June 2016 Active Voice

Insights

Value, Not Equation It was painfully clear that this model punished members for growth of their business.

Events

Business on the Green 2016

Newsroom

Mid-State Students Place in Statewide Skills Contest Talent Development

Leadership Portage County

LPC challenges participants to broaden their understanding of Portage County.

Portage County Business Council

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How do you get 40 people to meet at 7 a.m.?

Coffee–lots of coffee–and great conversation about young professionals in Portage County!

Sparked by the New ERA PC workshop, action teams are now forming and will be meeting soon.

Email newerapoco@ gmail.com if you’re interested in sharing your voice and talents.

- Ignite Leadership Network Portage County

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Portage County Business Council 5501 Vern Holmes Drive Stevens Point, WI 54482 715-344-1940 www.portagecountybiz.com Todd Kuckkahn - Executive Director Karen Schanock - Director of Programs & Events Kayla Rombalski- Director of Talent Development Kari Thompson - Director of Operations Tonya Kowalski - Director of Business Engagement Angel Whitehead -Marketing Communications Coordinator Portage County Business Council

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CONTACTS:

@PoCoBiz

tkuckkah@portagecountybiz..com kschanoc@portagecountybiz.com talent@portagecountybiz.com kthompso@portagecountybiz.com tkowalsk@portagecountybiz.com admin@portagecountybiz.com Portage County Business Council

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CONTENTS 4 Value Not equation

The response from the business community to our new value-based membership model has been astounding.

7 business after hours What is Business After Hours? A social event designed for and hosted

by Business Council members to give business professionals an opportunity to network, share ideas, and have their facility seen by other members.

8 They Key to employyee engagement is you

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Would you trust the care of your most beloved loved one to someone who didn’t like you very much? If you have disengaged employees you might be doing just that.

11 New ERa group selection At the end of April a 100 Day Check In was held to show progress since the date of the initial New ERA Workshop.

14 business on the green »» p.4

With over 200 golfers participating and additional business representatives attending the 19th Hole Networking Dinner, the event provided a great environment to expand contacts.

17 spring celebration review The Portage County Business Council Foundation’s Annual Spring Celebration was held Tuesday, May 3, 2016. More than 100 people attended this evening of celebration.

18 leadership portage county During this relaxed LPC session participants reflected on their previous 9 months in the program and learned about LPC Alumni programs for them to participate in the future. »» p.18 3

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VALUE, NOT EQUATIONS DIRECTOR’S INSIGHT - TODD KUCKKAHN The response from the business community to our new valuebased membership model has been astounding. During our face-toface meetings with the business community, it has been helpful to hear the challenges and opportunity ahead impacting our economic vitality.

Our old chamber membership model focused on charging a member based on the number of employees or hotel rooms or bank assets. It was painfully clear that this model punished members for growth of their business. That seemed odd for a chamber to punish growth. It also meant that businesses with more employees didn’t necessarily get more for their dollar. That’s the old way now!

We’ve heard loud and clear that as the economic development engine of our community, we FIRST need to listen. And we have! Where there are immediate concerns with simpler (but not easier) solutions, we have 4

passed them on to the best resource.

For example, one business had concerns about bus/transit service for their clients as well as bike access.

The municipality is now working on possible solutions.

We also listened and heard how we can better help businesses tell their story. We realized our website doesn’t need to solely be about us but should promote our members.

Our new company profiles and digital marketing packages do just that, by helping us tell your story. These are just a few changes and with this new value-based model, there are many more!

Additionally, there is the long-term challenge of employee retention and attraction. We just finished another class of Leadership Portage County (LPC), which in its own right can be utilized by a business for employee retention and attraction. Studies do

show that employees engaged in and who have a better understanding of their community, are more likely to stay as employees and community members. The recent LPC class just gave us some great advice on how to grow the program even further.

We have also learned that several businesses support us just because they know we are the leader in economic development, including member education, programs and events, and not because of chamber benefits They remind us that in those few instances where we might not have a direct impact on sales, we are very much about creating partnerships to keep our business and employee retention and attraction moving forward.

to hear the challenges

As I just celebrated my first year in my role as executive director, I am so honored and humbled by all of the support I have received from the Board of Directors, staff, business community, municipalities and education. As I continue to drink from the “firehose” of economic development information, please give me and the team more opportunities to listen to the needs of our community.

& opportunity ahead

We can all only get better together!

impacting our economic

tkuckkah@portagecountybiz.com

It has been helpful

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HEL PING TO GROW A COMMUNITY

TONYA KOWALSKI, DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS ENGAGEMENT

The other day, my son was asked “Where does your mom work?” and he replied “At a place that helps businesses.” I couldn’t have answered better myself. And, while PCBC strives every day to help businesses in Portage County, the truth is, often times our member businesses actually end up helping us!

