Oconomowoc-based ORBIS Corp., a manufacturer of sustainable reusable packaging, will soon cease operations at its Menasha facility, according to a recently filed WARN notice.
The Menasha plant, located at 1328 Earl St., will officially shut down on March 16. Approximately 109 employees will be laid off due to the closure.
“ORBIS Corp. has recently decided to consolidate the operations currently performed at its (Menasha) facility into its new Greenville, Texas facility,” according to the WARN notice.
Last spring, ORBIS Corp. announced it would be expanding into Texas after entering a lease-to-own agreement for a 420,000-square-foot manufacturing facility.
The new facility in Texas is being used to manufacture reusable pallets, totes and bulk containers. ORBIS Corp. anticipates adding more than 190 employees within two years to support the opening of the new facility.
ORBIS Corp. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Neenah-based Menasha Corp.
Milwaukee-based Healthfuse, a company providing revenue cycle vendor management services to hospitals and health systems, has secured a strategic investment New York-based InTandem Capital Partners.
InTandem is a private equity firm focused on health care service. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Healthfuse works to help health care organizations reduce costs while increasing collection performance of vendors.
Healthfuse doesn’t charge a fee upfront, but rather retains about one-third of the overall savings it identifies for clients. The startup was founded in 2011.
“I am proud of our team’s success over the past several years and believe that InTandem’s investment is a recognition and validation of our mission: protecting and strengthening the bottom line for hospitals so they can protect and strengthen their patient communities,” said Nick Fricano, co-founder and CEO of Healthfuse. “InTandem’s investment approach matches our values at Healthfuse and their unique operational capabilities and exclusive healthcare focus will allow us to continue to build our company at a tempo that matches our passion.”
Healthfuse combines technology, analytics and research to review revenue cycle vendors and help health care organizations establish revenue cycle best practices. The company works to provide transparency around vendor processes so hospitals can better gauge their overall performance.
“In an environment where hospital and health systems are under constant pressure, and nearly one in every six health care claims are initially denied by payors, better revenue cycle management solutions are desperately needed,” said Brad Coppens, senior partner at InTandem Capital. “Outsourcing RCM functions is not nearly enough to deliver meaningful improvement, and Healthfuse is the antidote, delivering proprietary, data-driven insights and a client services team to roll up their sleeves next to their provider partners.”
Preparing for the company’s “next generation” of leadership, Brookfield-based commercial real estate investment firm MLG Capital has promoted two new executives and added owners, just as the company has closed on its biggest fund to date.
MLG named Billy Fox as its president and Daniel Price as its chief investment officer, the company announced Wednesday, both of which were previously senior vice presidents. The role of chief investment officer is new for the company.
Additionally, the firm added five principals, including Fox and Price, to bring its total roster of principals to 10. Rick Reuter, controller, Ryan Mueller, senior vice president, and Mike Jagodinski, chief financial officer, were the others promoted.
“For nearly four decades, MLG has thrived because of our ability to be forward-thinking and strategic. While many CRE companies come and go, MLG has stood the test of time because of our ongoing commitment to planning for the future of both our business and our team members,” said Tim Wallen, principal and CEO at MLG Capital, in a press release. “MLG is built to last for generations as it’s structured to have talented people come into ownership, spend their career at MLG, retire and pass the opportunity to the next generation.”
Fox has been with MLG Capital for 10 years and leads the firm’s Legacy Fund, which acquires and manages properties from older investors and distributes the profits they generate as returns to the contributors. That fund had surpassed $1.5 billion in assets as of the end of 2024, according to the release.
Price has 16 years of industry experience, including four with MLG Capital, and leads MLG’s Midwest acquisition team.
MLG also announced Wednesday that it closed on approximately $384 million in equity for its sixth private real estate investment fund, which closed at the end of 2024 and is the company’s largest to date.
Launched in 2022 with a goal of $400 million, the firm uses that equity to acquire apartment, industrial and commercial properties across the country.
