PORTAGE COUNTY BUSINESS COUNCIL OCTOBER 2016 Events WINES OF THE WORLD Insights 5 TIPS TO HELP WITH EMPLOYEE RETENTION Newsroom ANDERSON O’BRIEN CELEBRATES 130 YEARS 2016 marks the 130th anniversary of the founding of our firm by Attorneys Byron B. and Gilbert L. Park. Talent Development LEADERSHIP PORTAGE COUNTY September’s LPC session was all about Agribusiness. Events PIE BUSINESS AFTER HOURS join us on October 5 at Skyward for a Business After Hours event specific to new teacher and business relationships.
Transcript
PORTAGE COUNTY BUSINESS COUNCILOCTOBER 2016
Events
WINES OFTHE WORLD
Insights
5 TIPS TO HELP WITH EMPLOYEE RETENTION
Newsroom
ANDERSON O’BRIEN CELEBRATES 130 YEARS2 0 1 6 m a r k s t h e 1 3 0 t h a n n i v e r s a r y o f t h e f o u n d i n g o f o u r f i r m b y At t o r n e y s B y r o n B . a n d G i l b e r t L . P a r k .
Talent Development
LEADERSHIPPORTAGE COUNTYS e p t e m b e r ’ s L P C s e s s i o n w a s a l l a b o u t A g r i b u s i n e s s .
Events
PIE BUSINESSAFTER HOURS
j o i n u s o n O c t o b e r 5 at S k y w a r d f o r a B u s i n e s s A f t e r H o u r s e v e n t
s p e c i f i c t o n e w t e a c h e r a n d b u s i n e s s r e l at i o n s h i p s .
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4 Plains, trains and automobiles I take for granted getting into my car to get somewhere. The vast majority of us do it every day.
7 5 tips to help with employee retention
As you can imagine, recruiting and retention are hot topics in my world. With that being said, I thought I would share some tips to help create a happier workforce.
9 Business After HoursWhat is Business After Hours? A social experience designed for and hosted by Business Council members to give business professionals an opportunity for network development, sharing ideas, and learn about the business host.
11 Ambassadors & staff show their supportWells Fargo Advisors Financial Network held an open house on September 28th to celebrate their one year anniversary.
12 Wines of the worldJoin us on October 28, from 6:00PM – 9:00PM at the Holiday Inn Hotel & Convention Center, 1001 Amber Avenue, Stevens Point for an international journey as we sample a selection of wines from around the world.
16 anderson o’brien celebrates 130 years2016 marks the 130th anniversary of the founding of our firm by Attorneys Byron B. and Gilbert L. Park. The Park brothers opened a modern, well-equipped law office at 933 Main Street, Stevens Point
19 LEadership portage countySeptember’s LPC session was all about Agribusiness so we made our way to Paragon Potato Farms in Bancroft. Before heading out to see their operations we started out with some great speeches from Dave, Randy and Lisa.
20 pie business after hours We hope you will join us on October 5 at Skyward for a Business After Hours event specific to new teacher and business relationships.
C O N T E N T S
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Business Council representative.
We are blessed with a strong rail hub that can attract more business particularly right along the rail line in the Portage County Business Park or the East Park Commerce Center. When you add that in with all of the other positive qualities from a business and personal perspective and we have wonderful economic vitality and quality of life. Our City also has an airport and CWA is a short trip to Mosinee.
My challenge to myself and all of you is to respect our transportation in the
region. We can always work harder to extend financial and energy resources. We also have to realize they are woven into our personal and business lives. When the opportunity comes, like the recent Turnout For Transportation session, turn out and share your thoughts with others. Get engaged in town and village board, city council, and county board supervisor discussions. Tweeting, messaging and posting
I TAKE FOR GRANTED getting into my car to get somewhere. The vast
majority of us do it every day. We do it on roads that are in reasonably good shape. Our fuel prices fluctuate but often have little influence on our driving decisions. With that said, the future of our ability to travel by car will have a greater impact on us all.
