. Main St., Ste. F, Oshkosh 54902.

Sullivan Exteriors LLC, Benjamin James Sullivan, 856 W. 12th Ave., Oshkosh 54902.

JDL Accounting & Tax Services Inc., Jennifer L. SchoenbergerLauer, 102 N. Oakwood Road, Oshkosh 54904.

Ecklund International Inc., Trenton Leroy Ecklund, 2794 Marine Dr., Oshkosh 54901.

Wood Wonders Specialties LLC, Martin E. Paulik, 1152 W. 18th Ave., Oshkosh 54902.

Party Solutions LLC, William Douglas Pitsch, 3691 Brooks Road, Oshkosh 54904.

Institutional Management LLC, Nathan Olson, 146 Algoma Blvd., Ste. A, Oshkosh 54901.

Oshkosh Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses Inc., Matthew Scott Pemble, 1506 Spruce St., Oshkosh 54901.

Bison Insulation Inc., Thomas J. Young, 3255 Medalist Dr., Oshkosh 54902.

RK Handyman Enterprise LLC, Russell Lee Kettner, 322 W. South Park Ave., Oshkosh 54902.

Conflict Coaching and Mediation Services of Wisconsin LLC, Ed Riddick, 1265 S. Westhaven Dr., Oshkosh 54904, Water City Church - Assemblies of God Inc., Todd Fiedler, 210 Commerce St., Ste. 300, Oshkosh 54903.

www.newnorthb2b.com

WHO’S NEWS Building Permits

Mergers/acquisitions

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

American Prosthetic Components, Inc. in Green Bay was acquired by Beverly Capital, LLC. The medical device manufacturer is one of only 13 manufacturers in the world that produce lower-extremity prosthetic feet and components. Michael Curtis, one of the founders of the company, will remain with the company as its president. Beverly Capital is a Chicagobased company focusing on investments in healthcare-related companies.

Marian University, 980 E. Division St., Fond du Lac. $801,677 for a new indoor athletic facility. General contractor is C.D. Smith Construction of Fond du Lac. July 6.

Aurora Baycare Medical Center, 2845 Greenbriar Road, Green Bay. $1,630,084 for an addition to house a linear accelerator and supporting equipment. General contractor is Howard Immel Inc. of Green Bay. July 6.

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 855 Martin Ave., Fond du Lac. $1,149,840 for an addition and interior alterations to the existing daycare center. General contractor is Capelle Bros. & Diedrich of Fond du Lac. July 7.

CitizensFirst Credit Union, 1045 E. Johnson St., Fond du Lac. $970,000 for a 4,100-sq. ft. credit union office. General contractor is Miron Construction Co. of Neenah. July 27.

Calumet Hotel, 170 Forest Ave., Fond du Lac. $1,487,655 for interior and exterior renovations to the existing hotel. General contractor is DeLeers Construction Inc. of Green Bay. July 15.

Prolamina Corp., 1055 Winchester Road, town of Menasha. $750,000 for an interior alteration of the former Kimberly-Clark diaper manufacturing plant. General contractor is Boldt Construction Company of Appleton. August 3.

New businesses Frontier Builders & Consultants was launched by Gene Frederickson and Jeff Stodola at 2204 Crooks Ave., Ste. A in Kaukauna. The company, led by the two co-owners with more than 100 years combined of industry experience, focuses on commercial construction throughout the greater Fox Valley and central and eastern parts of Wisconsin. Frontier Builders & Consultants can be contacted at 920.759.5033.

New locations Di Renzo & Bomier, LLC opened a satellite office for its Neenah-based law firm in the AnchorBank building at 420 S. Koeller St., Ste. 308 in Oshkosh. The firm’s Oshkosh office can be contacted at 920.479.6066.

Miller

Stanley

Luikart

Business honors Awards and honors earned by individuals are listed separately in the Who’s News section of New North B2B. Appleton-based WOW Logistics was named in SupplyChainBrain magazine’s 100 Great Supply Chain Partners. The 9th annual listing polls supply chain professionals across several industries. WOW Logistics was also recognized by Food Logistics magazine among its Top 100 3PL and Cold Storage Providers servicing the food industry for the sixth consecutive year.

The Fox Valley Technical College American Dental Hygienists’ Association Student Chapter received a 2010 Graduate Conversion Award from the ADHA for its high conversion rate from student members to active members. The program’s conversion rate of 85.7 percent was one of the highest in the nation for an accredited dental hygiene training program in 2010.