MLG’s fifth private real estate investment fund had raised $350 million, surpassing its $300 million goal.
Overall in 2024, MLG made more than $693 million in acquisitions encompassing 14 transactions across 11 states, which included over 3,300 new multifamily apartment units and over 385,000 total square feet of commercial property. The firm also opened its fourth office, in Denver.
“These milestones are a testament to our team’s commitment to strategic, sustainable growth,” Fox said. “As we look ahead, we remain focused on building on this momentum, exploring new opportunities, and further strengthening our position as a leader in private equity real estate investment.”
He had been battling small cell lung cancer since early 2023, according to a statement from his family.
Widely known as “Mr. Baseball,” Uecker was the primary broadcaster for the Brewers for 54 seasons, calling games on Newsradio 620 WTMJ and the Brewers Radio Network.
He earned numerous awards throughout his career, including the prestigious Ford C. Frick Award from the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2003 and inductions into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2001, the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association Hall of Fame in 2011 and the National Association of Broadcasters Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 2012.
Uecker, a Milwaukee native, began his Major League Baseball career in 1962, spending six years as a catcher with the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves, St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Phillies. He was a member of the 1964 world champion Cardinals.
During his career, Uecker was also a national television announcer for baseball games on ABC and NBC.
He gained national fame by making more than 100 appearances on “The Tonight Show, Starring Johnny Carson.” Carson was the one who dubbed Uecker with the “Mr. Baseball” title, as Uecker amused Tonight Show audiences with self-deprecating stories of his baseball career.
Uecker was known for his humor, particularly for jokes at his own expense. That was a major theme for his involvement in the iconic Miller Lite All-Stars TV commercials.
He also was featured in the “Major League” movies (the first filmed at Milwaukee County Stadium), playing the role as the announcer for the Cleveland Indians announcer.
Uecker’s tenure as a broadcaster for the Brewers is the fourth-longest tenure of any broadcaster with one team in MLB history.
There are nods to his career throughout the American Family Field grounds. In 2003, Uecker became a member of the Brewers Walk of Fame, which is located near home plate on the plaza outside American Family Field. In 2012, a statue bearing his likeness was dedicated in his honor outside American Family Field, joining those previously dedicated to fellow Hall of Famers Hank Aaron, Robin Yount and Commissioner Emeritus Allan H. “Bud” Selig.
In 2014, a second statue was dedicated in Uecker’s honor, this one in the last row of the “Uecker Seats” on the Terrace Level at American Family Field. The statue commemorates the Miller Lite commercials in which he famously delivered the often-repeated line, “I must be in the front row!” That year, he was also inducted into the inaugural class of the Brewers Wall of Honor, which is located along the third-base side outside American Family Field.
Details will be announced at a later date for a public celebration of Bob Uecker’s life, the Brewers said in a news release.
Calling it “one of the most difficult days in Milwaukee Brewers history,” the club released the following statement reflecting on Uecker’s character and lasting impact:
“Today, we take on the heaviest of burdens. Today, we say goodbye to our beloved friend, Bob Uecker. Ueck was the light of the Brewers, the soundtrack of our summers, the laughter in our hearts, and his passing is a profound loss. He was the heart and soul of Wisconsin and a dear friend. Bob loved people; his presence warmed every room and he had a way of welcoming all of us into his world as if we were lifelong friends. Saying goodbye to Bob shakes us all. He was so much more than a Milwaukee Brewers icon. He was a national treasure. Bob entertained us with his words and storytelling, so it is no surprise that his passing now leaves us at a loss for our own words. There is no describing the impact Ueck had on so many, and no words for how much he was loved. We are left with a giant void in our hearts, but also remember the laughter and joy he brought to our lives throughout the years.”
