ACCELERATE WAUKESHA COUNTY ALLIANCE'S ANNUAL HIGHLIGHTS January 2024
JANUARY 2024 MAGAZINE SUZANNE KELLEY President & CEO Waukesha County Business Alliance, Inc. Happy New Year! The Alliance is proud to be celebrating 106 years this year. We have exciting things in store for 2024, from new programs and committees, to updated policy priorities and most notably a change in leadership. Serving as President & CEO of the Alliance has been an absolute privilege and I'm so grateful for the opportunity to have worked with each and every one of you. As you read more in pages ahead, you'll find that the Alliance is thriving and our work continues to grow. We continue to serve as a voice for the business community, develop organizations and their employees, foster relationships built on integrity and trust, and grow the business community to keep our economy moving forward. As you set your own priorities for the year, I hope you'll find time to take advantage of the Alliance. Attend a program to make new connections, volunteer your time on a policy committee to advocate for business, or invest in a sponsorship to support our mission. And know that even if you don't see our team on a regular basis, we are working on your behalf to make Waukesha County the best place to do business. A YEAR OF OPPORTUNITY Member FDIC The Bank Built For Business firstbusiness.bank When there’s a lot at stake, it’s essential to work with a bank focused on delivering what businesses need without wasting your time. That’s why it’s smart to work with First Business Bank, founded intentionally to serve business owners. For more than 30 years, our focus on business has led to unmatched expertise, industryleading service, and smarter financial decisions. Kim Preston Senior Vice President Director of Treasury Management 3
510 S. WEST AVE | WAUKESHA, WI 53186 | 262.522.2600 | DELZER.COM DESIGN FULFILL PRINT AWARD NOMINATIONS NOW OPEN WWW.WAUKESHA.ORG Waukesha County Business Alliance ADVOCATE DEVELOP ENGAGE GROW WAUKESHA COUNTY ADVOCATE OF THE YEAR DON RICHARDS LEADERSHIP AWARD
ADVERTISERS 4 BGS Glass Service 21 Carroll University 4 Delzer Lithograph 3 First Business Bank 27 HPS/Paymedix 23 Northwoods 12 R&R Insurance Services 10 The Ingleside Hotel 18 Town Bank 16 Waukesha County Technical College 27 WICPA 6 Leadership Waukesha County Fall 2023 Graduates 8 SMALL BUSINESS SUCCESS: SSR Total IT 10 Alliance Announces Amanda Payne as Future President & CEO 13 2024 Policy Agenda 17 Fueling the Talent Pipeline 18 Projecting Business Growth in 2024 20 NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT: Women & Girls Fund of Waukesha County 22 A Regional Perspective on Economic Development 23 EXECUTIVE SPOTLIGHT: Tim Sullivan, Carroll University 24 SPOTLIGHT ON THE TRADES: Milwaukee Tool / Waukesha County Technical College 26 Around the County 27 Welcome New Members CONTENTS 14 COVER STORY ALLIANCE'S ANNUAL HIGHLIGHTS JANUARY 2024 MAGAZINE 5
WAUKESHA COUNTY BUSINESS ALLIANCE, INC. | WAUKESHA.ORG Mike Brauer Journey21 Alan Butterfield McGiver Engineering & Controls LLC Tiffany Canham Waukesha County Technical College Lisa Carr Herzing University Jen Coates Sentry Equipment Corp Lynn Dalebroux BAYCOM Anne Danko KHS USA Josh Effinger Ixonia Bank Jessica Ferra Herzing University Jackie Foti Ascension Wisconsin Erika Gerasimow Waukesha State Bank Heather Gessner Stanek Tool Amanda Gosseck Waukesha State Bank Devin Grant CDP Inc Sandy Hahn Community Action Coalition Jenn Henn Waukesha County Technical College Cassi Hogan Metal-Era Mike Johrendt Hydro-Thermal Corp Amanda Kelley Stanek Tool Lindsey Kitzman Suchocki MSI General Jack Koeppel Eaton Christopher LeGault Century Fence Alex Litscher Habitat for Humanity of Waukesha County Zachary Maas Ixonia Bank Traci Martinez Mathison Manufacturing Liz Miller Denali Ingredients Jose Rodriguez-Camacho Waukesha County Technical College Andrew Roensch Duffek Construction Mike Roth Eaton David Schade First Business Bank Angie Seidl Jones Logistics Amy Steinman Denali Ingredients Nicole Wagner Women & Girls Fund of Waukesha County Joe Weber National Exchange Bank & Trust Crystal Zagorski McGiver Engineering & Controls LL CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FALL 2023 LEADERSHIP WAUKESHA COUNTY GRADUATES Owner of Greenfield Rehabilitation Kate Brewer presents to the cohort during the Leadership In Real Life session aimed at providing participants with real-world advice and lessons learned through personal and professional experiences. Participants interact with one another during Executive Power's Accountability session which provides methods for incorporating personal accountability into daily actions. 6
JANUARY 2024 MAGAZINE 7 LEADERSHIP SPOTLIGHT "As a business development executive, I work closely with our employer-clients building customized health and wellness strategies to cut healthcare costs and improve the health and wellbeing of their employees. After completing Leadership Waukesha County (LWC), I feel more effective and confident when serving not only my internal team and our clients, but also the community and my family. Throughout the 10 weeks, I learned a variety of skills and feel confident that in stressful times I am prepared to ignite positive emotions, act in a calm fashion, bring clearheaded focus, reveal creativity, and truly understand the big picture. To anyone interested in pursuing LWC, the answer is yes. The more you focus on becoming a better YOU – the more everyone and everything around you becomes better too." LEADERSHIP WAUKESHA COUNTY FACILITATORS JACKIE FOTI Business Development Executive, Ascension Wisconsin Employer Solutions Joanna Bromley Inspired Training Institute Dan Fons Executive Power, LLC Krista Morrissey CHOICES Coaching & Consulting Kelly Renz inVantage LLC
