BizTimes MKE: Milwaukee Business Insights
237 episodes - English - Latest episode: 10 days ago - ★★★★★ - 4 ratingsThe BizTimes MKE podcast, powered by BizTimes Media, is designed to keep you informed and provide ideas and strategies to help improve your business. Each episode features thought-provoking insights and best practices from business and community leaders.
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Episodes
Weekly Debrief: If the Bucks can do it, why not the Brewers?
July 23, 2021 21:00 - 20 minutes - 14 MBBizTimes editor Andrew Weiland joins associate editor Arthur Thomas to talk about the Milwaukee Bucks winning the NBA Finals. Andrew reflects on the cooperation and bipartisan work that made Fiserv Forum and the Deer District possible, a topic he addressed in his commentary for the July 19 issue of BizTimes Milwaukee. Andrew and Arthur also bring up reporter Alex Zank's Real Estate Spotlight from May, which explored possible development opportunities for the Milwaukee Brewers as Komatsu Mini...
Weekly Debrief: If the Bucks can do it, why not the Brewers?
July 23, 2021 21:00 - 20 minutes - 14 MBBizTimes editor Andrew Weiland joins associate editor Arthur Thomas to talk about the Milwaukee Bucks winning the NBA Finals. Andrew reflects on the cooperation and bipartisan work that made Fiserv Forum and the Deer District possible, a topic he addressed in his commentary for the July 19 issue of BizTimes Milwaukee. Andrew and Arthur also bring up reporter Alex Zank's Real Estate Spotlight from May, which explored possible development opportunities for the Milwaukee Brewers as Komatsu Mini...
Enerpac Tool Group's business lessons from the pandemic│Ep. 76
July 19, 2021 15:00 - 32 minutes - 22.4 MBEnerpac Tool Group's Jeff Schmaling and Barb Bolens join BizTimes Media associate editor Arthur Thomas to discuss lessons learned from helping the Menomonee Falls-based company navigate through the COIVD-19 pandemic over the past year. Enerpac, previously known as Actuant, had just completed a series of moves, including a major divestiture and a name change, aimed at setting the company on a new strategic direction when the pandemic hit. In April 2020, Enerpac CEO Randy Baker talked with A...
Weekly Debrief: Couture connections, downtown housing spree and office market rebound with real estate reporter Alex Zank
July 16, 2021 17:00 - 14 minutes - 10.2 MBBizTimes Media real estate reporter Alex Zank joins associate editor Arthur Thomas to talk about the cover story in the July 19 issue of BizTimes Milwaukee. Alex's story explores how The Couture, a long awaited residential, retail and transit development along Milwaukee's lakefront, serves as the missing piece for a number of other projects and site in downtown Milwaukee. Alex took a closer look at a recent run of downtown housing projects and whether the city can support the increased suppl...
The family business practices that help Kwik Trip grow│Ep. 74
July 12, 2021 17:00 - 38 minutes - 26.7 MBThe latest episode of the BizTimes MKE Podcast features editor Andrew Weiland's conversation with Carl Rick at the BizTimes Family & Closely Held Business Summit. Rick is a training manager and third generation family spokesperson for La Crosse-based Kwik Trip. Their conversation touches on the culture at Kwik Trip, the importance of profit sharing with employees, navigating the pandemic, handling family business topics at home and much more. The remainder of the Family Business Summit is ...
Strategies for solving your workforce challenges with Ryan Festerling of QPS Employment│Ep. 73
June 28, 2021 17:00 - 28 minutes - 19.9 MBAs president of Brookfield-based QPS Employment Group, Ryan Festerling has a front row seat to how the labor force is reacting as the economy ramps up again. QPS provides staffing services to more than 1,000 companies across seven Midwestern states, many in light industrial, warehousing and manufacturing settings. Festerling said that while the enhanced benefit is likely keeping some people on the sidelines, QPS hasn’t seen a dramatic shift in applicants in states where the benefit has bee...
