BIZNOTES FOR 1.21.05

Wisconsin Dental Association Inc.
Wisconsin Dental Association Inc., Milwaukee, recognized 10 individuals in its annual Pyramids of Pride awards. Dr. Gerald Ziebert, a full-time prosthodontics professor at Marquette University School of Dentistry (MUSoD) with a part-time dental practice in Milwaukee, received the Lifetime Achievement Award. Ziebert graduated from MUSoD in 1956 and opened a general dentistry practice after serving two years in the U.S. Navy. He joined the Marquette faculty part-time in 1963 and began teaching full-time in 1971 after completing prosthodontics training. He currently heads the division of prosthodontics at MUSoD and is a past Leo D. Pinsky Outstanding Teacher Award recipient. The Tri-County Community Dental Clinic, Appleton, received the Community Outreach Award; Kawanza Griffin of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Kim Murphy of Fox 6 Wake-Up News both received the Media Awareness Award; Dr. Lyndsay Knoell, a general dentist with a practice in Racine, received the New Dentist Leadership Award; Dr. Ronald Stifter, a general dentist who owns a practice in Milwaukee, received the Outstanding Leadership in Mentoring Award; Dr. Kenneth Waliszewski, who practices prosthodontics in Brookfield, received the Outstanding Service Award; Dr. Eva Dahl, an endodontist in Onalaska, received the Political Action Award; Dr. Dean Copoulos and Thomas Witkowski of Wisconsin Dental Association Insurance Programs Inc. received the President’s Award of Honor.
DBA Marketing Communications
SurgiVet, Waukesha, has hired DBA Marketing Communications, Delafield, to develop a new marketing campaign for the veterinary medical equipment manufacturer. DBA will develop advertising, direct mail, brochures and other marketing materials for the company. Gambay Flavors, New Berlin, a manufacturer of specialty sauce and ingredients for food companies, has also hired DBA to develop an integrated marketing campaign including a direct mail campaign, Web site, trade show booth, brochures and other marketing materials for the company.
Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce
Fifty-two Wisconsin companies were nominated for the 17th Annual Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year Awards for outstanding achievements in manufacturing. The annual competition is co-sponsored by Michael Best & Friedrich LLP; Virchow, Krause & Co., LLP and Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce. The manufacturer of the year Grand Award winners are categorized based on number of employees. Two additional Grand Award categories include Community Commitment Grand Award and a High-Tech Grand Award for innovation and leadership in high-tech manufacturing. The winners will be announced at an awards banquet on March 3. Nominees in southeastern Wisconsin include: Alby Materials Inc., Burlington; Argon Industries Inc., Milwaukee; Brady Corp., Milwaukee; Bucyrus International Inc., South Milwaukee; Commercial Communications Inc., Hartland; GE Infrastructure Water & Process Technologies, Milwaukee; Harnischfeger Corp., Milwaukee; Hydro Electronic Devices Inc., Hartford; Magnetek, Inc., Menomonee Falls; Mortara Instrument Inc., Milwaukee; Openfirst LLC, Milwaukee; ORBIS Corp., Oconomowoc; Orion Energy Systems, Plymouth; Res Manufacturing Co., Milwaukee; Saddlebrook BarnCams, Oconomowoc; Schoeneck Containers Inc., New Berlin; Signicast Corp., Hartford; Sprecher Brewing Co., Inc., Glendale; Stork Cellramic Inc., Milwaukee; Visual Systems Inc., Milwaukee and Waukesha Tool & Stamping Inc., Sussex.
Associated General Contractors of Greater Milwaukee
The Associated General Contractors of Greater Milwaukee (AGC-GM) has joined the Southeast Wisconsin Homeland Security Partnership. The partnership’s mission is to bring together interested public and private sector organizations to identify mutual concerns and appropriate cost-effective policy and technology solutions for enhancing homeland security in the region. AGC-GM has identified members who are willing to provide machines and supplies in the event of an emergency through its Emergency Services Mobilization Program. For both natural and man-made disasters, the contractor’s mission is to provide materials, equipment and skilled personnel as long as necessary under the direction of civil or military authority in charge of disaster relief. Also, Tim Just, an AGC-GM member, has been appointed to serve as an employer member of the Wisconsin State Masonry Apprenticeship Advisory Committee on a three-year term. The committee advises the Department of Workforce Development and the Wisconsin Technical College System board on apprenticeship matters within the construction industry.