There is much in the news at the state and local levels about transportation. Down in Madison they are talking about the 2017-19 biennium and how to fund all of the transportation needs. The County, City, Villages and Towns are all looking at the finite resources they have to fix the roads we all travel on. There is also conversation about local bicycle transportation. From the business perspective specifically, rail could have a bigger influence on attracting businesses to our area. Some recent interest in our business community would impact rail. Plus, there is the fact work has begun on the overpass of the railroad on Hoover Avenue near Delta Dental. Fortunately the benefit outweighs the inconvenience.
Getting back to automobiles, there has been recent news about an oil pipeline shutdown in the southeast United States. At my last read, the pipeline has been repaired and eventually prices will be more reflective of prices across the U.S. Supply and demand had a direct impact on those prices. This, of course, leads to a much bigger international challenge with fuel. While individually we have little impact on fuel, collectively we
can make decisions in our life to lessen the reliance on others for our personal transportation needs.
Many of the decisions related to our roads comes down to financial resources. Who should pay for the roads? Should it be just users? Should it be visitors? Should it be everyone since we all benefit? There are no simple answers yet the problems with our infrastructure continue. This can and will have direct impact on our local economy as well as our state and across the country.Bicycling is an option but not for everyone. One of my favorite things
to do is ride the Green Circle Trail. I also love taking my grandson in the bike trailer and visiting many of the wonderful parks in our community. Riding for work is a bit more impractical. It probably isn’t impossible yet within the same day I sometimes travel across the county and into others. In the arena of TMI (too much information), I tend to perspire when I exercise. I know our members wouldn’t want a stinky
P L A N E S , T R A I N S A N D A U T O M O B I L E S DIRECTOR’S INSIGHT - TODD KUCKKAHN
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GROWTH
VISIBILITY
ADVOCACY
CREDIBILITY
LEARNING
ExclusiveMember Benefits
Our Economic Development professionals are working hard to
bring more business and customers to you
Raise your reputation through membership
Build and strengthen your business network with over 465 members and 90+ events designed to help build your business and attract new clients
Have a say in what happens in government through the Chamber’s legislative efforts
Get a competitive edge over non-members with exclusive training opportunites on a variety of hot topics
Stand out & get noticed as an active member in the community and increase exposure through our
publications
Join the Portage County Business Council and discover great opportunities to connect with future customers and partners. By joining PCBC, you
get members-only perks, exclusive advertising, networking opportunities, and a whole lot of exposure. Make your business footprint in the community today!
Annual Ag Tour Event Held A sell-out crowd of 65 people attended this annual Ag Tour event on September 13th sponsored by Roberts Irrigation Company, Inc., DelMonte Foods and the Agri-Business Committee of the Portage County Business Council.
Special thanks to Heartland Farms and to our hosts Jeremie and Alicia Pavelski!
This event celebrates the agri-business industry in Central Wisconsin and tours of local agri-businesses are open to anyone interested in learning more about their great successes.
For more information, please contact Karen Schanock at 715-344-1940 or [email protected].
Ag Tour attendees tour family-owned farm – Heartland Farms in Hancock, WI.
Jeremie Pavelski, President of Heartland Farms, speaks
about the history of the farm and their new 37,000
square foot farm Operations, Technology, and Training
Center.
Dale Sankey, Brion Hackbarth and Mike
Maguire enjoying their lunch!
SAVE THE DATEThursday, December 8, 2016
11:15AM to 1:00PMHoliday Inn Hotel & Convention Center,
1001 Amber Avenue, Stevens PointCost: $25/Members, $30/Prospective Members
Watch for more details in our November digital magazine. For questions contact Karen Schanock at715-344-1940 or [email protected].
Click here to register.
Special thanks to our Presenting Sponsor:Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection
Photos from our September SELL-OUT event at the Stevens Point Country Club where 125 people were in attendance.
T h e A c t i v e V o i c e | D i g i t a l M a g a z i n e
By: Lisa Sobczak, CSPSenior Branch ManagerABR Employment Services
As you can imagine, recruiting and retention are hot topics in my world. With that being said, I thought I would share some tips to help create a happier workforce. Companies often forget the importance employees place on recognition and appreciation. Offering rewards is just one way to turn those frowns upside down – and one way to motivate employees to do their best work. The best part? It can be done at little or no cost to you. Here are 5 easy ways to reward employees who are deserving of a special something:
1. SAY ‘THANK YOU’
Honestly, sometimes a “thank you” for doing what you do is all employees want to hear. Those two words don’t need to be reserved for top performers. Show your gratitude to all of your employees whenever you can.