Weekly Debrief: South Carolina B'gosh, more Spirit, and climbing out of economic hole
June 25, 2021 21:00 - 14 minutes - 9.89 MBArthur Thomas, Brandon Anderegg and Andrew Weiland from BizTimes Media discuss the news of the week, starting with Oshkosh Corp.'s decision to build the next generation of postal delivery vehicles in South Carolina, not Wisconsin. Andrew says the decision is disappointing. The group also discusses the continued growth in flights out of Mitchell Airport with Spirit adding more flights this week. Finally, Arthur reviews the latest data on Wisconsin's GDP, which was up 6% in the first quarter b...
What to expect at the Family Business Summit on June 29
June 23, 2021 21:00 - 17 minutes - 12 MBArthur Thomas, Andrew Weiland and Maredithe Meyer from BizTimes Media preview the upcoming Family and Closely Held Business Summit. The event marks the return of live events for BizTimes Media and will take place June 29 at the Brookfield Conference Center. To register for the event, visit biztimes.com/family
DOA Sec. Joel Brennan talks 27th & Wisconsin project, state real estate, and becoming more cynical│Ep. 70
June 21, 2021 16:00 - 41 minutes - 28.7 MBJoel Brennan, secretary of Wisconsin Department of Administration, joined the Milwaukee Rotary Club last week. He discussed Gov. Tony Evers' plans to shrink the state's real estate portfolio over the next decade and what was lost when lawmakers removed plans for a new state office building at 27th and Wisconsin in Milwaukee from the state budget. Brennan also touched on the state budget process and how he has become "a little more cynical" after two years of working in state government. In...
Weekly Debrief: $100M VC fund cut from budget, understanding SHINE and North Star, and Brady's big deal
June 18, 2021 21:00 - 15 minutes - 11 MBBizTimes Media associate editor Arthur Thomas is joined by reporter Brandon Anderegg and editor Andrew Weiland to discuss the news of the week. Brandon describes the friction over the proposed $100 million state venture capital fund that was cut from the state budget and then previews a story he wrote in the latest issue of BizTimes Milwaukee highlighting the work of SHINE Medical Technologies and NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes. Both companies are making progress in developing a U.S. supply...
Milwaukee 7’s Jim Paetsch on his new job, tax incentives and the tension in corporate and talent attraction │Ep. 68
June 14, 2021 16:00 - 26 minutes - 18.2 MBStarting July 1, Jim Paetsch will takeover as executive director of Milwaukee 7, the regional economic development entity that covers southeastern Wisconsin. Paetsch has been with M7 since it was started in 2005, but his work has primarily focused on corporate attraction and expansion. He doesn’t expect much of his job will change when it comes to trying to encourage companies to locate and expand in southeastern Wisconsin, but his new role will see him more involved in strategy and other ...
Weekly Debrief: The feeling inside Fiserv Forum and mixed budget news for big Milwaukee projects
June 11, 2021 20:00 - 13 minutes - 9.28 MBBizTimes associate editor Arthur Thomas is joined by reporter Maredithe Meyer and editor Andrew Weiland to discuss the news of the week. Maredithe was in the arena for the Milwaukee Bucks playoff victory on Thursday and posted a slideshow Friday with scenes from the game and the crowd. She discusses the feeling of a return to live sports with a full capacity crowd and the scene surrounding the arena. Andrew discusses actions by the Legislature's Joint Finance Committee involving two major pr...
Weekly Debrief: Innovate Wisconsin and Deshea Agee leaving King Drive BID
June 04, 2021 21:00 - 11 minutes - 7.66 MBLauren Anderson and Alex Zank join Arthur Thomas for the Weekly Debrief on the BizTimes MKE Podcast. They discuss Deshea Agree leaving the King Drive BID before previewing the Innovate Wisconsin issue of BizTimes Milwaukee. The annual Innovate issues publishes on June 7 with a cover story highlighting how Milwaukee Tool has used innovation to fuel a decade of remarkable growth. The entire issue delves into how the pandemic and events of the past year have altered the economy and created op...