So, THANK YOU to all of our members that work so hard day in and day out.

Please know that you are making a difference! If I haven’t been out to meet you yet, I will be soon, and if you would like me to come visit at a particular time, give me a call or send me an email and we can schedule that visit right away!

Our members help us: learn new ways of doing things, support the local economy, challenge old ways of thinking, employ thousands of workers, provide leadership to area youth, cultivate an entrepreneurial spirit, give back to the community, contribute to economic vitality, and most of all, they help us make Portage County a great place to live, work, and play.

Contact Tonya for ALL of your membership needs!

I am continually fascinated by the amount of good work being done in Portage County.

715-344-1940 tkowalsk@portagecountybiz.com

One of the things I enjoy most about my job is being able to get out and meet many of our members. I am continually fascinated by the amount of good work being done in Portage County. Getting the opportunity to take facility tours, learn about success and challenges businesses face, and having conversations with professionals regarding the role PCBC plays in business growth has been invaluable.

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6.8.16 \\ 7:30 A.M. - 8:30 A.M. PCBC FOUNDATION ROOM NO COST TO ATTEND. CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST IS INCLUDED.

What is the Business X-Change? A roundtable presentation which allows business owners and their employees the opportunity to discuss pertinent topics, learn from local industry leaders and, most importantly, learn from each other.

Business X-Change meets regularly throughout the year from 7:30 - 8:30am at the Portage County Business Council office.

TOPIC: “ARE MOBILE APPS REALLY WORTH THE HYPE?” At this X-Change participants will learn: 1. Important mobile statistics and how mobile apps work.

2. The differences between mobile apps and mobile websites.

3. The advantages and disadvantages of developing a mobile app.

4. The right questions to ask when determining whether or not a mobile app is right for your business.

About our Speaker:

Katy Bailey is an Internet Marketing Consultant at the Little Online Agency, LLC. She graduated with a BBA in Marketing from the University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh and is a certified Google Analytics and AdWords Consultant. Katy has worked in the online marketing industry for the past seven years and has experience in blogging, copywriting, social media, email marketing and SEO. Her passion is to help small business improve their presence online.

Special THANK YOU to Little Online Agency, LLC for their sponsorship of this program.

Brief Outline: Businesses of all shapes and sizes can agree that the digital environment everchanging. There is always a “next big thing” that consumes seminars, blog posts and email newsletters.

With the exponential increase of smartphone ownership in recent years, mobile apps have taken center stage, but how do you know if this medium deserves exploring or is just a bandwagon that you should let pass on by?

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» CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

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BUSI NESS AFTER HOURS MONDAY, JUNE 20, 2016 , CWSO, NO COST TO ATTEND

Sponsored by

Located at 800 Main Street (inside the Smith Scarabocchio Art Museum), downtown Stevens Point.

Parking: Readily available on the downtown square, on the street (corner of Water Street and Main Street), or directly across Water Street in the City of Stevens Point parking lots.

Enjoy complimentary hors d’oeuvres (including string cheese wontons, asparagus rolls, crab stuffed pea pods, stuffed cherry tomatoes, assorted pastry puffs, and mini fruit kabobs), assorted alcohol and nonalcoholic beverages (including punch from Great Northern Distilling), tours of the building, presentations from the artist curatorial steering committee for the Smith Scarabocchio Art Museum and the CWSO, a preview of what’s coming up for the museum and the CWSO, door prize giveaways and a 50/50 raffle.

What is Business After Hours? A social event designed for and hosted by Business Council members to give business professionals an opportunity to network, share ideas, and have their facility seen by other members. The member host furnishes refreshments and hors d’oeuvres for the evening.

A different Business Council member hosts Business After Hours every month.

Members are welcome to co-host the event with another Business Council member. Please call Karen Schanock at 715-344-1940 or email at kschanoc@portagecountybiz.com to book the month you are interested in.

RSVP by Friday, June 17, 2016.

View Map

Register Online

AMBASSADORS SHO W THEIR SUPPORT

On May 12th members of our Ambassadors Club and PCBC staff visited new PCBC member Lettie W. Jensen Community Center located at 487 N Main Street in Amherst. Special thanks to Cathy & Jodi from the Center for providing us a great tour and details about the organization.

Members of our Ambassadors Club and PCBC staff joined Skyward as they celebrated their New World Headquarters on May 24th. A ribbon cutting ceremony, building tours and reception took place. Congratulations!

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THE KEY TO EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT IS YOU INSIGHT

Would you trust the care of your most beloved loved one to someone who didn’t like you very much? If you have disengaged employees you might be doing just that.

It is impossible for a disengaged employee to provide excellent customer service. It doesn’t matter how skilled the employee is, if they think of your business as the mere source of income, you/they won’t be wowing your customers.

