june 2014 | volume 15 | issue 2

CHAMBER AND OMNI RESOURCES PARTNER TO CONNECT BUSINESSES TO SCHOOLS THROUGH TECNOLOGY

• MILLENIALS ARE CHANGING THE WORKPLACE• HOW OFFICE DESIGN ENGAGES YOUR TEAM• EMPOWERMENT: CULTURE CAN TRUMP STRATEGY

LEADERSHIP FOX CITIES

CLASS OF 2014

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On the cover: (left to right) Patty Milka, competitive workforce director for Fox Cities Chamber; Monika Elzey, Senior, Appleton North High School; Jeff Lang, managing director for OMNI Resources

Photography by: Craig Augustine Photography

Fox Cities Chamber Business | JUNE 2014 1

Fox CitiesChamber of Commerce & Industry

2 PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVEViews from Chamber President/CEO Shannon Meyer Full

28 NEW MEMBERS

30 OUT AND ABOUT

32 CALENDAR OF EVENTS

10 Changing Generations Mean a Changing Workplace

12 How Off ice Design Engages Your Team

13 Empowering Your Team

14 Being Green in 2014

15 Charting the Work/Life Balance

29 Businesses of the Month

28 Diamond Member Honor Roll

18 Community Spotlight

20 Economic Development

22 Advocacy

23 Octoberfest

24 Leadership

4 Chamber and Omni Resources Partner to Connect Businesses to Schools Through Technology

Featured Columns

Highlights

News

Cover Story

Every Issue

Fox Cities Chamber Business (v 259180). Published quarterly 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. Postmaster: Send address changes to: Fox Cities Chamber Business, 125 N. Superior Street, Appleton, WI 54911.

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this issue VOLUME 15, ISSUE 2 | JUNE 2014

2 Fox Cities Chamber Business | JUNE 2014

Dear Members,The ability to attract, retain and

develop talent is the driving concern for a majority of our members. It doesn’t matter if you have one-to-two employees or 10,000 employees; every business is dependent upon a highly skilled, successful team.

Area companies are facing numerous challenges pertaining to talent, including:

• Obstacles in attracting high level IT, engineers and senior level management to this region from outside the state

• Not enough skilled workforce in the pipeline causing delays or inability to increase production

• A high concentration of seasoned business leaders exiting the workforce and no succession plan

• The future pipeline is not currently filled with the number or type of qualified workers and high school students interested in careers necessary in our region

Due to these concerning trends and the increasing demand from our members and partners for workforce and talent development, the chamber and the Fox Cities Regional Partnership are proactively investing more of our resources into expanding our talent attraction and retention and leadership development programming.

Retaining our future talent begins before students even start high school. Our 8th grade Career Fair engaged more than 2,700 8th graders in career opportunities available right here in the Fox Cities. They were amazed at the high-tech, hands-on, “cool” careers happening right in their backyard. Through a strong partnership with Omni Resources, a company that

knows first hand how difficult it is to find and attract highly skilled talent, we’ve developed, implemented and began marketing a software platform called Connect-A-Career. This web-based resource serves as a one-stop shop, linking businesses of all types to educators and students that need work-based learning opportunities.

We’ve taken a very hands-on, personalized approach to attracting talent to our region, including a new program called Concierge Plus. This program is designed to address challenges businesses face during the recruitment or acclimation stages of top-level talent. We are currently piloting the program with Kimberly-Clark and Affinity Health Systems. In essence, the chamber reaches out to the candidate or new hire as a personal concierge to them and their spouse/guest/family. Our goal is to duplicate or exceed their existing quality of life. After an initial discovery phase with the individual, we identify the local resources they want and need and connect them to those resources, including:

• Business and/or community leaders• Arts and/or cultural opportunities

and venues• Volunteer opportunities• A personal network of friendsConcierge Plus is a highly

individualized program; the resources and relationships utilized will be very specific

Board MembersKevin Eismann Epiphany Law, LLC

Robyn Gruner AT&T

Mayor Gary Henke City of New London

Sharon Hulce Employment Resource Group Inc.

Dave Jansen ThedaCare

Dennis Jochman The Bechard Group

Lyssa King W by Worth

John Krause Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP

Vic Lutz McMahon

Jen Wagner Mauk Affinity Health System

Robert Pedersen Goodwill NCW

Jay Shambeau Calumet County

Monica Vomastic Landmark Staffing Resources

Chairman of the Board Kip Golden Miron Construction Co., Inc.

Chairman-Elect Daniel P. Ferris SECURA Insurance Companies

Past Chairman Greg Bell WHBY

Secretary/Treasurer Bruce Zak JPMorgan Chase, N.A.

Leadership and professional development gives our local talent the tools they need to continue to do great things in our community.

Publisher Shannon Meyer Full

Editor Kristin Sewall

Design Coalesce Marketing & Design, Inc.

Photography Craig Augustine

Printing JP Graphics Inc.

Advertising Sales Dawn Nowakowski, 920-734-7101

president’s perspective


to the candidate or new hire’s needs. We will be ready to launch this service to the general business community in the fall 2014.

The Talent FAM tour is another attraction program in development that will target college seniors or recent graduates within a fi ve state Midwest area that are educated in vocations lacking in our region. For example, area businesses have identifi ed a need for IT professionals and engineers. We will use a collective approach to appeal to the Deans of Universities, offering an exploration opportunity for the students that include a two-and-a-half- to three-day, all expenses paid, trip to our region. As the host, we help them experience our community culture fi rst-hand; engage them with our Pulse Young Professionals Network; take them to a sporting, music or community event; and fi nally, visit each of the participating businesses so they can meet and experience the corporate culture of these companies. A pilot program for IT will be launched in Fall 2014, with an Engineering pilot to follow in the spring.

Leadership and professional development gives our local talent the tools they need to continue to do great things in our community. We continue to improve upon our traditional, executive and youth leadership programs, giving our local talent the tools they need to excel on their path to personal and professional excellence. The Cultivate – Business Growth Series continues to focus on tactical/practical business tips that you can start using in your business or position immediately. One of the biggest assets to our organization is our Pulse Young Professionals Network. We also strive to engage young professionals and young entrepreneurs in exciting opportunities that recognize their accomplishments

and connect them with seasoned business professionals with events like Future 15, CEO Breakfast and monthly Lunch & Learns.

If you are interested in any of these programs, or have an identifi ed need that we can assist with, please let me know! Also if you are interested in participating in any of these talent experiences, we welcome your involvement and engagement.

And last, but CERTAINLY not least, as I focused this perspective on talent, I would be remiss if I didn’t recognize one of our greatest talent assets here at the chamber, Thom Ciske. Thom has been the VP of Government Affairs for us for 24 years. He is embarking on a well-deserved retirement on May 29th. Thom has been an integral member of our team, a vocal and visible spokesperson for the business community, and a friend to many. He will be truly missed, and I wish him and Mary Ann all the very best in their many endeavors. I only hope that he will stop by on occasion and take me to Sam’s Club for a hot dog (his favorite place for lunch).

Shannon Meyer FullPresident/CEO

Jason Henrich, WI Financial Wealth Management, and Thom Ciske.

920-830-1290 cffoxvalley.org

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Move beyond the

MEto strenghthen the

WERemember your

commUNITY.

Give now and for future generations


By Jaime Leick, Contributing Writer

L-R: Patty Milka, Director, Competitive Workforce for Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce; Pat Heideman, Senior Solutions Architecct, Omni Resources; Gail Ondresky, President, Omni Resources

Learn more at foxcities.connectacareer.com

SCHOOL-TO-BUSINESS NETWORKING GETS

TECHNOLOGY BOOST

Goal: Connect high school students to work-based learning opportunities driven by local employers concerned with the future of our region’s skilled workforce.

