MaryBeth Matzek

In the New North, partnership defines the mission. Among the region’s accomplishments are the creation of a region-wide map of businesses serving Defense Department heavyweights Oshkosh Corp. and Marinette Marine, the formation of a partnership between outdoor equipment manufacturer Ariens Co. and a local high school job training program.

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#

Milwaukee-based Global Freight Source, a transportation management services firm, manages $40 million in sales with a staff of 26 people.

Nancy Spelsberg didn’t intend to purchase a trucking company, but looking back she’s glad she made the decision to purchase BCP Transportation in Deerfield three years ago.

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.