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Southeastern Wisconsin business people make it happen.
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Schools That Can Milwaukee aims to raise $1 Million
May 2, 2013 10:00 AM
Schools That Can Milwaukee (STCM), an education-minded nonprofit organization that aims to close Milwaukee’s achievement gap, is turning to the community to raise $400,000 by Friday as part of a week-long $1 million challenge.
 
The challenge was unexpectedly launched last Friday by STCM board member Gus Ramirez, who is also the executive chairman of Waukesha-based HUSCO International. Ramirez committed to personally match up to $1 million donated to the organization by Friday, May 3.

He announced the surprise challenge at the end of a breakfast reception hosted by STCM in conjunction with the national Schools That Can movement. Ramirez constructed the challenge both in support of STCM’s goals and in honor of his new granddaughter, said Kole Knueppel, STCM co-founder and managing director of school partnerships.   

“We were just overwhelmed with his enthusiasm for Schools That Can Milwaukee and his support for our organization,” Knueppel said. “We were absolutely thrilled and overwhelmed that he would step up and (give) that kind of gift.”

About 400 people attended last Friday’s breakfast event, which informed supporters and community partners of the organization about its progress in positively impacting the quality of Milwaukee schools. Donations contributed to the challenge started to pour in Friday with more than $150,000 raised the first day alone, many from event attendees.

As of today, donations have exceeded $600,000, thanks in large part to a $100,000 gift made by JPMorgan Chase & Co. on Wednesday.    

“It’s huge in terms of our ability to do the work with the schools and the kids,” Knueppel said. “Our goal is to close the achievement gap in Milwaukee, and the first step is to get to 20,000 students in high performing schools by 2020.”

The grant will broaden the organization’s impact across the education scene in Milwaukee, Knueppel said.

STCM launched in July 2010. The organization works with high performing schools in the city to help them expand and replicate. It also coaches high potential schools and recruits school leaders from across the country to bring new schools to the area.

The organization works with the Milwaukee Public School District as well as charter schools and schools within School Choice.

The nonprofit hopes to get as close to the $1 million benchmark as possible by the end of the day on Friday. Interested donors can reach out to Allison Wagner, STCM director of growth, at 414-405-3013 or allison.wagner@stcmilwaukee.org.

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American Society of Women Accountants changes name
May 2, 2013 10:00 AM
The Milwaukee chapter of the American Society of Women Accountants has changed its name to the Accounting & Financial Women’s Alliance following a name change enacted by the national organization.
 

The new name better reflects the alliance’s mission and the dynamics of today’s accounting and finance industries.

“By contemporizing and broadening the appeal of the organization through a name change, the Accounting & Financial Women’s Alliance is confident it will attract a new generation of women accounting and financial professionals who are in a position to define a new way of thinking in the companies for which they work,” said Lee Lowery, executive director of the national organization.

With a tagline, Connect. Advance. Lead.,” the alliance connects female professionals in accounting and finance across the country to prepare them to succeed personally, professionally and economically.

Alliance members benefit by having access to resources and guidance needed to accelerate their leadership abilities within their career fields, Lowery said.

The Milwaukee chapter will celebrate its official name change at a launch party on Thursday, May 9. The party will be held at Trinity Three Irish Pubs, 125 E. Juneau Ave. in Milwaukee, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. To register, contact Vivian Moller at vmoller@hyc.com.

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Delta Air Lines gives up naming rights to convention center
May 2, 2013 10:00 AM
The Wisconsin Center District is in search of a new sponsor company after Delta Air Lines announced that it will not renew its naming rights contract to the Delta Center, the downtown Milwaukee convention center located at 400 W. Wisconsin Ave.
 
Under the original contract, established last September, Delta Air Lines took over the naming rights of the convention center from previous sponsor Frontier Airlines. Delta Air Lines assumed the last year of Frontier Airlines’ naming rights deal. That deal is set to expire at the end of June.
 
The Wisconsin Center District Board of Directors has been in communications with Delta Air Lines representatives about the future of the naming rights since the beginning of this year, according to District Board Chairman Franklyn Gimbel. Delta Air Lines, which funded an estimated $100,000 toward installation of signage at the Delta Center in February, no longer has an interest in the naming rights of the building, Gimbel said.
 
“They apparently view Milwaukee as not sufficiently important in their overall marketing strategy to retain the naming rights,” Gimbel said. “It’s just something internal to their own business that prompted the decision as I am told.”
 
The Wisconsin Center District is currently working with brokers to identify new sponsorship candidates. The center will retain its current Delta Center name until the end of June, at which point the district board plans to rename the building the Wisconsin Center.
 
Should the board secure a new sponsor company, it hopes to keep the Wisconsin Center name in order to strengthen the center’s brand. 
 