Commissioner Emeritus of Major League Baseball and former Brewers Owner, Allan H. “Bud” Selig, released the following statement:
“I am heartbroken with the loss of my dear lifelong friend, Bob Uecker. I can’t begin to describe how much he meant to me, let alone what this loss is for Brewers fans, the state of Wisconsin and countless others worldwide. Bob had the easiest way of making others feel at ease, share a laugh and always left people feeling a little better. Nobody was his equal. I am so grateful that Bob’s friendship was a constant presence throughout most of my life. For over fifty years, rarely did a day pass where we missed a conversation, a sharing of stories, and countless laughs. That cannot be replaced and is a giant loss, but I am lucky to have experienced that kind of enduring friendship. Sue and I are thinking of Judy, Bob’s children Sue Ann and Bob Jr., and all of Bob’s family during what is a difficult time for all of us.”
Milwaukee Brewers Hall of Fame broadcaster Bob Uecker and Commissioner Emeritus Bud Selig threw the ceremonial first pitch to open the NLDS at American Family Field.
Milwaukee Brewers Hall of Fame broadcaster Bob Uecker and Commissioner Emeritus Bud Selig threw the ceremonial first pitch to open the NLDS at American Family Field.
The Uecker family also released a statement:
“It is with heavy hearts that we mourn the passing of Bob. To many, he was an announcer and entertainer whose humor and voice transcended the game, but to us he was so much more. Bob faced a private battle with small cell lung cancer since early 2023, which he met with the same strength and resilience that defined him. Even in the face of this challenge, his enthusiasm for life was always present, never allowing his spirit to falter. He brought joy to countless listeners through his wit, charisma, and love for baseball, Milwaukee, and all of Wisconsin, creating a legacy that will forever be cherished. While his contributions to the game are noteworthy, it is his kindness, humility, and love for family and friends that we will hold closest to our hearts. We are grateful for the outpouring of love and support during this difficult time as we grieve and celebrate the man we were so lucky to call ours.”
Prairie Trust®, a division of Waukesha State Bank, is pleased to announce the appointment of Park Drescher as Director of Fiduciary Services. In this role, Park will lead the trust team in delivering personalized fiduciary solutions.
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) facility at 310 E. Knapp St. in downtown Milwaukee, which houses an Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) processing facility, plans to move to Milwaukee’s Granville neighborhood. Local leaders opposed the move at a Wednesday press conference at the potential site of its new facility.
Alderwoman Larresa Taylor
The 36,000-square-foot building at 11925 W. Lake Park Drive on the city’s far northwest side will become USCIS’s main Milwaukee office and all operations will be carried over from the downtown facility, according to remarks from Alderwoman Larresa Taylor at the press conference.
Permits were filed in November of 2024 for minor modifications of the building including a chain link fence around the property and a sally port, according to a press release from Taylor. Several minor modification permits were filed with the city dating back to 2023 but were withdrawn months prior to Wednesday’s press conference. Three modification permits are labeled “in progress” on the city’s website.
Milwaukee’s Common Council leadership, the Democratic Party of Milwaukee County, the Milwaukee Area Labor Council, and several state legislators attended the press conference and opposed the move.
“There must be a process to everything, and federal facilities simply popping up with no notice isn’t fair to the residents of Milwaukee,” said Milwaukee’s Common Council president José Pérez at the press conference.
In press releases from Taylor, the Democratic Party of Milwaukee County and the Milwaukee Area Labor Council, the facility was referred to as an “ICE Detention Facility.”
The new facility will not house detainees or non-detainees overnight as its operating hours will remain 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. in the likeness of those at the downtown facility, according to Taylor.
“To up and move the downtown facility to another district and not have the community be able to weigh in on it is unacceptable,” Taylor said.
The West Lake Park Drive building, located with the Park Place business park, is currently owned by Milwaukee Governmental LLC, which would lease the building to the Department of Homeland Security to house its USCIS and ICE operations. Representatives from Milwaukee Governmental have agreed to meet with Taylor to discuss other possibilities for the building.
A timeline for the move has not yet been released.
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Ald. Taylor speaks at a Wednesday press conference.