Q: Describe your business. A: SSR is one of Wisconsin’s top IT Managed Services Providers (MSP). For over 25 years we have helped clients use technology to enable their teams, secure their enterprises, and automate their processes. Based in Brookfield with a satellite office in India, SSR offers 24hour delivery of all IT services. We excel at really getting to know our clients, their businesses and processes, and what they want to achieve. We have an incredible team of problem-solvers who work to deliver solutions that match our clients’ desired business outcomes in a comanaged or fully outsourced engagement. Q: How was the idea for the business born? A: After working as an independent contractor for a large publicly traded company, I saw a need for approachable and affordable IT support for small to mid-market companies. I saw these companies needed a full set of solutions but on a fractional basis. I pulled together a team of employees with cross-functional IT expertise to work on small to medium-size businesses. Technology can be intimidating and it was incredibly gratifying to collaborate with these businesses to design, implement, and secure their platforms as well as automate their processes and see the impact our work has for them. Q: What sets your company apart? A: We have built a unique practice where our business model includes multiple offerings under one roof. Our services are tailored to our clients’ desired business outcomes and not limited to one-size-fits-all solutions. Organizations can engage SSR to provide Total IT services or individual offerings, such as cloud migration, strengthening and monitoring cybersecurity functions or building customer applications to increase productivity and gain a competitive edge. Q: What are some of your biggest challenges as a small business? A: The number one issue we face is recruiting staff and then ensuring the right people are in the right seats. The IT industry changes constantly and requires employees to continuously retrain on new technologies, trends, and regulations. It takes dedication and a unique skill set to be successful in this industry. We are fortunate to have a very talented team, but maintaining, hiring and training our top-tier staff is an ongoing challenge. Q: What have been your biggest successes? A: We have built our business around understanding the challenges our clients face and providing innovative services that improve overall business IT investments. Between our U.S. and India locations, we can provide around-the-clock service delivery. Having this level of coverage for their IT needs helps our clients sleep well at night and improves productivity and overall affordability. Finally, southeast Wisconsin is a small community and in looking back 80 percent of our clients have come in as a referral from another client. SUPERIOR SUPPORT RESOURCES | SSR SARIT SINGHAL President & CEO, Superior Support Resources | SSR Total IT SMALL BUSINESS SUCCESS Delivering technology and resources to advance, protect and supp WAUKESHA COUNTY BUSINESS ALLIANCE, INC. | WAUKESHA.ORG 8
TOTAL IT Q: What is your favorite part of being a business leader? A: I truly love the impact our work has on our clients’ businesses. We are able to empower our clients to focus on their core business because we give them peace of mind that their IT needs are being managed. It’s a great feeling to see when our support helps our clients grow locally and compete globally. Q: What is one thing you know now that you wish you would have known when you started? A: When we started, we focused on custom solutions for each client and built individual teams around it. Over time we have learned scalability is key. We have learned you must build a scalable framework that can still provide a custom solution for each client but is easier to manage as you and your client grow. I personally would tell my younger self to be surrounded by 2 or 3 business mentors that act as an informal advisory board as well as hire the right professionals such as legal, financial, and marketing as you grow. Finally, I am a big proponent of adopting an Entrepreneurial Operating System early on to keep you on track and accountable. • 262.547.0201 • 2810 Golf Road, Pewaukee, WI 53072 theinglesidehotel.com Waukesha County Business Alliance $109 Weekday Special Rate This special rate is available to Waukesha County Business Alliance members from now until December 30, 2024. Includes: • Premier Guest Room • Your choice of breakfast entrée and non-alcoholic beverage OR two drinks (Rail Cocktail, Beer or Soda). Simply book a room online and click “Add Code”, select “Rate Access/Corporate Code” and enter the partner code WCBA109. Available Sunday - Thursday. Blackout dates apply. Waived resort fee. Based on single occupancy. port clients.