2. PRAISE PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Is one of your employees expecting a baby, planning a wedding, or running a marathon? Yes, yes, and yes - I had all three this year! Don’t let personal achievements go unrecognized. A verbal congratulations, hand-written note, or even an email acknowledgement is all you need.
3. ACKNOWLEDGE PROMOTIONS
Hold a company-wide meeting or send out a company-wide email to announce any promotions or big accomplishments that occurred over the past month. The applause – digital or actual – will put your employees on cloud nine.
4. MAKE INTRODUCTIONS
Reward top performers with a chance to eat lunch with the CEO or to grab coffee with the director. Or send them to a PCBC event to meet other professionals, a meeting with a big client, or to an important convention.
5. RECOGNIZE DEDICATION
Great effort is worth a reward as much as great success. Reward long-term achievements like five years spent with a company or perfect yearly attendance. It can be anything from a certificate to a gift card to a bouquet of flowers.
And here’s a #6 for those over-achievers in the audience – Spontaneous Rewards!
I thought I would add this because I know how much my Team loves it. I have a basket of small wrapped gifts I purchase throughout the year. The items can be anything from a book, to a pair of socks, to a box of chocolates. You can let your team pick from the basket if they accomplish a goal, had a
particularly productive week, or you just need a little fun in the office.
Learn more aboutABR Employment Services http://www.abrjobs.com/
5 tips to help with employee renention INSIGHT
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won’t get much done.
10.12.16 \\ 7:30AM - 9:00AMPCBC FOUNDATION ROOMEXTENDED TIME
NO COST TO ATTEND. CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST IS INCLUDED.What is the Business X-Change? A roundtable presentation which allows business owners and their employees the opportunity to discuss pertinent topics, learn from local industry leaders and, most importantly, learn from each other. While there is no cost to attend, the value of the information may be priceless.
TOPIC: “THE MORE THINGS CHANGE: CHANGES TO THE FEDERAL OVERTIME RULE AND ITS IMPACT ON THE ‘WHITE COLLAR’ EXEMPTIONS”
About Our Program:Federal and state laws address overtime and minimum wage rules that affect most employers and their employees. There are some common exemptions to these rules that apply to executive, administrative, professional, outside sales and computer employees. The salary level for these exemptions are set to increase on December 1, 2016, although the “duties” test will remain the same.
Join Attorneys Brian G. Formella and Amy A. Jahnke at this X-Change as they explain about the “Final Rule” relating to the salary basis test for certain employees. Learn as well about what is staying the same and how the Final Rule may affect your business and your employees.
About our Speakers: Brian Formella graduated from Marquette University with B.A. degrees in English and Economics and from Marquette University Law School with honors. After graduating, he was a Law Clerk to Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Louis J. Ceci. His areas of practice
include employment and labor law, municipal law, environmental law, real estate and general business law. Brian has a strong legal background in employment, labor and municipal law. He works with employers to establish sound employment practices. He has also aggressively defended employers against discrimination accusations.
Amy Jahnke graduated from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 2012. After law school, she worked in New York City with the Honorable Gerald Lebovits in NYC Civil Court, volunteered providing pro bono representation in NYC Civil Court’s consumer-credit and housing parts,
and practiced in business and commercial litigation. Amy discovered her enthusiasm for business and real estate law through writing complex judicial decisions on real estate matters and assisting in large-scale contract litigation. Her areas of practice include business law, estate planning and real estate law.
Special THANK YOU to Anderson O’Brien for their sponsorship of this program.
For questions on this X-Change please contact Karen Schanock at 715-344-1940 or [email protected].
T h e A c t i v e V o i c e | D i g i t a l M a g a z i n e
October 17, 20165:00PM - 7:00PM
Sponsored by: Coldwell Banker The Real Estate Group, Inc.,
5725 Windy Drive, Suite E, Stevens Point
Our host for the October event will be offering a variety of complimentary appetizers, alcoholic beverages from Sunset Point Winery, non-alcoholic refreshments, and door prize giveaways. A 50/50 raffle will also be played.
