BizTimes announces winners of Bravo! Awards
BizTimes Milwaukee announces the winners of the 2010 Bravo! Entrepreneur Awards.
The Bravo! Entrepreneur Awards honor southeastern Wisconsin business leaders who are boldly leading their companies with vision and innovation.
The winners of the 2010 Bravo! Awards are:
- Jim Lindenberg is the winner of the Bravo! Regional Spirit Award. In 2008, Lindenberg sold Pewaukee-based World Class Wire & Cable Inc., the company he founded in 1995, for more than $60 million. Last year, he purchased the Milwaukee Wave indoor soccer team, which was on the verge of going out of business. Lindenberg also started Lindy Enterprises Inc., a business consulting company and the parent company of the Milwaukee Wave, NX Level Sports Performance and his commercial real estate company, JML Holdings, which he has owned since 2005. Lindenberg is also extremely active in the community and currently is a member of numerous academic and charitable boards in the area including: Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, Milwaukee Urban Soccer Collaborative, the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Entrepreneurship Advisory Board, UW-Whitewater Business Advisory Board and the Waukesha County Chamber of Commerce. He has donated time and money to North Lake School, the Milwaukee Boys and Girls Club, Lake Country Food Pantries and Children’s Hospital.
- David Spano, founder and president of Brookfield-based Annex Wealth Management LLC.
- Manuel Perez, president and co-owner of Milwaukee-based JNA Staffing.
- Tom Savio, owner of New Berlin-based Caliendo-Savio Enterprises Inc.
- Tim Omer, president of Richfield-based DCI Cheese Company.
- Robert Gross, president and CEO of Brookfield-based Gross Automation.
- Jane Cooper, founder, president and CEO of Milwaukee-based Patient Care.
- Harris Turer, owner of the Milwaukee Admirals Hockey Club.
- Susan Haise, owner of Milwaukee-based Neroli Salon & Spa.
- Norm Yerke, owner of Waukesha-based New Life Ventures LLC. Yerke is a serial entrepreneur who has started/purchases/sold 15 companies since 1985.
- Norine Carlson-Weber, founder of Milwaukee-based Alpha Source Inc.
Steven Marcus, chairman of The Marcus Corp., was previously announced as the recipient of the 2010 Bravo! Entrepreneur Lifetime Achievement Award.
The winners of the Bravo! Awards will be featured in an upcoming edition of BizTimes Milwaukee and will be honored at an awards luncheon on Thursday, April 29, at the sixth annual BizTech Conference & Expo to be held at Wisconsin State Fair Park.
The luncheon also will honor the winners of the BizTimes IQ Awards for innovation.
The BizTimes awards program will feature opening remarks by Wisconsin Secretary of Commerce Richard Leinenkugel, and a speech about the importance of developing and nurturing a corporate culture of innovation by Fiserv Inc. CEO Jeff Yabuki. The program will conclude with Marcus receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award. To register to attend the awards luncheon, visit www.biztimes.com/bravo.
The BizTech Conference & Expo is the largest business-to-business conference in the state. For additional information, visit www.biztimes.com/expo.
Upchurch is new president of Visit Milwaukee
After a nationwide search, Visit Milwaukee named Paul Upchurch as its new president and chief executive officer.
The announcement was made by Visit Milwaukee chairperson Lynda Kohler at this morning’s board of directors meeting at the Milwaukee Hilton Center.
The position had been open since Doug Neilson left the job last August.
Upchurch joins Visit Milwaukee after some 30 years in the hospitality and tourism industry, including five years (2001-2005) as vice president of hotel operations with Milwaukee-based Marcus Hotels and Resorts. He most recently held the position of chief operating officer for Chicago-based TCA Holdings, operator of private sports resorts and clubs in the United States and Canada.
“Paul brings to the position a long and successful track record in the hospitality and tourism industry,” Kohler said. “Working with staff, our board and industry partners, we’re confident that Paul’s leadership will help us grow our regional tourism economy and bring it to the next level.”
Upchurch said he’s excited about the opportunity to return to Milwaukee in his new capacity.
“As a Midwesterner, my five years working in Milwaukee stand out as the most memorable,” he said. “It’s an honor for me to join this outstanding tourism marketing organization and work to grow our convention, meetings and leisure travel business for the region.”
Upchurch holds a bachelor of arts degree in psychology from the University of Michigan-Dearborn. He and his wife, Cindy, have two children, Stephanie, 21 and Eric, 18.
Visit Milwaukee markets greater Milwaukee to tourists, convention and meeting planners nationally and internationally and is dedicated to ensuring our guests are warmly welcomed and enjoy an enriching experience.
First Business Bank-Milwaukee adds Brandes to board
First Business Bank-Milwaukee has added JoAnne Brandes to its board of directors.
First Business Bank-Milwaukee is a part of Madison-based First Business Financial Services Inc.
Brandes is a founder and senior fellow of the Carroll University Center for Leadership Excellence. She is an attorney; an outside board member of several corporations; and speaker and consultant specializing in leadership development, corporate structure and governance, cultural transformation, and change management.
She retired after a long career with the S.C. Johnson family of companies as executive vice president, general counsel and secretary of JohnsonDiversey Inc. Brandes is currently a trustee of Carroll University; chair of the UW-Eau Claire Foundation Board, and a member of the Strategic Planning Committee; as well as a member of the UW-Eau Claire Chancellor’s Council.
