fox cities business - august, 2012

F O X C I T I E S C H A M B E R

SuCCESSFully gREEn yOuR BuSInESS

lEAn MAnAgEMEnT

HOw THE HEAlTH CARE lAw AFFECTS yOuR BuSInESS

AU

GU

ST 2

012

Volu

me

13, I

ssue

8

www.foxcitieschamber.com

Drug Tier?Is that a typo, or a Drug ThaT makes you cry?

Let us transLate. Drug Tier refers To The DifferenT price levels of your prescripTion Drugs.

Meet Network Health. We understand how dealing with your health insurance company can bring you to tears. network health is here to increase your wellness, not cause you stress. the irony doesn’t escape us. We speak your language so there’s no confusion. that’s why we’re described as easy to do business with by 94 percent of our customers. after all, health insurance should ensure your health. Isn’t that the point? We think so.

We speak your language.

Networkhealth.com/EndTheJargon 800-826-0940

hMo plans underwritten by network health plan. pos plans underwritten by network health Insurance Corporation, or network health Insurance Corporation and network health plan. self-funded hMo and pos plans administered by network health plan.

Marketing | Design | Packaging | Public Relations | Web & Interactive | 920.380.4444 | www.coalescemarketing.com

grow dimensionally

Need to add more dimension to your marketing

materials? Coalesce has grown its capabilities to

include 3D modeling, virtual renderings, product

mock-ups and more.

Let’s grow what’s possible, together.

3 President’s perspectiveViews from Chamber President/CEO Shannon Meyer Full

11 new members

16 AccolAdes, AdvAncements, Announcements

10 octoberfest 2012

12 economic development

13 business of the month

4 information is the Key to successfully Green Your business; sam statz

6 How the Health care law Affects Your business; sheila Jenkins

8 lean management; thomas nelson

HIgHlIgHTS

FEATuRES

octoberfest Gives back, page 14

EVERy ISSuE

Fox Cities Chamber Business (v 259180). Published monthly by the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce and Industry, 125 N. Superior Street, Appleton, WI 54911. PH 920-734-7101. web www.foxcitieschamber.com. Periodical postage paid at Appleton, WI. Annual subscription fee to members for Fox Cities Chamber Business is $9 and is included in dues. Publisher: Shannon Meyer Full. Editor: Melody Lane Buller. Design: Coalesce Inc. Printing: Northeast Wisconsin Printing Co. Advertising Sales: Susan Vanden Heuvel, 920-734-7101. Postmaster: Send address changes to: Fox Cities Chamber Business, PO Box 1855, Appleton, WI 54912-1855.

Kim Bassett Heitzmann

Bassett Mechanical

Corey Brumbaugh

Miron Construction

Co, Inc.

Kevin Eismann

Epiphany Law, LLC

Daniel P. Ferris

SECURA Insurance

Jim Gaerthofner

Nordon Business

Environments

Vince Gallucci

Affinity Health System

Sharon Hulce

Employment Resource

Group Inc.

Dennis Jochman

The Bechard Group

Lyssa King

OuterEdge Stage

John Krause

Baker Tilly Virchow

Krause, LLP

Marty Lenss

Outagamie County

Regional Airport

Vic Lutz

McMahon

Bill Mann

ThedaCare

Dr. Susan May

Fox Valley

Technical College

Debra Michiels

Fox Banquets

Rivertyme Catering

John Milanowski

Innovative Machining, Inc.

Bill Mundy

West Business Services

Robert Pedersen

Goodwill NCW

James Rossmeissl

The Boldt Company

Catherine Tierney

Community First

Credit Union

Joan Woldt

Bank First National

Chairman of the Board

Linda Kennedy, Business Lending Group

Chair-Elect

Greg Bell, WHBY

Past Chairman

Jim Rankin, Air Wisconsin Airlines Corporation

Secretary/Treasurer

Bruce Zak, JPMorgan Chase, N.A.

Vice Chairman Membership Services

Monica Vomastic, Landmark Staffing Resources

Vice Chairman Economic Development

Kip Golden, Keller Inc.

Vice Chairman Workforce & Leadership Development

Joyce Bytof, Coldwell Banker The Real Estate Group

Vice Chairman Government Relations

Robyn Gruner, AT&T

Fox cities board of directors

Publisher: Shannon Meyer Fulleditor: Melody Lane Buller design: Coalesce, Inc.Printing: Northeast Wisconsin Printing Co. Advertising sales: Susan Vanden Heuvel, 920-734-7101

this issue Volume 13, Issue 8 | AuGust 2012

How the Health care law Affects Your business; page 6

successfully Green Your business, page 4

lean management; page 8

Fox Cities Chamber Business AUGUST 2012 3

Workforce Development…Access to Talent….Competitive Workforce…these are all terms that I hear at every single one of my meetings with members. It is the buzz of many media outlets, the topic for a lot of attention at the state level and is literally one of the greatest concerns facing our region at this time. We have significant immediate workforce demands in our manufacturing sector but also understand that other major sectors like healthcare, finance, insurance and distribution will also face extreme workforce shortages in the next 5 years.

The Chamber is actively engaging with our education partners, leading industries, and collaborative partners to not only talk about the challenges but to act on some innovate initiatives to address some of the immediate concerns and look to an overall future strategy. The workforce shortage is not something that will go away quickly. In order to solve this challenge, we, as a region, need to focus on creative, out-of-the-box ideas that engage the public and private sectors alike.

The Competitive Workforce Alliance is now being formed at The Chamber, which is a group of committed, dedicated individuals from the public and private sectors that understand the need to address the challenges and the willingness to tackle this enormous issue.