What is Business After Hours? A social event designed for and hosted by Business Council members to give business professionals an opportunity to network, share ideas, and have their facility seen by other members. The member host furnishes refreshments and hors d’oeuvres for the evening. A different Business Council member hosts Business After Hours every month.
Members are welcome to co-host the event with another Business Council member. Please call Karen Schanock at 715-344-1940 or email [email protected] to book the month you are interested in.
RSVP by Friday, October 14, 2016.
Business Hours after
WHERE’S THE TALENT?
Thursday, November 10; 7:30 AM-1:15 PM; SentryWorld Atrium
Featuring Craig Culver, Culver’s Co-Founder and Chairman of the Board Plus five New ERA panels discussing the challenges and opportunities to retain and attract the talent to keep our local economy growing.
3233A Business Park DriveStevens Point, WI 54482715-544-4210http://www.hermeningfinancialgroup.com/
Each month the Active Voice features a PCBC “Member of the Month” selected from a list of members that begins with the same letter of the alphabet.
H E R M E N I N G F I N A N C I A L G R O U P MEMBER OF THE MONTH
Hermening Financial Group LLC is an independently owned financial consulting firm with more than 25 years of dedicated personalized service to our clients. Our independence allows us to offer an unbiased objective approach to serving your investment needs. With offices in Eau Claire, Manitowoc, Stevens Point, Wausau and Wisconsin Rapids we are pleased to offer our comprehensive financial planning and investment services to a broad range of clients. If you have income and expenses, we can help you do better financially by adding value to your financial life.
We also offer financial and investment services through First Allied Securities to business owners and their employees. Our commitment is to always provide unbiased advice, impeccable service, and diversified financial resources to serve your individual needs … that’s one benefit of an independent perspective.
HFG has been a proud member of the Portage County Business Council since 2008. Our Stevens Point office allows us to better work with clients and the community throughout Portage, Wood and Waupaca counties.
As part of its community initiative, HFG actively hosts educational events for clients and the general public. We regularly hold Client Enrichment Series events, with no products or services sold. The aim is to help our clients and the public better understand some of the financial issues they may face. Our next event in Stevens Point will be held Friday, October 14th from 8-9:30am at the Stevens Point Holiday Inn & Convention Center. The topic is Cybersecurity & Identity Theft: 10 threats every person and business faces and how to fight them now. Everyone is invited, we ask that you RSVP by contacting Bryon Graff at 715-842-1916 or email [email protected]
HFG is active on social media through Facebook and LinkedIn. This allows us to pass along a variety of information, whether it’s an article of interest, promoting an upcoming event or sharing some of the fun we have around the office like celebrating a birthday. We have found social media to be an extremely valuable way to communicate.
Securities offered through First Allied Securities, Inc., a Registered Broker/Dealer. Member FINRA/SIPC.Advisory services offered through First Allied Advisory Services, Inc. and Hermening Advisory Services LLC, both
Registered Investment Advisers.Hermening Advisory Services is not affiliated with First Allied Securities and/or First Allied Advisory Services.
WELCOME TO OURNEWEST MEMBERS
SYNERGY HomeCare204 South Main StreetWaupaca, WI 54981715-942-8100
For more information on membership, contact our
Director of Business Engagement, Tonya Kowalski, at
The Business Council is also seeking wine themed products or services to be auctioned at the Silent Auction during the event. As a Silent Auction donor, the Business Council promotes your business and the merchandise and/or service to over 375 business professionals in attendance. Your business will also be recognized with a creative display during the evening, which recognizes your business and donated item.
The Business Council extends an invitation to an event like no other. For more information about the event or sponsorships contact Karen Schanock [email protected] or 715-344-1940.
Don’t miss this opportunity to take part of an evening of fun, socializing and education about wine. Proceeds from the event benefit member programs and new initiatives of the Business Council.
T h e A c t i v e V o i c e | D i g i t a l M a g a z i n e
Tech College Board Recognizes Marten Machining as “Futuremakers Partner”
The Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) Board awarded its “Futuremakers Partner” award to Marten Machining, in partnership with Mid-State Technical College. The award recognizes the dynamic and enduring partnerships between Wisconsin’s technical colleges and their community and employer partners.
What started as a one-person machining operation in 1984 in company president Alan Marten’s garage has grown into a widely-recognized precision tool manufacturer in Stevens Point. In an era of shifting workforce needs, Marten developed a comprehensive plan to actively support education and skill development at the K-12 and postsecondary levels.