New hires Skyline Technologies, Inc. in Appleton and Green Bay hired Chris Miller as a business intelligence consultant and Diane Stanley as its director of finance. Miller has extensive experience as a software engineer and architect, most recently at Alta Resources in Neenah. Stanley, a certified public accountant, has experience spanning service, manufacturing and construction industries, having most recently worked for a marketing and communications firm as its chief financial officer.

Outlook Group in Neenah hired John M. Cappy as its chief executive officer. Cappy spent the last 20 years of his career with Appleton Coated LLC and with Appleton Papers, serving as CEO from 2005 through 2010. Prior to those roles, he spent 11 years in engineering and general manager roles with Champion International Corp.

Kathy A. Hinkfuss was hired as executive director of the YWCA in Green Bay. Hinkfuss previously served as vice presi-

Garcia

Beaudette

Chapman

NEW NORTH B2B l SEPTEMBER 2011 l 41

WHO’S NEWS dent of national service operations at Humana in Green Bay, as well as being a sales representative with Associated Financial Group.

Niquette

Hudziak

Dwyer

Brown

BayCare Clinic Anesthesia in Green Bay added Paul Luikart, MD as an anesthesiologist.

ThedaCare Physicians added Melissa Garcia, MD, as a family physician with Appleton North at Encircle Health; Courtney Beaudette as an advanced practice nurse practitioner with its internal medicine practice in Neenah; and Carrie Beth Chapman, MD, as a cardiologist with Appleton Cardiology and Appleton Heart Institute. Dr. Garcia has a special interest in women’s health, pediatrics, geriatrics and chronic disease management. With internal medicine as her specialty, Beaudette’s areas of interest include depression, anxiety, diabetes, hypertension, women’s health and preventative medicine. As a cardiologist with board certifications in internal medicine, cardiovascular diseases, nuclear medicine and cardiovascular CT, Dr. Chapman specializes in cardiovascular imaging and stress testing with a special interest in cardiac care for women.

Jim Rasmussen was hired by Green Bay-based RGL Holdings as vice president of organizational development and human resources. Rasmussen most recently was the owner/partner of Corporate Relocation Services and Realon in Green Bay. Before starting up CRS, he was employed with Schneider National where he had responsibilities in accounting, risk management, human resources, compensation and benefits. Prior to that role, he was a certified public accountant with Touche Ross, now Deloitte, in Milwaukee.

Appleton-based Ledgeview Partners hired Dean Niquette as a customer relationship management support consultant; Susie Hudziak as a sales and customer care division account manager; Teri Dwyer as an administrative assistant; and Kevin Brown as a software services division account manager. Niquette has 14 years of IT sales experience, most recently as a network administrator with Skyline Technologies.

Hudziak has 14 years of sales experience, while Brown has 20 years of sales and customer service experience in various industries.

Ken Derks was hired by RanderCom in Appleton as a senior technician. Derks previously worked for Brown County Communications and Bacher Communications and has 24 years of telecommunications experience as a technician and service manager.

Ben Turner was hired as the managing director of Heartland Business Systems in Little Chute. Turner has 16 years of executive leadership experience with GE Capital, most recently as CEO of GE Capital’s Mobile Interim Solutions. Turner is responsible for Heartland Business Systems sales and operations, as well as accounting and human resources functions for Heartland Business Systems and its two sister companies, Avastone Technologies and Heartland Label Printers.

Insight Creative, Inc. in Green Bay hired Cindy Joslin as its office manager and Bart Raboin as a Web / interactive designer. Joslin has more than 20 years of agency experience, previously working for FH&K and Ideas that Deliver in Neenah as a traffic manager, accountant and business director. Raboin previously worked as a Web designer for Shopko Corp. in Ashwaubenon. His responsibilities include Web site design, development and programming along with implementing interactive media.

The Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce hired Dana Jacobson as graphic designer.

Davis & Kuelthau, s.c. added attorneys Steven R. Sorenson and Thomas W. Moniz to its Oshkosh office. Both were formerly with Sorenson Law Office in Ripon. Sorenson has more than 30 years experience providing counsel on all business-related legal matters. He served terms as the president and secretary of the State Bar of Wisconsin, as well as having chaired several of its committees. Moniz has experience in corporate transactions, commercial real estate acquisitions, as well as leasing and landlord/ tenant issues.

Andrea McHugh was hired by Integrity Insurance as a personal lines underwriter. McHugh has 14 years experience in the property casualty business, most recently with McHugh Family Insurance Agency in Appleton.

Turner

Joslin

Raboin

42 l NEW NORTH B2B l SEPTEMBER 2011

Jacobson

McHugh

Stobb

Frohna www.newnorthb2b.com

WHO’S NEWS Directions Marketing in Neenah hired Kimberly Stobb as a public relations manager. Stobb has five years experience in public relations and communications, most recently having worked for Hiebing in Madison.