The Competitive Workforce Alliance is identifying the major challenges in the private-sector, the K-12 system and the post secondary arena. It is this identification that will allow us to address the issues in two areas: 1) immediate and tactical and 2) future and strategic. In order to address these areas, we will need to focus on a three-legged approach including talent development, talent attraction and talent retention. We will not be successful if we only focus on the current pipeline within the region. We realize that pipeline development and retention of that workforce is also critical to our success.

I want to highly encourage you to get involved in the Competitive Workforce Alliance. We need industry experts to engage and lend expertise to bring us solutions. We have talked about this issue long enough and now we must take action, even if they are only first steps on a very complex path.

2401 E. Enterprise AvenueAppleton • 920-882-4070

www.McCarty-Law.com

McCarty Law LLP welcomes Attorney Melissa R. DeVantier to its Fox Valley practice.

Melissa, a resident of Appleton, received her undergraduate degree from Valparaiso University (B.S.), and earned her M.B.A. and her law degree from DePaul University in Chicago.

Melissa’s practice consists of advising business owners on a range of topics including LLC and corporate entities, buy-sell agreements, customer contracts and succession planning. She also advises businesses and families on estate planning and real estate matters.

Growing to serve your needs

I. Gregg Curry IV • John J. Russo • Steven J. Cerasoli • Scott C. Barr • Reg P. WydevenRebecca L. Kent • Kristy A. Christensen • Jennifer T. Bania • Michael W. Curry • Philip A. Munroe

Melissa R. DeVantier • Of Counsel: Dennis M. Wydeven • Randall A. Haak • John A. Esler

SHANNON MEYER FULLPRESIDENT/CEO

president’s perspective

4 Fox Cities Chamber Business AUGUST 2012

information is the Key to successfully Green Your businessMore businesses are turning their focus toward the use of recycled and sustainable materials

and practices, including energy conservation. It’s happening with new projects and renovations

alike as business owners know the benefits—it’s better for the workplace, for employee

productivity, company profitability, and the environment. Gone are the days when using green

materials meant a hefty price tag and limited materials to select from. Today, building green

is comparable in cost to building using traditional methods, and sustainable materials—from

flooring to windows to HVAC systems—come in an array of shapes, sizes and benefits.

Even though green options are more common, building owners often have questions on what

types of materials and systems they should select and how those selections will impact future

energy costs.

One of the best ways to optimize a building’s future energy performance is with energy

modeling. Energy modeling uses computer simulations to estimate the energy consumption

of a building over time. To develop the model, information on your building is entered into

a computer program that estimates how much energy will be used for the proposed design.

Modeling can assist business owners in making decisions on systems and materials during the

design process and can serve as a benchmark for building performance when the project is

completed.

Developing an energy model is essential for two reasons. First, modeling

can guide design decisions as the project team and business owner analyze

different energy options. Energy modeling considers facility features such

as floor plan, windows, insulation, lighting and HVAC (heating, ventilating

and air conditioning) systems when estimating future energy performance of

a building. These details are used to create a baseline to evaluate building

options against, helping to make informed decisions during the project. If

changes are made to the design during construction, the model can simply be

updated to reflect those changes.

Secondly, once the building project is complete, the energy model provides an

estimate for the operating performance of the building. Once the building has

been operational, the model should be compared against the building’s actual

performance to see if the original expectations are being met. If a building’s

energy performance is not being met, the energy model can be useful in

understanding why there is a difference and whether system adjustments or

troubleshooting are necessary.

One example of this occurred with the McHenry County Government Center in Illinois.

Upon completion, the building was using more energy than the model estimated. Using the

SAM STATzLEED AP, DIRECTOR OF

CONSTRUCTION SERVICES, HOFFMAN LLC

featured story

When the McHenry County Government Center in Illinois was being designed, the Hoffman project team developed an energy model to estimate the expected operating performance of the new building.

1718 E. Wisconsin Ave. Appleton, WI 54911 Phone: 920.735.6777 • Toll Free: 888.563.0400 • newprinting.com

Featuring All Heidelberg Equipment

High quality short to mid run printing

Magazines & Catalogs

Sell Sheets & Brochures

Specialty die cut items

Pocket Folders

Marketing & Mailing Services

Postcards & much more


information in the model, Hoffman worked with the County

to determine what was causing the increase in energy use.

It was discovered that the building control system was

scheduled for regular occupancy until 11:00 pm (for the

cleaning staff) rather than 4:30 pm, when the building’s

occupants would be done for the day. So, lights were being

left on and occupied temperatures were being held, but the

model expected the building to shift to unoccupied mode,

when less energy would be used. Having the energy model

helped guide the County to pinpoint the issue and adjust

their building operation system to not only meet the needs

of the cleaning staff, but decrease energy usage and costs to

the level anticipated by the energy modeling.

Using green materials and practices in your project is a

commitment; one that takes planning and improvements

made over time in order to see the best results. Having the

right information early on in the process will help you make

educated decisions right from the start that, in the end, will

give you peace of mind and a healthier bottom line now and

for years to come.

When energy usage at the McHenry County Government Center surpassed the estimates from the model, the Hoffman project team was able to troubleshoot the situation, determine the cause for the increase, and work with the County to adjust their building control system. The adjustment helped the County lower their energy costs in the building.


How the Health care law Affects Your businessThe hotly debated Affordable Care Act was upheld by the Supreme Court last month. The decision creates ramifications for consumers, health care providers and employers. While many facets of the law don’t kick in until 2014, it’s never too early to consider its impact on your business.