“(The Wisconsin Center) is owned and operated by the Wisconsin Center District, a creature of the legislature, and the name will give it continuity,” Gimbel said.

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Register now for 2013 BizExpo
May 2, 2013 10:44 AM
BizTimes Media LLC is accepting registrations for business executives to attend the 2013 BizExpo, the largest business-to-business conference in the state.
 
This year’s BizExpo will take place Thursday, May 16, at the Potawatomi Bingo Casino in Milwaukee.

The one-day event will feature 150 business exhibit booths, 20 business seminars and more than 3,000 attendees. To register to attend the BizExpo, visit www.biztimes.com/bizexpo. Admission to walk the BizExpo floor and attend the seminars is free, but pre-registration is required.

For a list of the business seminars, which range from sales and information technology (IT) to health care reform, website design and innovation, click here.

For a list of the companies with exhibit booths at the BizExpo, click here. 

BizTimes readers also are invited to attend the premium events at the BizExpo. The conference will open with the Women in Business Breakfast, which will include a panel discussion featuring:
* Deborah Allen, owner of Mac Allen Partnership.
* Tonit Calaway, vice president of Harley-Davidson Inc. and president of The Harley-Davidson Foundation.
* Jennifer Eastman, controller at Merchants Moving & Storage.
* Cathy Jacobson, president and CEO of Froedtert Health.
The panel discussion will be moderated by Kimberly Kane, president and founder of Kane Communication Group.

The panelists will discuss an array of subjects relative to success, including innovation, team-building, marketing, leadership, mentorship and strategic vision. The panel discussion will be followed by the presentation of the BizTimes 2013 Woman Executive of the Year Award to Maria Monreal-Cameron, president and chief executive officer of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin (HCCW).

To register to attend the Women in Business Breakfast, visit www.biztimes.com/women. 

The BizExpo will continue with the presentation of the BizTimes Bravo! Entrepreneur Awards and the I.Q. (Innovation Quotient) Awards Luncheon. The awards honor some of the most dynamic corporate leaders and companies in the region. The event will include a keynote conversation with entrepreneur and philanthropist Michael Cudahy, who will receive the BizTimes Lifetime Achievement Award. To register to attend the luncheon and view the impressive list of winners, visit www.biztimes.com/bravo.

The day’s festivities will conclude with the BizExpo After Hours reception. To register to attend, visit www.biztimes.com/afterhours.

To register to attend all of the day’s BizExpo activities, get a VIP pass by clicking here.

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Miller Lite launches new bottle design
May 2, 2013 10:00 AM
MillerCoors has unveiled a new bottle design for Miller Lite.
 
The design provides an innovative, contoured shape that is a modern interpretation of the brand's traditional long neck. The new Miller Lite bottle will only be available in bars and restaurants this summer.

Inspired by form and design, the modern look of the new bottle offers broad shoulders and a contoured grip, intended for easy handling from the bar to the pool table, the company said. The bottle defies the convention of the standard cylinder-shaped bottle, helping Miller Lite stand out among the brown bottle sameness of other light beers.

"Miller Lite is giving beer lovers a long-overdue reinvented look and drinking experience with the breakthrough new bottle design," said Ryan Reis, senior director of Miller Lite. "In our testing, consumers overwhelmingly preferred the new bottle to the standard beer bottle. We're proud of the new design and we're excited to see how everyone reacts to our new look. This time when you grab a Miller Lite, you'll know it."

The bottle was developed by the industry-leading designers from 4sight inc., a company renowned for its revolutionary product and package innovations.

"The beer category is focusing heavily on packaging design innovation and the new bottle from Miller Lite will take this category to new places," said Stuart Leslie, president of 4sight. "We are proud to help Miller Lite use design as a tool to influence the market and continue to be an industry leader."

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BizTimes cover story: Step back in time at Wisconsin supper clubs
May 2, 2013 10:00 AM
In a digital age of fast food and instant gratification, it would seem intuitive that Wisconsin's supper clubs would be relegated to the relics of the past, like drive-in movie theaters, phone booths and pinball arcades. However, Wisconsin’s supper clubs are thriving.
 
Read more in the cover story of the new edition of BizTimes Milwaukee, which includes an interview with the author of a new coffee table book about Wisconsin’s supper clubs.

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Family Business of the Year Award nominees announced
May 2, 2013 10:00 AM
Twenty-one companies are nominated for the 2013 Wisconsin Family Business of the Year Awards.
 
The nominees are divided into three categories: Small (1-49 employees), Medium (50-99) and Large (100+) companies. 

Nominees represent first through fifth generation companies and include several general and specialty construction companies, hospitality, manufacturing, media, and business services. The oldest company started operations in 1890 as a newspaper. 