Michael Frohna was hired as the executive director for the Appleton Medical Center, Theda Clark Medical Center and Community Hospice Foundations. Frohna has more than 20 years of experience with nonprofit organizations, most recently having served as president of Bellin Health Foundation. Before serving in that role, he worked with American Red Cross, St. Norbert College and the American Heart Association.

Weidert Group in Appleton hired Sean Johnson as a public relations and social media specialist.

Johnson previously worked in a variety of media roles throughout the Midwest, including as a reporter, editor and new media developer with newspapers in Missouri and Wisconsin. He was also an adjunct professor of journalism at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and worked as a freelance journalist.

Duxstad Fletcher Wealth Planning in Oshkosh added William “Bill” Bowman, CPA as an investment advisor represenative and Kristie Hennes as a client services manager. Both were previously associated with Private Wealth Management in Appleton.

Gary Mattson was hired by SRC Technologies in De Pere as its director of sales and marketing.

Mattson previously spent 27 years with Hewlett Packard, where he built territories for technology services in the Central and Great Lakes regions.

Promotions Batley CPA, LLC in Green Bay, Appleton and Neenah promoted Wade Hanson and Jeff Schommer to partners in the firm, and welcomed back Mark Danielski as manager of the firm’s Appleton office.

Hanson, a CPA, has seven years experience, the last three of which have been with Batley, and manages the firm’s Green Bay office. Schommer has been with Batley CPA for six years and manages the firm’s Neenah office. Danielski, a CPA, formerly owned the practice, which he sold to Batley in 2010.

Burback

Morrison

Heindel

Society Insurance in Fond du Lac promoted Rick W. Parks to president and chief executive officer; William F. Reeves to senior vice president and chief operating officer; and D. Holly Lifke to vice president of commercial underwriting. Parks joined the company in 2005 as senior vice president and chief operating officer and has more than 30 years of property casualty insurance company experience.

Reeves joined Society in 2008 as vice president of commercial underwriting, having previously spent 25 years with General Casualty Insurance Company in a variety of executive roles. Lifke joined Society in 2000 as director of human resources and was promoted to vice president of human resources in 2004. Prior to joining Society, she worked as a bank examiner for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.

Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary in Green Bay promoted Lori Bankson from senior animal keeper to curator of animals. Bankson began working at Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary while in college. After graduation in 1998, she was hired as an animal keeper.

Insight Creative, Inc. in Green Bay promoted Stacy J. Allen from creative strategist to director of brand strategy, and promoted Angela K. Murphy from digital media designer to senior creative content designer.

Mattson

Hanson

Integrity Insurance in Appleton promoted Cindy Heindel, expanding her role as vice president of human resources to also include vice president of administration. Heindel began with Integrity in 2004 as human resources director, and was promoted to vice president in 2007. Her additional responsibilities include managing the support services, facilities and IT departments at the company.

Schommer

Individual awards Jim Morrison, a Green Bay-based professional speaker and trainer, received the National Speakers Association of Wisconsin Chapter Member of the Year Award. Morrison recently completed a term as president of the chapter.

Pete Burback, owner of Cooks Corner kitchenware store in Green Bay, was named one of HomeWorld Business Magazine’s Impact Merchants of

Murphy

Allen

Danielski

Bankson

NEW NORTH B2B l SEPTEMBER 2011 l 43

BUSINESS CALENDAR 2011. Burback was one of three winners recognized as impact merchants in the housewares industry.

Certifications Wendy McCarthy of Stellar Vision in Oshkosh earned the American Board of Optometry certification.

Business calendar New North B2B encourages businesses and organizations looking to attract interested persons to upcoming events to send an announcement to: New North B2B, Attn: Who’s News, P.O. Box 559, Oshkosh, WI 54903.

For more events, log on to www.thenewnorthevents.com.

September 7 Fond du Lac Area Association of Commerce Coffee Connection, 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. at Children’s Museum of Fond du Lac, 51 Sheboygan St. in Fond du Lac. Cost to attend is $2 for AC members. For more information or to register, go online to www.fdlac.com or call 920.921.9500.

September 8 Women in Management - Oshkosh chapter monthly meeting, 11:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. at La Sure’s Banquet Hall, 3125 S. Washburn St. in Oshkosh. Program is on Grassroot Projects. For more information or to register, go online to www. wimiwi.org or contact Nancy Jo at njdietzen@chamco.org or 920.232.9786.

