Ideas

Plexus Corp. has significantly invested in training programs for its employees – and in youth-based STEM programming – with the hope of closing the skills gap.

Patricia Stuhr, the dean and campus executive officer of the University of Wisconsin-Marshfield/Wood County, announced her retirement on Friday.

For most of us, the Internet is the best library ever, an extensive global catalog, our personal shopper, and our entertainment and news resource. It is our source for information about the next place we hope to work. It is a 24/7 channel for social connection, and the place we go for advice and consumer reviews. It’s not our only resource – but it is our No. 1 go-to resource. Market researcher eMarketer estimates that adults spend almost six hours a day on digital media (mobile, desktop, laptop).

Sir Isaac Newton discovered the principle of gravity when he was hit by an apple while sitting under an apple tree. Picasso claimed his best inspiration was from other great artists.

Todd Teske, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Wauwatosa-based Briggs & Stratton Corp., says he drew some of his inspiration for innovation from a trip with his wife to buy a washer and dryer.

Your first instinct is to laugh, until you realize Teske is dead serious.

“I believe the greatest gift I can conceive of having from anyone is to be seen, heard, understood and touched by them. The greatest gift I can give is to see, hear, understand and touch another person. When this is done, I feel contact has been made.” — Virginia Satir

Russia's consumer protection watchdog has banned some SC Johnson household cleaning products that were made in the Ukraine, according to a report from The Moscow Times on Friday.

Some of Precision Screw Thread Corp.'s thread rolled and thread ground solutions are used in aircraft engines, on the International Space Station and in exoskeletons.

Forbes recently published its list of the top billionaires in the world. (Gee whiz, did not find my name on that list.) Fantasy sports leagues could not survive without statistics. How one evaluates performance of professional baseball has been forever altered by what is known as Sabermetrics. Every week the top performing theater movies and TV shows are shared in order of popularity. We are inundated with TV commercials extolling the miles per gallon a car can achieve or the tonnage a truck can pull.

Franklin-based Steele Solutions Inc. recently announced that Mike Thelen has transitioned from company president to chief executive officer and chairman of the board. Co-owner Kevin O’Neill will replace Thelen as president.