Weekly Debrief: 5 prime development sites in metro Milwaukee
May 29, 2021 04:00 - 20 minutes - 14.5 MBBizTimes Media's Arthur Thomas and Andrew Weiland follow-up on a discussion from last week's episode where Andrew described the future site of a 32-story mixed-use tower in the Third Ward as one of those sites where it is hard to believe nothing significant has been developed. Andrew said there are a number of sites like that around the city, so Arthur asked him to put together a list of five with potential. Three of them are in or near downtown Milwaukee while the others are in Wauwatosa an...
DCD’s Lafayette Crump on the importance of proper planning in Milwaukee│Ep. 64
May 24, 2021 16:00 - 45 minutes - 31.6 MBMilwaukee Department of City Development commissioner Lafayette Crump spoke at the Rotary Club of Milwaukee recently, highlighting the city's comprehensive plan and development throughout the city. “We just have to find a way to implement the vision that exists in that plan and (I’m) really excited to see so many people trying to find ways to make everything we see on paper, to make those things a reality,” Crump said. He also touched on the need for community involvement in the planning and...
Weekly Debrief: 32-story Third Ward tower, Kohl's cautious outlook and lessons from the Lubars
May 21, 2021 20:00 - 16 minutes - 11.3 MBBizTimes Media associate editor Arthur Thomas is joined by editor Andrew Weiland and real estate reporter Alex Zank to discuss the week's big stories, including a plan from Houston-based Hines to build a 32-story, $140 million luxury mixed-use residential tower at a key gateway site in Milwaukee's Third Ward. They also touch on the cautious guidance increase Menomonee Falls-based retailer Kohl's offered this week after sales exceeded 2019 levels in March and April. Finally, Arthur previews h...
Pressing issues and strategies in philanthropy│Ep. 62
May 17, 2021 18:00 - 55 minutes - 38 MBJoan Prince, retired vice chancellor of global inclusion and engagement at UW-Milwaukee, leads a conversation with Ellen Gilligan, president and CEO of the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, and JoAnne Anton, director of Herb Kohl Philanthropies, during a recent Tuesday program at the Rotary Club of Milwaukee. The group addresses the thinking leading philanthropists are bringing to addressing pressing issues in the community. In partnership with the Rotary Club of Milwaukee.
Weekly Debrief: NASCAR sponsors; Rexnord-Regal Beloit deal and the reopening of the economy
May 14, 2021 19:00 - 15 minutes - 11 MBBizTimes editors Andrew Weiland, Lauren Anderson and Arthur Thomas discuss the news of the week, including a title sponsor for the NASCAR race at Road America, background on how Rexnord and Regal Beloit's $3.69 billion merger came to be, and a whole lot of developments in the reopening of the economy. The Weekly Debrief is a chance to quickly catchup on news of the week in the Milwaukee business world. Get the news delivered straight to your inbox by subscribing to our newsletters and suppo...
Can industrial real estate keep up its hot streak? │Ep. 60
May 10, 2021 15:00 - 44 minutes - 30.8 MBJeff Hoffman, principal at Cushman & Wakefield│Boerke joins Arthur Thomas and Alex Zank of BizTimes Media to discuss the industrial real estate market in southeastern Wisconsin. Jeff goes into great detail on what his firm is seeing (or not seeing) from national developers, factors driving companies to move from Illinois (it isn’t just taxes and politics), where the next waves of industrial development could take place and how workforce shortages could shape industrial development going forw...
Weekly Debrief: Couture construction; Summerfest lineup; Mitchell traffic takes off and more
May 07, 2021 21:00 - 12 minutes - 8.68 MBAndrew Weiland, Lauren Anderson and Arthur Thomas of BizTimes Media discuss significant stories from the week, including The Couture finally moving forward, Summerfest announcing its lineup, Goodwill changing its headquarters, trade data showing economic activity picking up, more small businesses starting and passenger traffic taking off at Mitchell Airport. Read more on these stories at BizTimes.com: From Andrew: - Construction work for The Couture to begin Wednesday - The Couture had to...
Building momentum in Racine and Kenosha counties│Ep. 58
May 03, 2021 18:00 - 1 hour - 43.8 MBThis week's episode features BizTimes editor Andrew Weiland moderating a panel discussion during the recent Racine/Kenosha County 2035 event. The panel featured Wes Saber, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Haribo of America, John Batten, CEO of Racine-based Twin Disc, Chad Navis, director of industrial developments at Zilber Property Group and Ted Matkom, Wisconsin market president for Gorman & Company. If you're interested, additional panel discussions with education ...
