Ideas

Profits for Waukesha-based Generac Holdings Inc. surged in the first quarter by 68.4 percent. The company reported first quarter net income of $50.7 million, or 73 cents per share, compared to $30.1 million, or 44 cents per share for the first quarter of 2012.

The Harley-Davidson Foundation has committed to allocating more than $2.4 million in grant funds to support the growth of the Hunger Task Force Farm in Franklin.

Menomonee Falls-based JR Prototypes has added selective laser sintering, cast urethane prototyping, fused deposition modeling and CNC prototyping to its offerings.

Glendale-based Johnson Controls Inc. and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee have received a Gold Award in the Edison Awards for their recent energy collaboration.

Gov. Scott Walker has named the new membership of the Council on Workforce Investment, a federally mandated panel that will advise Walker and the Department of Workforce Development on the allocation of federal workforce development funds.

Caterpillar Inc. and United Steelworkers Local 1343 are scheduled to resume negotiations in South Milwaukee on Wednesday.

Milwaukee-based global workforce solutions company ManpowerGroup has advised manufacturers to solve the skills gap through collaborative industry groups.

The owners of fast-growing companies in the Milwaukee area are encouraged to nominate their firms for the 2013 Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce Future 50 Awards.

The Milwaukee-area manufacturing industry contracted in April, according to a monthly report from the Institute for Supply Management-Milwaukee.

It’s no secret that Republicans and Democrats in the Wisconsin Legislature have disagreed on more than a few issues in recent years. There comes a time, however, to put partisanship aside and to stand on common ground.