Little Chute sophomore Hannah Dornfeld is pretty sure she wants to be an engineer. What kind of engineer? That’s not so clear. So Dornfeld did three job-shadowing days this past school year, visiting a chemical engineer at Bemis, an architect at Hoffman and an electrical engineer at Kimberly Clark.

What’s particularly notable about Dornfeld’s experience is that she organized the job shadows on her own, thanks to the new Connect a Career site developed by Omni Resources, in partnership with the Competitive Workforce Alliance (an af� liate of the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce).

Built as a pro bono project for the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce, the site is designed to connect teachers and students with the area business community. The goal is to build connections and streamline work-based learning activities like job shadowing, company tours and guest speakers.

An Exploration GapAs students enter high school, they quickly begin

discussions with their counselors and teachers about preparation for their lives after high school. Will they go directly into the workforce, the military, a four-year university or a two-year technical program?

“That destination becomes the foundation for the coursework decisions they make in high school. Once they choose, they’re kind of committed,” explains Jeff Lang, managing director at Omni. “But we noticed an exploration gap. Students don’t know what they want to do, and they don’t really understand all the options that are available.”

Connect a Career makes it easier for students and teachers to learn about, and engage with, area businesses. They can log on to � nd guest speakers and facility tours, as well as job shadows, internships and youth apprenticeship opportunities.

Patty Milka is the competitive workforce director for the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce. Before Connect a Career, Milka served as a central clearing house for work-based learning.

“It was all manual,” Milka says. “Teachers would email me, ‘Do you have a lab tech? Do you have a nurse practitioner?’ and I would have to look it up in my database.”

Milka’s idea was to take the same information she kept in her database and make it publically available so that area businesses and teachers could � nd each other, and eliminate the middleman. But more than that, Milka saw the tool as a


STUDENTS ATTENDED FACILITY TOURS525

BUSINESS LISTINGS(Including 282 opportunitiesfor speakers and tours)

91 JOB SHADOW OPPORTUNITIES

155

665USERS

Building a Future WorkforceConnect a Career was developed in 2013 and tested in the classroom during spring 2014. Official rollout began last fall with a limited focus on the career and technical education teachers in the five school districts that belong to the region’s Competitive Workforce Alliance.

In its first four months, Connect a Career had the following impact:

For more information, visit foxcities.connectacareer.com. To learn how you can get involved, contact Patty Milka at 920-734-7101 or [email protected].

way to help area educators understand the local labor market.

“We used to be considered the Paper Valley, but we’re so much more than that,” says Milka. “What goes on in those big boxes out there? What is a Miller Electric? What is Faith Technologies? Our educators aren’t really aware of the jobs in these companies.”

Lang himself speaks at area high schools and career fairs, and he echoes Milka’s concerns.

“I’ve done a few talks about the technology profession, and everyone says they had no idea there was so much diversity in the jobs available,” Lang reports. “The other comment I hear a lot is surprise that these types of careers are available in northeast Wisconsin, rather than a major metro area like Minneapolis, Chicago or the coasts.”

More Time with StudentsAnna Schlimm is the school-to-career liaison for Little

Chute Career Pathways Academy, the charter school Hannah Dornfeld attends. Schlimm’s job is to help students explore potential careers, and she was one of the first area educators to pilot the Connect a Career tool.

“Before, I’d have to do a lot of cold calling to drum up businesses interested in hosting students,” she says, describing the process as “selling” businesses on the idea. “But now, all that work is done and I can spend more time with the kids, rather than behind my computer and on the phone.”

Dornfeld believes Connect a Career is opening new doors for students like herself.

“This website helped me find job shadows that I think would have been very hard to find and set up on my own or with the help of Miss Schlimm,” Dornfeld wrote in an email interview. “It’s helped me find careers that I want to explore more and find careers that I didn’t like as much as I thought I would.”

Peter Worley, youth apprenticeship coordinator for the Appleton Area School District, helps students find more intensive work-based learning experiences. And he starts by having students sign on to Connect a Career to do some exploring.

Once students decide on a company they’d like to work with, Worley helps them set up a job shadow. After that, the students have to put together a resume and cover letter (Connect a Career has templates for those) and go through a mock interview before they get the go-ahead to pursue a full apprenticeship.

“What I was doing before was basically word of mouth,” Worley says, “going out and finding employers that are looking for workers. I’d make the connections, and I’d set the students up to talk.”

Many benefits:

• By showcasing their industry, businesses have the opportunity to excite local students on the interesting and trending careers right here in the Fox Cities.

• Educators are able to give students a hands-on experience through work-based learning without the lead-in time it takes to organize the experience.

• Students get a first-hand look at the different careers in our region, as well as local labor market information.


Patti Zeske, Software Quality Assurance Manager,Omni Resources; Monika Elzey, Senior, Appleton North High School

Now, when Worely talks about Connect a Career, he uses words like “streamline” and “structure.” But he also talks about how the tool empowers and educates his students.

“It saves me time, and it puts some of the weight on the kids,” Worley explains, “They have to go do some exploring, instead of me doing all the legwork. It makes them more responsible for what they want to do.”

The Next Big Social Network?Milka and Lang definitely see potential to expand

Connect a Career beyond the Fox Cities. In fact, the Fox Cities Chamber has already licensed the tool to another multi-county region on the western side of the state, and they have interest from other economic regions.

“The site currently keeps the regions independent of each other. This was originally done by design,” Lang says. “However, I’d like to see us create additional opportunities to experience careers in other regions.”

For example, a student in Chippewa Falls might want to do a summer internship for a unique opportunity in Menasha where his or her grandparents live.

“If we can’t keep our talent in our local communities,” Lang says, “let’s at least keep them in Wisconsin.”


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featured column

No matter how many years you’ve been employed, recently your workplace has changed rapidly. New technology makes it possible to meet and collaborate with coworkers all around the world. It also moves your inbox from the corner of your desk to your pocket – that means you can no longer leave those messages behind when you head home from the office. In addition to technology, generational shifts have wrought an equal change in the workplace, and the effects of these changes are just beginning.

Workplace culture is being turned on its head by the arrival of the newest generation of workers into the office. You may know them as Millennials, Generation Y, Digital Natives or the First Globals. No matter the moniker one thing is for sure, they are already changing the face of work in ways equal to the Baby Boomers and Generation X who came before them.

In the last few months, polling and research heavyweights like Zogby and Pew have published comprehensive findings about the attitudes and opinions of the Millennials, and how they differ from their predecessors. This newest generation is more connected (one word: Facebook), more indebted (student loans now exceed consumer debt) and less politically active than other generations. They are also more passionate about making a difference

Josh Dukelow, Fox Cities Chamber, Vice President of Public Policy and Leadership

and contributing to their community (by many defined as Planet Earth) than others.

While some of these findings may correlate to the “idealism of youth,” there are other trends that are undeniably changing the workplace in profound ways.

1. Location First: Researchers like Richard Florida have long told us that the “creative class” will find the place they want to live first, and then worry about finding a job there. This makes community development and quality of life a top priority for regions that want to compete for scarce talent. Employers, Chambers and local governments are teaming up to cultivate the kind of experiences and opportunities that will attract the new generation of highly mobile workers.

2. Untethered to the Desk: New technology means no longer having to work in the office most of the time, or at all! In fact, young entrepreneurs find settings like a coffee shop or co-working space (see the Millennial Glossary nearby) to be preferable to a traditional office. They can get calls, email and documents on their mobile devices, and attend webinars or Skype calls on their laptop anywhere they have a Wi-Fi signal.

3. Flexible Schedules: Given their embrace of creative places and

Changing Generations Mean

a Changing

Workplace the power of mobile technology, a top consideration for young workers choosing an employer is a flexible schedule. Late mornings, mid-day yoga classes, early evening happy hours and late night brainstorms are all normal for Millennials, and none of these have to get in the way of productivity. Their passion for results and “making a difference” means they are just as motivated to get things done as any other worker – they just want to get it done at the time that is convenient for them.