Going inside the new Bradley Symphony Center│Ep. 57
April 26, 2021 15:00 - 25 minutes - 17.3 MBThe April 26 issue of BizTimes Milwaukee features two stories on the conversion of the Warner Grand Theatre into the Bradley Symphony Center. Associate editor Lauren Anderson wrote the cover story focusing on how the MSO pulled together funding for the $139 project, how plans to open the facility evolved because of COVID-19 and the impact of the project on the western side of Milwaukee's downtown. Reporter Alex Zank dove into the details of the construction project, from complicated land ass...
MPM leaders discuss vision for new museum│Ep. 56
April 19, 2021 17:00 - 45 minutes - 31.2 MBMilwaukee Public Museum president and CEO Ellen Censky and chief planning officer Katie Sanders joined the Milwaukee Rotary Club recently to discuss the transformation of the Milwaukee Public Museum. MPM is planning to build a new 230,000-square-foot development at the northeast corner of North Sixth Street and McKinley Avenue. In partnership with the Rotary Club of Milwaukee.
Packers president Mark Murphy on London games, COVID communication and more│Ep. 55
April 12, 2021 17:00 - 48 minutes - 33.5 MBMark Murphy, president of the Green Bay Packers, joined the Rotary Club of Milwaukee’s Tuesday program recently to discuss developments with the team on and off the field. Murphy discussed the challenges created by a shrinking salary cap, the desire to keep Aaron Rodgers as the team’s quarterback and how restructuring the front office helped improve communications. He also details why the team was reluctant to play games internationally and why the addition of a 17th game to the season m...
MSOE, Wisconsin Lutheran and Mount Mary presidents on the role of private schools in higher ed│Ep. 54
April 06, 2021 17:00 - 55 minutes - 38.4 MBPresidents from three private colleges and universities in southeastern Wisconsin – John Walz of MSOE, Dan Johnson of Wisconsin Lutheran College, and Christine Pharr of Mount Mary University – discuss how Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities members impact the state economy during the Rotary Club of Milwaukee’s Tuesday speaker series. They touch on how they’ve navigated the COVID-19 pandemic, innovation in workforce development and handling looming demographic shif...
Biohealth's chance to attract talent to Wisconsin with Lisa Johnson│Ep. 53
March 29, 2021 17:00 - 20 minutes - 14.2 MBFew, if any, sectors in Wisconsin have been more at the center of the COVID-19 fight than the biohealth industry. Lisa Johnson, chief executive officer of BioForward Wisconsin, said the sector includes life sciences, medical devices, digital health and health systems. BioForward is a membership organization that represents more than 200 companies in the sector in Wisconsin. On the latest BizTimes MKE Podcast, Johnson discussed some of the industry’s lessons learned from the COVID-19 figh...
UW business dean Vallabh Sambamurthy talks business education and navigating COVID-19│Ep. 52
March 22, 2021 18:00 - 37 minutes - 26 MBVallabh Sambamurthy, the Albert O. Nicholas Dean of the Wisconsin School of Business at UW-Madison, joins BizTimes associate editor Arthur Thomas to talk about his first two years on the job. Dean Samba accepted the position in early 2019 and came to Madison in August of that year. Even before arriving, he had started laying the groundwork for a new strategic plan for the business school. A group of 20 professors and staff then worked to engage stakeholders and identify what the school neede...
Wisconsin Center's Marty Brooks on managing naming rights, pandemic and expansion│Ep. 51
March 15, 2021 20:00 - 1 hour - 43.2 MBWisconsin Center District CEO Marty Brooks joins BizTimes associate editor Arthur Thomas and reporter Alex Zank to discuss the latest news coming from the downtown Milwaukee convention center. Brooks talks about how the work the WCD did on its culture after his arrival in 2018 paid off when the COVID-19 pandemic hit; what its like planning for an expansion amid a pandemic; and how he is approaching the search for a naming rights sponsor.
