Industries

Wisconsin firms raised more than $152 million in early stage funding in 2011, reflecting a record year for angel investments, but a decline in venture capital financing from 2010 totals, according to a report by the Wisconsin Angel Network (WAN).

Robert W. Baird & Co. Inc. initiated coverage of the common stock of Roundy's Inc. with a rating of “Outperform” and set a $12 price target for the stock.

Oconomowoc-based First Bank Financial Centre (FBFC) has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the retail banking branches of Equitable Bank SSB located in Mequon and Brookfield and the deposits associated with those branches, totaling approximately $53.7 million.

Granite Peak Ski Area closed Sunday, three weeks earlier than planned, but the destination and business owners who depend on it for some of their sales said the winter season still was a modest success. Granite Peak was supposed to be open through Easter weekend, but temperatures in the 70s have melted much of the man-made snow that, along with natural snow, brought skiers and snowboarders to the mountain starting Thanksgiving weekend. One snowboarding event was canceled because of the early closure, and Granite Peak will also miss out on its last bump in traffic from students and their families during spring break. The Wausau region had received 38 inches of snow as of Monday. That's more than a foot less than the 52-inch average by mid-March and far below the 64 inches that had fallen by this time last year.

Some businesses across central Wisconsin are taking advantage of the unseasonable weather by opening earlier than normal, moves that could bring in extra business this year. Wisconsin has experienced a rash of record-setting warm days. The region is also in the midst of a dry stretch, with only about half an inch of rain falling in March. In response, golf courses have let people tee off, restaurants have opened their patios and landscaping services have begun early season prep work.

The state's FDIC-insured banks outperformed national averages in the fourth quarter of 2011, according to recent data from the FDIC.

The vision calls for new hotels, housing, offices, stores, restaurants, a bike center and a massive underground parking garage on city-owned property a block off Capitol Square.
And the cost, complexity and opportunity in redeveloping two blocks that now host the Madison Municipal Building and Government East Parking Garage are staggering, a new draft staff report says. According to the report, the redevelopment, which could cost $200 million and take seven years to plan and build, is "possibly as complex a project as the city has ever undertaken," the 38-page report says. The project, which could add two hotels with a total of 430 rooms, 114 apartments, tens of thousands of square feet of retail and office space and 1,300 parking spaces, could generate $660,000 in property taxes and $600,000 to $1 million in room taxes annually, among other economic benefits.

Milwaukee-based Rockwell Automation Inc. announced it has purchased the assets of SoftSwitching Technologies, a provider of industrial power quality detection and protection systems located in Middleton, Wis.

The Forest County Potawatomi tribe recently unveiled a new rendering and additional details for the 20-story, 375-385 room hotel...