Worse than that, those suffering from disengagement should be quarantined by the CDC as it is a highly infectious disease. One disengaged employee can make all of your employees reevaluate their level of happiness within your business. For this reason, employee engagement is one of the most important investments you can make in your company. The good news is, a lot of that is up to you.

Act Decisively If you have employees who are showing signs of being disengaged, don’t let it fester hoping it will go away. It won’t.

It will spread. Before you even begin working on your company culture, tackle this problem head on. Talk with the individuals involved. See if you can’t come to an understanding of how you can both work on turning it around.

The one thing you don’t want is happy employees seeing disengaged employees sitting around doing the minimum with a lousy attitude and getting paid for it. Employees are not robots. No matter how many times you tell others to ignore your Eeyore in the 8

corner, the bad feelings are bound to disrupt the working environment.

Some disengaged employees are too far gone. While you should give them the opportunity to turn it around, know that this is not always possible. In those cases, you need to help that employee begin the journey in finding what will light their fire.

If you hire well and communicate expectations, goals and your mission, assuming your employees have the resources they need to succeed, they will begin to feel the company’s success is their success. To that end, use inclusive language like “we” when communicating where you want the business to go and how you’ll get there.

Decide Who You Are and Communicate It

However, when giving specific direction or assignments forgo the “we.” No one knows who’s doing what when you talk in generic terms about specific roles like “We will check the Facebook page each morning.”

This idea is much easier if you start your business with a mission and you clearly convey it to everyone you hire. Your mission doesn’t have to be something as grand as ending world hunger. A mission can be as simple as being “Smithville’s favorite family ice cream shop.” Everything you do should focus on your business mission.

The importance of sharing your mission with your employees is that it becomes the basis for all decision making. If employees know and understand your mission, they can use it as a referral point asking themselves at each decision, “Is this inline with our mission?”

Hire for Fit Next you need to hire in accordance to your mission and culture that you want to create. Skills can be taught easily, shaping one’s attitude to fit the culture is a lot more difficult. Keep in mind: each new hire either brings you closer to attaining the culture you want, or takes you further away from your goal. Don’t hire someone just to plug a hole in your payroll.

Give Them the Resources They Need and Get Out of the Way Have you ever seen a poll about qualities you want in a manager? If so, maybe you’ve noticed the one thing that is never mentioned is “micromanaging.”

No one wants to be spied on, told their way is wrong incessantly, or limited in their growth potential.

Check in Often Giving employees the resources to perform their jobs isn’t your only role.

You need to provide feedback often.

You’ll find Millennials, in particular, are interested in guidance on their performance. It needn’t be a formal review process. Just a weekly or monthly check-in on how you think things are going but it should be a two-way conversation and not a monologue.

When someone exceeds your expectations, call attention to it immediately. Give examples of why this is ideal behavior. Don’t wait for an annual review to call it to everyone’s attention. It will get lost or forgotten by then.

Create a culture where peers can also give constructive feedback, especially praising one another. Receiving peer recognition helps in team building and building a cohesive team increases employee loyalty.

If you want your business to be successful, you need to have a team that can help you attain your goals. Investing in your employees and increasing their engagement level allows you to exceed your customers’ expectations and become a company that everyone wants to work for.

Christina R. Green teaches small businesses, chambers and associations how to connect through content.

Her articles have appeared in the Midwest Society of Association Executives’ Magazine, NTEN.org, AssociationTech, and Socialfish. She is a regular blogger at Frankjkenny.com and the Event Manager Blog. (Image

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WELCOME TO OUR NEWEST MEMBERS

Steel Shield LLC 2408 Falcon Cove Stevens Point, WI 54481

Owens Family Dentistry LLC 2308 Wyatt Avenue Stevens Point, WI 54481 Segmented Systems MFG 5225 Joerns Drive Stevens Point, WI 54481 Resource One Installation & Services 5225 Joerns Drive Stevens Point, WI 54481 Agrometrics 3233 Business Park Drive Stevens Point, WI 54482 Wha t a r e t he B E NE FIT S O F ME MB E R S H IP? •

• • • • •

Yo ur b usi ne ss r e p r e se nt a t i v e s a re inv i t e d t o e d uc ati o n a l a n d n e t w or ki ng e v e n ts L ist your ow n bu s i n e s s ’ ev e nt s, j ob s, a n d d e a l s o n por t a ge c ount yb i z . co m Re c e i v e r e f e r r a l s fro m o th e r P C B C m e mb e r s Be c ome a sp e c i a l e ve n t sp onsor t o p r om o te y o u r busi ne ss D i sp l a y your m a rk e ti n g m a t e r i a l s i n t he PC BC l o b b y and on t he P C B C w e b s i te P a r t i c i p a t e i n yo u r l o ca l c ommuni t y

For more information on membership, contact our Director of Business Engagement, Tonya Kowalski, at 715-344-1940 or tkowalsk@portagecountybiz.com

BOYD JOINS M3 INSURANCE AS A DIRECTOR OF RISK MANAGEMENT Derek Boyd recently joined M3 Insurance as a Director of Risk Management, Property & Casualty. In this role, Derek oversees a team of risk management professionals specializing in property & casualty. Together, they serve clients in the areas of safety, loss prevention, workers’ compensation, and claims management. He also works closely with clients and carriers to assess liability exposures by helping design and implement health and safety programs.