WAUKESHA COUNTY BUSINESS ALLIANCE, INC. | WAUKESHA.ORG The Alliance's Board of Directors unanimously voted Amanda Payne as President & CEO of the Alliance, effective July 1, 2024. Amanda will succeed Suzanne Kelley when she retires from the Alliance on June 30, 2024 after 14 years of transformative leadership at the organization. Amanda’s succession represents a planned, seamless transition in leadership, ensuring continuity and continued success for the Alliance and its members. Her strategic vision and dedication to serving the business community position her as an ideal leader to guide the Alliance into its next chapter. Under Suzanne’s leadership, the Alliance has experienced remarkable growth and success, leaving a lasting mark on the business community in Southeast Wisconsin. Suzanne joined the Alliance in September of 2009 when it was known as the Waukesha County Chamber of Commerce. Within a year, she led the Chamber to merge with the Waukesha County Action Network to create the Alliance, which is focused on driving economic growth in Waukesha County and providing a strong voice for business. Under Suzanne’s guidance, the Alliance has undoubtedly thrived. In the last 14 years, the Alliance has launched multiple employer collaboratives, including the Manufacturing Alliance of Southeastern Wisconsin, the Waukesha County Construction Alliance and a Nonprofit Alliance. The Alliance also worked hand-in-hand with Waukesha County and business and municipal leaders to launch the Waukesha County Center for Growth, the county’s economic development organization. The creation of the entity involved multiple stakeholders and key partners, who came together under Suzanne’s leadership. The Alliance has also become one of the leading organizations in the state when it comes to workforce, talent and business education partnerships. The Alliance membership continues to grow and now marks 1,200 members. With a background in government affairs, Suzanne led the Alliance to increase its advocacy work and had an impact on several key issues such as Lake Michigan water for the City of Waukesha, completion of the West Waukesha bypass, funding to improve the safety of I-94 in Southeast Wisconsin, enhanced technical education funding, enactment of the state’s manufacturing and agricultural tax credits, expansion of the Alliance’s business education programming, elevated conversations around workforce housing, and support of innovative transportation solutions. Named among the 2021 Women of Distinction by the Women and Girls Fund of Waukesha County and the 2013 Women of Influence by the Milwaukee Business Journal, Suzanne is active in several community organizations. She served as a 2015 Campaign Co-Chair for United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County and served on the United Way Board of Directors. She also served on the Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce (WMC) Board of Directors and the Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce Executives (WCCE) Advisory Board. ALLIANCE ANNOUNCES AMANDA PAYNE AS FUTURE PRESIDENT & CEO 10
Prior to joining the Alliance, Suzanne enjoyed a 23-year career in government relations for GE. As Regional Manager of Corporate Government Relations, she managed GE’s legislative and public affairs activities in a 12-state region and represented the company on a broad range of issues before state and local governments. Succeeding Suzanne as President & CEO is the Alliance’s Senior Vice President of Public Policy Amanda Payne. Amanda joined the Alliance in 2013 and has a strong background in manufacturing and public policy. She has been actively involved in leading the Alliance’s marketing, membership, sponsorship, manufacturing, talent and lobbying efforts. Amanda is known as a regional leader in advocating for the business community, fostering strong relationships with businesses, and driving business growth. In her 10+ years at the Alliance, Amanda has played a key role in transforming the Alliance’s advocacy work, getting local business leaders engaged in the public policy process and ensuring the voice of business is heard on critical issues. She also led the Alliance through the process of becoming a registered lobbying entity to further grow its platform as a voice for the business community. Amanda currently leads the Manufacturing Alliance of Southeast Wisconsin and oversees the Alliance’s Economic Development Policy Committee, Infrastructure Policy Committee, and Policy Board. Amanda is a Wisconsin native and received her bachelor’s degree from Butler University. She was recognized as a 40 Under 40 award winner by the Milwaukee Business Journal and “People to Know in Manufacturing.” She and her husband live in Waukesha with their three children. • "It has been an absolute privilege to serve as the President & CEO of the Waukesha County Business Alliance. I am immensely proud of what we have accomplished together during my time here and am grateful for the support of our members, partners, and the community." - Suzanne Kelley, Waukesha County Business Alliance “I am incredibly honored to serve as the next leader of the Waukesha County Business Alliance. For the last decade, I have been proud to work across nearly every aspect of the Alliance. I believe wholeheartedly in our mission. I am deeply passionate about Waukesha County, a place my family has called home for six generations. Most of all, I am inspired by our members and committed to building upon the Alliance’s 105-year legacy of driving economic growth." - Amanda Payne, Waukesha County Business Alliance “Suzanne has been a driving force in making our region a place for businesses to thrive. It has been an honor to serve beside her on the board of directors. Looking forward, we are excited to welcome Amanda into her new role. Her leadership, 10+ years of chamber experience and commitment to excellence make her the ideal candidate to lead the Alliance forward.” - Mark Sobczak, Wisconsin Market Leader, Sikich & Alliance Board Chair “Suzanne stepped into her role with a vision to build the Alliance into the business engine for the County. She helped merge two organizations into a regional leader for businesses throughout southeast Wisconsin. If mom (the late Margaret Farrow, former Lt. Gov. and longtime community leader) were here today, she would agree that Suzanne was the change maker needed to create this organization. I want to thank her for all she has done to truly help Waukesha County lead the way. As Amanda prepares to step into this new role, I am confident she will be the guiding force the Alliance can follow to keep us at the forefront of business growth and advocacy. I look forward to working with her in the years to come.” - Paul Farrow, Waukesha County Executive