Bitcoin basics and more with Baird's Michael Antonelli│Ep. 50
March 08, 2021 18:00 - 52 minutes - 36.2 MBThis episode of the BizTimes MKE Podcast features Baird market strategist Michael Antonelli’s recent presentation to the Rotary Club of Milwaukee on Bitcoin. Antonelli offers a primer on the basics of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, a review of some of Bitcoin’s strengths and weaknesses, the challenges financial services firms have with it and his view on why Bitcoin will not end up as a currency. He also shares his own experience with Bitcoin, having spent $400 for two coins in 2012 o...
Bill Berrien wants to build 'the world's most valuable manufacturing network'│Ep. 49
February 22, 2021 20:00 - 44 minutes - 30.6 MBPindel Global Precision entered 2020 making no ventilator parts for its customers. The New Berlin-based precision machining manufacturer exited the year having made thousands of parts for five customers. Bill Berrien, chief executive officer of Pindel, and his team were among the companies that moved quickly as the COVID-19 pandemic hit to find a way to contribute. The experience led Berrien to start a new venture in addition to Pindel called PRODx, short for Production Expediting Technolo...
Rockwell CEO's 2021 predictions, a closer look at labor markets and more from BizTimes Economic Trends│Ep. 48
February 02, 2021 19:00 - 23 minutes - 16.2 MBIn this episode, BizTimes associate editor Arthur Thomas takes listeners through some of the highlights from the 2021 BizTimes Economic Trends event, including economist Mike Knetter's thoughts on the need for political leadership to help the economy, consumer confidence and inflation; a closer look at labor markets with Ryan Festerling of QPS Employment Group; and a tour through the manufacturing sector with Rockwell Automation chairman and CEO Blake Moret. The Economic Trends event was mad...
BizTimes editor Andrew Weiland on the good and the bad of 2020│Ep. 47
December 31, 2020 15:00 - 1 hour - 42.8 MBEvery year, BizTimes editor Andrew Weiland puts together a list of the biggest stories for the year from the southeastern Wisconsin business community. It is always interesting to recall all of the things that transpired during the year, but 2020 took things to another level. On this episode, Weiland joins associate editor Arthur Thomas to discuss what made the list this year and dive deeper on some of the challenges and good things that came from a year unlike any other.
Stella & Chewy's founder Marie Moody on growth and lessons learned│Ep. 46
November 30, 2020 12:00 - 24 minutes - 17 MBMarie Moody started Oak Creek-based pet food maker Stella & Chewy's in the early 2000s because she couldn't find the raw food her dog needed. In the last 17 years, the company has continued to grow, including a recently approved 140,000-square-foot expansion of its facilities and plans to add another 100 jobs in the coming years. On this episode, Moody discusses what is driving the company's growth, changing consumer behavior, hiring smart people, delegating and lessons learned from her jour...
Generac's Aaron Jagdfeld on 2020, Briggs & Stratton, climate change and more │Ep. 45
October 19, 2020 17:00 - 30 minutes - 21.3 MBGenerac chairman and CEO Aaron Jagdfeld joined BizTimes Media associate editor Arthur Thomas for a one-on-one interview as part of the 2020 Next Generation Manufacturing Summit. The event was held virtually and is now available on demand here. In this interview, Jagdfeld discusses how demand for Generac's products has been shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic, business lessons from Briggs & Stratton's recent bankruptcy, opportunities and risks for the company from climate change and strategies f...
Kathy Thornton-Bias on prioritizing purpose in a pandemic at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee│Ep. 44
October 12, 2020 11:00 - 39 minutes - 27.1 MBOn this episode, Kathy Thornton-Bias, president and CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee, discusses how her organization is navigating during the COVID-19 pandemic at the Rotary Club of Milwaukee. "It's knowing what your stakeholders and your customers need and going after that and going after it really hard," she said, noting the Boys & Girls Clubs moved into food distribution and online programming because that's what kids needed. Thornton-Bias also discusses the organization...