Derek brings 17 years of experience in industrial hygiene, corporate safety, property & casualty insurance consulting, operations management and distribution from his previous role with national organizations.

Derek holds active memberships with the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) and the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA). He has also been the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America representative on the ANSI Z117 confined space committee. In addition, he has authored various occupational disease related articles and professional posters in trade publications, and at the American Industrial Hygiene conference & expo (AIHce). http://www.m3ins.com/blog/boyd-joins-m3/ The Portage County Business Council is pleased to have a new temporary office staff member!

Some other PCBC member businesses that offer similar opportunities are:

Hired through Innovative Services, Inc. Alyssa began fulfilling clerical dutes in the PCBC office on May 23rd.

Opportunity Development Centers 715-424-2712 http://www.odcinc.com/

Alyssa will work with the Business Council for four weeks completing various projects and tasks. If you are in our office and see Alyssa smiling face, please be sure to say “hello” and introduce yourself!

CIC- Community Industries Corporation 715-344-4563 https://www.facebook.com/ Community-IndustriesCorporation-219998984678484/

A representative from Innovative Services , Inc. works side-by-side with Alyssa while she is here, and Innovative Services, Inc. pays Alyssa’s wages.

If your organization would benefit from having a temporary staffer like Alyssa, please contact Colby West at Innovative Services, Inc. by phone: 715-544-6116 or by email: colbyw@myinnovativeservices.com

Contact any one of these organizations today to add an individual to your team and lighten the workload for your staff!

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WOMEN IN BUSINESS

Presented by Wisconsin Public Service

Register here

THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 2016, SENTRYWORLD GRAND HALL Guest Speaker: Roger Seip, CEO, Freedom Personal Development

Join us for our June Women in Business as our guest speaker presents: “TRAIN YOUR BRAIN FOR SUCCESS”.

When it comes to breaking records, Roger Seip walks the walk. Freedom Personal Development has consistently grown and broken records for more than 15 years. Roger is the author of “Train Your Brian for Success”, a national bestseller on how individuals can remember more, read smarter and break records in their lives.

Equally important, Roger is a master at teaching what works. He’s delivered more than 2000 presentations for organizations with audiences giving raving reviews for the improvement they immediately see, both professionally and personally. Roger also spent eight years as a professional stand-up comic, so you know there’s guaranteed laughter and fun with his presentation!

About our Speaker: Intelligent, Insightful... and Hilarious! These are the words that Roger’s clients use when they experience his programs. He has a knack for taking 10

principles of effectiveness that most of us struggle with, and crystallizing them into clear strategies and action plans that get Record-Breaking Results. He’s also one of world’s foremost authorities on how to Location: SentryWorld Grand Hall, 601 N Michigan Avenue, Stevens Point train the incredible creative capacity of the human mind.

When it comes to creating RecordBreaking Results, here are some examples:

11:15 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Cost: $25/person PCBC Members $30/person Prospective PCBC Members

In his first sales career, Roger became one of the top 20 producers of over 200,000 in 11:15AM Registration & Networking the 160 year history of the company. That’s 11:30AM Welcome the top 1% of the top 1% EVER. Roger Co-Founded Freedom Personal Development, one of the world’s premier Personal Development firms. His company has thrived and broken records for more than 15 years.

11:45AM Lunch 12:00PM Master of Ceremonies, Radio Personality - Nikki Montgomery from Midwest Communications 12:05PM Guest Speaker 1:00PM Door Prize Giveaways and Closing

Roger is the author of Train Your Brain for Success, a national bestseller on how individuals can remember more, read A delicious plated lunch will be provided smarter and break records in their lives.

Special thanks to our Media Sponsor Midwest Communications Radio Group

consisting of: Strawberry Spinach Salad (Sliced Grilled Chicken, Feta Cheese, Almonds, Strawberries, Hard-Boiled Egg and Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing), Coffee, Tea, Milk, Ice Water and a Delicious Dessert (TBD).

(Vegetarian or Gluten Free Options available upon request)

he Active For questions on Women In BusinessT contact

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Karen Schanock at 715-344-1940 or kschanoc@portagecountybiz.com.

