Economic Development

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded Associated Bank a Certificate of Achievement for assisting the department and the Rural Development Guaranteed Rural Housing Program in 2011.

Branden Boerner has been promoted to office president for the Elkhart Lake office at Sheboygan-based Community Bank & Trust.

PS Capital Partners LLC has moved its offices to 758 N. Broadway, Suite 910, Milwaukee.

Pewaukee-based Waterstone Mortgage Corp. hosted its first-ever national mortgage processors conference from May 6 to 8 at the Milwaukee Hilton.

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans will hold its annual member meeting at Miller Park on Tuesday, May 29 from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Associated Banc-Corp announced the appointment of James Yee to the role of executive vice president, chief information and operations officer.

Milwaukee-based Brady Corp. reported fiscal third quarter net income of $27.7 million, or 52 cents per share, down from $28.6 million, or 54 cents per share, in the same period a year ago.

Appleton Papers Inc. and Hicks Acquisition Company II Inc. announced a definitive agreement under which Appleton will engage in a business combination with Hicks in a transaction valued at $675 million.

MGIC Investment Corp. announced that its Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Corp. subsidiary has filed a lawsuit in Federal District Court in Milwaukee against Freddie Mac and the Federal Housing Finance Administration (Freddie Mac's conservator) regarding the pool insurance dispute between MGIC and Freddie Mac.

Milwaukee's Bradley Center has been renamed the BMO Harris Bradley Center after the bank made an undisclosed investment in the future of the building.