Industries

Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Meijer Inc., which plans to build several stores in the Milwaukee area, has dropped its plans for a store in Franklin, the city’s director of administration Mark Luberda said.

Major national architectural firms will handle the design work for the new office tower that Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co. plans to build at its downtown Milwaukee corporate headquarters campus.

Hundreds of job cuts stemming largely from the pending loss of two major federal contracts will begin soon at Monona-based WPS Health Insurance.

Milwaukee-based Robert W. Baird & Co. Inc. today announced that Jon Langenfeld has been promoted to head of global equities with overall responsibility for Baird’s equity research, sales and trading operations.

Menomonee Falls-based Kohl’s Department Stores today announced it will donate more than $4 million over five years to Penfield Children’s Center.

Milwaukee-based Harley-Davidson Inc. today reported that its fourth quarter motorcycle sales increased 7.5 percent worldwide during the fourth quarter of 2012.

Milwaukee-based Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co. Inc. announced its 2012 financial results, which include a record dividend payout to policy owners expected to exceed $5 billion in 2013. The company paid $4.97 billion in dividends last year.

Green Bay, Wis.-based Associated Banc-Corp. is consolidating its Chicago operations into one larger office in the West Loop from four other buildings in the market.

The state is now projected to have nearly $1.7 billion in extra revenue to assemble the next two-year budget.

Baird Private Equity, the direct private investment arm of Milwaukee-based Robert W. Baird & Co. Inc., has unveiled an updated strategic brand that includes the new name of Baird Capital.