Mark Your Calendars for these future Women in Business Events: -------------------------------------------------Thursday, September 26, 2016 To be held at Stevens Point Country Club Presented by Daubert Law Firm

Thursday, December 8, 2016 To be held at

Holiday Inn Hotel & Convention Center Presented by Berkshire HathawayTravel Protection

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

NE W E R A W ORK GROU P SE LE CTION At the end of April, a 100 Day Check In was held to show progress since the date of the initial New ERA Workshop. At the check-in meeting, four key areas of focus were presented that came out of

the original New ERA workshop data. These four areas - Education & Innovation, Entertainment & Recreation, Housing & Infrastructure, and Marketing & Awareness - will become working groups of individuals who are interested in advancing that particular topic forward.

PCBC is now looking for individuals

who wish to move these topics forward by joining one (or more) of these four work groups.

Attendance at either event is not necessary to participate in the work groups. Please complete this short three question survey to tell us which category you are most interested in.

Education & Innovation Entertainment & Recreation Housing & Infrastructure

Are you intrested in joining contact Todd Kuckkahn at tkuckkahn@portagecountybiz. com or Kayla Rombalski at talent@portagecountybiz.com

Marketing & Awareness 11

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F AMILY-FRIEND L Y T I P S T O E NCOU R AG E G A R DENING IN P O R TA GE CO U N T Y By: Sherry Daniels, UW - Extention You might harvest more than flowers and vegetables by working outside in your garden. Research shows that other benefits come from nurturing plants in your backyard, or a school or community garden.

FAMILY GARDENS Planting and caring for a family garden can be a great way to bring the family together. Start small. Window boxes or containers (recycled clean bleach or milk containers work well) can become planters.

Make your own compost. Find a location in your yard behind a tree, or dig a hole in the ground. Add rinds and peels from fruit,

coffee grounds, tea bags, and eggshells— never anything that swam, walked or flew.

Wait several months for your compost to turn black and crumbly and then mix with soil and use for fertilizer.

SCHOOL GARDENS School gardens offer opportunities that span many fields, including biology, chemistry, mathematics, culinary arts, business studies and design. Finding the connections between these topics provides an engaging learning experience students can continue outside of class.

Students of all skill levels can participate in activities from designing the garden to gathering the harvest. Visual, verbal, interpersonal and a variety of other essential skills are needed for a school garden to flourish.

BE A GOOD STEWARD “Spring offers an opportunity to be a good steward of the land,” says Daniels. She has more ideas and activities to consider as you spend time outdoors this spring and summer.

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“Planting a pollinator garden in a school area can lead to lessons in botany, entomology, food systems and native populations.”

Plant a rain garden to help protect the natural water supply. Storm water may pick up materials that can pollute water. Rain gardens are designed to capture this rainwater before it becomes runoff, protecting the environment and groundwater. Many plants suitable for a rain garden also attract pollinating insects, butterflies and birds.

Plant a pollinator garden. Food crops rely on honeybees, native bees, and other pollinators to survive. Attract and nurture these creatures by planting nectar-rich, flower-filled gardens.

Plant a tree. You’ve probably heard this one before, but the power of a tree cannot be underestimated. Trees purify the air we breathe, take up and store carbon, and help reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

They provide food and shelter to birds and other wildlife, help reduce energy needs by moderating winter winds and summer heat, and even provide us with fruit.

To learn more about the benefits of gardening and healthy activity or for more information on this subject or an interview, contact Sherry Daniels, Family Living Educator at the Portage County UW-Extension office, 715-346-1321.

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F IVE M I D - S TAT E S T UD E N T S PLAC E Aspirus Wausau Hospital one of ‘100 Great Hospitals in America’ Becker’s Hospital Review has recognized Aspirus Wausau Hospital in its recently released list of “100 Great Hospitals in America” for 2016.

This is the second straight year Aspirus Wausau Hospital has made Becker’s annual list, which was released on April 19. Aspirus Wausau Hospital is one of three Wisconsin hospitals to make this year’s list.

The list recognizes hospitals throughout the nation for their quality of care, clinical advancement, innovation and service to community. According to Becker’s, the 100 hospitals on the list are considered overall health care leaders in their region, state or the nation.

Facilities are selected by an editorial team from Becker’s based on rankings and awards from a variety of quality rating organizations, including U.S. News & World Report, Truven Health Analytics, Healthgrades, the American Nurses Credentialing Center and The Leapfrog Group, among others. The other two Wisconsin hospitals selected are in Milwaukee.

A full list of the “100 Great Community Hospitals” can be found online at www.beckershospitalreview.com

IN S TAT E W I D E S KI LLS C O N T E S T NEWSROOM Five Mid-State Technical College (MidState) students placed in the top three in their respective events at the 43rd Annual State SkillsUSA Secondary Leadership & Skills Conference, a showcase of career and technical education students.

Competitions were held April 26 and 27 at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison.