VISIT Milwaukee’s Peggy Williams-Smith on changing culture amid a pandemic│Ep.43
October 05, 2020 11:00 - 27 minutes - 18.7 MBWhen Peggy Williams-Smith started as chief executive officer of VISIT Milwaukee in November 2019, she knew the organization was going to need to change. She had seen VISIT lose some of its luster during her more the two decades of experience working in hospitality in downtown Milwaukee. “It was a pretty fractured culture, it was pretty siloed and there were people who, unfortunately, I think were just fighting to stay afloat and starting to stay alive which caused the organization to be rea...
Terry Rowinski on leading Health Payment Systems in 2020│Ep. 42
September 28, 2020 16:00 - 33 minutes - 23.1 MBTerry Rowinski, chief executive officer of Milwaukee-based Health Payment Systems, joins associate editor Arthur Thomas to discuss how he's leading the company in 2020. HPS offers an independent provider network sold to self-funded employer groups and consumer financial wellness product that helps those participating in that network understand their medical bills. On this episode, Rowinski shares details on how COVID-19 has hit the HPS business, cultural challenges in a remote work environme...
Jerry Jendusa on sustaining results during and after a crisis│Ep. 41
July 13, 2020 11:00 - 13 minutes - 9.42 MBEntrepreneur and regular BizTimes columnist Jerry Jendusa joins associate editor Arthur Thomas to talk about sustaining results during and after a crisis. In his latest column, Jendusa advises businesses to avoid being paralyzed by a crisis but also to not let drastic times lead to drastic measures. On this podcast, he discusses how business leaders can go beyond looking at their financial results to see the whole picture of how their company is performing.
Beth Ridley on lessons learned from diversity series podcasts│Ep. 40
June 29, 2020 16:00 - 25 minutes - 17.6 MBBizTimes podcast partner Beth Ridley of The Brimful Life joins associate editor Arthur Thomas to discuss lessons learned from her diversity series podcasts. Ridley talked with four Milwaukee-area diversity and inclusion leaders to get their thoughts on how companies can see results from their own D&I efforts. On this episode, she reflects on some of the key lessons learned, draws from her own experience helping companies with D&I and offers some guidance for small and medium companies starti...
Diversity Series: Engaging employees with D&I with DeVona Wright Cottrell│Ep. 39
June 18, 2020 11:00 - 24 minutes - 16.6 MBIn the fourth of four episodes with Milwaukee-area business diversity leaders, Beth Ridley of The Brimful Life talks to Devona Wright Cottrell, associate general counsel and director at Baird. Wright Cottrell also co-founded Baird's African American employee resource group, chaired it for six years and now serves as an advisor to the group. Their conversation focuses on engaging employees in diversity and inclusion efforts, including how to best structure employee resource groups for success...
Diversity Series: Engaging employees with D&I with DeVona Wright Cottrell
June 18, 2020 11:00 - 24 minutes - 16.6 MBIn the fourth of four episodes with Milwaukee-area business diversity leaders, Beth Ridley of The Brimful Life talks to Devona Wright Cottrell, associate general counsel and director at Baird. Wright Cottrell also co-founded Baird's African American employee resource group, chaired it for six years and now serves as an advisor to the group. Their conversation focuses on engaging employees in diversity and inclusion efforts, including how to best structure employee resource groups for success...
Diversity Series: Embedding D&I into business operations with Chris Rowland│Ep. 38
June 17, 2020 11:00 - 26 minutes - 18.5 MBIn the third of four episodes with diversity leaders from the Milwaukee area, Beth Ridley of The Brimful Life talks with Chris Rowland, global diversity officer at ManpowerGroup. Their conversation touches on embedding D&I practices into business operations. They also discuss responses to those who argue companies should just hire the best person for a role without regard for diversity and inclusion efforts. In partnership with The Brimful Life.
Diversity Series: Aligning D&I to business strategy, measuring results and celebrating success with Grady Crosby│Ep. 37
June 16, 2020 11:00 - 31 minutes - 21.7 MBIn the second of four episodes with Milwaukee-area diversity and inclusion leaders, Beth Ridley of The Brimful Life talks with Grady Crosby, chief diversity officer at Johnson Controls. Their conversation touches on how to align D&I efforts a businesses strategy, measuring the results of those efforts and celebrating successes along the way. In partnership with The Brimful Life.