Whether you meet these trends with glee or dread, one thing is certain: they aren’t going away. The successful employers will be the ones who figure out how to incorporate these realities into their work culture and leverage the immense power and energy of the next generation of employees.


Autonomy: Setting out the destination, but not defi ning the route to reach it.

Co-Working Space: A desk in an offi ce for a person without an offi ce.

Slacktivism: Supporting a cause or advancing a movement by doing #virtuallynothing.

LifeHack: Solving a problem using what’s available at hand, a la MacGyver.

Facetime/Skype: Remember the video phone from the Jetsons? It’s like that.

Fail Fast: Just do it; it’s better to try, fail, learn and try again, than never to try in the fi rst place.

The Cloud: Access to all of your music, cat videos and selfi es from any device, anywhere.

Innovate: Putting wild ideas to use to solve the world’s problems.

Disruptive: When everything changes all at once. You’re welcome.

Crowd-Funding: Financing your startup with money from many small investors. In essence, digital begging.

The MillennialGLOSSARY

Post your job openings on Wisconsin TechConnect, your online resource for Wisconsin technical

college graduates. It’s fast, easy to use, and free!

Student Employment Services

WisconsinTechConnect

www.fvtc.edu/ses-employers(920) 735-JOBS (5627)[email protected]

“ Fox Valley Tech is a key contributor in growing and developing our region’s workforce.”

Kim WetzelFoundation Director

Bemis Company Foundation


featured column

Did you know that 10,000 baby boomers are retiring every day? Seriously, 10,000 EVERY day! It’s true, and according to the Pew Research Center, this trend will continue for the next 19 years. Leaders are struggling to rebuild their teams with a new generation of workers, in a time when attracting top talent is challenging. Does your business have what it takes to attract and retain workers?

Many business leaders that I meet express their dilemma of creating a workspace that speaks to all of the generations competing for space in our current workforce. Recently, a local business owner told me that their work environment was so unappealing, that it was nearly impossible to hire young people. Millennials would apply for jobs, interview, visit the facility and never come back. Although it’s tempting to replace your cubicles and private offices with a completely open space, consider a balanced approach instead.

There is new research from the Gensler Workplace Survey that shows employees spend only 24 percent of their time collaborating and 54 percent

Kate McLaren, Director of SalesBSI (Building Service, Inc.), Appleton and Milwaukee.

of their day doing individual or “heads down” work. In order to attract, inspire and engage your employees, our research found the most effective tactic is a “people centered” approach we call Productivity Based Design™. This design incorporates a variety of spaces into every floor plan, giving your team the needed visual and acoustical privacy, while also allowing the flexibility to quickly move into a more open, collaborative space when needed.

A dynamic office must balance individual space with collaborative space. We recommend a ratio of approximately 3:1 (three individual spaces for each collaborative space). One of the most popular spaces transforms an underutilized lunchroom into a practical all-day multifunctional area called a “work lounge.” This space encourages both scheduled and spontaneous meetings to take place in a coffee shop atmosphere. It’s a great use of costly real estate.

Today, only one in four workers are in optimal work environments. The rest are struggling to work effectively, which results in lost productivity and reduced employee engagement.

Inspiring Multiple Generations:

How Office Design Engages Your Team

Take a look at your office. Is your space cluttered with mismatched furniture, dated carpet, fabrics and finishes? Do your tables and chairs look like they were purchased in 1970? Given the long hours people spend at work, it is more important than ever to design a space that is welcoming, inspiring and motivating.

Since 1947, BSI has been helping businesses improve their office interiors. Our Design∙Build∙Furnish platform provides a comprehensive one-stop shop experience for clients in corporate, healthcare, financial, hospitality and retail. Contact Kate McLaren at [email protected].

interiors for business


featured column

In 2008, we recognized an opportunity to enhance the level of person-centered care and service provided within the St. Elizabeth Hospital Emergency Department in Appleton, Wisconsin. Market-share data and patient surveys identified areas for improvement to which hospital leaders responded. Recognizing our commitment to deliver excellent clinical care with high reliability in safety and quality, we chose empowerment as a strategy to enhance operations.

It’s well known that “culture trumps strategy,” and that healthcare outcomes are managed best at the point of care. In order to strengthen the culture, we created ownership and a “seat at the table” for the emergency department team consisting of administration, physicians and nurses. This team met every two weeks to develop vision, strategy and improvement plans. Collectively, they agreed that improving care and service was more important than building a new department. We knew if we could make improvements in the existing emergency department we would really have an impact when the new one was completed.

It was inspirational to watch the team take ownership and bring creative solutions to the table. Our first step was to engage a service coach who worked

Tom Veeser, CNOMinistry Health

weekly with the department associates to help implement new tactics and identify where improvements could be made. Our approach included visual management, daily huddles, video practice of patient scenarios and development of the lead role.

Our visual management model facilitates open and consistent communication and information sharing among team members. To accomplish this, we installed white boards in patient rooms for each nurse and physician to write status updates to help keep the patient better informed.

At the beginning of each shift, the team holds a huddle to ensure consistency in new tactics and daily flow, and to address issues to ensure we perform well as a team.

One of the most valuable tools we use is video monitoring to practice patient scenarios. To introduce ourselves to patients, we utilize an acronym called AIDET: Acknowledge the patient, Introduce yourself, inform them of the Duration of any test or stay, Explain what is taking place and finish with a “Thank you.” Practicing this consistently is more challenging than it sounds. The team enlisted volunteer patients from the community and videotaped each other practicing their AIDET skills. Then the team reviewed the videos together and coached

Empowering Your Team A true account of how culture trumps strategy

one other. To change a culture and sustain

high-level goals, frontline consistency is imperative across all shifts. With that in mind, we created the Nurse Leader role. The key elements of the role include accountability to achieve metrics and outcomes while managing 24x7 operations, ensuring workload balance and consistent use of the tools by all associates.

Sustaining this strategy is dependent upon data and positive feedback. Our team begins each meeting with celebrations and recognizes every success along the way.

As a result of this empowerment strategy, our patients rate customer service in the 90th percentile and the department has experienced a 19 percent increase in growth. Additionally, our team was invited to Atlanta to receive the national Studer Award for an Outstanding Emergency Department.


As a business owner, you may be thinking that this will be the year when you make a thoughtful effort to incorporate sustainability into your facility. Studies have shown that using sustainable materials, systems and methods can contribute to a more productive workplace, increased profi tability and decreased long-term operational costs. Plus, costs for green products are comparable or sometimes less than their conventional counterparts. You know it’s a good idea, but where do you begin?

First, know what resources are available. There have been many signifi cant advances in sustainable building materials, and over the last 10 years, the options for green products have multiplied. These products can help provide signifi cant improvements in building performance such as indoor air quality, use of natural light, and energy and water savings when used appropriately.

Next, take the proper steps to ensure your facility’s insulation is adequate and doesn’t experience heat loss. An energy assessment can help identify weak areas where adding

Miles Girouard, President, OwnerHoff man Planning, Design & Construction, Inc

insulation or sealing can be benefi cial. Evaluate windows to see if any repairs to loose frames or total replacements need to occur. If windows need to be replaced, select windows that insulate the building in winter and reduce excessive heat gain in summer.

Once the facility’s structure has been addressed, you are ready to determine what equipment will help maximize energy effi ciency.

• Replace outdated and ineffi cient heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment with a more energy-effi cient system.

• Provide individual heating and cooling controls to reduce overheating or overcooling.

• Maximize the use of natural light and task lighting so less overhead electrical lighting needs to be used during the day.