SkillsUSA, a national nonprofit organization, describes itself as “a partnership of students, teachers and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce.” A total of 16 students from Mid-State’s SkillsUSA chapter participated in five events: Sam Buehler, Jarett Kinney, and Derrick Mortenson competed in Diesel Equipment Technology; Jordan Esselman, Ken Edwards, and Matt Leja competed in Automotive Service Technology; Mike Hutwagner, Tyler Peterson, and Kody Hastreiter competed in Precision Machining; Maggie Hirzy, Jesse Gulke, Jose Martinez, and Travis Nehring competed in Computer Numerical Controlled (CNC) Milling; and Devon Frost, Kale Clark, and Kyle Glodowski competed in the welding event.

Hirzy finished in first place in CNC Milling, and Esselman finished first in Automotive Service. Both qualified to compete in the National Leadership & Skills Conference in Louisville, Kentucky in June. Hastreiter placed second in Precision Machining.

Martinez and Peterson took third place honors in CNC Milling and Precision Machining, respectively.

This is the second consecutive year

that Mid-State students took first place in the CNC Milling and second time in three years with a first-place finish in Automotive Service at the state conference. Last year, CNC Machinist Cody Friemoth competed at the National Skills and Leadership Conference in Kentucky and placed ninth nationally in his event.

In recent years, Mid-State has grown the number of participants and the SkillsUSA events they participate in, and Mid-State organizers expect that trend to continue with additional program areas in the future.

Mid-State, one of 16 colleges in the Wisconsin Technical College System, offers associate degrees, technical diplomas, and certificates in a variety of high-demand fields. The college’s supportive environment, state-ofthe-art technology, and faculty with professional experience in the fields they teach provide Mid-State graduates with real-world skills, knowledge, experience, and confidence for in-demand careers.

More than 9 in 10 Mid-State graduates are employed within six months of graduation. To learn more about MidState, visit the college’s website at www.mstc.edu 13

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BUSINESS ON THE GREEN

The Ambassadors Club of the Portage County Business Council thanks you for your participation in our 27th Annual Business on the Green Golf Outing held Monday, June 6, 2016.

With over 200 golfers participating and additional business representatives attending the 19th Hole Networking Dinner, the event provided a great environment to expand contacts.

Special Thank You To Our Sponsors!!!

Diamond Sponsors:

Figi’s Inc Klasinski Clinic Point of Beginning Inc Rettler Corporation Schulist’s Custom Cabinets Inc Simplicity Credit Union Skyward The Murphy Insurance Group LLC The Pineries Bank Gold (2) Sponsors: ABR Employment Services AT&T Atrium Health and Senior Living of Stevens Point Country Inn & Suites Ho-Chunk Gaming Nekoosa Keller Inc Marshfield Clinic Ministry Employer Solutions Pat’s CARSTAR Auto Body Stevens Point Brewery Team Schierl Companies Hole-In-One Sponsors: Mark Motors Automotive Inc The Portage County Bank

Double Gold Sponsors: CliftonLarsonAllen LLP Office Enterprises Sentry Insurance Gold Sponsors: Advanced Disposal Services Midwest Anderson O’Brien BMO Harris Bank Bull’s Eye Credit Union C.H. Robinson Worldwide Inc Community First Bank Del Monte Foods Inc. Delta Dental of Wisconsin Donaldson Company 14

Lunch Bag Sponsors: Comfort Suites Members’ Advantage Credit Union Beverage Sponsors: First Weber Realtors – Steve Lane & Seth Hornung Mitchell’s Hilltop Pub & Restaurant Pointe Precision Inc Regnier Consulting Group Inc Stone Innovations Inc US Bank

Lunch Sponsors: Altmann Construction Company Inc CoVantage Credit Union Pointe Precision Inc Renaissance Learning Inc S.C. Swiderski LLC Putting Contest Sponsors: Associated Bank BioLife Plasma Services Silver Sponsor: Simplicity Credit Union Thank You to Our Supporters: Advanced Neck & Back Care Center Adventure 212 Altmann Construction Company Inc Ambassadors Club Arbuckles Eatery & Pub Arby’s Restaurant Associated Bank Atrium Health and Senior Living of Stevens Point Atrium Senior Living of Stevens Point at River View Lodge Big Apple Bagels BMO Harris Bank Brookdale Stevens Point Bushman Electric Crane & Sign CliftonLarsonAllen LLP Comfort Suites Commercial Roofing Community Insurance & Associates Cooper Oil Company DigiCopy Dolce Digital Imaging & Printing Duraclean Specialists Edward Jones Investments