“When visitors come to our facility, we always get the same question,” said Marten. “How did we develop a young and highly skilled workforce?” Marten said the answer is Mid-State Technical College and the Stevens Point community. “It’s humbling to receive this award from a valuable organization that plays a critical role for education in our community.”
Marten Machining is a regular contributor to Mid-State scholarship programs. In addition, Marten and his son, David, both serve on Mid-State’s Machine Tool Technician program advisory committee. The pair also devote significant time and energy to enhance the image and awareness of technical education, attending college open house events, speaking publicly about the impact of Wisconsin’s Youth Apprenticeship program on their business, and collaborating with local workforce development partners to host tours of their facility.
“Alan mentioned tonight that 55% of his team came to the company from Mid-State,” said Mid-State President Sue Budjac. “We take a lot of pride in the skills and value our students and graduates bring to the Martens’ operation.”
“This is a company that doesn’t just support Mid-State,” said WTCS Board Vice President Mark Tyler. “But in partnership with the college and many others, they’re part of the fabric of this community.” See See more at: http://wtcsystem.edu/news-media/newsroom/
WELcome to new memberforward financial bank
Not your normal bank.
Forward Financial Bank was started in 1919 in Marshfield. Our focus on moving forward by giving back is driven by our depositors-owners and is highlighted by our Charitable Money Market Account. Families, Farms, businesses and charities will see the Forward difference!
USDA Rural Development named Peoples State Bank as a recipient of the 2015 Million Dollar Lender Award.
The Award is presented to lenders who have made a significant contribution to supporting Wisconsin rural residents looking to become homeowners through the USDA Guaranteed Rural Housing (GRH) Program.
In 2015, Peoples State Bank utilized more than $1 million of GRH program funds by financing home purchases to help moderate income families in Wisconsin. Nearly 2,900 families across Wisconsin were able to purchase a home last year through the GRH loan program, totaling nearly $372.4 million; and locally Peoples helped 25 families purchase a home, many in the Northwoods, through this program.
“This shows we have a lot to offer our communities, especially in the Northwoods, and we are committed to helping people achieve the dream of homeownership right in our own backyard,” said Jeff Saxton, VP Mortgage Lending for Peoples State Bank.
www.bankpeoples.com
Office Direct wins CAP Services’
Business Expansion Contest
NEWSROOM
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2016 marks the 130th anniversary of the founding of our firm by Attorneys Byron B. and Gilbert L. Park. The Park brothers opened a modern, well-equipped law office at 933 Main Street, Stevens Point – not far from our offices today. While most other attorneys practiced alone, our firm developed a tradition of working as a team. As early as the turn of the century, we groomed young attorneys to join our firm, starting many as clerks during their law school studies. Throughout our history we have sought to achieve excellence in everything we do. Through managed growth and the desire for legal excellence, the foundation was laid for our full-service firm of today.
Our tradition of offering clients the combined expertise of several skilled attorneys soon led to another valuable tradition: diversification. In the 1930s and 1940s, to keep ahead of the great proliferation of laws and new technology, our firm began adding attorneys with special expertise in matters that most affected businesses, individuals and their families. Today our firm has 19 attorneys and offers knowledge and expertise in many areas of law, including accident and personal injury, business and corporate law, business disputes and litigation, divorce and family law, elder law and Medicaid planning, employment law, estate planning and probate, real estate and tax planning.
Our firm also has 18 full-time employees. We have a tradition of providing an excellent working atmosphere and benefit package for our employees and recognize that recruiting and retaining excellent employees is key for business success. This philosophy has resulted in the law firm retaining several long-term employees.
Anderson O’Brien plays an active role in several community and charitable initiatives. Many of our attorneys volunteer their time to serve as directors and board members of various organizations, including Big Brothers Big Sisters, Boys & Girls Club of Portage County, Judicare of Wisconsin, the Portage County Business Council, Portage County Legal Aid Society, the United Way, the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Foundation Board and the YMCA Foundation Board, to name a few.