With the election this fall, much uncertainty still remains around the reform details and their implications. Below is what employers need to know about the Supreme Court’s decision.

• The new law does not require an employer to provide insurance for any employee. But starting in 2014, companies with over 50 employees will pay a penalty if a full-time worker gets a public subsidy to buy insurance on the federal exchange.

• A business must pay a $2,000 penalty if it has 50 or more full-time employees and does not offer coverage. The employer pays the penalty for each full-time employee, but with 30-employees being deducted from the calculation. Any business with less than 50 employees will not face penalties.

• Any employer offering coverage for employees does not have to contribute anything towards the premiums. But, if the coverage is defined as unaffordable, the company must pay a penalty.

• The health care law deems any coverage unaffordable if it costs more than 9.5 percent of the employee’s household income. When a business offers coverage, but it is turned down by an employee because it is unaffordable, the penalty is $3,000 for every employee who buys insurance with a subsidy. Because employers can’t be expected to know the employee’s household income, federal agencies have approved a safe-harbor that suggests using the employee’s W-2 wages to determine the affordability of the employer’s plan.

• Starting in 2014, individuals and families living between 133 percent and 400 percent of the poverty level will be eligible for a government subsidy (based on current poverty guidelines, $14,856 to $44,680 for individuals and $30,656 to $92,200 for a family of four).

• For certain small businesses, the Affordable Care Act offers a tax credit to help offset the costs of offering employee coverage. Currently, employers with 25 or fewer full-time workers with an average salary of $50,000 or less can get tax credits of up to 35 percent of the cost of premiums, provided the business contributes at least half of the premium. The credit increases to 50 percent in 2014.

SHEILA jENkINSNETwORk HEALTH

featured story

www.craigaugustinephoto.comP. 920.810.2616

Let the images speak for themselves



lean managementTo the reader of Fox Cities Chamber Business, the concept of lean management is not new. Area manufacturers, health care providers and others have adopted such practices over the past decade. Faced with increasing competition and investor demands to improve profitability, businesses sought new ways to remedy old challenges. Thanks to Lean, area companies like ThedaCare, Affinity, Goodwill Industries, and Elipticon can boast healthier balance sheets, better outcomes, and happier employees.

Late to the game has been the public sector. While a handful of communities have effectively adopted Lean, the vast majority of municipalities, school districts and states have not. That’s a shame.

there is a clear path for the public sector to implement lean and deliver similar

achievements to taxpayers as their private sector counterparts did for their

shareholders. And it’s my goal to do just that at outagamie county.

Last year, Outagamie County began its Lean journey. Partnering with Fox Valley Technical College and area business leaders like Bob Pedersen, John Wiley and Dean Gruner, Outagamie began training department heads and staff, touring area companies, and meeting with business leaders all the while collecting insights and ideas to further our journey.

As of publication, eight department heads and six support staff are Lean-certified trained. Eight departments have submitted Lean programs for implementing Lean practices and building a Lean culture, two departments have drafted mission-vision-values statements, and several other departments are beginning their journey through training and taking that knowledge to the shop floor.

Certainly greater levy constraints and unprecedented cuts in state and federal aids made Lean an attractive management strategy. While those factors helped put us on our journey, County Board Supervisor Jim Duncan and Corrections Officer Joshua School must be acknowledged. They brought this to my attention a year ago and their enthusiasm for Lean is contagious; our journey is a testament to their passion.

Undergirding this journey, however, is my personal belief that it’s the right thing to do and that Lean holds great promise in the public sector.

What every county worker has in common is a passion to serve their community and do the most good with their God-given talents. Becoming more effective at their

THOMAS NELSON OUTAGAMIE COUNTY ExECUTIVE

featured story

ESTABLIS

H PULL

SEEK

PE

RFEC

TIO

N

ID

ENTIFY VALUE MAP TH

E VALU

E STREAM

CREATE FLOWNow Relieving Pain in the Fox Valley Advanced Pain Management is pleased

to announce the opening of our new location at 2700 E. Enterprise Avenue in Appleton. At APM our goal is to relieve pain, restore function and renew

hope for our patients.

Offering advanced treatments for:Back & Neck Pain • Sciatica

SI Joint Pain • Work & Sports InjuryJoint Pain • Spinal Stenosis

www.APMhealth.com • 888-901-PAIN (7246)

Scan the code with your smart phone to view a video or visit www.apmhealth.com/foxvalley. Need a code reader? Go to get.neoreader.com.

Nileshkumar Patel, MD, MBABoard Certified Pain Management

Board Certified AnesthesiologyCleveland Clinic Fellowship TrainedMinimally Invasive Spine Specialist

Maurizio Albala, MDBoard Certified Pain Management

Board Certified AnesthesiologyHarvard & Tuft University Fellowship Trained


jobs and embracing a culture of continuous improvement is tantamount to accomplishing that goal.

Over sixty years ago, the United States government passed on an idea that would germinate into modern day lean thinking. W. Edwards Deming, a USDA statistician failed to impress upon his superiors the value of statistical process control and other early iterations of Lean – so he took those ideas abroad to people willing to listen. Given the considerable success he birthed among Japanese and later U.S. manufacturers, I think it’s time the public sector took note and acted.

lean applies to every business

and every process, not just manufacturing.

The Octoberfest entertainment line up is as follows:


Join the mile of Fun with the “Granddaddy” of all FestsOctoberfest, the area’s largest community event, takes place on Saturday, September 29 and is packed with more than 100 food booths, 180 Arts and Craft booths, a family fun area and 15 bands on 5 stages.