The nominees are: 
* Automation Components, Inc. – Middleton.
* JF Brennan Company, Inc. – La Crosse.
* Cleary Building Corp. – Verona.
* Dave Jones Plumbing, Inc. – Madison.
* Energy Performance Lighting – Cottage Grove.
* Hitt Studios, Inc. – New Berlin.
* J&K Security Solutions – Madison.
* Lindus Construction – Baldwin.
* Morgan Murphy Media – WISC-TV – Madison.
* Northern Concrete Construction, Inc. – Denmark.
* Peterson Wood Treating – Superior.
* Pioneer Ford Sales, Ltd. – Platteville.
* Planet Wise, Inc. – New Glarus.
* Ron’s Refrigeration – Wisconsin Rapids.
* Seljan Company, Inc. – Lake Mills.
* Michael F. Simon Builders – Waunakee.
* Spierings Specialty Molded Products, Inc. – Blair.
* State Collection Service, Inc. – Madison.
* TASC - Total Administrative Services Corporation– Middleton.
* Van’s Lumber – Luxemburg.
* Von Rutenberg Ventures – Waunakee.
The winners will be selected by a panel of independent judges based on criteria including: positive links between family and business, contribution to community and industry, and innovative practices. The winners will be announced at a banquet on Thursday, May 9, at the Madison Marriott West in Middleton. The banquet is open to the public. 

For more information on the program and the banquet, visit www.familybusinessaward.com.

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Bubbler Quote of the Week
May 2, 2013 10:00 AM

“With the right people in the right place at the right time, organizations can achieve all they did before, and more. Employers need to ensure that they have the right people practices in place to attract, retain and unleash the inner human potential of the right people to succeed in the Human Age.”
~Jeff Joerres, chief executive officer of ManpowerGroup
Read Wednesday’s Milwaukee Biz Blog by Steve Jagler, executive editor of BizTimes Milwaukee: Great brands grow from the inside out.

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BizTimes Bubbler Executive of the Week: Steven Marsho
May 2, 2013 10:00 AM

Name: Steven Marsho
Title: Partner
Company name: Jigsaw
Company address: 710 N. Plankinton Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53203
Website: www.jigsawllc.com
Industry: Advertising, marketing and digital media
Number of employees: 22
Family: Joan Schramka (wife) and Blaise (nine-year-old son)

What was the smartest thing your company did in the past year?  

“Stayed true to our goal of making every person in the agency digitally savvy.”
 
What’s new at your company?

“One is a person, Curtis Smith. He’s another strategically-minded, highly-awarded creative director with national brand experience, working on accounts like Disney, Bud Light and Sears. Another is a new client, Visit Milwaukee. We are in development of their summer campaign as you read this.”

Do you plan to hire any additional staff or make any significant capital investments in your company in the next year?  

“We will continue to invest in the greatest asset our company has, our people. We will further expand our digital capabilities in advertising, Web development and emerging media in order to remain ahead of trends, not behind them.”

What will be your company’s main challenges in the next year?  

“I don’t see any more challenges ahead than we have already met. In comparison to starting this company eight years ago in possibly the worst economic climate possible, this year should be easy. I suppose making sure we implement our vision for next year is a challenge, but it’s also our opportunity.”
 
What’s the hottest trend in your industry?  

“All things digital will continue to be the hottest trend. Data analysis and measurement that lead to ever more targeted advertising. The continued proliferation of devices to advertise on. And media, such as Vine, that didn’t exist the year before. But none of these things mean anything without original ideas that break through the clutter.”

How do you make Jigsaw stand out in a very crowded marketplace?

“By staying true to our core principles: transparency, listening, collaboration, social integrity and focusing on creating a great customer experience.”

Do you have a business mantra?  

“Yes, I’ve adopted it from my business partner. ‘Do the right thing and success will follow.’”

What Jigsaw project are you proudest of and why?  

“We created an amazing 45-foot interactive experience for one of our clients’ new cancer center—the Hope Wall. Using a stylus and a tablet, visitors to the grand opening could write what ‘hope is’ to them in the fight to overcome cancer. Their answers were instantly recreated on the wall and added to all the other messages on an ever-changing color-field. That content was then migrated to the Web as a more permanent experience.

A project of this type had never been done before. In fact, it was so innovative that Adobe invested in the project by providing programming, equipment and personnel. Without their support, it wouldn’t have been possible.”

What’s the funniest thing that ever happened to you in your career?  