• Replace ineffi cient electric lighting with high-effi ciency fi xtures.

• Install occupancy sensors so lights are only on when a room is in use.

• Replace existing plumbing fi xtures and faucets with high-performing, low-fl ow fi xtures.

Being Green in 2014

Knowing which materials to select that will meet your sustainability goals can be challenging. Consider partnering with an outside source that has experience selecting, installing and monitoring sustainable products so you are sure to get the right equipment for your facility that will perform at the level appropriate for your space.

Making sustainable changes will help reduce your monthly utility bill as well as your company carbon footprint. If it all seems a bit overwhelming, consider developing a sustainability plan that lists action items and when those items will be accomplished as time and budget dollars allow. You’ll be glad you did!

featured column


As working professionals, we are under a constant barrage of demands on our time: do this, report that, deadlines are looming, do you think you can handle more? We have to ask ourselves, how much is too much? It’s difficult to pin down an answer as even the goals of life are, at best, vague and ill-defined. Perhaps a better question is this: are there any facts, data or evidence to help us know which of our decisions we’ll regret, which will be most important to us and how we might strike a good work/life balance?

As it turns out, there is. The unpleasant first: regrets. In

Bronnie Ware’s “Regrets of the Dying,” she lists the most common sorrows of those at the end of life. Her work speaks of the saddest unchangeable of the human condition: the could-have-been. Her list includes time missed with family and friends, spending too much time working, not letting ourselves be happy each day, and failing to have the courage to make the positive changes we know we should.

Okay – regrets aside, what will cause Dr. A. L. Ranen McLanahanUW-Fox Valley

the greatest happiness? Dr. Martin Seligman, director of the Positive Psychology Center, finds that happiness comes from three main sources: enjoying what’s around us, being wholly engaged in activities that command our attention and working on causes bigger than ourselves. Interestingly, this last one is most powerful: when we volunteer for a good cause, we also make top-tier contributions to our own lasting happiness.

Now, there’s no doubt that our careers can be important to us – that’s not in question. And of course we can find ourselves in careers that engage our attention and contribute back to society. However, we still need to find time for these other worthy things.

One thought is to set healthy boundaries. Put a limit on the amount of time you devote to work each week. Mine is set at 50 hours – no more, and usually not much less. If you can’t get all your weekly work done, make a note of it, and plan future activities accordingly. Otherwise, when that time’s up, it’s up. Go home. Enjoy those

Charting the Work/Life Balance

other parts of life that are waiting to be enjoyed. Spend time with family and friends. Volunteer. Eat, play and rest. If you do, you may find the return to work more enjoyable, more positive, more productive and just a little more balanced.

Dr. Ranen McLanahan is an assistant professor with the UW Fox Valley / Platteville collaborative engineering program that grants a B.S. degree in mechanical and electrical engineering locally in the Fox Cities. He is also the Codirector of the Center for Device Design and Development (3DC) and the creator of the McLanahan Solidarity Project that offers soft-skill seminars to local organizations and the public.

featured column

Fox Cities Chamber Business | JUNE 2014 17www.craigaugustinephoto.com . 920.810.2616

Craig

lifestyle . corporate . conceptual . product . industrial . architectural


community spotlight

Culver’s Restaurants to Sponsor Fundraiser for Honor Flight

Culver’s of Little Chute was among the more than 170 Culver’s restaurants in the Midwest that participated in a fundraising effort for the Honor Flight Network, a non-profit group created to honor America’s Veterans by transporting them to Washington, D.C. to visit their war memorials.

The participating restaurants donated 10 percent of their sales on May 20, 2014 to the Honor Flight Hub that serves their respective areas.

“This is an opportunity for us to give back to those who served for all of us,” said Craig Culver, co-founder of the restaurant chain. “For many veterans, time is running out to say thanks.”

The Honor Flight Network gives top priority to senior Veterans, such as World War II survivors and those terminally ill who fought in later conflicts. Since 2005, Honor Flight has honored more than 100,000 veterans to thank them for their service to our country.

Modern Woodmen Members “Join Hands” to Make a Difference

Local Modern Woodmen members helped make a difference in the Fox Cities during Join Hands Day in early May. The members volunteered to help landscape the Neenah Animal Shelter.

Join Hands Day is a national day of service designed to bring youth and adults together to plan and implement volunteer service projects in their communities. As the generations work side-by-side, they learn more about each other, sparking a new level of understanding and respect.

The volunteer project, sponsored by Modern Woodmen of America and other fraternal benefit societies, had approximately 13,000 volunteers nationwide.

“Modern Woodmen is proud of the thousands of volunteers, across the country, who give back on Join Hands Day,” said Steve VanSpeybroeck, Modern Woodmen’s fraternal director.

In 2013, Modern Woodmen’s nationwide participation and volunteer service was valued at more than $777,000 on Join Hands Day. Annually, Modern Woodmen provides more than $20 million and more than 507,600 volunteer hours for local community projects.

Keller Family Giving Hits $40 Million Mark

The philanthropic legacy left by the late John J. & Ethel D. Keller has reached a new philanthropic milestone – $40 million in giving. The landmark was celebrated with a $40,000 grant to Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin (FAEW) presented by the J. J. Keller Foundation (JJKF).

Last year, FAEW distributed 20 million plus pounds of food to approximately 1,000 hunger relief organizations, more than 60 of which are located in the Fox Valley. The $40,000 operational funding grant will allow FAEW to continue its support of these local organizations.

“Feeding America is a strong partner in the continuum of care that exists for people struggling with hunger in the Fox Valley,” said Robert (Bob) Keller, president of the JJKF Board.

The JJKF Board presented the check to FAEW during a Hands Against Hunger event. Community leaders helped bag and distribute 30,000 pounds of food purchased with an additional $3,500 grant from the JJKF at a mobile food pantry in Appleton.

Since the foundation’s start in 1990, the Keller family has grown its annual giving from an average of $50,000 to $3.5 million each year.

The J. J. Keller Foundation presented Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin with a $40,000 donation.

Local Modern Woodmen members volunteer at the Neenah Animal Shelter during Join Hands Day.

Do you have a story that highlights social collaboration? Contact Kristin Sewall at

[email protected]

for details on how it can be

a featured “Community

Spotlight” in the September

issue of Fox Cities Business.


Coalesce Marketing Works 2GETHER•4GOOD for Local Non-Profits

Coalesce Marketing & Design provided pro-bono marketing assistance to three Fox Valley non-profit organizations during 2GETHER•4GOOD, a 24-hour marketing and design workathon, on May 22-23.

The agency’s eight employees worked non-stop to create marketing materials and creative deliverables for three local non-profits, including: Spierings Cancer Foundation, COTS, Inc. and the Boys’ & Girls’ Brigade of the Fox Valley.

“2GETHER•4GOOD allows us to thank the community for helping us grow, and provides an opportunity for our team to work together for the greater good,” said Lisa Piikkila, Coalesce Marketing owner and creative director.

Charitabli created a 24-day online fundraiser benefiting 2GETHER•4GOOD applicants. Individuals can donate money to participating non-profits at charitab.li/events/2gether4good through June 24.

Several area businesses also volunteered their time and resources, including: N.E.W. Printing, BConnected, Crimson Creative Group, Dave Jackson Photography and Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region. The value of the services provided is more than $40,000.

More information can be found at 2gether4good.com.

Coalesce Marketing created 2GETHER•4GOOD to celebrate its 10-year anniversary, and extend its mission of growing together with its clients, community and team.


and has required significant explanation and promotion in order to develop support. That support has come in the form of financial investment from 19 local governments and 44 private companies. Collectively, these Investors contribute to what is a $650,000 annual operating budget for the Regional Partnership.

