Ideas

To many of my colleagues in the baby boomer generation, the rising generation of millennials is a mystery.

Purchasing a business is a substantial and exciting step in the career of many professionals and entrepreneurs. For many, it may be the first time there's no more boss to report to. Prospective business owners have a strong desire to work for oneself and benefit directly from personal time, effort, creativity and innovation. Those benefits come from a shift in approach – from day-to-day work to big picture thinking, from working a job to owning a business. At least it should.

The Bon-Ton Stores Inc., which has dual headquarters in Milwaukee and York, Pa., reported a first quarter net loss of $31.5 million, or $1.63 lost per share, compared to a net loss of $26.6 million, or $1.41 lost per share, in the first quarter of 2013.

Menomonee Falls-based Idea Factory Inc. has been acquired by Swedesboro, N.J.-based Ginsey Home Solutions and will close its local operations in the transaction.

Several projects that grew out of research at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee have received seed funding from the University of Wisconsin-Extension and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp.

First Business Financial Services Inc. has agreed to acquire Aslin Group Inc., parent company of Kansas City-based Alterra Bank, for $30.1 million.

Michael Passaglia has been named vice president-program manager for West Bend-based Westbury Bank’s wealth management division. He will be...

Milwaukee-based Baird Capital has sold its portfolio company, Charleston, S.C.-based American Auto Auction Group, to Detroit private equity firm Huron Capital Partners.

Jason Stamm has been named central region president for The Private Client Reserve of U.S. bank. He succeeds Mike Ott, who was recently named president of The Private Client Reserve.

Wauwatosa-based insurance software solutions firm Zywave Inc. has acquired FutureOffice Network and the assets of its parent company, Elm Grove-based Davidson Marketing Group.