Community Memorial Foundation
Community Memorial Foundation, Menomonee Falls, has elected Rick Binzak as chairman of its board of directors. Binzak is the vice president of commercial banking for M&I Marshall & Ilsley Bank. He is the past president of the Greater Menomonee Falls committee and board member of the Menomonee Falls Chamber of Commerce. Sharon Ellis, an independent consultant, was named vice chairman; Dan Hart, secretary and treasurer of the AIS Group was named treasurer and Mark Poker of Michael Best & Friedrich was named secretary. Dr. Dan Kanitz of Community Memorial Hospital and Falls Anesthesia Associates and Phil Strosahl of Strosahl & Co. are new to the board. Other members include: Ronald Bast, William Bestor, Douglas Clark, Claudia Deede, James Hazzard, Dianne Johnson, Kay Keller, Jodie Perthel, Robert Pieters, Alberto Querimit, Debbie Schmidt and Ron Wilfer.
PersuasionPartners Inc.
Darrin Schmitz, past executive director for the Republican Party of Wisconsin, has started PersuasionPartners Inc., a political consulting firm specializing in direct voter contact mail and communications. Schmitz served as the executive director for the state party since 2001 with a brief absence in 2002 to serve as the campaign manager of the Scott McCallum for Governor Campaign. Prior to joining the state party, Schmitz served as executive director of Wisconsin Bush/Cheney 2000, turnout director of Thompson for Governor and speech writer and press secretary for former Governor Tommy Thompson. He has also directed legislative races and served as a chief of staff in the legislature.
Metropolitan Builders Association
Craig Rakowski of James Craig Builders Inc. has been named president of the Metropolitan Builders Association, Waukesha. Rakowski has served on the board since 1998 and is currently a member of the Construction Arbitration Board, which he was vice chairman of in 1998 and chairman of in 2000. Pete Feichtmeier of Colby Construction Co. Inc. was named president-elect; Bruce Johnson of BDC Building Design & Construction was named treasurer and John Siepmann of Siepmann Realty Corp. was named secretary. Rod Demlang of Demlang Builders Inc; Joe Orendorf of Jospeh Douglas Homes and Steve Clavette of Trustway Homes are new members of the board of directors.
McGlinchey & Associates
The Waukesha County Economic Development Corp. (WCEDC) has chosen McGlinchey & Associates, Brookfield, to assist the WCEDC in all areas of marketing communications planning and programming, including strategic planning, marketing, public relations, promotions, corporate sponsorships and special events.
MillerLaw S.C.
Craig Miller has opened MillerLaw S.C. located at 705 E. Silver Spring Dr., Whitefish Bay. Miller is a former partner at Miller & Stansberry S.C. and has practiced in the Milwaukee area for more than 30 years. Miller is a general practitioner specializing in wills, probates, traffic cases and personal and family law. He is fluent in Spanish and a member of the Collaborative Family Law Council of Wisconsin and national, state and local bar associations.
Wisconsin TechConnect
The Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) announced the launch of Wisconsin TechConnect, a free online job posting system accessible to students and graduates of Wisconsin Technical Colleges across the state. TechConnect is a cooperative initiative of the 16 local student employment offices in WTCS. The Web site, www.wisconsintechconnect.com, enables employers to post job openings at specific or all of the WCTS colleges and postings are promoted to qualified students and graduates.
International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans
The International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, Brookfield, introduced a new online course called HIPAA Security Rule Basics. The online training course is designed to assist benefits planers, management and IT staff who will be responsible for compliance of the HIPAA Security Rule by April 20. The Web-based course includes opportunities for participants to self-check their HIPAA Security knowledge. The course material is broken into seven modules and includes a final exam. The course is offered over the Internet and is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There are no start and end dates, allowing participants to work through the course on their own timetable. All course materials, including a glossary, are available in printable format.
