Marcus Hotels & Resorts
Marcus Hotels & Resorts, a division of Milwaukee-based The Marcus Corp., received three national awards for The Pfister Hotel’s 120th anniversary book and film.
It received a Bronze Telly Award for the documentary “The Pfister: History & Story,” and both a 2014 International Book Award and a National Indie Excellence Book Award for the first edition hardcover book “The History, Art & Imagery of The Pfister Hotel.”
The hotel, located in downtown Milwaukee, celebrated its 120th anniversary in 2013, when both products were made.
The documentary told the hotel’s story through the reflections of guests, employees, historians and notable local figures. It was produced in cooperation with Waukesha-based z2 and took the award in the documentary category. The Telly Awards garner more than 13,000 entries annually from local, regional and cable television commercials and programs.
The coffee table book features the iconic architecture and history of The Pfister, and won both of its awards in the photography categories.
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Wisconsin has been named a Platinum-Level Fit-Friendly Worksite by the American Heart Association for its efforts to encourage fitness among employees.
The company was recognized at the platinum level because: it offers employees physical activity options in the workplace, increased healthy eating options at the worksite, promotes a wellness culture in the workplace, implemented at least nine criteria outlined by the AHA surrounding physical activity, nutrition and culture, and demonstrated measurable outcomes related to workplace wellness.
Anthem has on-site fitness centers, health club reimbursements, subsidized healthy food options in on-site cafeterias, employee fitness competitions, weight management programs and insurance cost incentives for demonstrating healthy behaviors.
GRAEF
Milwaukee-based engineering and consulting firm GRAEF has received several industry awards for its local projects.
The City of Wauwatosa has received the American Public Work Association’s Wisconsin Chapter Project of the Year Award and The U.S. City of Mayors City Livability Awards’ Honorable Mention for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Innovation Campus infrastructure project.
GRAEF designed the infrastructure to both serve the campus and create a model of sustainable development. It was responsible for surveying, grading, landscape, roadways, utilities and storm water management. The storm water system includes 22 bio-filtration basins to prevent surface runoff from the development site.
GRAEF also designed the Pulaski Park Neighborhood plan, which earned the American Planning Association-Wisconsin Chapter award for innovations in planning. The Pulaski Park Neighborhood plan addressed regional storm water management priorities along the Kinnickinnic River Corridor on Milwaukee’s south side. The project evaluated water quality improvements and methods to capture large quantities of stormwater before it discharges into the Kinnickinnic River and Lake Michigan.
Wisconsin State Fair Park
Two Wisconsin State Fair Park staff members have earned the Certified Fair Executive designation from the International Association of Fairs and Expositions. Ken Jaeger, operations director, and Jen Puente, sponsorship manager, join four other State Fair Park employees who are also CFEs.
The Association of Fairs and Expositions evaluates professional experience, management skills, education and leadership using a rigid scoring system to award certification.
Jaeger has worked at Wisconsin State Fair Park since 1994, working his way up from the operations/ground department to operations director, a role he took on this year.
Puente began as a special events intern at State Fair Park in 2003 and was eventually promoted to her current role, sponsorship manager, where she manages more than $2 million in sponsorship revenue.
Only five fair executives from the United States and Canada qualified this year, and three were in Wisconsin. Shari Black, executive director of the Waukesha County Fair, also received the designation this year.