The firm is also a strong supporter of community events by way of sponsorships, including, but not limited to, the Boys & Girls Club, Big Brothers/Big Sisters Bowl for Kids’ Sake and Taste of the Town, CAP Services Family Crisis Center, Celebrate Plover, Justiceworks Walk/Run, Pacelli Panacea, Pacelli and SPASH Project Graduation, YMCA Strong Kids Campaign and Golf Outing, the Portage County Business Council Golf Outing, Small Business Breakfast and Silent Auction, the United Way of Portage County and Wisconsin Special Olympics.
The team at Anderson O’Brien is looking forward to building on its success by continuing to provide expert legal advice for individuals, families and businesses. We attribute our success to our unwavering commitment to excellence and making our clients our number one priority. Client service has been the emphasis of our firm for 130 years. We are not doing a favor by serving them; they are doing us a favor by giving us the opportunity to do so. We look forward to our firm’s continued success and serving the people of central Wisconsin in the years to come. For more information go to https://www.andlaw.com/
A N D E R S O N O ’ B R I E NC E L E B R AT E S 1 3 0 Y E A R S
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ODC and CIC To Join Forces
In 2015, Opportunity Development Centers, Inc. (ODC) and Community Industries Corporation (CIC) both celebrated 50 years of serving the needs of individuals with disabilities. On September 8th, they announced a partnership as the two organizations prepare to become one.
The planned merger of the organizations, scheduled to take place on January 1, 2017, will strengthen their ability to meet their mission, according to Pam Ross, ODC president, and Gary Cumley, chairperson of the CIC board of directors.
“This partnership makes perfect sense,” said Ross. “Our organizational missions align completely, and now we will join forces to create even more opportunities for the people we serve.”
ODC has locations in Wisconsin Rapids and Marshfield, and currently serves over 500 individuals with disabilities in Wood, Portage, Marathon, Lincoln, Taylor and Clark counties. CIC has locations in Stevens Point, Plover and Wausau, and serves approximately 150 individuals in Portage and Marathon counties. Both organizations provide skills training, career exploration, job search assistance, and long-term, on-the-job support for people with disabilities. They also offer day services programs that provide life skills education, volunteer opportunities and community exploration activities.
“Both CIC and ODC have been innovative in developing services over the years,” said Cumley. “With our combined experience and expertise, we see this as a win-win situation.”
After the merger, ODC’s name will remain the same, and services currently offered by CIC will continue to be provided under their name at this time. Services provided by both ODC and CIC will go uninterrupted during and after the merger.
“The staff and board of directors of both CIC and ODC are excited about this collaboration and the opportunities it will bring,” said Ross. “This alliance will combine our organizations’ strengths and resources to move us forward in our mission – to empower people with disabilities to achieve their work and life goals.”
For more information go tohttp://www.odcinc.com/
CAP Services recently named Office Direct Interiors of Stevens Point the winner of CAP’s first Business Expansion Contest.
Office Direct will receive a $1,000 cash prize, free marketing assessment, mentorship through the Packers Mentor-Protégé Program, and referrals for services specific to the business’s needs.
“There are many business plan and business start-up contests available to new entrepreneurs so we wanted to find a way to support and celebrate growing businesses in our area” said Laura West, CAP’s Director of Business Development.
Office Direct sells new and used office furniture and offers customers the option of buying pre-assembled products from their retail showroom or getting customized office furniture that fits their specific needs. Office Direct has established connections in the office furniture industry that allow it to offer competitive prices, transparency in the ordering process and reduced lead times on customized furniture. The business plans to expand the area it serves and open additional locations across the state.
“We worked really hard to grow our customer base with great service and quality products,” said Cole Corrigan, Office Direct’s owner. “From the response and word-of-mouth referrals by our clients, business really took off, and as a happy result, we’ve had to hire more staff. We’ve come a long way in a short period of time – especially considering we started in the back seat of my car.”
Office Direct was selected from four finalists. Any business within CAP’s five county region – Marquette, Outagamie,
Portage, Waupaca, and Waushara – operating their business for two years or more with plans to expand their sales footprint was eligible to apply.
“I was really surprised we were chosen,” said Corrigan. “It’s humbling. On top of being a good business, we’ve always tried to give back to the community, and thanks to this kind of recognition, now we can continue to do so.”