Brandes will be one of the featured panelists in the BizTimes Women in Business Forum to take place at the BizTech Conference & Expo on Wednesday, April 28. For additional information, visit www.biztimes.com/women.
Park Bank names new president
The Board of Directors at Milwaukee-based Park Bank has named Dave Werner as the bank’s next president. Werner will succeed P. Michael Mahoney, as the bank’s president. Mahoney will continue to serve as the bank’s chairman and chief executive officer.
Mahoney has served as president of Park Bank for 27 years, and CEO and Chairman for 24 years. Werner’s promotion is the beginning of a leadership transition plan for the company.
“The timing is right to begin the transition process,” Mahoney said. “To ensure a smooth, natural transition, I will remain involved and committed as chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Park Bank.”
Werner has worked with Park Bank for 21 years, most recently as its senior vice president and market manager.
“Dave has a strong knowledge of the banking industry, financial operations, commercial banking, and our customer base,” Mahoney said. “I congratulate him on the successes he has achieved and look forward to more to come.”
“I am honored to have the opportunity to continue Park Bank’s strong leadership and commitment to serving our customers, stockholders, employees and community,” Werner said. “I have greatly benefited from the mentorship extended to me by Mike Mahoney over the past 21 years and am grateful to know that I can continue to depend on his support.”
The bank has made several other senior level promotions.
Phil Hackman has been named executive vice president of product sales and marketing. Hackman, who was previously senior vice president and market manager, will now oversee the bank’s treasury management, private banking, personal banking, consumer investments, residential mortgages and marketing.
Bob Makowski has been named executive vice president and chief financial officer. Makowski was previously senior vice president and chief financial officer.
Kim Schaffer, senior vice president and market manager, will now oversee the bank’s leasing activities.
“Park Bank has prospered for 95 years because of our strong leadership team, a constant belief in who we are and what we do, and a loyal group of customers and employees,” Mahoney said. “Our senior leadership team has worked together collectively and collaboratively for nearly 10 years, and will continue to do so. We are well positioned for the future and this planned transition allows us to continue our successful planning for the years ahead.”
Randolph is new CEO of Potawatomi Business Development Corp.
Pepi Randolph, a former president of Forward Wisconsin, has been named chief executive officer of the Potawatomi Business Development Corp. (PBDC).
The PBDC is owned an operated by the Forest County Potawatomi Community of Wisconsin. The corporation seeks to diversify Potawatomi business interests beyond gaming in an effort to secure the future of the Potawatomi tribe.
Randolph joined the PBDC in 2007 as vice president of sales and marketing.
Kip Ritchie, PBDC’s vice president of business development, has been named chief operating officer.
The appointments come as part of a leadership and organizational restructuring following the Great Recession.
Formed as the diversification engine for the Forest County Potawatomi Community, the PBDC’s holdings are nearly $40 million. However, like most business entities, recessionary challenges forced the PBDC to re-assess their organization and strategic priorities. As a result, the PBDC divested some investments, restructured its leadership, reduced expenses and re-focused its partnering and investment strategies.
“Pepi brings a diverse set of leadership skills to the role of CEO along with a vast Wisconsin network of contacts that will benefit PBDC as the corporation looks at new growth and partnership opportunities,” said PBDC board chair Kevin Allis. “With both Pepi and Kip, we now have the leadership and strategy in place for PBDC to build an economy separate from the tribe’s current dependence on Indian gaming, and become one of the most successful business development corporations in all of Indian Country.”
Prior to PBDC and Forward Wisconsin, Randolph’s past positions included assistant vice president in the investment division at M&I Bank in Milwaukee, assistant general counsel for the Milwaukee Brewers Baseball Club, and he was a top sales performer for both Johnson & Johnson and Procter and Gamble.
PBDC’s priorities for 2010 include being in position to review and establish a pipeline of acquisition, partnership or joint venture opportunities with other tribes and private industry.
Children’s Hospital reorganizes leadership team
Children’s Hospital and Health System president and chief executive officer Peggy Troy recently announced a reorganization among the health care system’s senior leaders, effective April 1.
The reorganization is designed to position leadership resources to effectively standardize care among the health system’s hospitals and specialty and surgical outpatient locations.
Cindy Christensen, J.D., R.N., executive vice president and chief operating officer of Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, will expand her leadership role over all hospital inpatient and ambulatory operations throughout Wisconsin and northern Illinois, including Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin-Fox Valley in Neenah, Surgicenter of Greater Milwaukee in Greenfield, and outpatient clinics in Greenfield, New Berlin, Neenah, Kenosha and other communities.
Larry Duncan, vice president of regional services, has been named senior vice president of ambulatory, diagnostic and regional services, a new leadership role with responsibility for strategic oversight for all ambulatory and diagnostic services in Wisconsin and northern Illinois. Duncan will continue his operational oversight for Regional Services, which includes facilities in Neenah, Kenosha and other communities in Wisconsin and Illinois. In his new role, Duncan will report to Christensen.
Joseph Kerschner, M.D., in addition to his role as president and CEO of Children’s Specialty Group, is named an executive vice president of Children’s Hospital and Health System, reporting to Troy. In his new role, Kerschner will facilitate collaboration in the physician community, creating synergies to help the health system better serve the needs of children.
