Business Friend of the Environment
Nine Wisconsin companies were recently awarded the Business Friend of the Environment Awards for leadership in pollution prevention, environmental innovation, or stewardship.
Winners for pollution prevention included: Wal-Mart, Monona; Kikkoman Foods, Inc., Walworth County; and Cook Composites and Polymers, Saukville. Winners of the environmental stewardship awards included: Phillips Plastics Corporation, Eau Claire; Plum Creek Timber Company, Inc., Tomohawk; and Applied Ecological Services, Inc., Brodhead. Winners of the Environmental Innovation awards included: WS Packaging Group, Inc., Algoma; Bell Laboratories, Inc., Madison; and The Johnson Foundation, Racine. An independent panel of judges representing industry, an environmental group, the Department of Natural Resources, and academia select the Business Friend of the Environment winners. Winners were selected from 36 nominees.
Jewish Family Services
Financial counseling is now available at Jewish Family Services, Inc., Milwaukee, through a partnership with the Consumer Credit Counseling Service (CCCS) of Greater Milwaukee. CCCS will provide a certified credit counselor at JFS headquarters, 1300 N. Jackson St. in Milwaukee on Fridays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and at JFS’ Bayshore office, 5800 N. Bayshore Drive, Suite B215,Glendale from noon to 8 p.m. on Thursdays. The counselor will review a person’s credit card and other obligations, including mortgages and expenses, to help them find a way to eliminate debt. CCCS counselors also are certified to provide the counseling necessary to obtain the certificate needed to file for bankruptcy. Appointments are open to anyone and can be arranged by calling the CCCS office directly at 414-482-8801.
Market Probe
Market Probe, Milwaukee, has been ranked as one of the 50 fastest-growing Asian American Businesses by the U.S. Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce Education Foundation (USPAACC-EF). The award is based on percentage of revenue growth over 2006 to 2008. USPAACC Education Foundation was formed in 1984 as a national, non-profit organization representing all Asian Americans and Asian American-related groups in business. It promotes, nurtures and propels economic growth by opening doors to contract, educational and professional opportunities for Asian Americans and their business partners in corporate America, the federal government, and the small and minority business community.
The Greater Milwaukee Foundation
Grants to help food pantries, shelters and other agencies meet the basic needs of people who are struggling because of the economy were among the more than $6.2 million approved by the Greater Milwaukee Foundation Board and boards of supporting organizations in the first quarter of 2009. A total of $362,500 from the Foundation’s newly created Basic Needs fund was awarded to a total of 17 agencies. Area food banks, including Second Harvest of Wisconsin, Hunger Task Force and Waukesha County Food Pantry, received $110,000 while various shelter programs received $232,500. The remaining money helped provide emergency assistance to individuals in the form of payment for rent, utilities and security deposits.
Of the $6.2 million in grants awarded during the first quarter, more than $4.2 million came from donor advised, designated and agency endowment funds.
Alverno College
Alverno College, Milwaukee, recently received a $594,400 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for support of the project, “Futures in Mathematics, Science and Technology.” This four-year grant will provide 30 scholarships of up to $10,000 each year (renewable) for incoming students majoring in math or science. The “Futures in Mathematics, Science and Technology” Program (Futures Program) is designed to recruit and educate 30 students interested in majoring in science or mathematics and place them in careers or post-graduate studies related to these majors. The Futures Program will directly address science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) program goals of improved educational opportunities, increased retention to degree, enhanced student support programs at Alverno, and increased numbers of well-educated and skilled employees in technical areas of national need.
Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin
Froedtert & The Medical College of Wisconsin and the Milwaukee Brewers have renewed their partnership, announcing a new multi-year agreement. The organizations have partnered for the previous three years. The partnership has resulted in wide-reaching health care initiatives beyond the ballpark. More than 900 men have benefitted from the free prostate screening events at Miller Park sponsored by the two organizations. In addition, more than 500 people have been trained in free CPR programs offered through the partnership. Froedtert & The Medical College have had a relationship with the Brewers since 2001, when orthopaedic surgeon William Raasch, MD, director of the Froedtert & The Medical College of Wisconsin Sports Medicine Center, became the head physician for the Brewers.
GRAEF
GRAEF, Milwaukee, was recently ranked number 305 on the 2009 Engineering News Record’s list of Top 500 Design Firms. The Top 500 Design Firms list, published annually, ranks the 500 largest U.S.-based design firms, both publicly and privately held, based on design-specific revenue. Moving up by nearly 50 places, GRAEF made a leap in 2009 from a ranking of 354 in 2008. ENR’s Top 500 Design Firms generated design revenue of $90.58 billion in 2008.