The famed License to Cruise will take place the evening before from 6 to 9:30 p.m. More than 400 classic cars will be on display including the British Imports as the featured car and 15 food booths. Enjoy live entertainment in Houdini Plaza by the Doo Wop Daddies.

Event organizers would like to remind everyone that all festivalgoers who wish to drink alcohol are required to show ID to purchase a wristband.

Octoberfest is a program of the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce. Additional information about the entire event can be found online at www.octoberfestonline.org or follow the event on Facebook at Appleton’s Octoberfest.

Stage 5

Stage 4

Stage 3

Stage 2

Stage 1

103.9 WVBO and WNAM 1280 AM Stage

95.9 KISS FM (WKSZ) Stage

105.7 WAPL Stage

101.1 WIXX Stage

WYDR The Drive 94.3 & 99.7 FM Stage

100.3 WNCY Y100 Stage

Friday, September 28

Houdini Plaza (corner of College Avenue & Appleton Street): Doo Wop Daddies ......................................................6:00 PM–9:30 PM

Fanin Eleven (Street Corner Entertainment) ................ 6:00 PM–9:00 PM

Saturday, September 29

West End of College Avenue:Boogie & The Yo Yoz ................................................ 11:00 AM–12:30 PM

The Lucas Cates Band ................................................. 1:00 PM–2:30 PM

Strawberry Jam/Vic Ferrari ........................................ 3:00 PM–5:30 PM

Corner of College Avenue & Division Street:Copper Box ............................................................... 11:00 AM–1:00 PM

The Lately/Harrison Marsh Band ................................... 1:30 PM–3:30 PM

Greg Waters & The Broad Street Boogie ...................... 4:00 PM–5:30 PM

Corner of College Avenue & Superior Street:Rodeo Deville/Buffalo Stomp ..................................... 11:00 AM –1:30 PM

6 Figures ................................................................... 2:00 PM–3:30 PM

Nashville Pipeline ..................................................... 4:00 PM–5:30 PM

Houdini Plaza (corner of College Avenue & Appleton Street): Paperfest’s BOTB Winner ......................................... 11:00 AM–12:00 PM

Adam’s Way ............................................................. 12:30 PM–1:45 PM

Abstract Giants ........................................................... 2:15 PM–3:45 PM

Half Empty .................................................................4:15 PM–5:30 PM

Corner of College Avenue & Durkee Street:The Bob Kuether Band .............................................. 9:00 AM–10:30 AM

Doo Wop Daddies ......................................................11:00 AM–1:00 PM

Shaker and the Egg ......................................................1:30 PM–3:15 PM

RPM .......................................................................... 3:45 PM–5:30 PM

octoberfest 2012


2012

Signature Events Business Awards & Business Expo Wednesday, 6/6/12 Radisson Paper Valley Hotel 333 W. College Ave. , Appleton Awards Luncheon 11:30 AM—1:30 PM Expo 1:30—5:00 PM Business Connection 5:00—7:00 PM

Golf Outing & Big Ball Drop Tuesday, 8/14/12 Butte des Morts Country Club 3600 W. Prospect Ave., Appleton $150/golfer—$600/foursome www.foxcitieschamber.com to register Sponsorships available

Breakfast Networking Connections

January 26 February 23 March 29 April 26 May 31 June 28 July 26 August 30 September 27 October 25 November 29 December—no meeting

Fox Cities Chamber Office 125 N. Superior St., Appleton Last Thursday of the month 7:30-9:00 AM; $2 at the door

Please check the Chamber website foxcitieschamber.com for updated information about each of the event dates, times, locations and costs. You can register directly online.

Wednesday, 4/25/12 Famous Dave’s 1170 N. Westhill Blvd., Appleton

Wednesday, 5/23/12 Waverly Beach N8770 Firelane 1, Menasha

Wednesday, 6/6/12 Part of the Business Expo Radisson Paper Valley Hotel 333 W. College Ave. , Appleton

Tuesday, 7/17/12 Appleton Yacht Club 1200 S. Lutz Dr., Appleton

Tuesday, 10/2/12 Stone Toad Bar & Grill 1109 S. Oneida St., Menasha

Tuesday, 9/11/12 Comedy Corner 1575 Plaza Dr. Ste. A, Neenah

Tuesday, 8/21/12 High Cliff Restaurant, Banquets and Catering W5095 Golf Course Rd., Sherwood

Tuesday, 11/14/12 Grand Meridian 2621 N. Oneida St., Appleton

December Date & Location to be determined

Business Connections 5:00-7:00 PM; $2 prior to the event; $4 at the door; $20/prospective member

Wednesday, 2/15/12 Fidelity National Bank 1500 N. Casaloma Dr. , Appleton

Monday, 1/23/12 Meet Your Legislators Radisson Paper Valley Hotel 333 W. College Ave. , Appleton

Wednesday, 3/14/12 Solea Mexican Grill 1350 Gillingham Rd., Neenah

The Event ~ Celebrating Business Hollywood Nights Style (featured music will be movie themes) Thursday, 11/8/12 Details to be determined Sponsorships available

Future 15 Awards Tuesday, 5/15/12 UW-Fox Valley Communication Arts Center 1478 Midway Road, Menasha 3600 W. Prospect Ave., Appleton $30/person—to register go online www.foxcitiesyoungprofessionals.com Sponsorships available

