Visitors at Wixon Inc. are usually treated to a sensory barrage when they come to the St. Francis factory, packaging and distribution center. Cinnamon, spice blends, herbs and other aromas permeate throughout the plant. However, another sweet aroma has been drifting about Wixon’s facility in recent months – satisfaction blended with a bit of relief.
After more than one year of negotiations, the Wixon management team of Peter Gottsacker, Chuck Ehemann and Pete Caputa have pooled their interests and purchased the company from Fontarome S.A., a French holding company.
Fontarome S.A. had owned Wixon since the early 1980’s.
With the acquisition, the new owners have changed the company’s name from Wixon Fontarome Inc. to Wixon Inc.
Wixon specializes in making spices, sauces, concentrates and flavor enhancers for a variety of restaurants, food manufacturers and vendors.
Gottsacker is Wixon’s president, Ehemann is the executive vice president and Caputa is the chief financial officer.
"We were very fortunate to work for the previous owners that treated us with a professional and understanding manner," Caputa said. "There was a strong responsibility and caring for the people who made Wixon what it is and helped them become successful."
However, Wixon’s employees are thrilled that the company is now owned by local managers who have been working at the firm for years, rather than a foreign company, Gottsacker said.
"There was significant relief of the employees to return (the company) to local hands," Gottsacker said. "Food companies are hot properties. There are big consolidations and multiples that are crazy. Closings and everything else had been on everyone’s mind. And returning to local hands, I believe, meant a lot. It eliminated a lot of uncertainties."
Gottsacker said he had been thinking about purchasing the company since he started working there.
Caputa said he had been discussing a purchase of Wixon with the other members of the management team since he started at Wixon.
During his eight years as company president, Gottsacker said, he was able to closely watch as Wixon’s revenues increased and its value grew. However, Wixon was Fontarome S.A.’s only U.S. holding, and the French company began to consider selling it.
During the summer of 2003, Gottsacker boarded a flight to Europe with one purpose in mind.
He and the "powers that be" sat
in a room at Fontarome S.A.’s headquarters, talking for nearly two hours about the worth of the company. At the end of that talk, Gottsacker gave the board of directors a range of what he thought the company was worth.
One board member who had a slip of paper with him the whole time flipped it over, revealing a number exactly in the middle of that range, Gottsacker said.
Gottsacker declined to reveal that dollar figure, but he still keeps the slip in his office.
Appraisers, accountants and lawyers from both Fontarome and the three interested buyers went back and forth between August 2003 and September 2004. While the numbers and the eventual understanding of the purchase changed greatly over time, the dollar amount of the deal didn’t change much at all, Gottsacker said.
"Through the ups and downs of the negotiations, both sides were almost frustrated to the point of walking away," he said. "But it was kind of funny – we ended up on the number on that piece of paper."
The three partners leveraged the purchase with a combination of their own finances and financing from M&I Bank, which the company had existing relations with for many years, Gottsacker said.
The new owners said they felt no sense of political satisfaction in returning the company to American ownership from more than two decades of French ownership, even as tensions between the two countries grew over the war in Iraq.
"Politics is politics, and business is business," Gottsacker said. "These were men of honor, carrying out a business agreement on a handshake and a look in your eyes."
Now that the final hurdles of the purchase have been cleared, the new owners are moving ahead toward expanding Wixon’s operations.
The company’s revenue has increased 8 percent this year, approaching $50 million in sales for 2004. Its revenues increased 10 percent from 2002 to 2003.
At the same time, Wixon has added 10 full-time and 40 seasonal employees, and the firm is continuing to launch about 20 new products each year.
Gottsacker said Wixon also is considering acquiring another company within its field on the East Coast, and that purchase could be finalized within weeks. Both he and Caputa said that type of acquisition is indicative of their commitment to Wixon over the long-term.
"When you get together in a partnership, one of the most important questions is what your plans are for the organization," Caputa said. "It’s a long-term investment for the three of us, not only as investors, but also long-term employees."
The new owners say they feel a sense of responsibility and gratitude for the company’s employees, who have fueled Wixon’s growth.
"One of the differences now is that you clearly have more of a paternal responsibility," Caputa said. "You have a lot of responsibility for the different partners in Wixon. Because of that, you come to work with more enthusiasm. We all had a strong vested interest in it before. It’s just added to the excitement with what we think we can do with the organization."
Ehemann said the pride that many of Wixon’s long-term employees take in the company’s success and growth over the years continues to be a source of motivation for him and the other owners to make the right decisions for the company.
"They have a great pride in the growth the company has had, and they have been very key in it happening," he said.
For Ehemann, who is in his 30th year of employment at Wixon, the chance to become a part owner is almost like a dream come true.
"I never had an idea it would head this way. It just happened," he said. "It’s an absolute passion I have, and I love doing it."