Primary employers are defined as those that derive the majority of their revenue from the sale of products or services outside the region. The dollars resulting from those sales are the source of support for the retail, service and professional sectors of the local economy. As such, primary jobs generate a “multiplier effect,” affecting additional job growth by way of indirect and induced economic impacts, and are essential to the health and vitality of the local economy.

The work of the Regional Partnership is focused around two specific programs:

• The first, existing industry retention/expansion, recognizes the value of those primary employers that are successfully engaged in a variety of business operations in our region. Because of the existing infrastructure and investment already made, this established base of employers is typically credited with 70 percent or more of new primary job growth within most communities. The Regional Partnership exists as a single point of contact for these employers—addressing needs that represent constraints and providing access to resources that exploit opportunities for further growth.

• The second program, industry attraction, is an essential

The Fox Cities Regional Partnership was established as an affiliate of the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce in 2012, with the objective of stimulating economic growth within its service area of Outagamie, Calumet and northern Winnebago Counties. Specifically, the goal of the Partnership is to support the creation of 1,200 new primary jobs by the end of 2017. The University of Wisconsin Oshkosh determined that this number of jobs would generate an additional $75 million in annual payroll, and provide an overall $141 million annual boost to the Fox Cities economy.

While an estimated 5,000 similar organizations operate throughout the United States—some with 25 or more years of experience—the Fox Cities Regional Partnership represents the first economic development organization to focus its efforts on the Fox Cities Region. As such, the concept of regional economic development had not generally been top of mind,

economic development

*Bureau of Labor Statistics, 3rd quarter 2013 Rate per 100,000 Source: fbi.gov

KEY FACTS about the FOX CITIES REGION

AVERAGE FOX CITIES MANUFACTURING WAGE

$54,290NET NEW JOBS IN THE PAST YEAR* ADDED BY THE

FOX CITIES REGION MANUFACTURING SECTOR

1,114OF THE REGION’S EMPLOYMENT BASE

MANUFACTURING REPRESENTS

22%

60-MINUTE COMMUTE FROM DOWNTOWN APPLETON:

>775,000 POPULATION

>432,000 WORKFORCE

MANUFACTURING SECTOR GREW AT:*

3.3% IN FOX CITIES REGION

1.0% IN WISCONSIN

0.7% IN UNITED STATES


component of a successful economic development program. Recognizing that change is constant, communities intent on maintaining and improving as desirable places to live, work and play must continually seek to expand and diversify their primary job base. Though highly competitive, the quest for expanding or relocating companies from other areas can be transformative for communities.

Because the Fox Cities has not previously had an organization working to market the region for job attraction to outside markets, a critical task for the Regional Partnership has been to establish brand awareness within the national and international marketplaces. The Partnership’s initial marketing efforts have included a two-pronged approach. Recognizing that economic development is a relationship business, the Regional Partnership has prioritized the nurturing of relationships with site selection consultants across the country—professionals who are engaged by employers looking for professional assistance in identifying the right location for their business expansion or relocation project. If these consultants are not aware of the Fox Cities Region and what it has to offer, it stands to reason that we will not receive consideration by the site selectors and their clients.

As a tandem piece of our marketing of the Fox Cities Region, the Regional Partnership launched a website that has both extensive data important to industrial clients, as well as a GIS-enabled property search site. The property search function allows users to search an inventory of existing buildings and industrial sites by size, type and location. In addition, visitors to the site are able to access customized demographic reports, wage and salary data, housing reports, and a business census that can be sorted by business type. This website—www.foxcitiesregionalpartnership.com—becomes the organization’s most important marketing tool.

To date, the Regional Partnership has worked in support of six company expansion and relocation projects that collectively have announced the creation of more than 220 new primary jobs throughout the Fox Cities. These companies represent a mix of types, sizes and locations throughout our service area. Regional Partnership staff is currently working with several additional companies that are in various stages of project development—companies that hold the promise of additional job creation announcements this year and beyond.

Larry Burkhardt, CEcDExecutive Vice President

Fox Cities Regional Partnership

COMPANIES ASSISTED BY FOX CITIES REGIONAL PARTNERSHIP

Thiel CheeseSt. John cheese producer acquired new equipment that significantly expanded processing capacity.

Galloway Foods Liquid processing of concentrated dairy blends and sweetened condensed milk. The company is the largest manufacturer of frozen dairy dessert mixes in Wisconsin. The company recently embarked on a significant expansion of its Neenah facility.

AmerequipContract manufacturer producing equipment for OEM’s, including Toro, John Deere and others. Company has established fast growth plans, and announced a 35,000 sq. ft. expansion and 103 new jobs in Kiel.

Technical ProspectsGrand Chute company established around providing Siemens imaging equipment replacement parts. Expansion includes construction and operation of new training facility that will bring technicians from around the country to learn repair and operation of the equipment.

PolyFlex Plastics blow molding company headquartered in Walworth. Company growth demanded more production space. Decision made to build 59,000 sq. ft. new facility in Kaukauna with an initial employment base of 40 positions.

Winona FoodsCheese processing company headquartered in Green Bay acquired smaller cheese shredding company in Kaukauna. Acquisition will trigger move of Wisconsin-based production operations into Kaukauna, along with operations currently located in four states.


In the remaining days prior to my retirement, I look back at the many important issues with which the Chamber has been actively involved in on your behalf over the years.

1984 The Chamber supported the concept of limiting the length of time an

individual may serve in any one elected position. The goal was to create a corps of public-spirited citizen-legislators eager to do the public’s business.

1987The Chamber supported a plan by the Department of Public Instruction

to strengthen the General Educational Development (GED) plan by providing flexibility for adults to meet the requirements for obtaining their high school diploma.

1990The Chamber began its initiative to encourage local units of government

to investigate any and all opportunities for consolidating services across municipal boundaries. The Chamber helped fund feasibility studies that paved the way for a consolidated police force in Kimberly, Little Chute and Combined Locks, as well as a joint fire department serving the communities of Neenah and Menasha. The Chamber also supported efforts to create the Tri-County Recycling facility.

1991The Chamber drafted a position statement in 1991 acknowledging the

finite nature of the earth’s natural resources, and calling for a long range National Energy Policy that would decrease our reliance on foreign oil and gas, increase energy efficiency, and renew America’s commitment to the development of alternative energy sources.

The Chamber took part in conversations regarding the inability of the existing state transportation funding mechanism to fully support growing needs. The Chamber recommended exploring every possible revenue source, including tolls. Twenty-three years later, some advances in funding have been made, although need continues to outpace revenue.

1992The Chamber recognized that health care costs were rising two-to-three

times faster than most peoples’ income and adopted a position statement supporting national health care reform, provided that it contained the following: universal access to defined benefits, reduced variation in the delivery of care, a plan for bringing costs system-wide under control, recommendations for insurance, malpractice and tort reform, a plan for simplification of administration and claims payment, and a non-governmental board made up of industry, health care providers, insurers and consumers.

Three Decades of Public Policy and Pro Business Advocacy

advocacyLeveraging Regional Resources to Grow the Regional Economy

One thing that makes the Fox Cities Region unique is the amount of municipalities we have so close together. A Fox Cities resident might live in Harrison, send their kids to Kaukauna schools, shop in Grand Chute and work in Appleton. During the course of a normal day we cross dozens of municipal boundaries without a thought.

Valley Transit is a great example of how the communities in our region work together to address a common need. Public transportation helps commuters, students and shoppers get to where they need to go – no matter which municipality is their final destination. Local employers also rely on Valley Transit to provide their employees with affordable transportation options, and bring in workers from neighboring cities.

During visits with local employers, I have heard about difficulty filling open positions. Employers weigh setting up new operations in Green Bay or Fond du Lac to tap into the workforce in those communities. However, a public transit alternative could offer those workers an affordable way to get to open jobs in the Fox Cities, and create additional jobs in our area.