Granville residents and community members protest at the press conference
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The metro Milwaukee area’s office real estate vacancy rate continued to rise through the end of 2024, reaching a new high of 19.8%, according to the latest quarterly report from the Commercial Association of Realtors Wisconsin (CARW).
The rate was up from 18.6% in the third quarter and up from 17.7% in the same time in 2023.
In a sign of further softening, the market had negative absorption of more than 311,000 square feet of office space in the fourth quarter, bringing negative absorption in 2024 to more than 944,000 square feet.
This comes after the market rebounded slightly in the third quarter, posting about 30,000 square feet of positive absorption.
As the office market adjusts to users’ post-pandemic preferences, office space brokers report a continued “flight to quality” trend of users opting for higher quality — albeit smaller — office spaces.
This was reflected in fourth-quarter data with Milwaukee’s central business district reporting positive absorption of about 14,000 square feet of class A office space and negative absorption of about 250,000 square feet of class B office space, which was mostly a result of Johnson Controls officially vacating its downtown Milwaukee office.
In the suburbs, which posted a four quarter office space vacancy rate of 20.6%, class A, B and C properties all saw negative absorption of a combined 73,000 square feet, the report shows.
Fourth quarter office market data by submarket (vacancy/absorption):
Downtown Milwaukee East: 18% / -234,752 sf
Downtown Milwaukee West: 19.2% / -15,743 sf
Third Ward-Walker’s Point: 20.3% / +12,615 sf
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Brookfield: 22.6% / +34,542 sf
Mayfair-Wauwatosa: 28.1% / -74,718 sf
Mequon-Theinsville: 16.8% / +3,523 sf
Milwaukee Central: 1.2% / 0 sf
Milwaukee North Shore: 14% / +2,130 sf
Milwaukee Northwest: 25.7% / -83,638 sf
Milwaukee South: 7.7% / -10,598 sf
Milwaukee-West Allis: 29.7% / -27,823 sf
Pewaukee: 22.4% / -305 sf
Waukesha Northwest-Lake Country: 5.5% / +16,235 sf
The Zilber Family Foundation has named Lianna Bishop as its next executive director, the organization announced on Wednesday.
Gina Stilp. Photo submitted by the Zilber Family Foundation.
Bishop, who has served as operations director at the ZFF since 2023, will succeed Gina Stilp. Stilp will exit the organization Feb. 14 to lead another foundation outside of Milwaukee but will be a consultant for the ZFF over the next several months to help ensure a smooth leadership transition.
“Serving as executive director of this incredible foundation for the past six years has been nothing short of an honor,” Stilp said. “As I pass the baton to Lianna, I feel deep gratitude for the opportunity I’ve had to work with such a talented board, staff and network of community partners. I look forward to fully supporting Lianna as she leads the Foundation into its next chapter.”
The ZFF’s board of directors unanimously supported Bishop’s promotion to executive director. Bishop first joined ZFF as a grants manager and special assistant in 2021 after serving as executive director of the Dohmen Company Foundation. Bishop was also the director of community investment at the DCF before leading the organization. She earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Marquette University.
“I am really looking forward to building on the work and the foundation and legacy that has come before me, and to really strengthen and deepen those relationships,” Bishop said. “I’m also excited to share and implement our refreshed strategic plan, which, prior to this transition, the team and board have been really engaged in building.”
As operations director at the ZFF, Bishop helped to modernize the ZFF’s processes and systems when the organization gave more than $13 million in grants last year. Under Bishop’s leadership, the ZFF established a partnership with the Bridge Project, which is Milwaukee’s first unconditional cash transfer program providing direct cash assistance to low-income mothers.
“Lianna’s contributions as a senior leader with the foundation, her deep understanding of its mission, operations and partnerships, combined with her extensive philanthropic and nonprofit experience, have enabled the foundation to reach new milestones,” said Marcy Jackson, ZFF board president, in a news release. “She is uniquely qualified to step into this role. We are confident in Lianna’s ability to build on the foundation’s legacy and amplify our mission of enhancing the well-being of the communities we serve.”
