MaryBeth Matzek

When you think about transportation in Wisconsin, roads and rails might jump to mind. But the state’s 20 commercial ports more than carry their weight in the transportation economy, moving over $7 billion worth of goods annually.

There are a lot of unknowns in running an insurance company. Take, for example, weather. Mother Nature can make a big difference between having a good year and a not-so-good year.

Riding past Acuity's headquarters off Interstate 43 in Sheboygan, passersby can't miss seeing the company's growth. Acuity, a property and casualty insurer that operates in 22 states, is in the midst of a $130 million, 240,000-square-foot addition. When finished in 2016, the company's corporate headquarters will double in size and house a 65-foot ferris wheel and a 2,000-person theater-in-the-round for companywide meetings.

The Milwaukee skyline will take on a whole new look during the next few years as Northwestern Mutual constructs its new 32-story downtown tower.

Insurance companies definitely feel at home in Wisconsin. The state is fourth in the nation for the number of companies, with nearly 250 life, health, and property casualty organizations headquartered here.

Alliant Energy prides itself on the delivery of safe, reliable energy to over 600 communities in central and southern Wisconsin. With the help of its 1,800 in-state employees, the company is executing a number of projects to protect the environment, enhance reliable service and minimize costs for its customers.

With consumers and businesses relying more than ever on electricity, the market for generators has never been better. And Kohler Power Systems is developing unique, reliable products to meet the growing need. “We’ve seen increased global demand for backup power generators, and Super Storm Sandy, Hurricane Katrina and recent ice storms have created problems maintaining reliable power on an aging U.S. power grid,” said Vito Minneci, vice president of marketing for Kohler Power Systems. “Power failures are increasing in size and severity at the same time we rely on electricity to power computers and other electronic devices. It’s a major part of our daily lives.”

Jagemann Stamping Company has changed a lot since its founding in 1946. Back then, employees of the Manitowoc company used hand-fed single operation presses to make short-run orders. Today, the company uses state-of-the-art equipment to fulfill precise orders – many of which are for the automotive industry.

Manufacturing drives Wisconsin's economy, with about 16 percent of all working adults employed in the industry. Advanced manufacturing, in particular, utilizes the latest technology to drive growth and meet customers' needs.http://mbedit.sx.atl.publicus.com/apps/pbcsedit.dll/red#

The right name can make all the difference. That's what the Madison Region Economic Partnership (MadREP) is discovering. The economic development group formerly known as THRIVE changed its name during 2013 and is already seeing results.