September 13 Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce Sales Club, 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. at the chamber building, 120 Jackson St. in Oshkosh. No cost to attend for chamber members. For more information or to register, call 920.303.2265.

September 13-14 21st Annual Worksite Wellness Conference, presented by the Wellness Council of America-Wisconsin, at the KI Convention Center in downtown Green Bay. For more information, call 414.291.9355 or go online to www.wellnesscouncilwi.org.

September 14 Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours, 5 to 7 p.m. at Lindeman’s Cleaning, 1231 S. Monroe Ave. in Green Bay. No cost to members, or $30 for prospective members. For more information or to register, call 920.437.8704 or go online to www.titletown.org.

September 20 Annual Future Neenah, Inc. Business Exchange, 5 to 7 p.m. at Holidays Pub & Grill, 1395 W. American Dr. in Neenah. The event is open to all Fox Valley area business professionals. Cost is $2 for advance reservations or $3 at the door. To register, call Future Neenah at 920.722.1920.

October 4 “Explore Starting Your Own Business,” a no-cost seminar through the Venture Center at Fox Valley Technical College,

44 l NEW NORTH B2B l SEPTEMBER 2011

www.newnorthb2b.com

BUSINESS CALENDAR 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at FVTC’s D.J. Bordini Center, 5 Systems Dr. in Appleton. Participants will learn three critical elements to launching and sustaining a business of any size. FVTC will also provide no-cost business training consultation from 3 to 7 p.m. For more information or to register, call 920.735.5709 or go online to www.fvtc.edu/smallbiz.

October 5 Fond du Lac Area Association of Commerce Coffee Connection, 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. at Ala Roma, 171 N. Pioneer Road in Fond du Lac. Cost to attend is $2 for AC members. For more information or to register, go online to www.fdlac.com or call 920.921.9500.

October 11 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 or to register, call 920.303.2265.

Coming to B2B in October Effect of Government Taxes, legislation and regulation make a recipe that can be tough for business to chew on. How will business be affected by newly proposed or enacted changes in government?

Better Business Bureau New Members

Businesses accredited through the Northeast Wisconsin office during July 2011 All Phaze Plumbing, Green Bay Badger State Restoration LLC, Plymouth Berlin Heating & Cooling, Berlin Bill Badtke Contracting LLC, Neenah Community Lawn Care LLC, Krakow Craft E Corner, Oshkosh Endter Construction LLC, Menasha Fox Valley Asphalt, Neenah Fox Valley Metal Tech Inc., Green Bay Goss Gutters LLC, Menasha H2O Plumbing Solutions LLC, Kaukauna Indent USA LLC, New London Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company, Neenah Kampo Properties, Neenah Maaco of Appleton, Appleton Reinke Construction LLC, Kaukauna Right Choice Improvements LLC, Fond du Lac Sellect Construction, Appleton Steffel Appraisal Svc, Green Bay The Curb Crew, De Pere Tony’s Trucking & Snow Removal LLC, Princeton Tri-County Precast LLC, Marinette Welhouse Construction Services LLC, Kaukauna Zwiers Electric Inc., Freedom

Advertiser Index Anthem www.anthem.com............................................................ 37

Keller Inc. www.kellerbuilds.com ................................................... 31

Baker Tilly www.bakertilly.com......................................................... 7

Larson Engineering, Inc. www.larsonengr.com................................. 18

Bank First National www.bankfirstnational.com.................................. 24

National Exchange Bank & Trust www.nebat.com............................. 2

Bank Mutual www.bankmutual.com................................................ 33

Network Health Plan www.networkhealth.com . ................................ 47

Bouwer Printing and Mailing www.bouwerprinting.com. ..................... 11

NEW Building & Construction Trades Council www.newbt.org.......... 29

Builders Exhange of Wisconsin, Inc. www.bxwi.com........................ 7

Nsight www.nsighttel.com............................................................. 13

Capital Credit Union www.capitalcu.com........................................ 27

Outagamie County Regional Airport www.atwairport.com. ........... 15-19

CitizensFirst Credit Union www.citizensfirst.com . .............................. 8

Reinhart Partners Inc. www.reinhart-partners.com.............................. 36

Davis & Kuelthau, s.c. www.dkattorneys.com..................................... 5

R. J. Albright Inc. www.rjalbright.com. ........................................... 34

Delta Dental www.deltadentalwi.com............................................... 40

Sadoff & Rudoy Industries www.sadoff.com................................... 14

Digiprint www.digiprint.biz............................................................ 16

Stifel, Nicolaus & Co. www.stifel.com . ......................................... 25

Fast Signs www.fastsigns.com....................................................... 44