Stilp, who first joined the ZFF in 2010, said she’s excited for Bishop to enter her new role as executive director.
“My advice to her is, I think, to listen first,” Stilp said. “I know she’s an exceptional relationship builder, and so to really lean into her skill of listening to our partners, listening to our philanthropic partners, and finding ways for the foundation to be the leader when we need to be the leader and the gap filler when we need to be the gap filler.”
During Stilp’s time as executive director, the foundation has worked to support the Community Development Alliance as a trusted partner. Stilp said that initiative stood out to her because “it’s a demonstration of the power of relationships and trust.”
“We are grateful for Gina’s bold contributions and commitment to the foundation’s mission, transforming the way we engage with and support our communities,” Jackson said. “Her leadership has not only expanded the foundation’s reach but also set a new standard for impact and collaboration. We look forward to seeing her continued contributions to the philanthropic sector.”
After Chicago-based Molson Coors announced last November that it planned to close the historic Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co. brewery in Chippewa Falls, along with its craft beer brewery in downtown Milwaukee, the Leinenkugel family has vocalized its intention of keeping the Chippewa Falls brewery open.
The planned closures, scheduled to take place by the end of this week, would impact 56 employees in Chippewa Falls and 34 in Milwaukee.
“We want to reassure our employees at the brewery and Leinie Lodge, as well as our partners, retailers, distributors, and fans, that we are committed to exploring every avenue to preserve this vital part of our history,” said Jake and Dick Leinenkugel (both former presidents of Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co.) via a statement posted today on LinkedIn. “To that end, we submitted a formal proposal to Molson Coors, requesting to enter into a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). This would allow us to begin discussions on acquiring the Chippewa Falls brewery, with the goal of maintaining its operations under Leinenkugel family leadership.”
However, Molson Coors leadership has not been receptive to having a conversation regarding the acquisition of the Chippewa Falls brewery, according to the Leinenkugel family.
The family says they received a response from Gavin Hattersley, chief executive officer of Molson Coors, late last week, stating the company is not interested in pursuing an NDA, but that Molson Coors “remains committed to the Leinenkugel brand.”
“With its rich history and incredible lineup of beers, Leinenkugel’s has been an important part of our company for nearly 40 years and that’s not changing. While the decision to move brewing to Milwaukee was a challenging one, we are committed to maintaining a strong presence in Chippewa Falls. That’s why we’ll continue taking excellent care of our facilities, opening our doors year-round to thousands of guests,” said Adam Collins, chief communications and corporate affairs officer at Molson Coors. “Our pilot brewery (in Chippewa Falls) will continue serving as an innovation hub, and the Leinie Lodge will continue to be a gathering place for locals and out-of-towners to enjoy their favorite beers and one-of-a-kind varieties available only at the Lodge. We’re incredibly proud of Leinie’s, the many people in Chippewa Falls who built this brand into what it is today, and what it will continue to be for years to come — a true Wisconsin beer beloved by people across the country.”
Despite following up with Hattersley on Jan. 8, the Leinenkugel family says it has received no further response on behalf of Molson Coors.
“The Chippewa Falls brewery is more than a facility—it is a symbol of our legacy, a source of pride for our community, and a key part of what makes Leinenkugel’s unique,” said the Leinenkugel family. “We continue to hope for a resolution that honors our history and secures the future of brewing in Chippewa Falls.”
Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co. was founded in Chippewa Falls in 1867, it was sold by the Leinenkugel family to Miller Brewing Co. in 1988 and is now a subsidiary of Molson Coors.
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After several years of lower-than-expected customer demand and macroeconomic uncertainty, LaSelle has been hearing from customers who say they anticipate having more research and development funding in 2025.
Fathom, which has approximately 500 employees and 400,000 square feet of manufacturing space across all of its facilities, will go back to its roots and spend the next year giving its customers the quick turnaround manufacturing solutions they desire, LaSelle said.