Stage 5

Stage 4

Stage 3

Stage 2

Stage 1

we welcome new members to the chamberBRiCkS 4 kiDzMs. Laura Bell1230 N. Fernmeadow DriveAppleton, WI 54915-2828(920) 421-1428EDUCATIONAL TOYS/GAMES &TEACHERS SUPPLIESwww.bricks4kidz.com

Looy’S DoGS LLCMr. Kyle Fritz713 E. Franklin StreetAppleton, WI 54911-5511(920) 475-2102Sponsor: Pamela BarnesRESTAURANTS

MAxAiR inC.Ms. Pat RooversW6370 Discovery DriveAppleton, WI 54914-9190(920) 738-3020Sponsor: Dennis JochmanAIRCRAFT CHARTER SERVICESwww.maxair-inc.com

PRUDEnTiAL FinAnCiAL SERViCESMr. Bill LaBelle,2109 E. Capitol Dr., Bldg AAppleton, WI 54911(920) 636-2333FINANCIAL SERVICESwww.prudential.com

new members


economic development

Flavor of the monthSummer’s heat has surely brought smiles to the faces of our area’s ice cream shop owners. There’s nothing quite like a scoop of one’s favorite flavor to provide a distraction from an oppressive blast of hot temperatures, if only for a few minutes. Over the years, producers and marketers have become very creative in expanding the choice of flavors available beyond the tried and true vanilla, chocolate and strawberry. And to keep customers coming back—as if the heat itself isn’t reason enough; some vendors long ago introduced the “Flavor of the Month.”

Ah yes, the Flavor of the Month—the product that offers a never-ending variety of options. A great idea for marketing ice cream, perhaps; but it’s definitely not such a good idea when applied to economic development.

Over the years, far too many economic development organizations have attempted to re-invent their communities as the destination of choice for the newest, sexiest industries. Whether aerospace, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, software development or renewable energy, these economic development organizations and the communities they represent seem to endlessly pursue the industrial “Flavor of the Month.” In most cases, these communities are about as able to support a bio-tech company as I am to be pitching for the Brewers. Invariably, the ill-advised marketing strategy fizzles as the given industry finds its own equilibrium and establishes its own geographic center. In the process, valuable resources are squandered, and the community is left empty-handed with the prospect of yet another expensive folly in an effort to bring home a new business cluster.

In contrast, the “Ignite Fox Cities” economic development initiative of the Fox Cities Chamber seeks to further develop already proven and established business sectors that have a history of profitable operations and hold the promise for further success in our area. While a smart economic development organization is always attentive to those new sector opportunities that have a high probability of success locally; our strategy aligns itself most appropriately to further expansion and diversification of our industrial base using existing industry sectors as the starting point. While perhaps not as glamorous as holding out the possibility of landing a company from the newest trendy category, we believe that a methodical, reasoned approach to new business attraction built on a region’s heritage of success will have a far better likelihood of success.

Our four targeted industry sectors include:

• High-valuebusinessservices• Transportationequipmentmanufacturing• Innovativetechnologies• Foodprocessing

Each of these sectors allows for significant development of various supply chains locally, as well as for the expansion of these rather broad industry sectors into more specialized categories. For example, within the food processing heading alone, we have several strong enterprises, such as the production of dairy products, cheese and pizza. With these as anchors, it may be entirely possible to expand into other product types in the future.

When it comes to business expansion, we’ll leave the indiscriminate pursuit of the Flavor of the Month to the other guys. When it comes, to ice cream, however…now that’s another matter.

horizontal logo

stacked logo

CONTRIbUTED bY: LARRY bURkHARDT, CEDO


“Thanks to Telecom insites we have identified thousands of dollars in cost reductions to our annual telephone service…documented and resolved billing errors, renegotiated contracts and recommended changes to our system that have given us remarkable savings.”

“Joanne reviewed our telecommunications services and recommended changes that saved us over 20% plus added new features. Joanne has the expertise to fully understand the customer’s needs and the best services to meet those needs. We are very pleased with the end result!”

Nancy Coonen , CIO, Goodwill Industries“Based on Joanne’s recommendation, my company was able to save nearly 30% off our monthly recurring costs and increased our telecommunication service’s efficiencies.”

Marianne Winter, AVP of Network Support Services, M&I Data

“We saved 35%. i can highly recommend Telecom insites.”

Dave Allen, Business Manager, Insight Publications

“Telecom insites helped us reduce our cost of services by 33%!”

Dan Verbeten, President, Gardan Inc.

Monica Vomastic, President, Landmark Staffing, Inc.

Telecom insites is a rare breed of company that not only saves money for it’s clients, but guarantees those savings. Since its inception in 2010, says Joanne Fischer, the company’s founder, this innovative start-up company has saved 19% to 39% for its client organizations which adds thousands of dollars to their bottom line. Fischer explains how this works, “There’s no way our clients can go wrong with us. We work for a percentage of the savings we produce for our clients; if we can’t find real savings, we don’t get paid.”

The Chamber proudly salutes Joanne Fischer and her team for being the August Business of the Month.

tHeir customers sAY it best:

telecom insites

jOANNE FISCHER

Congratulationsbusiness of the month

business oF tHe montH | AuGust, 2012


• MetwitharepresentativeofDeliveringForAmerica(DFA), an organization working to ensure that Congress doesn’t completely dismantle the United States Postal Service in its efforts to cover revenue shortages. It is DFA’s contention that the majority of the shortfall is the result of a 2007 Congressional mandate requiring that the Postal Service to set aside enough to pay, over a ten year period, for almost all retiree health benefits for the next 75 years. One of the many suggested recommendations to backfill the ongoing shortfall is the elimination of Saturday delivery. The Chamber will be surveying your thoughts on this proposed service change in upcoming issues of Up2Date.