“Many years ago, I attended a board meeting at one of my previous agency’s largest clients. I was sitting toward the front of the room when one of my contact lenses popped out of my eye. I was blinking and winking trying to determine what happened. I guess the president of this national brand wondered as well because he stopped in the middle of his important presentation to the board to ask me, ‘What the heck is wrong with you?’ Fortunately, I recovered from the incident and went on to lead the account for many years.”

How do you maintain work/life balance?  

“The truth is I don’t. I love what I do, and as a business owner, I think of work most of the time.” 

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Hot Bubbler Books
May 2, 2013 10:00 AM
Five best-selling business books you should read:
 
1. “Nature’s Fortune,” by Mark Tercek and Jonathan Adams
2. “From Values to Action,” by Harry M. Jansen Kraemer
3. “Own the Future,” by Michael Deimler, Richard Lesser, David Rhodes and Janmejaya Sinha
4. “One Thing,” by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan
5. “Decisive,” by Chip Heath and Dan Heath

Courtesy of 800 CEO Read.

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Bubbler Calendar
May 2, 2013 10:00 AM

*Friday, May 3, BizTimes Media will present the annual M&A Forum to explore trends in mergers and acquisitions and corporate finance. Howard Lanser, a managing director in the Mergers & Acquisitions Group of Robert W. Baird & Co., will keynote the event. A panel discussion on valuation, the market, tax consequences, financing and more will also be held. The M&A Forum will run from 7:30 a.m. to noon in the Imperial Ballroom of the Pfister Hotel, 424 E. Wisconsin Ave. in Milwaukee. Cost to attend is $45 for individuals and $450 for a corporate table of 10. Online registration is closed, but onsite registration will be available at the event. For more information, visit http://www.biztimes.com/maforum.

*Tuesday, May 7, OfficeMax and social media expert Phil Gerbyshak will team up to present a free seminar on “Social Media for Small Business.” The information session will highlight the basic features of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, email marketing, Google+, and blogging to teach small business owners how these tools can help them grow their enterprise. The event will run from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. at the newly redesigned OfficeMax Business Solutions Center, located in downtown Milwaukee at 275 W. Wisconsin Ave. (in The Shops of Grand Avenue). Complimentary parking will be available in The Shops of Grand Avenue parking structure. To register for the event, contact Priscilla Hernandez at 312-368-7539 or phernandez@apcoworldwide.com.

*Tuesday, May 7, the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce (MMAC) will present the Wisconsin International Trade Conference with breakout sessions in China & India, Global Logistics, E-Commerce Technology, Global Payment & Collection Environment, and Key Legal Considerations with Exporting & Compliance. The conference will be held from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Italian Community Conference Center, 631 E. Chicago St. in Milwaukee. Cost to attend is $149 for individuals who want lunch, $99 without lunch, $49 for the lunch only, $490 for a table of 10, $60 for students who want lunch, and $40 for students without lunch. For more information or to register, visit www.mmac.org.

*Thursday, May 23, the Racine County Economic Development Corporation will hold a 30th Anniversary Celebration featuring a keynote speech by Bill Rancic, host of “America Now” and former champion of “The Apprentice. Rancic will discuss “how to succeed in business and life.” The celebration will also include the presentation of the Sam Johnson Volunteer of the Year awards to two area honorees. The event is open to the public and will run from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Racine Marriott, 7111 Washington Ave. in Racine. Cost is $25, and space is limited. Click here to register.

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Bubbler Networking Resources

» African American Chamber of Commerce Milwaukee
» American Marketing Association-Milwaukee Chapter
» Association of Management Professionals LLC
» Business Marketing Association-Milwaukee
» Conservative Young Professionals of Milwaukee
» Creative Alliance of Greater Milwaukee
» Executive Women International-Milwaukee Chapter
» Executive Women's Golf Association-Milwaukee Chapter
» FUEL Milwaukee
» Grandville-Brown Deer Chamber of Commerce
» Greater Brookfield Chamber of Commerce
» Mequon-Thiensville Chamber of Commerce
» Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce (MMAC)
» National Association of Women Business Owners
» Professional Dimensions
» Public Relations Society of America - Wisconsin Chapter,
» South Suburban Chamber of Commerce
» Sheboygan County Chamber of Commerce
» Summit Young Professionals
» Tempo Waukesha
» Tempo Milwaukee » Tempo Washington County
» The Gateway to Milwaukee
» Waukesha County Business Alliance
» West Allis/West Milwaukee Chamber of Commerce
» Wisconsin Better Business Bureau
» Women's FOCUS
» Young Professionals of Waukesha County
» YP Impact

Erica Breunlin BizTimes Bubbler Weekly is compiled by BizTimes Milwaukee reporter Erica Breunlin. This bulletin is published every Thursday morning. Send news tips to erica.breunlin@biztimes.com or call her at (414) 336-7121.
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