He recently spoke to BizTimes reporter Ashley Smart to discuss exactly why he’s feeling so bullish about Fathom. Below are excerpts from the conversation.
How did you learn about the opportunity at Fathom?
“I’ve known about Fathom since Rich Stump started the business, which is not necessarily what we are here now in Hartland, but I’ve been very aware of this business, because he had started it in the Bay Area around the same time I was at Jabil, a large contract manufacturer. We had a very similar objective at both companies, which was to give manufacturing capability to folks who didn’t have it within their own four walls. Fast forward, that was 10 or 15 years ago, I found out about the opportunity at Fathom because I was working for another portfolio within CORE (Industrial Partners). So, a little over two years ago, I was managing an additive technology portfolio for them by the name of 3DX Technology over in Grand Rapids, Michigan. When Carey (Chen) decided that he wanted to do something new and exciting, our chairman gave me a call and said,’ Hey, what do we think about Fathom?'”
Are you relocating for the position?
“I live just outside of Denver, where we have one of our largest manufacturing facilities for sheet metal. I am a virtual person who spends just a lot of time here.”
What did taking the business private allow Fathom to accomplish?
“I think there are a couple things. First, Ryan Martin and CORE and the whole Fathom team were obviously on a path to take advantage of being a public company, which, of course, has certain capital advantages. Unfortunately, the timing couldn’t have been worse, because that was during the crash of the SPAC vehicle. Carey came in and had a difficult job taking the company private. It’s tough, because when you’re going public, but it’s exciting. Everybody’s going to ring a bell on Wall Street. When you go private, it’s really tough. It’s a grind because you’re taking some of that excitement away. What it does is it changes the capitalization of the business. It’s expensive to be public and it’s exceptionally visible. If you’re a public company, there are very few financial metrics that matter, and some of them, the market has just not been yielding manufacturing. It has been tough in North America over the last couple years. Strategically, going private gave the company an opportunity to reset, both financially and then really what our initiatives and strategies are going forward.”
What do you think about your predecessor’s approach to leaning into “pandemic proof” markets, like electric vehicles?
“Pandemic proof, in many cases, is thinking about what you can or can’t outsource. Think about government, right? Some of the things that our military has manufactured, they don’t want made in certain places. There are other things that just logistically we found… masks and a whole lot of other stuff. We’re going to stay on that path, because there is a great opportunity as R&D spending returns to many of our Fortune 500 and domestic companies. They need somebody that can help them in early stage, product introduction, and a lot of it has to be done here in the U.S. from a regulatory perspective.”
What are you keeping an eye on as far as President Trump’s potential impact on manufacturing?
“If we just look over the last 20, 30, maybe 40 years, we’ve taken a bit of an easy route here in the U.S. as far as becoming a service-based economy. The pandemic shined a light on that, because we found that we couldn’t restock certain things for the military. We couldn’t restock certain things for our medical community. The new administration, I think, if you read all the papers, is going to continue, if not increase, the expenditures into domestic manufacturing. Thinking about Trump, whether it’s through tariffs, I think he’s a reasonably savvy businessman. Even if he doesn’t implement huge tariffs on China and other places, which we’re watching closely, he’ll negotiate deals that will be favorable to us manufacturers.”
How big does additive manufacturing continue to be for Fathom?
“It’s a very important tool in our tool kit, because it satisfies one of the things that makes us special, which is the immediacy and the rapid response we can provide to people who want to do prototyping or early-stage design and low-volume manufacturing. It’s very fast. The reality is, structurally, it’s not as good as injection molding, CNC and sheet metal. It is a very important tool in our tool kit, but I would say our umbrella of 25-plus different capabilities, that’s what makes us a bit unique.”
What have you heard about spending for 2025 from your customers?