• SpokewiththenewSmallBusinessOmbudsmanforthe Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. The position has been created to facilitate conversations between small businesses and the department, demystify department techno speak, and simplify compliance requests. Chamber members are encouraged to contact Eileen F. Pierce with questions at 608-275-3296, or email her at [email protected]. For questions specific to Northeast Wisconsin, you are encouraged to call the Regional Director for Northeast Wisconsin, Jean Romback-Bartels at 920-662-5114 or email at [email protected].

• AttendedaWorkersCompSymposiuminMilwaukeewith Human Resource Specialists from around the state, the symposiums are designed to share best practices, as well as alert attendees to possible changes to the law.

• WorkedwithCongresstopassthefirstnewsurfacetransportation bill since 2005. For the last four years, the Chamber has been urging Congress to draft a new bill as opposed to the patch-work quilt of last minute, temporary funding provisions that had become commonplace. Federal funding for transportation programs stay at existing levels plus inflation, and retains the existing split between highways (80 percent) and transit (20 percent). Because revenues from taxes on motor fuels no longer cover existing spending levels, the law supplements the Highway Trust Fund with revenues transferred from other sources, including general revenues.

government affairs• The research on mentoring is clear: Mentors are a

valuable tool in engaging and retaining the young professional workforce. Not only do mentors offer insight, guidance and professional contacts, but mentors can also help young professionals set and actualize their career goals.

• Despite the well-known benefits, many local young professionals are simply unsure how to secure a mentor. Outside of formal mentoring programs through an employer, how do Fox Cities young professionals make meaningful mentoring contacts?

• In August, Pulse will be making the first mentor/mentee matches as part of its new Mentor Match program. Mentor Match pairs up local young professionals with experienced business leaders for a year-long mentoring partnership. As part of the program, mentor and mentee agree to meeting at least once monthly in a face-to-face professional capacity. Activities may include, but are not limited to:

• Inviting the mentee to your place of work for a meeting

• Attending a Chamber event

• Participating in a community service project

• Attending a training or professional development opportunity

• Reviewing your mentee’s resume

• Discussing career goals over lunch

• Attending a meeting of your service club

• Helping your mentee prepare an elevator speech about an issue or cause they’re passionate about

• Recommending reading material and engaging in a discussion of how you will apply it to your professional practice

• Pulse received over 40 mentor and mentee applications for its first round of mentoring matches. Matches are made based on mutual interests and goals to ensure a compatible and constructive partnership. Because of the highly personalized nature of the program, not all applicants are immediately guaranteed a mentor match. Mentors and mentees who did not receive a match in the first round will be eligible for a match in the next application cycle.

pulse: mentor match

department updates


• Best Practices from northeast Wisconsin presented in Washington, D.C.: Two best practices from The Fox Cities were selected to present at this year’s National Career Clusters™ Institute in Washington, D.C., June 18-20, 2012. The National Career Clusters™ Institute is an annual summer event that offers a range of seminars and workshops highlighting model CTE (career and technical education) programs across the country that are aligned to the National Career Clusters Framework™. Sessions and workshops cover timely subjects ranging from energy-focused programs of study to cross-curricular collaboration to programs of study and other important leading-edge approaches to teaching, learning, and assessment.

• Closing the STEM gap: F.O.C.U.S. (Fostering Our Communities Understanding of STEM – science, technology, engineering and mathematics) a STEM initiative of the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce in Collaboration with CESA 6 was piloted two years ago by Tania Kilpatrick, Career and Technical Education Coordinator at CESA 6 and Patty Milka, Director, Competitive Workforce at the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce. Their session highlighted a program that executes strategies using hands-on curriculum that strengthens student’s foundational math, science and communication skills. F.O.C.U.S. is a program which provides access to positive role models to help students, particularly those of

underrepresented populations, identifies opportunities that exist within STEM. Through our efforts, we have effectively engaged our community and spread the STEM message through multiple career pathways. Our collaborative efforts have resulted in 50 percent participation from females in the program and have educated parents in our community on STEM opportunities.

• Wisconsin’s Career Pathways Web Site for Educators and Students: The Wisconsin’s Career Pathways Website was created to fill the need for an organized, consistent and user-friendly Web-based resource to assist educators in meeting the challenges of growing and maintaining a skilled workforce to support the economic development of our state. After two years of project work the website was launched in July of 2010. Attendees learned about the Wisconsin’s Career Pathways Web site and how it combines Career Clusters™ and Pathways, Programs of Study, and Plans of Study. Attendees discovered how high school educators can build secondary to post secondary programs of study online. They also walked through their latest developments that focus on students and individual plans of study. They demonstrated how students in Wisconsin can create their own individualized Plan of Study using our interactive web-based tool.

competitive workforce

• AttendedribboncuttingsatthenewlocationofPrincipal Financial Group and new businesses - Gordon Flesch Company, Inc. and Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant.