TEC www.tecmidwest.com. ............................................................ 20

First Business Bank www.firstbusiness.com. .................................... 46

Thomas James Real Estate www.tjrsite.com.................................. 48

First National Bank ~ Fox Valley www.fnbfoxvalley.com. ................... 11

UW-Oshkosh College of Business www.mba.uwosh.edu................... 23

First Weber Group/Schwab Realty www.firstweber.com..................... 28

Village of Little Chute www.littlechutewi.org..................................... 32

Frontier Builders & Consultants . ............................................. 36

West Side Association www.westsideassociation.com......................... 38

Guident Business Solutions www.guidentbusinesssolutions.com............ 24

Winnebago County Solid Waste Management

Heidel House Resort and Spa www.heidelhouse.com........................ 39

www.co.winnebago.wi.us/solid-waste/container-rental-program. ....................

J. F. Ahern Co. www.jfahern.com. ................................................. 32

44

Wisconsin Careers www.wc-connection.org........................................ 9 NEW NORTH B2B l SEPTEMBER 2011 l 45

KEY STATISTICS Per gallon of regular unleaded gasoline.

$3.64 August 14 $3.66 August 7 $3.66 July 31 $3.70 Aug. 21, 2010 $2.64 August 21

Source: New North B2B observations

July

604,000

1.5%

from June

9.8%

from July 2010 July

0.2%

from June

8.3%

from July 2010

July

$390.4 billion

0.5%

from June

8.5%

from July 2010

Appleton Fond du Lac Green Bay Neenah Oshkosh Wisconsin

(2007 = 100)

July

94.2

0.9%

from June

3.7%

from July 2010 (Manufacturers and trade)

June

$1,519 billion

0.3%

from May

11.1%

June May June ‘10

9.6% 9.0% 9.2% 8.4% 11.2% 10.1% 9.2% 9.1% 8.4% 7.4% 8.1% 7.4%

10.6% 9.8% 11.0% 10.0% 8.3% 8.4%

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

Listed price is per therm.

$0.779 July $0.766 Aug. 2010 $0.808 August

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

July June

50.9 55.3

from June 2010

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

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46 l NEW NORTH B2B l SEPTEMBER 2011

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

www.newnorthb2b.com

Expect More From a Health Plan One of an employer’s greatest assets is its employees, and the health and well-being of those employees is an important priority.

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www.NetworkHealth.com

HMO plans underwritten by Network Health Plan. POS plans underwritten by Network Health Insurance Corporation, or underwritten by Network Health Insurance Corporation and Network Health Plan. Self-funded HMO and POS plans administered by Network Health Plan.

Tom Scharpf

tjr2216@aol.com www.tjrsite.com

920.379.0744

commercial land available in oshkosh starting at $79,900

compLEX INcLUDES mINI WarEhoUSES

poSSIBLE SELLEr fINaNcING

2909 Green hill court, Vinland

3434 Jackson Street, oshkosh

3483 Jackson Street, oshkosh

For lease 2,600 SF or 5,200 SF Each unit has a showroom/office 18’ ceiling heights & overhead doors

For sale 31,000 SF industrial complex For lease 1,920 SF to 4,720 SF Large asphalt area + excess vacant land

For sale, 25,000 SF industrial building Lease, 4,875 SF to 19,000 SF in building 6 loading docks - 12 overhead doors

cLaSS a rESTaUraNT/Bar

aBoUT 15 acrES of EXcESS LaND

poSSIBLE SELLEr fINaNcING

215 W. murdock avenue, oshkosh

5850 State road 76, Vinland

2308 Jackson Street, oshkosh

For sale 4,845 SF building 3 dining areas seat 115 - bar seats 25 Great location next to Walgreens

For sale or lease 11,500 SF restaurant/bar 3,000 Sf of basement storage

For sale or lease 3,928 SF retail/office building Great corner location

oN hWY 41 EXIT hWY 45-S 2 mIN

fIrST fLoor offIcE coNDo

oN hWY 41 EXIT hWY 44 Go W 2 mIN

1936-B algoma Blvd., oshkosh

600 S. main Street, oshkosh

2380 State road 44, oshkosh

For lease 1,400 SF suite 4 offices, waiting area, shared kitchenette professional office setting

For sale 2,950 SF office condo Open office space, private offices, conference room, lunch room 1,100 Sf of basement storage

For lease 800 SF suite 3 offices + visitor area & kitchenette 8 person shared conference room

Tom Scharpf ❘ 920.379.0744 ❘ tjr2216@aol.com ❘ www.tjrsite.com

commercial land available in oshkosh starting at $79,900

SharED TrUcK ramp