Diversity Series: Driving leadership commitment to D&I with Erickajoy Daniels│Ep. 36
June 15, 2020 11:00 - 24 minutes - 16.9 MBIn the first of four episodes with Milwaukee-area diversity and inclusion leaders, Beth Ridley of The Brimful Life talks to Erikajoy Daniels, chief diversity and inclusion officer of Advocate Aurora Health. Their conversation focuses on the need for leadership commitment to D&I efforts. It also touches on some specific tactics those looking to improve organizational diversity can use to build momentum. In partnership with The Brimful Life.
George Bureau of WMEP on the state of manufacturing│Ep. 35
June 11, 2020 15:00 - 14 minutes - 10.1 MBGeorge Bureau, vice president of consulting at WMEP Manufacturing Solutions, joins BizTimes associate editor Arthur Thomas to talk about the state of manufacturing in Wisconsin. WMEP has conducted two rounds of surveys since COVID-19 hit the state to understand how manufacturers are responding. The surveys have found sharp declines in business activity for manufacturers, but also some signs of improvement among larger firms and a desire to hold onto workers if possible.
BizTimes Economic Trends 2.0 Webinar Q&A│Ep. 34
May 27, 2020 15:00 - 28 minutes - 19.3 MBAt the start of every year, BizTimes Media hosts an annual economic trends breakfast. At this year's event, the coronavirus was barely on the radar of panelists and attendees. A few short months later, the virus has changed nearly everything about the economy. BizTimes invited this year's panelists -- American Family Insurance CEO Jack Salzwedel, Husco CEO Austin Ramirez, Graef CEO John Kissinger and UW Foundation president Michael Knetter -- back to take another look at where the economy st...
Bill Berrien: Making ventilator parts and the untapped potential of U.S. manufacturing│Ep. 33
May 19, 2020 18:00 - 46 minutes - 32 MBBill Berrien, chief executive office of New Berlin-based Pindel Global Precision, joins the Rotary Club of Milwaukee to discuss his company’s quick actions to begin making ventilator parts for OEMs around the country as the coronavirus pandemic hit. Berrien volunteered on a LinkedIn post to have his company make parts at cost during the outbreak. That led to emergency purchase orders with tight turnarounds on parts the company had never made before. Berrien scrambled to find suppliers and ...
Ian Abston: ‘Getting new things done in Milwaukee is really hard’│Ep. 32
May 11, 2020 17:00 - 40 minutes - 27.8 MBIan Abston, co-founder of Light the Hoan, talks with Beth Ridley of The Brimful Life about his work to raise funds to illuminate Milwaukee's iconic bridge. He discusses the challenges of raising money in the city, how he and Light the Hoan co-founder Michael Hostad kept the faith in their vision, and advice for the next person with a big idea in the city. A partnership with The Brimful Life.
Steve Zimmerman: From sustainability to survivability: Managing uncertainty amid crisis│Ep. 31
May 04, 2020 22:00 - 38 minutes - 26.3 MBThe COVID-19 pandemic has upended the nonprofit sector as it has all our lives. The organizations we depend on to serve the most vulnerable, educate our youth, enrich our lives and build stronger communities are in jeopardy. Steve Zimmerman, principal at Spectrum Nonprofit Services, shares steps leaders can take to increase the likelihood of success amid these challenging times. This Rotary Club of Milwaukee session will explain these principles, balancing the sense of urgency with feeling...
Héctor Colón: Leadership from listening and lessons from boxing│Ep. 30
April 27, 2020 20:00 - 39 minutes - 27.4 MBHéctor Colón is president and CEO of Lutheran Social Services, one of the Midwest’s major health and human services organizations that provides aid to nearly 40,000 individuals a year. Héctor reflects on how his childhood experiences shaped his leadership style. The influence of his mother helped Hector learn the true value of servant leadership and how to balance putting others first while also driving a culture of accountability. Héctor ’s journey to become a professional boxer helped h...