To meet these needs, I am working with Valley Transit leadership and stakeholders to develop a strategic plan for regional public transit. For the first time in decades, the needs of riders, employers and municipal leaders will be collected and woven into a comprehensive strategy. This plan will guide the development of new services, and ensure that existing needs are met while anticipating how public transportation will function in the future.

Bringing the voice of local employers into this discussion saves them the time of having to participate personally, and allows many diverse needs to be represented at once. The Fox Cities Regional Partnership connects public entities like Valley Transit with employers to help them better serve their customers. No single community can address these challenges alone, so a regional perspective is essential.

Josh Dukelow Fox Cities Chamber, Vice President of Public Policy and Leadership

Thom CiskeVP Government Affairs


Appleton Downtown Inc. received $5,000 grant for the new Lunch Time Live event to experience Houdini Plaza and enjoy live music during the lunch hour. It will support local musicians and organizations like the Appleton Rock School.

Building for Kids received a $1,000 grant for the annual Children’s Parade.

Fox Cities Book Festival received a $1,000 grant for the annual Book Festival.

Markoff Youth Ballet received a $3,000 grant for costumes for the annual Nutcracker Ballet.

Mile of Music received a $10,000 grant for the second year of the event.

YMCA received a $1,200 grant for the Healthy Kids Day event.

Octoberfest Grants Awarded March 2014

1995The Chamber identified the need for immediate

congressional action related to the eventual collapse of Medicare as the result of costs rising faster than the overall rate of inflation and the shrinking pool of contributors. The Chamber called for bipartisan discussions, modernizing Medicare by adopting market based strategies successfully being used by private employers, and the creation of a fraud and abuse task force empowered to pursue and prosecute fraud.

1996The Chamber was in support of electric utility

restructuring in Wisconsin, suggesting that it would provide improved service, lower prices and increased choices without compromising the state’s current level of environmental protection, reliable service and favorable utility rates.

1997The Chamber went on record supporting President

Clinton’s request for renewal of Fast Track authority in order to negotiate foreign trade and investment agreements. Without that authority, America would have forfeited its long-held trade advantage in Latin America, Europe and Asia.

The Chamber took a lead role in efforts to acquire an American Heritage River designation for the Fox River with the belief that it would encourage acquisitions, enhancements and restoration along the river and lock system. This was the same year that the Chamber spearheaded a campaign to defeat efforts by the Environmental Protection to declare the pending cleanup of the Fox River as an EPA Superfund project. The Chamber feared that, among other things, the designation as a Superfund site would lead to a protracted legal battle over funding.

1998The Chamber strongly supported the proposed

construction, by Wisconsin Electric Power Company, of a 300-megawatt peaking power plant for use during periods of high-energy demand. The Chamber believed that the plant would enhance reliability, improve the business environment and promote growth.

1999–2014The Chamber was engaged in efforts to:

• Construct the Kampo Bridge over Little Lake Butte des Morts and the USH 441 southern bypass

around Appleton

• Upgrade USH 41 to Interstate standards

• Pass a bill giving local communities the ability to create a Regional Transit Authority

• Find an equitable solution to the PCB clean-up of the Fox RiverThere are many more pro business initiatives the Chamber

has been involved in. All of these efforts/actions were undertaken as the result of conversations with our members and work done by Chamber committees populated with members of our business community who took time away from their busy days for the betterment of their community.

Thank you for your time, your interest, your expertise and your continued financial commitment. We trust you feel they were resources judiciously allocated.


leadership

Class of2014

Leaders, my very highest regards,

Joy KapheimProgram Director, Leadership Fox Cities

Dear Leaders,You’ve made it through this unique community driven

leadership program. My hope for all of you is that you’ve

become more aware of our great community and some of its

accolades, as well as some of its challenges. As a result, may

you fi nd things that move you to get more involved and start

leading in the community and your places of business.

As an alumni, I know fi rst hand how important the alumni

are to the future success of this program. My interest in

the program came from conversations I had with community

members who were past graduates. As the director, I’m

always happy to share information about the program, but my

passion for the program comes from being a past participant.

This program is sold and resold by you – its graduates. The

stories and experiences that you share prove to be the best and

most effective tool we have when it comes to recruiting.

Many graduates serve on our LFC planning committees.

They are the people who interpret, develop and design

programming for future LFC sessions. I am sincerely grateful

to all of the LFC committee members for their continued

dedication, commitment and support. I am so blessed and

happy to be able to consider these people my friends.

Congratulations again! I look forward to meeting up with

you in the future.

Leadership Fox Cities Class of 2014!

Jana BaehmanAppvion

Steve BarryFirst National Bank - Fox Valley

Karlyn BarthelEmergency Shelter of the Fox Valley

Tiffany BehnkeAppleton Police Department

Sara BellThedaCare

Kurt BieseAssociated Bank

Kathryn BlomEpiphany Law, LLC

Suzanne Brault PagelUnited Way Fox Cities

Cheryl BrooksKimberly-Clark Corporation

Matthew BuschValley Packaging Industries

Tonya DittmanMiron Construction

John EganAffi nity Health System

Bridget ErwinSigman, Janssen, Stack, Sewall & Pitz

Cindy FlaugerGoodwill Industries NCW

Rose FochsChildren’s Hospital of Wisconsin

Rachel GonzalezRadisson Paper Valley Hotel

Jaime KriewaldtBoys & Girls Club of the Fox Valley

Adam LandsverkBMO Harris Bank

Adam LangeBLC Community Bank

Matt LongmierAlliant Energy

Philip LontSadoff Iron & Metal Company

Chrissy McCoskyMiller Electric

Devin MeyerMRA – The Management Association

Megan MudgeUW-Fox Valley

Emily MuellerCoalesce Marketing & Design

Dawn NowakowskiFox Cities Chamber of Commerce

Dave PaulyAppvion

Trevor RabbachBank First National

Cindy SchlichtingCommunity First Credit Union

Tom SimonGreater Fox CitiesHabitat for Humanity

Rosie SprangersCommunity Foundation of the Fox Valley

Susan StellmacherLawrence University

Gregg SyringAir Wisconsin Airlines Corporation

Steve Teofi loGannett Wisconsin Media

Amy Van StratenFox Valley Technical College

Steven VoskuilThrivent Financial for Lutherans

Carol WedigSECURA Insurance

Tara WickersheimMiller Electric

Landon WieseThrivent Financial for Lutherans

Keeley WinkelAascend Pain Institute

Congratulations


Leadership Fox Cities Youth Class of 2014!

The Leadership Fox Cities Youth Class of 2014 recently celebrated its graduation at UW-Fox Valley’s Barlow Planetarium. This year’s class was comprised of 23 students from Appleton, Menasha, Kimberly and Little Chute Area School Districts.

Leadership Fox Cities Youth is a community-driven program for high school juniors educating students through experience, thereby giving our young leaders the confi dence and understanding they need to take an active role in their community. The program also teaches them about soft skills needed to develop in their future careers.

The students planned and executed

community service projects for four local non-profi ts this year, which benefi ted Best Friends of Neenah-Menasha, the Emergency Shelter of the Fox Valley, Harbor House and Big Brothers Big Sisters.

For Health Day, students went to Festival Foods and were given instructions to plan a meal for a family of four with twenty dollars. A Festival Foods dietitian reviewed their choices after they shopped. During this exercise, the students learned about the soft skill of accountability, since they were accountable for budgeting, using the resources and fi nding a nutritious option that maintained good health in order to avoid potential future common

health-related issues.The goal and mission of Leadership

Fox Cities Youth is to develop young individuals to be the next generation of community leaders through a hands-on, experiential forum.