Contestants completed a questionnaire about their current business operations and expansion plans. Applications were scored by five judges with economic development expertise. Four finalists advanced to a second round of scoring where they presented their business expansion plans in person, giving the judges a chance to ask questions and learn more about the business’s expansion plans.
Contest partners include Fox Valley Technical College, Venture Centre, 1 Million Cups, Fox Cities Regional Partnership, UW-Oshkosh Small Business Development Center, City of New London, New London Economic Development, City of Waupaca, Waupaca Economic Development, New London Area Chamber of Commerce and Waupaca Area Chamber of Commerce.
“The connections made between contest finalists and the contest partners have been extremely valuable,” said West, “We’ve received such a positive reaction to this contest from contestants and our partners, we’re looking at making it an annual event.”
Office Direct wins CAP Services’
Business Expansion Contest NEWSROOM
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FIRST LAW GROUPSC A Limited Liability Service Corporation
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FOR YOUR LEGAL NEEDS
Attorneys: E. John Buzza Mark S. Henkel Gary L. Dreier David A. Ray
T h e A c t i v e V o i c e | D i g i t a l M a g a z i n eLEADERSHIP PORTAGE COUNTYSeptember’s LPC session was all about Agribusiness so we made our way to Paragon Potato Farms in Bancroft.Before heading out to see their operations we started out with some great speeches from Dave, Randy and Lisa. Dave taught us all about Central WI Airport funding clearing up many misconceptions. Then we “dug” into gardening with Randy learning about zones, companion gardening and techniques. Lastly, Lisa took us around the globe comparing Hawaii with Puerto Rico and we all wished we were there.
Following that we were lucky enough to have Jenny Bula of RPE take us through an overview of the Wysocki Family of Companies including RPE, Wysocki Produce Farm, Paragon Potato Farm and lastly Paramount Farms which they have recently acquired. In addition they also partner with Central Sands Dairy as well as Tasteful Selection, LLC. Their brands include Tasteful Selections™, Old Oak Farms,™ and Biggins®. It was quite impressive to see how this family farm that started in the 1950’s has grown into the large operation it is today.
Enough talking about it we want to get out there and see it! So our tour guides arrived and we did just that. Wow was there a lot to take in and see! Our tour guides led us through the farm explaining the processes as we went. We were all surprised at the technology involved in the process and how accurate it can be. On the other hand the committed workers are second to none, they would not be able to operate without them. From russets to fingerlings to onions, Wysocki Family of Companies continues to grow and lead by example producing quality food we all benefit from.
Finally we were all presented with wonderful treat bags including coupons, recipes and of course a Biggins® potato to take home! It was a great tour.
After our tour of the Paragon Potato Farm we headed to the Stevens Point Area Convention & Visitor’s Bureau (SPACVB) for lunch and an afternoon of speakers.
First we heard from Melissa Sabel of the SPACVB regarding Agri-Tourism in Portage County. When traveling, the main things that motivate people are FUN and FOOD. Good thing Portage County has lots of good options for both!
Next up was Ken Schroeder from the UW Extension Office to discuss Agribusiness in Portage County. Portage County produces 31 million gallons of milk each year. Other crops include grain, potatoes, peas and cranberries with Portage County being the #1 producer of green beans and sweet corn. It was interesting to see how science/technology has helped to increase production efficiency of both milk and crops over time.
After a short break we listened to Gary Yeast of Ministry Health Care discuss Emotional Intelligence and Ethical Decision Making.He presented the relationship of a high Emotional Intelligence and being successful (emotional intelligence seems to play a more important role in being successful than IQ). He also believes that people are able to increase their emotional intelligence. During the Ethical Decision Making discussion we talked about the relationship between skill, luck and how to make better decisions.
Our last speaker was Wendy Mitch to kick off the 5 session series on Mindset. In the first session we learned about the differences between an “outward mindset” and an “inward mindset”. In life we are presented with many challenges and opportunities. We are excited to continue to learn about approaching these with an outward mindset where we focus on our impact on others instead of focusing on the impact on us.
