Industries

The Northwestern Mutual Foundation announced nearly $700,000 in grants to 14 Milwaukee-area nonprofits that provide job training, business development and access to crucial community resources.

Robert W. Baird & Co. Inc. announced it has hired Mark Stevanovic as senior vice president to open a new wealth management office in Portland, Maine.

Madison-based First Business Financial Services Inc., the parent company of First Business Bank and First Business Bank-Milwaukee, reported record full year 2011 net income of $8.4 million.

With the demand for property and casualty insurance rising as the economy rebounds, Acuity announced it will need to hire 50 additional employees at its Sheboygan headquarters and throughout its 20-state operations.

PNC Bank named Christopher Goller as regional president of Wisconsin.

Milwaukee mergers and acquisitions advisory firm Bridgewood Advisors Inc. has completed the sale of Menomonie-based Polymer Technology Corp.

Milwaukee mergers and acquisitions advisory firm Bridgewood Advisors Inc. has completed the sale of Menomonie-based Polymer Technology Corp. The plastic injection molding company, which focuses on the medical and life sciences markets, was acquired by two private equity firms. Read more in the new edition of the BizTimes Money Weekly.

According to the Wisconsin Brewers Guild, there are more than 50 small breweries and brewpubs in the state employing more than 1,000 people, and those numbers continue to grow as startups come online and existing breweries expand. Read more in today's BizTimes Wisconsin Morning Headlines.

The U.S. stock market climbed again today after the U.S. Commerce Department reported that retail sales climbed the fastest in five months in February, as rising gasoline prices were not enough to choke off U.S. consumers' demand for cars, clothing and other goods.

Manufacturing resources