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JANUARY 2024 MAGAZINE 13 2024 POLICY AGENDA The Waukesha County Business Alliance provides a clear and persuasive voice for the business community and advocates for business-friendly legislation at local, state and federal levels. Here are our three policy areas of focus for 2024: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 1. Advocate for pro-business tax policies and a regulatory climate to keep Wisconsin competitive. 2. Drive solutions that increase workforce housing in Waukesha County. 3. Promote Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) programs that drive economic growth and align incentives to strategies that address workforce shortages, such as automation. 4. Protect Wisconsin’s Manufacturing and Agriculture Tax Credit. 5. Promote the use and expansion of Tax Increment Financing (TIF) as a municipal economic development tool. 6. Increase exports and improve trade for Wisconsin businesses. 7. Promote government efficiency at the state, county and municipal levels. 8. Support entrepreneurship by connecting start-ups and early-stage companies to resources. 9. Support policies that enhance public safety, as businesses thrive in safe environments. 10. Serve as an advocate for the Waukesha County Center for Growth and promote the organization’s GROW Fund. WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT 1. Advocate for state investment in talent attraction efforts to bring more individuals to Wisconsin. 2. Support transferable credits among higher education institutions. 3. Expand youth apprenticeship, dual enrollment, credit for prior learning and other opportunities for students to obtain career skills, experience and higher education credits. 4. Advocate for the state’s apprenticeship program and support a seamless bridge between youth apprenticeship and registered apprenticeship. 5. Support innovative post-secondary offerings and capital projects that align with local workforce demand. 6. Advocate for increasing Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) education, including Wisconsin’s Fabrication Laboratories (Fab Labs) Grant Program. 7. Support collaboration among K-12 and post-secondary institutions to maximize course offerings and replicate best practices and curriculum development. 8. Support programs that help targeted populations enter or re-enter the workforce. 9. Identify and promote innovative employee attraction and retention solutions. 10. Advocate for programs to address the staffing shortage in education, including innovative updates to the credentialing process and criteria. INFRASTRUCTURE 1. Advocate for completion of the I-94 East-West corridor between 16th Street and 70th Street. 2. Connect employees with jobs in Waukesha County through cost-effective, efficient, flexible public and private transportation, transit and micro-transit options. 3. Advocate for statewide, sustainable, dedicated long-term transportation funding solutions. 4. Support expansion of intermodal shipping for the Port of Milwaukee. 5. Support public private partnerships to advance emerging technologies using existing infrastructure or deployment of new infrastructure. 6. Explore opportunities to support grid modernization.
This past year was an incredible one for the Waukesha County Business Alliance. We celebrated our 105th year of driving economic growth and making Waukesha County the best place to do business. We advocated for the business community, fueled the talent pipeline, addressed workforce barriers, launched new programs, celebrated growth and expansion, and so much more. To the members that have been with us for decades and those that may have joined us in the last year, thank you. Our team truly enjoys getting to work with you each and every day. And to our sponsors, thank you for investing even further in us. We hope you're as proud of this past year as we are - we couldn't do it without you. The following is just a snapshot of some notable accomplishments in 2023: • Hosted over 700 members at Business Growth & Engagement programs. • CEO Roundtables continued to meet to share challenges, best practices and strengthen businesses in Waukesha County. • Celebrated growth and expansion in Waukesha County with 15 ribbon cuttings / groundbreaking ceremonies. • Welcomed new executive director for the Waukesha County Center for Growth, Therese Thill. • Launched a formal Business Retention & Expansion (BRE) program in conjunction with the Waukesha County Center for Growth. • Launched new websites for the Alliance and the Waukesha County Center for Growth. • Continued to bring together our employer collaboratives to strengthen key industries in Waukesha County, including manufacturing, construction and nonprofits. • Hosted our 105th Annual Meeting and another sold-out BIG One Golf Outing. ANNUAL HIGHLIGHTS BUSINESS GROWTH ALLIANCE'S WAUKESHA COUNTY BUSINESS ALLIANCE, INC. | WAUKESHA.ORG 14