Written by Kelly Gardner, Delta Dental of Wisconsin & Tama Manske, ABR Employement Services, Leadership Portage County Class Participants
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The Portage County Business Council’s
Partners in Education (PIE ) Program invites
you to attend
ANEDUCATION - FOCUSED
BUSINESS AFTER HOURS
Wednesday, October 5, 20165:00 - 7:00 PM @ Skyward
2601 Skyward Drive, Stevens PointREGISTER AT
www.portagecountybiz.com/events
For more information or questionsplease contact Kayla Rombalski at715-344-1940 or [email protected]
Whether you are an educator, school
administrator, business person, or interested
community member, join us for this event! It is a great way to start and strengthen business-education networks.
T h e A c t i v e V o i c e | D i g i t a l M a g a z i n eTALENT DEVELOPMENT
PARTNERS IN EDUCATION: Back-to-School is here and with it PIE (Partners In Education) programming is underway. If you are interested in volunteering at upcoming PIE events like Reality Shops or Career Fairs, pleasecontact Kayla Rombalski at [email protected].
Save the date for these upcoming PIE events:Wed. Oct. 5 - Heavy Metal Bus TourWed. Oct. 5 - New Teacher/Faculty Welcome Business After Hours at Skyward REGISTER HERE!Sat. Oct. 22 - Reality Shop for Upward Bound students at UWSPWed. Nov. 9 - Reality Shop at SPASH
“NOW HIRING!”From the smallest retail shops to the largest companies in our community, it seems everywhere you look these days a new “NOW HIRING” or “HELP WANTED” sign has been posted. Everyone seems to be looking for qualified workers to join their business ranks, whether that employee is a high school graduate, Associate’s Degree holder, or has graduated from a four-year degree school.
But how are we preparing these students, the next generation of workers, to enter the workforce? Through our Partners in Education (PIE) programs, we work to draw connections between businesses and educators. When business leaders and hiring managers work together with teachers all parties gain a better understanding on what is needed to prepare students for the work world. A math teacher may make a connection to machining, and thus can teach the real-world application for the formulas students are learning.
One way PIE works to facilitate these teacher and business leader relationships is to host a special network development event just for these groups.
We hope you will join us on October 5th at Skyward for a Business After Hours event specific to new teacher and business relationships. New teachers to their district will have a chance to meet business representatives from across the community and make valuable connections to take back to their classrooms. Business leaders will learn more about what is happening to educate our future workforce and can make observations about what is most needed from employees in their industry sector.
Join us Wednesday, October 5th from 5:00-7:00 PM at Skyward for this event. Food and refreshments will be provided, along with a 50/50 RAFFLE. Please register to let us know you’re coming.
See you there!
Written by Kayla Rombalski, Director of Talent Development at PCBC
October4 Wines of the World Planning Committee Meeting, 3:00PM, Holiday Inn
5 New Teacher Business Welcome, 5:00PM Skyward
6 Job Fair, 10:00AM - 7:00PM, Noel Hanger
12 Business X-Change, 7:30AM, PCBC
13 Ambassadors Club Meeting, 8:00AM, PCBC
17 Business Engagement Committee Meeting, 7:30AM, PCBC
17 Business After Hours, 5:00PM, Coldwell Banker The Real Estate Group
18 Wines of the World Planning Committee Meeting, 3:00PM, Holiday Inn
20 SalesNet Meeting, 11:45AM, PCBC
25 Wines of the World Planning Committee Meeting, 3:00PM, Holiday Inn
28 Wines of the World, 6:00-9:00PM, Holiday Inn Hotel & Convention Center
9 Business X-Change, 7:30AM, PCBC
10 Ambassadors Club Meeting, 8:00AM, PCBC
10 Economic Development Summit, 7:30AM, SentryWorld Atrium
17 SalesNet Meeting, 11:45AM, PCBC
14 Business After Hours, 5:00PM, CoVantage Credit Union
24 PCBC Office is CLOSED
25 PCBC Office is CLOSED
Purchasing Portage County gift certificates continues to be a successful way to “Buy Local”.
Portage County gift certificates make great gifts. Gift cer-tificates can be purchased at most area banks, credit unions, the Convention and Visitors Bureau or at our office. They can
be used at most businesses with a Portage County address and are available in denominations of $5, $10, $20, $25, $50 &
$100.
The PCBC would like to thank everyone who participates for helping make the program successful. We would also like to thank BMO Harris Bank for their financial support of the
gift certificate program.
PORTAGE COUNTY GIFT CERTIFICATES
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