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Thank You to Our Supporters: (continued) First Supply LLC First Weber Realtors – The Steve Lane Sales Team Furniture & ApplianceMart Gamber Johnson LLC General Beer Grazies Italian Grill Ho-Chunk Gaming Nekoosa Holiday Inn Hotel & Convention Center Investors Community Bank Knight Barry Title Services Lauterbach Legal Ligman & Wille CPA LLC Manpower Marshfield Clinic M idwest Renewable Energy Association Ministry Health Care Notable Impressions NRG Media Pat’s CARSTAR Auto Body Point Insurance Agency LLC Point of Beginning Point Title LLC Portage County Gazette Portesi’s Italian Foods PuroClean Restoration Professionals Recycled Office Environments Riiser Energy R-Stores River Cities Bank River Valley Bank Rockman’s Catering S.C. Swiderski SentryWorld Shulfer’s Sprinklers Landscaping & Garden Center Ski’s Meat Market Skyward Slumberland Furniture Stevens Point Country Club Team Schierl Companies The Bottle Stop US Bank Home Mortgage – Jake Heyroth WAOW-TV9 Wisconsin River Golf Club

Simplicity Credit Union Foursome Gold & Silver Sponsor of Event

Regnier Consulting Group Foursome Beverage Sponsor of Event

Holiday Inn Hotel & Convention Center & First Weber Realtors Foursome – 19th Hole Host Site and Beverage Sponsor of Event

Mark Motors Automotive Foursome Hole-in-One Sponsor of Event Shotgun start and SentryWorld Golf Course

Golfers and Hole Sponsors gathered after golf for the 19th Hole Networking Event at the Holiday Inn Hotel & Convention Center 15

T h e A c t i v e Vo i c e | J u n e 2 0 1 6

2016 EVENTS MARK YOUR CALENDARS

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une 06 - Business on the Green

SentryWorld and Stevens Point Country Club Golf Courses

08 - Business X-Change PCBC Office, 7:30AM 15 - Business Education Summit: Entrepalooza Aging & Disability Resource Center of Portage County, 9:00AM 16 - SalesNet Holiday Inn Hotel & Convention Center, 11:45AM

04 - Office Closed in observation of Independence Day 13 - Business X-Change PCBC Office, 7:30AM 18 - Business After Hours Comfort Suites, 5:00PM 21 - SalesNet PCBC Office, 11:15AM LPC Event

23 - Women in Business SentryWorld, Grand Hall, 11:45AM

Did you know you could post job openings, events and press releases on your membership login?

22 - LPC Alumni Empty Bowls Painting PCBC Office, TBD

ASK US HOW TO ACCESS YOUR LOGIN

20 - Business After Hours CWSO, 5:00PM

PORTAGE COUNTY GIFT CERTIFICATES Purchasing Portage County gift certificates continues to be a successful way to “Buy Local”.

Portage County gift certificates make great gifts. Gift certificates can be purchased at area banks, credit unions, the Convention and Visitors Bureau or at our office. They can be used at any business with a Portage County address and are available in denominations of $5, $10, $20, $25, $50 & $100.

The PCBC would like to thank everyone who participates for helping make the program successful. We would also like to thank BMO Harris Bank for their financial support of the gift certificate program.

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July

ADVERTISE WITH US For questions on advertising, please contact Angel at 715-344-1940 or admin@portagecountybiz.com.

www.portagecountybiz.com Check out community Job postings HERE!

h e A cBusniess t i v e V oCouncil i c e | JFoundation une 2016 Portage TCounty

SP RI N G CEL E B R AT IO N R EV IEW The Portage County Business Council Foundation’s Annual Spring Celebration was held Tuesday, May 3, 2016. More than 100 people attended this evening of celebration.

Attendees were able to bid on silent auction items, play games, enter to win some great raffle items, and even take home whole pies with the chance of winning the PIE Pull game. The Spring Celebration was a fun night to recognize leaders while raising funds for Leadership Portage County (LPC) scholarships and Partners in Education (PIE) programming. The evening also collectively celebrated the accomplishments of Leadership Portage County (LPC) graduates, recognized the excellent educators that make Portage County’s schools great, and thanked those who contribute their time and efforts to assist with the work of LPC and PIE. Eighteen Leadership Portage County graduates received plaques to commemorate their commitment to becoming better leaders and community members through the 10-month leadership training program. The new graduates join a network of more than 400 LPC Alumni throughout the country.

student. Many teachers received a nomination from more than one student.

Finally, the Leadership Portage County Excellence in Leadership Award was given to Mary Hansen.

This award is given to someone who embodies the leadership lessons and curriculum instilled through participation in Leadership Portage County. Mary is the VP-Chief Information Officer at Community First Bank. She is an LPC graduate from the class of 2007-2008. Mary is an active volunteer on the Leadership Portage County steering committee, Partners in Education committee, and the very planning committee that coordinates this event.