Leadership Fox Cities Youth thanks this year’s program sponsor Appvion and graduation sponsor UW-Fox Valley.

leadership

Congratulations

Member FDIC

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pulse

It’s hard to believe that Pulse, the Young Professionals Network, recently celebrated its 10-year anniversary! Since it’s inception in 2004, this program has grown into a successful network of young professionals passionate about professional development, community service and making new connections with other business-minded people.

The CEO Breakfast is an example of one of the successes. This experience is an opportunity for young professionals to learn from and talk with four seasoned, local CEOs of major Fox Cities companies. The CEO Breakfast began eight years ago with 30 attendees and has grown into a highly anticipated annual event with more than 200 young professionals. The 8th Annual CEO Breakfast will be in October 2014.

We asked our young professionals how we could improve upon this already great program, and based on their comments, Pulse launched a monthly professional development series designed to educate attendees in a condensed timeframe. The Lunch & Learn series gives young professionals an opportunity to gain valuable insight on trending and relevant business topics, without the half- to full-day commitment of a professional development conference.

Did you know Pulse also offers the Mentor Match program exclusively for Pulse Members? We connect experienced business leaders with local young professionals in a formal mentoring program. The match is based on similar interests, areas of skill the mentee would like to strengthen and goals the mentee would like to achieve within their professional career. The mentor and mentee meet at least monthly over the course of one year.

I encourage you to check out Pulse if you have not yet. Come connect, discover, explore, be part of the journey and get involved. Pulse members are eligible to sit on the various Pulse Councils, including marketing, events, connections, Leadership and Membership/Ambassador.

As we look back over the last 10 years, we remember how Pulse started – with a few young professionals passionate about the quality of life in the Fox Cities and dedicated to sharing that passion with others. That handful of young professionals has grown into a network of 700 members and growing! The Fox Cities area is truly a remarkable area for young professionals to get involved in Pulse and we will help you get involved in your community!

Pulse Updateby Cindy Champeau, Pulse Program Assistant

June 11:Lunch & Learn – Lunch

with the Kangaroos

(Sponsored by the Kangaroostaurant)

July 16:Golf Etiquette & Outing (18 or 9 hole option)

Winagamie Golf Course, Neenah

For more event details

and registration, visit

www.foxcitiesregionalpartnership.com

Pulse Volunteer event at St. Joseph Food Pantry.Thank you!

August 14: Timber Rattler’s Game

with theAppleton Jaycees

2014 Fox Cities Chamber GOLF OUTING

Information & RegistrationSusan Vanden Heuvel | 734.7101

[email protected] www.foxcitieschamber.com

• Optional etiquette lesson prior to outing (8:30 - 9:30 am)

• Lunch served on the course by our culinary partners

• Complimentary beer, soda & water on the course

• Live music at the hors d’oeuvres reception

• Win cash and prizes (buy raffl e tickets at the Chamber)

Package Deals

18 holes 9 holes*All in One $600 na

4-Some $500 $240

Individual $125 $60

Hole Sponsor $400 $100*4-some plus hole sponsor

Winagamie Golf CourseJuly 16, 2014

3501 Winagamie Drive, Neenah18 holes - 10:00 am

9 holes - 1:00 pm (on the Highlands area)

Presenting Sponsor

Golf Cart Sponsor

WinagamieGolf Reception Sponsor

Beverage Sponsor

Hole-in-one Sponsor

Lunch Sponsor

Culinary PartnersBagelicious

CulversFox Banquets Rivertyme Catering

GingerRootzMilwaukee Burger

Van Abel’s


A to Z Machine Co., Inc.Andy Preissner2701 E. Winslow AvenueAppleton, WI 54911-8647(920) 993-0640www.atozmachine.comMACHINE SHOP

A to Z Vending Service, Inc.Jill Budde-Freund560 N. Rolling Meadows DriveFond du Lac, WI 54937-9700(920) 929-8040www.a-zvending.comVENDING SERVICES

ARCpoint Labs of AppletonStephen Calder3315 N. Ballard RoadAppleton, WI 54911-8499(920) 264-0900arcpointlabs.com/AppletonHEALTH CARE

AVI Systems, Inc.Bill MullarkeyW1266 Appleland WayKaukauna, WI 54130-9767(920) 522-4333www.avisystems.comIT SERVICE & SALES

Baylake BankMatthew Lemke333 S. Nicolet RoadAppleton, WI 54914-3948(920) 731-4440www.baylake.comBANKS

Comfort SuitesKate Drews3809 W. Wisconsin AvenueAppleton, WI 54914-5739(920) 730-3800www.wiscohotels.comHOTELS/MOTELS

Dream Lighting CompanyGreg Navin3327 Osprey LaneGreen Bay, WI 54311-6117(920) 469-1030www.dreamlightingcompany.comSOUND, LIGHTING, VIDEO & STAGING

Forward Service CorporationJennifer Marks1050 Midway Road, Bldg. A, Unit BMenasha, WI 54952-1116(920) 886-7070www.fsc-corp.comNON-PROFIT AGENCY

Gordon Food ServiceLee Ireland301 N. Bluemound DriveAppleton, WI 54914-5745(920) 739-3963www.gfsmarketplace.comWHOLESALERS/DISTRIBUTORS

Graef-USA Inc.Patrick Skalecki1150 Springhurst Drive, Suite 201Green Bay, WI 54304-5947(920) 592-9440www.graef-usa.comENGINEER CONSULTANTS

Great Lakes Roofing Corp.Doug Pettit1605 Drum Corps DriveMenasha, WI 54952-1298(920) 996-9550www.greatlakesroofing.netROOFING

Holidays Sports Pub & GrillScot Grishaber1395 W. American DriveNeenah, WI 54956-1996(920) 886-0069www.holidayspub.comRESTAURANTS

Ignite Payments a First Data Authorized PartnerChris Severson3126 Jaguar LaneGreen Bay, WI 54313-9240(920) 569-3531www.ignitewithintegrity.comCREDIT & DEBIT CARD PROCESSING & ATM’S

Kimberly-Clark, Kimtech PlantJohn Opiela1109 Henry StreetNeenah, WI 54956-3218(920) 721-3301kcc.comMACHINE SHOP

Kwik Trip, Inc.Brenda Waldera1626 Oak StreetLa Crosse, WI 54603-2308(608) 793-6434www.kwiktrip.comCORPORATE OFFICE

Kwik Trip Convenience Store #200Jessica Hartjes2120 E. Edgewood DriveAppleton, WI 54913-9784(920) 830-1609www.kwiktrip.comCONVENIENCE STORES

Kwik Trip Convenience Store #359Bryan Edwards650 W. Northland AvenueAppleton, WI 54911-1930(920) 731-6955www.kwiktrip.comCONVENIENCE STORES

Kwik Trip Convenience Store #412Joe Schultz3825 W. Wisconsin AvenueAppleton, WI 54914-5739(920) 996-0780www.kwiktrip.comCONVENIENCE STORES

Kwik Trip Convenience Store #452Bryan Hartjes3721 W. College AvenueAppleton, WI 54914-3913(920) 993-9089www.kwiktrip.comCONVENIENCE STORES

Kwik Trip Convenience Store #639Steve Brunner2175 S. Memorial DriveAppleton, WI 54915-1435(920) 734-9260www.kwiktrip.comCONVENIENCE STORES

Kwik Trip Convenience Store #678Terry Pierce3232 S. Oneida StreetAppleton, WI 54915-7030(920) 830-0353www.kwiktrip.comCONVENIENCE STORES

Kwik Trip Convenience Store #685Eric Forbes4085 E. Calumet StreetAppleton, WI 54915-4196(920) 749-9551www.kwiktrip.comCONVENIENCE STORES

Kwik Trip Convenience Store #887Matt Dolan4735 Converters DriveAppleton, WI 54913-7944(920) 830-3189www.kwiktrip.comCONVENIENCE STORES

Sam Brulos Pub & GrillHeather Hofacker3775 W. College AvenueAppleton, WI 54914-3913(920) 997-9690sambrulos.comBAR/RESTAURANTS

uBreakiFix of AppletonTim VenHaus2442 W. College AvenueAppleton, WI 54914-4602(920) 733-2000www.ubreakifix.com/locations/appletonELECTRONICS

United States Alliance Fire ProtectionKayleigh DaigleW6264 Contractor Drive, Suite AAppleton, WI 54914-8403(920) 836-3344www.usafireprotectioninc.comFIRE SPRINKLER SYSTEMS

Watters Plumbing, Inc.Cal Watters1303 Midway RoadMenasha, WI 54952-1129(920) 733-8125www.wattersplumbing.netPLUMBING

WI Self StorageMatthew Baker1117 W. Washington StreetAppleton, WI 54914-5223(920) 449-3737www.wiselfstorage.comMOVING & STORAGE

diamond member honor roll | june — august 2014

The Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce relies on its members to continue its work in promoting business interests in the Fox Valley region. Without these committed members, the Chamber would not be able to provide the high quality services it is known for.