“They weren’t sure what the EV market would look like for us in 2025. They didn’t know what the interest would be from the consumers. They didn’t know what the subsidies would look like. So, what changes is, we get clarity on what the new administration thinks. And so now, if you’re a major automotive manufacturer, you know whether you’re going to put your chips down on EV or maybe a more efficient hybrid gas-powered vehicle. We already see coming down the pipe and budgets are going to start to free up.”
What’s the status of Fathom’s optimization plan? Could the company start expanding again?
“Our office in California was very concentrated on additive manufacturing and, as you know, Silicon Valley is exceptionally expensive. That office was there for a very specific purpose. It was near some big innovative companies, like Google, that we still do a lot of business with. Having that proximity, having people there who were ambassadors for new technology, was highly appropriate. Now, when you look at the cost structure, you ask those same customers if they are okay with us bringing all of that into Hartland, where we have more infrastructure. They said ‘yes,’ they were okay with it because it is more cost effective. In that case, that’s that answer. Closing the Florida office was a very sector specific decision where a particular, very large, concentrated customer for that site went a different direction. It wasn’t a sweeping decision. It wasn’t that broad of an edict. It was a case-by-case basis. Will we continue to optimize in that way? Absolutely, because it’s good for our customers. Manufacturing wants commitment on delivery. It wants quality. Typically cost comes in a third. When we start to think about that, we want to be a cost-competitive supplier that led to some consolidation. So that’s the history. Looking forward, I am bullish.”
Any other big challenges for the company in the coming months? “I think the challenge, and this is not relegated solely to us, is that manufacturing as a profession has been de-emphasized. If you think about the talent pool, that’s where we’re most vulnerable. We don’t have a lot of people coming out of colleges, ready and interested in doing some of the things we do. A priority for me is making sure that we keep the talent that we have, but more importantly, that we can scale and grow with our customers. How do we get the right level of passion and capability and motivation into our workforce? That’s a manufacturing problem, and it’s certainly one that we’re paying close attention to.”
The first building in the more than 100-acre Kenosha Innovation Neighborhood has opened.
LakeView Technology Academy on Tuesday officially opened its 48,602-square-foot building at 5533 26th Ave., in time for the first day of classes next week.
A choice high school within the Kenosha Unified School District, LakeView Technology Academy will offer a science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) curriculum, as well as college-level coursework in areas such as information technology and advanced manufacturing through a partnership with Gateway Technical College.
The high school is moving from its existing location at 9449 88th Ave. in Pleasant Prairie.
The new LakeView Technology Academy facility is planned to maintain a 400-student enrollment while expanding its programming for all Kenosha Unified School District high school students to access STEM education, according to a Tuesday announcement from the Kenosha Area Business Alliance (KABA), whose foundation owns both LakeView Technology Academy sites.
“KABA’s vision for Kenosha County is to be the premier destination for new investment and talent in the Chicago-Milwaukee corridor,” said KABA president Nicole Ryf. “Collaborating with key partners to relocate, expand, and improve our highest performing STEM high school in the center of our city is a concept that helps Kenosha County reach that vision. Reinvesting in LakeView is developing an important talent pipeline for our businesses, transforming a formerly industrial neighborhood into a vibrant hub of education and innovation, and creating bright futures for our students.”
LakeView Technology Academy. Image from KABA
Construction on the new LakeView Technology Academy building began in late 2023 with Riley Construction as the general contractor, and Partners in Design Architects as the architect.
The Kenosha Innovation Neighborhood is a 107-acre redevelopment on the site of a former Chrysler plant, which closed in 2010. The mixed-use development is slated to include technology incubators and offices, education institutions, businesses, housing and green space.
“We are dedicated to building a vibrant ecosystem that connects education, innovation and entrepreneurship, fostering the next generation of innovators and problem-solvers,” Kenosha Innovation Neighborhood president Kelly Armstrong said.
The next building in the neighborhood will be a 64,000-square-foot innovation center for startups, entrepreneurs and job training called the Kenosha Innovation Center. With construction underway, it’s expected to open in September, according to the Kenosha Innovation Neighborhood website.