• Advocated for multiple areas in the state budget, including 94 EW, the UWM Health Sciences Building, automation funding, and more. • Partnered with the Wisconsin Policy Forum to publish the Waukesha County Housing Study, leading to many opportunities to talk about workforce housing as a priority. • Supported regional transportation by helping to successfully expand FlexRide into New Berlin. • Hosted a tour of Port Milwaukee for Alliance members. • Attended President Biden’s visit to Milwaukee at the invitation of Senator Tammy Baldwin’s office. • Hosted annual Key Industries program with nearly 300 attendees. • Celebrated the completion of the City of Waukesha's Lake Michigan water project. • Supported Wisconsin obtaining the Regional Tech Hub designation from the U.S. Economic Development Administration. • Advocated to keep the Milwaukee Brewers in Wisconsin by funding stadium upgrades. • Continued advocacy on Alliance priorities with multiple bills on critical topics – technical education, realignment of business tax credits in WI, childcare and more. • Brought business leaders inside the doors of Waukesha County Technical College, Carroll University, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and Marquette University. • Held over 40 business education programs for middle and high school students, educators and businesses. • Hosted focus groups for post-secondary institutions and the business community. • Highlighted business education partnerships at annual Bridging the Gap for Waukesha County program. • Hosted second annual Experience the Trades expo with 1,200+ students from 23 schools and 36 business vendors. • Hosted annual Health Care Expo with 450 students and 45 pathways showcased. • Partnered with the WMC Foundation to host two Mini Business Worlds for over 240 high school students. • Developed talent through Leadership Waukesha County - graduating over 70 individuals in two semesters. • Continued to bring together Young Professionals, hosting six programs and more than 200 attendees. • Recogized up and coming talent through our Emerging Leaders of Waukesha County award. TALENT ADVOCACY
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JANUARY 2024 MAGAZINE 17 Waukesha County understands the importance of workforce development solutions. For over a decade, county stakeholders have invested time and talent into developing the future workforce by hosting successful business education solutions and working the talent pipeline to make school districts the most valuable workforce centers in the county. This work has launched Waukesha County to be a leader in talent development offerings across the state. Hundreds of partnerships are made each year through connections and programs hosted by the Waukesha County Business Alliance and Waukesha County Center for Growth. Students are moving through industry pipelines career-ready and faster each year. In the 2022-2023 school year, over 22 percent of high school students participated in Dual Enrollment, and over 30 percent took advanced courses exceeding the state average. This past year, over 1,200 students received industryrecognized credentials before graduation. Talent Development Pipeline work remains a top priority in supporting economic development. As companies continue to expand and innovate, they can rest assured the future workforce is available locally and ready to work. "The education and industry partnership that the Alliance provides employers in Waukesha County is invaluable," states Husco's Director of Talent Acquisition and Development Brittany Kulka. "When Husco was working through challenges in an early talent program, we called upon the Alliance to help host a focus group, connecting Husco with educators and administrators in the area. The result was a robust discussion, with a dynamic group of participants. The information received is helping Husco fuel our talent pipeline, while offering educators a direct industry connection. We would not have been able to achieve this without the support of the Alliance! " • Schools2Skills™ Business Education Partnership Work Careers Uncovered ™ Industry Expos Industries In Schools In total, three Careers Uncovered™ programs brought 31 educators from 14 schools inside the doors of businesses to understand the career pathways available to students. 2023 We hosted 23 Schools2Skills™ programs which expose students to the manufacturing industry by offering behind-the-scenes tours of businesses. Four industry expos were hosted for K-12 students to meet local employers and participate in hands-on demonstrations of career pathways in healthcare, manufacturing and construction. New this year, four Industries In Schools tours took place for business leaders to visit local schools and learn about the programs being offered, and to connect with students. 23 3 4 4 FUELING THE TALENT PIPELINE ROBYN LUDTKE Senior Vice President of Strategic Initiatives and Workforce, Waukesha County Business Alliance
WAUKESHA COUNTY BUSINESS ALLIANCE, INC. 18 As 2024 gets underway, the Waukesha County business community remains optimistic about the coming year. A 2023 survey of Waukesha County businesses, conducted in partnership with Carroll University, shows that 80 percent of businesses plan to expand their Waukesha County workforce in the next two years. Do you plan to expand your workforce in Waukesha County in the next two years? • Yes – 80% • No – 20% And, 83.48 percent of businesses report that sales have grown in the past year, up from 73 percent of respondents who reported that sales had grown during a 2021 survey, coming out of the pandemic. Among the top talent needs for employers in the next two years, the top need is for industry-specific skilled labor requiring some certifications, followed by sales & business development, administrative, and then industryspecific skilled labor requiring a four-year degree. While hiring has been top of mind for several years with business owners, and will likely continue, given demographic challenges, the issue of retaining employees seems to be improving, as 63% of employers said they have not experienced difficulty in retaining new employees. Have you experienced difficulty in retaining new employees? • Yes – 30% • No – 62% • Other – 6% When looking