• TheAugust21stBusinessConnectionwillbeheldatHigh Cliff Restaurants, Banquets and Catering, W5095 Golf Course Rd., Sherwood, from 5-7 p.m. Please join us for this great networking event near High Cliff State Park and Lake Winnebago. To register, please contact us at 734-7101 or go to our website – www.foxcitieschamber.com

• TheteamattheComedyQuarterisexcitedtohosttheSeptember 11th Business Connection. Their address is 1575 Plaza Dr., Neenah. To register, please contact us at 734-7101 or go to our website – www.foxcitieschamber.com

membership


accoladesmiron construction co., inc., was recently named

Contractor of the Year by ENR Midwest magazine. “The

Miron team is extremely honored to be selected as ENR

Midwest’s Contractor of the Year,” stated David G. Voss, Jr.,

President and CEO of Miron Construction. “We’re very proud

of our long legacy as a contractor of choice in Wisconsin and

throughout portions of the entire nation. We are pleased to

receive this recognition and humbled to fill a spot that has

previously been held by so many incredible leaders within our

industry.” Miron was selected in part due to its commitment

to sustainable and energy efficient construction as well as its

pioneering use of new technologies. Miron’s varied portfolio

of projects, from high-tech manufacturing facilities for global

organizations like Plexus Corporation, to its current work on

the Lambeau Field Stadium Improvement Project helped to

secure the title.

Top business owners and managers from around the state

of Wisconsin attended Corporate Report Wisconsin’s annual

Best of Wisconsin Business Awards luncheon on June 8, 2012

at the Concourse Hotel in downtown Madison. teGron

stAFFinG is proud to announce they’ve won the Gold Award

in the Best of Staffing Firm category. This award recognizes

staffing companies with the highest level of integrity along

with providing quality matches and outstanding customer

service. Tegron is celebrating its 10th anniversary in providing

staffing solutions and career options in Northeastern

Wisconsin.

Theresa Lehman, miron construction’s director

of sustainable services, has been appointed to represent

labor on the Wisconsin Environmental Education Board

(WEEB). She will begin serving her three-year term on

July 1, 2012. “I look forward to using my knowledge of

sustainability along with my experience working with school

districts to encourage their teachers to use their schools

as teaching tools when integrating sustainability into the

curriculum to benefit the Wisconsin Environmental Education

Board,” Lehman said. “As USGBC Faculty, I understand

the importance of environmental education. Having the

opportunity to work with STEM (Science, Technology,

Engineering & Mathematics) students, who love hands-on

learning activities, has made me even more excited to take

on this additional role.”

advancementsGoodwill industries oF nortH centrAl

wisconsin (ncw) has announced several new hires and

promotions at its Menasha and Appleton locations. Kathy

Horton has joined Goodwill’s Financial Information and

Service Center (FISC) team in Menasha as the new housing

financial counselor. She comes to Goodwill and FISC from

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans where she was a financial

advisor. Trent Thibodeau has been promoted to senior

vocational trainer with the Vocational Support Services (VSS)

program in Menasha. He has worked with VSS since 2009.

Shane Crum has accepted the position of Outlet Store team

leader at Goodwill’s Shiner Center in Appleton. Although

the new Outlet Store won’t open until February 2013, Crum

will be involved in the planning and hiring processes that

precede the grand opening. Missy Darrah has been hired as

a café area team leader at Harmony Café-Appleton. Wendy

Johnson is the new assistant team leader for Goodwill’s

E-Commerce operation at the Shiner Center in Appleton.

accolades, advancements and announcements


In this role, she will be in charge of the books and media

portion of the business. Dave Fazer has been named store

team leader for the Grand Chute Goodwill Retail Store and

Training Center. Fazer has been with Goodwill Industries of

North Central Wisconsin (NCW) since 2009, when he was

hired as store team leader for the Shawano Goodwill.

announcementsThe communitY FoundAtion For tHe Fox vAlleY

region is offering several free information and training

sessions for grant seekers this summer. To register to attend

any of the sessions, please contact Pat Baer at

[email protected] or 920-830-1290.

August 22, noon-1 p.m. — Community Foundation, 4455 W.

Lawrence St., Appleton

Discussion Topic - Capacity Building: Learn more about

planning grants to prepare for organization change or

growth, or implementation grants if funding is needed to

implement the outcomes of any planning process. This is

not a presentation. No special materials will be distributed.

Come with your questions and ideas.

Keller, PlAnners, ArcHitects And builders,

a design/build general contractor with offices in the Fox

Cities, Madison, Milwaukee and Wausau, will design and

build the 9,000 square foot warehouse facility for wAusAu

equiPment comPAnY, inc. under the direction of Keller

Project Manager, Bob Poch, and Architect, Steve Klessig.

Construction has begun and is expected to be completed

mid September, 2012. President/CEO Rod Winter said that

Wausau is building the new warehouse to support its airport

products assembly operation located at N6425 Stanchfield

Drive in Fond du Lac. Keller completed construction of

the facility in May 2009 and a plant expansion in October

2011. The Company was the first to occupy the Fond du Lac

Aeronautical Industrial Park on the north side of the Fond du

Lac County Airport. Wausau purchased more than six acres

in the new industrial park directly adjacent to the airport,

and has an option to purchase another six acres for future

expansion. The 28,350 square foot facility was designed for

research and development, final assembly, and testing of

heavy-duty snow removal and ice control equipment.

tri citY GlAss & door, inc. has received certification

as a Woman-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE) through

the State of Wisconsin Department of Administration. The

designation is pursuant to the state administrative rule

requirements of Adm. 83 which provides validation that TRI

CITY GLASS & DOOR meets the requirements of being

at least 51% woman-owned, controlled and managed. It

qualifies TRI CITY GLASS & DOOR to be considered for

contracts with corporations and government entities that

seek vendor relationships with businesses owned & operated

by women.


out and about

Chamber Ambassadors and staff welcome Buca di Beppo, 1190 N. Casaloma Drive, Appleton on June 25, 2012.