Nearly 100 teachers were nominated for the Excellence in Education (formerly Golden Apple) awards this year and were recognized at the Spring Celebration. To receive the award, a teacher needed to be nominated by a current or past

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T h e A c County t i v e V oBusniess i c e | J Council u n e 2 0Foundation 16 Portage

LEA D E R S H IP P O R TAGE C O UNTY LPC Class of 2016-2017 Recruitment

MAY LPC RETREAT The final session of Leadership Portage County was held on May 19 at Wisconsin Lion’s Camp in Rosholt.

During this relaxed LPC session participants reflected on their previous 9 months in the program and learned about LPC Alumni programs for them to participate in in the future. The group was up and moving throughout the day.

The day began with some fun camp team-building games and a tour of Lion’s Camp. The participants then had the opportunity to explore new heights and try the climbing tower.

The afternoon continued with some free time to hike or take the boats out on Lions Lake. It was a great day and a wonderful closing to this year’s LPC class.

Recruitment for the 2016-2017 LPC Class has begun. Click here to learn more and apply online.

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Applications are now being accepted for Leadership Portage County (LPC).

LPC challenges participants to broaden their understanding of Portage County and develop their leadership skills through networking, education, activities and community involvement. We encourage anyone who is interested in this 10-month leadership program to apply and secure a spot in the 2016-2017 class.

Apply online for leadership portage county class of 2016-2017

Since 1993, LPC has offered opportunities for 400+ individuals to develop leadership skills, to discuss community issues and challenges, and to develop networks with a diverse array of professionals. The participants in this program learn how they can apply their individual strengths and skills to better serve their business or organization and the community. The program runs August 2016-May 2017, with participants meeting monthly on the third Thursday. Participants learn about Portage County history, the assets of our community and the challenges we face. The participants are also taught leadership skills so they can learn about how leaders can come together to overcome some of our challenges.

We look forward to another great year of Leadership Portage County!

Portage TCounty h e A cBusniess t i v e V oCouncil i c e | JFoundation une 2016

ENTREPALOOZA Business-Education Summit JUNE 15th at 8:45 a.m.

REGISTER HERE We invite you to join us for Entrepalooza 2016, PIE’s Business-Education Summit. Entrepalooza brings together K-12 educators and administrators, postsecondary representatives, non-profits, businesses, and community members to talk about programs and projects that support entrepreneurship and contribute to the talent pipeline.

Who Should Attend: K-12 teachers, staff, and administrators, post-secondary education staff and representatives, non-profits engaged in youth career preparation and similar activities, businesses and community members.

What to Expect: Through a series of fast-paced (10 min or less) presentations from organizations and groups you will learn about talent development and entrepreneurship initiatives for all ages.

Program: 8:45 AM Registration & Networking 9:00-9:15 AM Welcome - Kayla Rombalski, Portage County Business Council Introduction & Opening Remarks - Dave Eckmann, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point 9:15-11:00 AM Fast-paced Presentations (5-10 min. each) on a variety of topics, including:

Center, Makerspaces, and CREATE Portage County Greg Wright; World of Business 9th Grade Class - Art Greco Boys & Girls Club Programming - Danielle Belsky & Jordan Derber; Internships/Youth Apprenticeships at Marten Machining - Alan Marten 11:00-11:30 AM Networking, Individual Q&A/follow-up time with presenters

Reality Shops for Amherst & Rosholt High Schools On Friday, April 29 Partners In Education (PIE) hosted a field trip day for students of Rosholt and Amherst High Schools. Students toured UWSP, MSTC, attended a Junior Achievement Excellence Through Ethics workshop, and participated in a Reality Shop. At the Reality Shop students met with volunteers from businesses and organizations throughout the community who represented various vendors. Students had the opportunity to purchase a vehicle, house, and other products while trying to make their monthly budget balance. The students enjoyed the experience and many were amazed by “just how much everything costs, especially childcare!” Thank you to each of the volunteers who participated and to our hosts and tour guides at MSTC and UWSP. Thanks also to Junior Achievement for their partnership in this program.

UWSP Small Business Development Center - Mary Wescott Pacelli Catholic Schools 3rd Grade Coding/Computer Science - Gregg Hansel; Scrum Team Exercises at Skyward - Klaven Embertson Junior Achievement Programming - Serena Sblendorio Heavy Metal Tour & NCWWDB - Derek Heikkinen; IDEA

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50 years transforming people and communities CAP Services thanks the Portage County business community for its support of our mission and work, and the Portage County Business Council for honoring CAP with this year’s Charitable Community Award.

Special thanks to our 50th Anniversary sponsors Purpose

Social and economic equity strengthens our communities.

We are charged with advocating and creating opportunities to generate permanent, positive change.

Job skills & economic security Business coaching & lending

Advocacy & community engagement Mission

Health, wellness & safety

Transform people and communities to advance social and economic justice

Child & family development

capservices.org

Community & real estate development

Housing & transportation

Vision

Individuals and families have the capacity to achieve their goals and thrive in