at employee attraction, Waukesha County employers are focused on local recruitment: only 22.48 percent say they recruit from outside of Wisconsin. For several years, the Alliance has pushed for a statewide talent recruitment and attraction initiative, recognizing that the vast majority of employers, particularly small to midsize businesses, are not recruiting from around the country. However, employers are continuing the trend of looking at innovative hiring and retention offers, including tuition reimbursement, which is currently offered by 54.10 percent of Waukesha County employers – up from 49.15 percent in 2021. The trend toward investment in automation continues in 2024. Among those employers planning to invest in automation or robotics, the highest percentage is for industry-specific manufacturing processes. AMANDA PAYNE Senior Vice President of Public Policy, Waukesha County Business Alliance PROJECTING BUSINESS GROWTH IN 2024
Given that more than 60 percent of employers are operating at 90-100 percent of their current square footage, Waukesha County businesses will continue to address space challenges in the coming year as they max out existing square footage and look at expansions or new, larger locations. A key focus for the Waukesha County Center for Growth, the county’s economic development organization, will be ensuring those businesses can find the land and buildings they need to continue growing in Waukesha County. What percent of your facility’s square footage are you currently using? • 0-50%: 8% • 51-75%: 9% • 76-89%: 20% • 90-99%: 22% • 100%: 41% A follow-up question asked whether business owners own or lease sufficient property to allow for expansion at their current location, and 40 percent of respondents said no, they do not have adequate property to allow for expansion. However, 68.97 percent of businesses are planning to expand in the next two years. While not all expansions will require physical space, the overall growth projections, combined with tight existing space needs, point to the need for continued work with Waukesha County businesses to support their growth. When business owners were asked about the importance of different factors that would go into a decision to relocate their business, the top factor was crime, followed closely by workforce availability. Other factors that rank as very important include available parking, available existing building(s) and taxes. Crime rose to the top of the list, surpassing workforce availability, which had been the top factor in a 2021 survey. At that time, crime ranked as the tenth most important factor. Overall, Waukesha County businesses remain optimistic about this year and continue to project growth. •
WAUKESHA COUNTY BUSINESS ALLIANCE, INC. | WAUKESHA.ORG WOMEN & GIRLS FUND OF WAUKESHA COUNTY NICOLE WAGNER Executive Director, Women & Girls Fund of Waukesha County NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT Q: Describe your organization and its mission. A: The Women and Girls Fund of Waukesha County (WGF) supports programs to improve the quality of life for women and girls, ranging from meeting basic, essential needs at a low point in a woman’s life to empowering a woman – or young girl – to achieve her full potential. We make grants to nonprofits recognized as social service pillars of the community as well as to small, lesser-known organizations focused on a specific, clear need. We focus our resources on programs advancing the health and well-being, self-sufficiency and empowerment of women and girls in Waukesha County. Over time, our grants have helped long-established nonprofits expand successful programs and launch new services. We have enabled smaller groups to gain traction with innovative services fulfilling a previously unmet need. Together, one grant at a time, we are improving the odds for women and girls in Waukesha County and creating a stronger community. Q: What are your biggest challenges or obstacles? A: There are amazing nonprofit organizations doing important work in Waukesha County and we are proud to partner with many of them. Our biggest challenge is having to turn away important grant requests each year. On average, we can award only about half of the grant dollars requested. Our sole focus since our inception in 2004 has been enriching and enhancing the lives of women and girls of all ages and socio-economic backgrounds in Waukesha County. We are eager to do more and through increased donations and support. Together, we can accomplish so much more. Q: What have been your biggest successes? A: The Women of Distinction Luncheon is a marquee event in Waukesha County. We will celebrate the 40th annual event on May 17, 2024. The event honors the extraordinary accomplishments and leadership of women in Waukesha County as well as young women of 20
tomorrow. We are proud to recognize these women who have improved the quality of life in our community. Our biggest success is the fact that we have granted more than $1.6 million to programs supporting women and girls throughout our county. A recent success was our 20th anniversary kickoff event. Through this event we raised $82,000 to allocate to programs focused on mental health, particularly in school aged children in Waukesha County, which has been identified as a major programming need. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Southeast Wisconsin, 1-in-5 youth are living with a mental health condition. Q: How can businesses support your organization? A: The Women of Distinction Lunch is a great way for businesses to get involved. This inspiring event provides an opportunity for businesses to support the Women and Girls Fund as well as recognize key employees by inviting them to attend the luncheon as gratitude for their accomplishments and leadership at work. We welcome new sponsors, many of which include event tickets. Or a business can purchase a table without sponsorship to gather and celebrate employees. Q: How can individuals get involved in the WGF? A: Each year we host a golf outing that helps us raise funds for employee training programs. Called “The Shot in the Dark”, golfers experience half of the course at night using glow equipment. Truly unique, the event also helps us communicate what Beyond Vision is and does to help encourage my business partnerships and awareness. We welcome everyone to register and join us September 8th for an unforgettable event. Q: What is one thing you wish the community knew about your organization? A: The WGF exists to help women and girls reach their full potential. We demonstrate a compassionate approach and strive to foster a caring and equitable society for women and girls. We believe that empowering women and girls builds strong families and communities. I encourage everyone to think about the women and girls who have made a difference in your lives -- those who have inspired and empowered you and also those who have struggled because of barriers they’ve faced. All those women and girls are individuals we strive to help and partner with through the fulfillment of our mission. • JANUARY 2024 MAGAZINE 21
A REGIONAL PERSPECTIVE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT As the regional economic development organization, the Waukesha County Center for Growth (WCCG) plays an important role in the sustained prosperity for Waukesha County residents. WCCG is responsible for business retention and attraction, talent solutions and managing the GROW Fund. A regional perspective for this work is critical to continued business growth. Through business retention visits, WCCG uncovers the challenges that employers face. The most prevalent issues are worker retention, training and attracting talent. We understand that reliable workers need access to transportation, childcare and affordable housing. Attracting talent new to the region requires these elements and ensurance that there is a robust job market offering opportunities for career advancement. These factors impact where employers decide to expand or locate. WCCG’s business attraction work consistently demonstrates that access to workforce is the top priority when choosing a site for a new facility. Companies focus on the number of potential employees within a 60-minute drive time radius, training options and the upcoming talent pipeline. The benefits of a county-wide economic development effort are regional as well. For example, income generated by workers in Butler will be spent on housing, groceries and entertainment in Butler, Waukesha, Pewaukee, and other communities. The taxes generated from the new real and personal property of a corporate headquarters that selected a site in Sussex will benefit Sussex schools, police, fire and parks, while the new jobs will generate new wages for residents of Oconomowoc, Elm Grove, Mukwonago, etc. Finally, solutions to the challenges faced by current and prospective employers often can only be found regionally. These problems are too big for one municipality to handle on its own. We are all interconnected. Talent attraction, transportation, housing, and childcare solutions require us to work together to develop solutions that fit our region. Collaboration is critical to the continued economic prosperity of Waukesha County. • THERESE THILL Executive Director, Waukesha County Center for Growth WAUKESHA COUNTY BUSINESS ALLIANCE, INC. | WAUKESHA.ORG 22
What has been your biggest takeaway since starting in your role? I was somewhat skeptical of mixing business and technology in our new business school but now I am a raging advocate. After meeting with CEOs in Waukesha County and assessing their 21st century needs, business and technology are a perfect combination. Several businesses in Waukesha County said they need technicians that fully understand and embrace their business strategies but more importantly, who can lead the effort. They want graduates that are well-rounded and cross-trained in all disciplines of their business. A good example is, at Carroll, we don’t graduate accountants, we graduate CFOs. What is something unique about you? I have lived or worked most of my business career outside the U.S. I have worked in 116 countries. I speak two languages fluently and I have basic proficiency in three others. What is the most important lesson you’ve learned in your career? Never judge a person by their title or their position in work or in life. Some of the smartest people I have known have come off shop floors or have never graduated from high school. Accordingly, they are incredibly driven to succeed. An education is a gift that should never be squandered or allowed to create an attitude of entitlement. It is a highly valuable skill set that can lead to immeasurable success but only if it is applied with vigor and drive. What is your personal key to success? This may sound counter-intuitive but take above average risk and don’t overthink and don’t overanalyze. Perfection is the enemy of success. If given an opportunity, take it. Speed leads to success but you must be prepared to pivot quickly from a losing decision or strategy because you’ll never get it 100 percent right. If you get it right, you win big! If you get it wrong and pivot quickly to an alternative path, you can still win, just maybe not as big. The vast majority of people do not have the fortitude to take this approach, which increases your odds. What’s the first job you ever had? I stocked shelves at Stein’s Walgreen Agency store on Main Street in Waukesha. I lied about my age (I was 15) to get the job and at the time you needed to be 16 to get a work permit. Marty paid me out of his own pocket until I was 16 and became legal! He didn’t know it, but he was my mentor and we became lifetime friends. What is your dream job? It’s cliché to say this but I am really enjoying my current position. I have been fortunate to have had a successful business career and I am using those same skills in my current position. Additionally, I hope to do some teaching in the Fall. I think it would be criminal to take 40 years of business knowledge and experience to your grave without passing at least some of it down to the next generation. What is your favorite pastime? I enjoy sports. I tried virtually every sport growing up. In addition to the traditional American sports, I actually became fairly proficient at both rugby and cricket during our time in Australia. I watch them all to this day. • TIM SULLIVAN Dean, School of Business, Carroll University EXECUTIVE PROFILE JANUARY 2024 MAGAZINE 23
