Ideas

Over the years, I’ve spent considerable time writing and reporting on the manufacturing skills gap. It remains a topic of concern for the industrial sector in Wisconsin as business, education and political leaders continue to work to develop solutions to a problem that stems from manufacturers struggling to fill open jobs while thousands of unemployed workers search for employment but don’t have the necessary skills to make them immediately viable candidates.

November sales of existing homes in the four-county metropolitan Milwaukee area were up 24.2 percent compared to November 2011, according to the latest report from the Greater Milwaukee Association of Realtors (GMAR). In November, 1,202 homes were sold in the area compared to 968 in November 2011.

Dan Ariens, president and chief executive officer of Ariens Co in Brillion, is finding ways to bridge Wisconsin’s skills gap.

Milwaukee-based RCB Awards has acquired Artistic Engraving of West Allis and Premier Awards of Fort Atkinson.

Jeff Yabuki, president and chief executive officer of Brookfield-based Fiserv Inc., will headline a stellar panel of business executives at the 2013 Northern Trust Economic Trends Breakfast.

BMO Financial Group, the Toronto-based parent company of BMO Harris Bank, reported strong fiscal fourth quarter earnings and a plan to repurchase up to 15 million of its common stock shares.

Financial institutions reported $37.6 billion in net income in the third quarter, up more than 6 percent from $35.2 billion in the same period a year ago, according to the Federal Deposits Insurance Corp.'s Quarterly Banking Profile.

First Business Financial Services Inc., the Madison-based parent company of First Business Bank and First Business Bank-Milwaukee, announced it has priced a public offering of 1.1 million shares of common stock at $23.00 per share.

Milwaukee-based Wipfli LLP, one of the top 25 CPA and consulting firms in the United States, has acquired Duluth, Minn.-based Eikill & Schilling Ltd.

Jeff Sherman and Andy Tarnoff, the founders of OnMilwaukee.com, say their company is looking for new investors.