Diamond Members are companies that have supported the Chamber and community for more than 40 years. We’d like to express our gratitude to the following Diamond Member businesses for their membership and support to the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce.

• Appleton Awning Shop Inc.• Community Blood Center, Inc.• Creative Group, Inc.• George’s Steak House• Silton Seifert Carlson, S.C.• Thrivent Financial for Lutherans• Van Eperen Painting, Inc.

new member welcome | february — april 2014


Live Life Smiling Family Dentistry3913 W. Prospect Ave., Suite 101Appleton, WI 54914920.944.2596llsmiling.com/appleton-location

Bold Salon207 W. College Ave., Suite 200Appleton, WI 54911920.931.2737salonbold.com

Family Dentist r yFamily Dentist r y

Li v

e L i f e S m i l i ng

business of the month | february 2014

business of the month | april 2014

For more than three decades, Dr. Rob Asp and his experienced team of dental professionals have been providing high-quality, affordable dental care to patients of all ages with one goal in mind: they want everyone who walks through their doors to be able to “Live Life Smiling.” By creating beautiful life-long smiles with the best technology and services available, this goal becomes a reality.

With locations in Appleton and Hilbert, Dr. Asp and the Live Life Smiling team offer a complete range of dental, orthodontic and children’s services under one roof. Their state-of-the-art offices house the newest and most-advanced technologies the dental industry has to offer – from Invisalign invisible braces to the advanced Smile Simulator, which lets patients see what their smile could look like

with treatment. Dr. Asp is Northeast Wisconsin’s leading Invisalign provider and one of the only dental offices in the area with the iTero digital impression system which allows for full mouth scans to be taken without patients having to deal with messy forming materials or uncomfortable bite trays.

Along with providing excellent care to more than 1,500 families in the area, Live Life Smiling Family Dentistry is dedicated to bettering the Fox Valley through community outreach. With an active role in fundraising and volunteering for many well-deserving local and statewide organizations, it’s no wonder it was voted the Best Orthodontic Facility and runner-up Best Dental Office in the Post-Crescent’s 2013 Best of the Valley Reader’s Choice Awards.

Bold Salon owner and operator, Abigail Kuehl, started her professional career as an apprentice. She decided to further her education in cosmetology and attended Vici Aveda Institute in Milwaukee, Wis. Since then, she’s attended fashion week in New York City, where she worked with Jon Reyman on hair for runway models. Using her experience and love for fashion, she decided to start her own business with a simple goal in mind: keep it small and familiar. Using her vision and style she opened Bold Salon, and now enjoys translating high fashion hairstyles into everyday life.

Bold Salon is a boutique salon located in downtown Appleton. They use an exclusive product line called Davines, which is a family-owned company that works with our

community to help benefit non-profit organizations. Bold Salon takes great pride in using environmentally safe products for their guests, and like their product line, they too are a family-owned company that gives back to the community through local non-profit support.

The staff at Bold Salon prides themself on providing customers with the most fashion forward trends and innovative and cutting edge styles in the beauty industry. “We believe hair is a form of expression and style. Like a painting, it is our canvas,” says owner Abigail Kuehl. “We are inspired by the poetic beauty of hair and the dynamic fashion industry surrounding it. We are committed to creating the perfect style for every guest.”


8th Grade Career Fair



Business Connection

Business Connection

out and about


Legislative Dialogue Breakfast

Optimal Digital Marketing Ribbon Cutting

Leadership Fox Cities Retreat

Haven of Hope Ribbon Cutting

GFS Ribbon Cutting

Appleton Beer Factory


Fox CitiesChamber of Commerce & Industry

JunePulse Lunch & LearnWednesday, June 11, 2014

Business ConnectionWednesday, June 11, 2014Wisconsin Distributors Appleton, LLC, 3010 N. Zuehlke Drive, Appleton

Golf OutingMonday, June 16, 2014Ridgeway Country Club, 913 County Road II, Neenah

JulyPulse Lunch & LearnWednesday, July 9, 2014

Golf OutingWednesday, July 16, 2014Winagamie Golf Course, 3501 Winagamie Drive, Neenah

Business ConnectionTuesday, July 22, 2014Stone Cellar at Riverview Gardens, 1101 S. Oneida Street, Appleton

Octoberfest Vendor MeetingsWednesday, July 30, 2014Radisson Paper Valley Hotel

AccelerateThursday, July 31, 2014Location TBD

AugustPulse Lunch & LearnWednesday, August 13, 2014

Pulse Timber Rattlers Game with Appleton JayceesThursday, August 14, 2014Fox Cities Stadium, Grand Chute

Business ConnectionWednesday, August 20, 2014Waverly Beach, N8770 Firelane 1, Menasha

SeptemberBusiness ConnectionTuesday, September 9, 2014Appleton Yacht Club, 1200 S. Lutz Drive, Appleton

Pulse Lunch & LearnWednesday, September 10, 2014

Liscense to CruiseFriday, September 26, 2014

OctoberfestSaturday, September 27, 2014

Go to www.foxcitieschamber.com for up-to-date event details.

2014 Calendar of Events

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Wednesday, november 5thradisson Paper valley hotel

5:30 – 7:00 p.m.Cocktail & heavy hors d’oeuvres reception

7:00 – 11:00 p.m.Program, awards & entertainmentMore details to come on this night of high-rolling fun!

sponsored by


When Carmella’s Italian Bistro shopped

for a financial partner, they liked what they

found in Community First…a locally-owned

credit union for their locally owned business.

In fact, Nicole says, “We met with several

banks and we knew right away we wanted

to go with Community First, they treat us

like family.”

When you’re ready for a local financial partner for your big dreams, contact us for:

• Local Lending Decisions

• Business Checking that Pays Dividends

• SBA Preferred & SBA Express Lender

• 401(k), SEP & SIMPLE Planning

• Merchant Credit Card Services

• Investment and Insurance Services

• Free 24-Hour Online Account Access

www.communityfirstcu.com (920) 830-7200 or Toll-Free 1-866-273-2328

NEENAHDE PEREHOWARD WAUPACA

APPLETON OSHKOSHDARBOYGREENVILLEFOX VALLEY TECHNICAL COLLEGE: Appleton Campus

Visit any of our 20 Convenient Locations

NEW LONDONNICHOLSMANITOWOCTWO RIVERS

• Free 24-Hour Online Account Access

“Community First is

a great partner. We

can’t image being

anywhere else!”

Nicole & Kristen DeFranza

Carmella’s Italian Bistro &

CFCU Member/Owner

Dream Big.Partner Locally!

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to:Fox Cities Chamber Businessc/o Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Inc.125 N. Superior StreetAppleton, WI 54911

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

june 2014 | volume 15 | issue 2

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