When did you decide to get involved in the trades? I decided to get into the trades in 2022 while I was a senior at Greendale High School. I joined an informational call led by Waukesha County Technical College (WCTC) instructors, to learn more about its Tool & Die program. I already knew that I didn’t want to go to a traditional fouryear school, so after learning more about the trades and talking with some of the instructors at WCTC, I knew that's where I wanted to go. What educational path did you take to get into your current profession? In 2022, I was a dual enrollment student attending WCTC as well as Greendale High School to finish up my last high school classes. In April of the same year, I was offered an internship opportunity at Milwaukee Tool. By August of 2023, I had been offered an apprenticeship opportunity at Milwaukee Tool which I accepted and have been serving since. What led you to your current career path? Growing up, I loved sports and my life truly revolved around them. I never had much of an interest in the trades, cars, or really anything other than sports. As I got older, I became more and more confident and comfortable with the decision to not attend a traditional four-year school, and I knew that WCTC was the best option for me. I really didn’t know what to expect during my time at WCTC because I had no prior knowledge of tool and die (including what it actually meant). After completing the two-year program, I can honestly say that going to WCTC was 100 percent the best decision for me. What’s your favorite part about your job? My favorite part of my job is that every day presents a new challenge and opportunity to make a new part or tool that I haven’t made before. One part that I really enjoy is the satisfaction of taking a blank piece of material and machining it to the exact blueprint specifications. What would you say to someone who wants to get involved in the trades? I would tell them to ask themselves, “Did I pick the trade?” or, “Did the trade pick me?” Meaning did you pick this trade because you had an interest in it and because you can see yourself making a career out of this? Or did you end up in this trade because your options were dwindling? Where do you see yourself in the future? I see myself continuing to work at Milwaukee Tool while working my way into a leadership role. I also see myself building a family and living a happy, healthy life. • ZACH SHERIDAN Machinist Apprentice, Milwaukee Tool Tool & Die Outstanding Student of the Year, Waukesha County Technical College SPOTLIGHT ON THE TRADES WAUKESHA COUNTY BUSINESS ALLIANCE, INC. 24
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The first Business Growth Breakfast of 2024 featured the Milwaukee Brewers and Milwaukee Brewers Baseball Foundation. Alliance President & CEO Suzanne Kelley was named a Wisconsin Titan 100 award winner. The Alliance launched a new program called Industries In Schools to take business leaders inside the doors of local schools. AROUND THE COUNTY WITH THE ALLIANCE The Alliance attended WCTC's annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration. See what the Alliance was up to over the last few months. Alliance welcomed UWM Vice Provost Andrew Daire to meet with representatives from Waukesha County and K-12 institutions. The Alliance celebrated growth and expansion in Waukesha County at various ribbon cuttings. The Nonprofit Alliance continued to focus on supporting nonprofit organizations throughout Waukesha County. WAUKESHA COUNTY BUSINESS ALLIANCE, INC. | WAUKESHA.ORG 26
Aventus Data Centers Eden Prairie Bank of America Milwaukee Blue Sapphire Capital LLC Milwaukee BreakthrU Coaching Muskego Brewer Company Menomonee Falls Brown & Brown Milwaukee CH Coakley Wauwatosa Creative Business Interiors Milwaukee Data Holdings Milwaukee Elkhorn Area School District Elkhorn Gorilla Mill Waukesha M&M Office Interiors, Inc. Pewaukee Newmark Milwaukee School District of Richmond Sussex Summerfest / Milwaukee World Festival Milwaukee The Sales Bull Oconomowoc UKG Weston WELCOME NEW MEMBERS! The Alliance is proud to welcome the following companies as new members during the fourth quarter of 2023: JANURARY 2024 MAGAZINE 27 YOUR CONNECTION Whether you’re looking to grow professionally, increase your expertise and leadership or protect the business you’ve built, the WICPA will help you stay connected to the profession and succeed. CONNECTING YOU Become a member and connect with over 7,000 CPAs and accounting and business professionals. } Advocacy } Credibility } Development } Exclusive Savings } Networking } Resources LEARN MORE Wisconsin Institute of Certified Public Accountants Tammy Hofstede, WICPA President & CEO
All rights reserved. No part of this guide may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information retrieval system without written permission from the publisher. Every effort was made to ensure the accuracy of this publication. Waukesha County Business Alliance, Inc. cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information presented here or be held accountable for omissions or errors. Please report any changes to the Alliance for inclusion in subsequent editions. © 2024 Waukesha County Business Alliance, Inc. 2717 N. Grandview Blvd, Suite 300, Waukesha, WI 53188 (262) 542-4249 | www.waukesha.org MISSION To drive economic growth in Waukesha County. VISION To make Waukesha County the best place to do business.
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