Chamber members participate in the Gordon Flesch Company, Inc., 1110 W. Kennedy Ave, Kimberly ribbon cutting on June 5, 2012.

Mayor Tim Hanna joins with Chamber Ambassadors in opening the Principal Financial Group, 100 W. Lawrence St. Fifth Floor, Appleton, on June 13, 2012.


EVENTS

2012 2012 -- Marketing OpportunitiesMarketing Opportunities

Meet Your Legislators—January Business Connection with elected officials. Averaging 300+ attendees Premier Sponsors: $750 Contributing Sponsors: $500 Future 15 Young Professional Awards Premier Sponsors: $1,000

Golf Outing—August Premier Sponsor: $3,000 Golf Cart Sponsor: $2,000 Golf Lunch Sponsor: $1,500 Golf Reception Sponsor: $1,500 All in One Sponsor: $ 800 Tee or Hole Sponsors: $ 350 Beverage Sponsors: $ 100

Quarterly Business Symposiums Presenting Sponsor: $1,000 per symposium $3,500 for all 4 Career Fair—March Presenting Sponsor: $3,000 Premier Sponsor: $1,000 Contributing Sponsors: $ 500 Small Business Sponsors: $ 250

ANNUAL S IGNATURE EVENTS

The Event—mid-October to early November Annual Meeting averaging 900 attendees Presenting Sponsor: $10,000 Premier Sponsors: $ 5,000 Contributing Sponsors: $ 2,500 Corporate Packages: $ 750

PROGRAMS

Pulse, Young Professionals Network Opportunity to sponsor monthly events ($600), annual CEO Breakfast or Future 15 Awards ($1,500 each).

Pulse CEO Breakfast Presenting Sponsor: $1,500 Leadership Fox Cities LFC Retreat $2,500 LFC Graduation $1,500 LFC Executive Program $1,500 LFC Youth Program $1,500

Opportunity to sponsor monthly events ($600), annual 8 month program or Executive Leadership Program ($1,500 each).

Fox Cities Chamber Business, the Chamber’s monthly print magazine, has 85,580 touches in the business community per issue, reaching business owners, senior level executives, managers, supervisors, sales & marketing and small business owners. Contact Susan Vanden Heuvel for an editorial calendar and rate sheet. Member411, the Chamber’s bi-weekly e-newsletter reaches 3,000 email addresses. Chamber Mobile App $500 for 6 months

ADVERTIS ING

Business Awards—June Presenting Sponsors: $7,500 Premier Sponsors: $1,000

Business Expo—June Together with the Business Awards Program. Presenting Sponsors: $2,500 Premier Sponsors: $1,500 Contributing Sponsors: $ 750

Christa McAuliffe Academy Many opportunities for class, tour or break sponsorships. Contact the Chamber for more information. F.O.C.U.S. / STEM F.O.C.U.S. (fostering our communities understanding of STEM – science, technology, engineering and math) a shared resource and economic system for all things related to STEM in the Fox Cities including mentoring of students in grades 5-9. Please contact the chamber for more information on how you can become involved in the development of our future workforce.

Economic Outlook Breakfast—February Results of the economic outlook survey are presented. Averaging 600+ attendees Presenting Sponsor: $2,500 Premier Sponsors: $1,000 Contributing Sponsors: $ 500


The Fox Cities Chamber announces the 2012 date for

“The Event,” an annual celebration of the vision,

leadership and commitment of its members.

This year our theme is “Celebrating Business

Hollywood Nights Style.” Our leaders, who lay the

foundation for a bright future full of hopes, dreams

and opportunities will be honored and recognized.

With over 1,000 people expected to attend this year,

please join us on Thursday, November 8th at the

Performing Arts Center from 5:30 – 10 PM.

The planting, growing and harvesting of business in the Fox ValleyThe Cultivate: Business Growth Series is an evolution of the quarterly Signature Symposium Series that took place on February 1, 2012. The idea behind the quarterly series is to educate area business leaders on new and widespread business topics.

Each event will feature a national keynote speaker followed by three breakout sessions with an opportunity to plug into 18 different topics. The topics will follow four main tracks; Strategic Planning, Finance & Technology, Sales & Marketing and Performance Management. The event is designed to address main points of three target audiences; business owners/top executives, middle management and operations.

Look for our upcoming announcement of the Date, Time and Place.

.

Featured Speaker:

William Symonds, Director, Pathways to Prosperity, Harvard Graduate School of Education

August 20, 2012 3:30 p.m.-5:00 p.m.

The Commons Entrance # 6

at Fox Valley

Technical College

1825 N. Bluemound Drive, Appleton, WI 54914

The connection between workforce development and education has resonated in both the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce’s Economic Development Study and the Community Life Study. According to the economic study only 24.8% of 27 year olds have obtained a four year degree. What happened to the other 75.2%? How well did we prepare them to enter the workforce? Bill Symonds, Harvard Graduate School of Education, released a study in 2011 called “Pathways to Prosperity: Meeting the Challenge of Preparing Young Americans for the 21st Century” in which they studied the connection between education and the workforce with an interest in finding a realistic path to employability.

This event is free of charge but you must Register at:

http://events.foxcitieschamber.com

For more information

call Patty at (920) 734-7101

Pathways for College and Career Readiness

in Wisconsin

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to:

Fox Cities Chamber business

c/o Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Inc.

PO box 1855

Appleton, wI 54912-1855

F O X C I T I E S C H A M B E R

fox cities business - august, 2012

Documents

network health plan

health care law

health insurance company

fox cities chamber of

business sheila jenkins

business sam statz

pos plans

hmo plans