JADE Technologies, Inc.
JADE Technologies, Inc., Brookfield, has been contracted by Riveredge LLC, Waukesha, to design their Web site and enhance their custom software. Riveredge provides its clients with the means to make relationships with department heads in colleges and provides informational resources. JADE Technologies is an Internet solutions firm that specializes in e-business applications. JADE Technolgies also announced the a recent upgrade to RapidCAT E-business Publisher (E-BP), a content management system that allows the end user to edit, update and control their own Web site from any computer with Internet access. RapidCAT is both a content management system and an e-commerce solution. New features include live inventory control, transaction export and taxable and non-taxable items for an online store.
Robert Construction & Development Inc.
Robert Ruvin announced the creation of a new custom renovation and construction firm called Robert Construction & Development, Inc., located at 1317 Towne Square Rd., Mequon. The new firm handles both residential and commercial projects ranging from new construction to the renovation of existing spaces. Ruvin has 20 years of experience in the construction industry.
Tools That Rock
The Rock on Top Ladder Tray, invented and produced by Tools That Rock, West Bend, received first place in the tools category of the New Product Showcase at the 2004 ISH North America international trade show. The steel tray hooks on the top step of ladders and can be filled with materials before or after attaching the tray to the ladder. The portable tray was also designed to fit between the studs on new construction. Tools That Rock designs and develops tools for plumbing and heating contractors. The ISH North America international trade show featured more than 100 separate products entered by more than 500 exhibitors from 16 countries. Prizes were awarded in six categories. Tools That Rock was the only Wisconsin winner in the New Product Showcase.
Great Lakes Media Technology Inc.
Great Lakes Media Technology Inc., Mequon, has added Hybrid Super Audio compact disc (SACD) manufacturing equipment at its facility. SACD is designed by Sony and Phillips to offer the analogue recording process in a surround sound digital presentation. SACD offers a resolution 64 times higher than a standard CD with a frequency response of SACD is more than 100kHz and a range is more than 120dB across the audible frequency range. The Hybrid SACD manufacturing process requires two layers to the disc, more similar to a DVD than a CD. Hybrid SACDs are playable in any standard CD or DVD audio player.
Schoeneck Containers
Schoeneck Containers Inc., New Berlin, received the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) certification from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). SHARP recognizes small employers who operate an exemplary safety and health management system. Schoeneck Containers is the second Wisconsin company to win the award since its inception in 1998. Schoeneck Containers was awarded SHARP certification after passing inspection by Wisconsin Safety and Health Consultation inspectors. The company also maintained its lost-workday injury and illness rate and total recordable case rate below the national average. As a result of receiving SHARP certification, Schoeneck Containers has been granted a one year exemption from OSHA scheduled inspections. Schoeneck Containers supplies plastic containers for consumer and commercial markets throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Stowell Associates – Select Staff Inc.
Phyllis Brostoff co-founder and president of Stowell Associates – Select Staff Inc., Shorewood, was elected secretary of the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers (GCM). Brostoff is a social worker with more than 30 years of experience working with the elderly. She is a founding member of the GCM and served as the first treasurer. Brostoff currently serves on the board and executive committee and is a member of the GCM Leadership Academy. She was the recipient of the 2003 Adele Elkind Award. Brostoff taught elder care services at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Social Welfare from 1971-1977. She chaired NASW WI chapter’s committee on inquiry from 1990-2004 and has been the outside consultant to the Milwaukee County Department on Aging Ethics Discussion Group since 1993. She holds a master’s degree in social work from the University of Maryland.
Lightburn Designs LLC
Lightburn Designs LLC, Milwaukee, is moving to a larger office space to better facilitate growth. Lightburn is an application and website development firm that specializes in e-commerce, custom database-driven applications and website programming. Lightburn is currently located at 220 E. Buffalo St., Milwaukee. The company will remain in the same building but will be moving into a larger office space three times the size of the current office, allowing for more private offices, a larger conference room and more space for more programmers and web designers.
Boelter + Lincoln
Northcentral Technical College, Wausau, has selected Boelter + Lincoln Marketing Communications, Milwaukee, to be its advertising agency of record. Northcentral Technical College provides occupational training to people from north central Wiscosnin and the surrounding areas. Boelter + Lincoln currently serves as the advertising agency for Milwaukee Area Technical College.
Alverno College
Alverno College, Milwaukee, received the 2004 Pride and Excellence Religious Momentum Award from Project Equality of Wisconsin Inc. Project Equality Of Wisconsin is a coalition of interfaith organizations and businesses which collaborates with employers to achieve fair employment practices. The coalition’s emphasis is on preventing discrimination and promoting diversity thereby creating a better understanding of race, gender, sexual preference, disability, religion or cultural differences that exist in the workplace. Recipients of the award support the organization’s values of diversity, respect, integrity, vision education and justice.
CCI Corp.
CCI Corp., Milwaukee, has made an agreement with Barfield, Inc., Miami, Fla., to support them in the SAP solution needs with their American-based SAP operations practice. CCI consults firms dedicated to the SAP remote operations and outsourcing industry. Barfield specializes in instruments and avionics for the aviation industry. Barfield repairs and overhauls crew seats, radio equipment, oxygen equipment and accessories. The company is an authorized repair facility for major U.S. and more than 30 European original equipment manufacturers.
Vollrath Associates
Vollrath Associates, Mequon, received the Best in Industry award in the human resources category in the 2004 National Association of Investors Corp. (NAIC) Nicholson Awards competition for its 2003 Annual Report to Shareholders. NAIC is a non-profit investment-education organization that evaluates annual reports from an individual investor’s perspective. The NAIC Nicholson Awards program judges reviewed 346 reports for 2003. Annual reports were judged against similar-sized companies within their respective industries and judged on financial reporting, content and design. Other Wisconsin winners in the competition were Oshkosh Truck, Oshkosh and Manitowoc Co., Manitowoc.
Kohner, Mann & Kailas S.C.
Kohner, Mann & Kailas S.C., Milwaukee, have relocated to a new and expanded office space in the Washington Building in Barnabas Business Center located at 4650 N. Port Washington Rd., Milwaukee. The phone number and fax number will stay the same.
Community Memorial Hospital
The Southeastern Wisconsin Association of Occupational Health Nurses (SEWAOHN) awarded Shirley Rosien, occupational health director for Community Memorial Hospital, Menomonee Falls, the 2004 Medique Unique Leader Award. The award represents outstanding service to the organization, a display of exceptional professional performance of responsibilities and enhancing occupational health nursing through the nursing practice. Rosien also received the award in 2003.
DeCare Dental Health International LLC
DeCare Dental Health International LLC, Eagan, Minn., is offering its new line of dental benefit products to the Wisconsin market. Securian Dental plans, which are underwritten by Securian Life Insurance Co., a Minnesota Mutual company, target small to mid-size employer groups and can be purchased on an employer-sponsored or voluntary basis. Securian Dental plan purchasers can select from four employer-sponsored and three voluntary indemnity plan options. A minimum of two employees is required to participate in a plan. Each plan design has varying calendar-year maximums and covered services to meet employees’ needs.
Cook & Franke S.C.
William Jennaro of Cook & Franke, S.C., Milwaukee, was selected by the South East Wisconsin Professional Baseball Park District to perform a fairness assessment of the settlement between the district and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries of America, as well as other related parties to the litigation between Mitsubishi and the stadium district. Jennaro has served as an arbitrator and mediator in state and federal court proceedings since he retired from the circuit court bench in Milwaukee County. He has also served as a reserve judge on appointment by the Wisconsin Supreme Court and as a special master to the trial courts on complex litigation matters.
January 21, 2005, Small Business Times, Milwaukee, WI