Ehemann likened the experience of buying the company to one he had a few years earlier, when he bought $50 worth of lottery tickets and was fantasizing about what he would do with the money.
"I have two daughters to protect, and then past that, I thought I would look for a company like this to buy, and it would be my business," he said. "As it evolved, it’s like I won the lottery."
Wixon’s new owners
Peter Gottsacker
Title: President and co-owner
Background: Former president of Schwartz Pharma from 1986 to 1996; president of Wixon Inc.
Chuck Ehemann
Title: Executive vice president, overseeing sales, marketing and customer service, and co-owner.
Background: 30-year employee of Wixon, working in sales.
Pete Caputa
Title: Chief financial officer and co-owner
Background: Worked at Deloitte Touche, a public accounting firm, for 11 years, then for four years as chief financial officer and senior vice president at Stokely Inc., before coming to Wixon six years ago.
Ocober 15, 2004, Small Business Times, Milwaukee, WI

The co-owners of Joseph Douglas Homes, Deron Butler and Joe Orendorf, like to joke that builders and contractors are often listed as some of the most hated professionals, considered by some to be untrustworthy and inconsiderate.
"We are trying to change that (image) one builder at a time, one homeowner at a time," Butler said.
That effort starts in the office, a place Butler and Orendorf want employees to be happy to come each day.
"I think by treating our employees the way we would like to be treated ourselves helps them be a part of our vision," Orendorf said.
Due to that philosophy, the employees at Douglas Homes are not only committed to their jobs, but they also take joy in improving the company and helping it grow, Douglas Homes employees Kim Leistiko and Angela Cooper said.
Leistiko, office manager at Douglas Homes, said Butler and Orendorf have encouraged her to further her education.
"[The company] inspires me on a daily basis to achieve my best, and I feel fortunate to work here," she said.
Cooper, the company’s marketing manager, said she appreciates the flexibility she is given and the understanding that she has a family and a life outside of work.
"[Orendorf and Butler] treat you as an adult and believe you will accomplish your goals without micromanaging," she said.
Orendorf and Butler encourage employees to engage in community service and outside activities that will help them stay well-rounded and happy.
"The position people have here is only a part of their lives," Orendorf said.
Ultimately, employee satisfaction leads to customer satisfaction, he said.
"If you have happy employees, they produce a better product, and it filters down to customers being happy," Leistiko said.
According to Professional Builder Magazine, a national home building industry publication, and NRS Corp., a customer satisfaction research firm, Douglas Homes customers are quite happy. Both organizations recognized Joseph Douglas Homes with the NRS Award in Homeowner Satisfaction.
"We determine what all is needed in our product upfront so that what the customer wants and what they expect and what we have stated price-wise all closely match," Butler said.
The company strives to make the building process as simple, straightforward and enjoyable as possible, Butler said.
"[Customers] can make all their selections here. They don’t have to go shopping around town," he said.
Instead of forcing customers to find a lot to buy for their home, Douglas Homes has a selection of lots from which people can choose. Douglas Homes also has a guaranteed pricing program that eliminates cost overruns, has no hidden costs and promises that the contract price is the price a customer pays.
"We are not selling a home, we are selling a lifestyle," Orendorf said.
June 25, 2004, Small Business Times, Milwaukee, WI

Baly Ambegaoker, chief executive officer and president of Brookfield-based IDL Solutions, says her 11-year-old information technology solutions company, which also has a Washington, D.C. office, has averaged 40 percent growth each year for the past four years, even through some very challenging economic times.
"We’ve grown because we always do our homework and strive to achieve our goals," she said. "Much of our first five years of business were devoted to getting certifications, filling out forms and getting ready to do business with both the government and private sectors."
Homework for Ambegaoker and her company also involves taking the time to fully understand the business processes and IT infrastructure of their clients before beginning any project.
While attending the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Ambegaoker and her husband and business partner, Tony Ambegaoker, decided to combine their respective computer engineering and architecture skills and form their own company.
After graduating, they initially did engineering and computer work, but with the growth of the Internet and computer technology, they shifted away from architecture and concentrated on computer technology.
They targeted the government sector for most of their business because of a perceived need for their IT services. Their desired ratio was 70 percent government sector clients and 30 percent private sector business.
"That’s where we are at and where we intend to stay," she said.
The four pillars of information technology that they specialize in are infrastructure management, enterprise application, interactive Web technology and application development.
"Our primary function is to help our clients greatly enhance their computer applications," she said.
IDL’s federal government clients include the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Health and Human Services, the FBI and the Department of Transportation.
State of Wisconsin clients include the Department of Corrections; and local government clients include the City of Brookfield.
According to Ambegaoker, their private sector clients include many medium-sized companies, including Integrated Billing Systems, Oak Creek; Communication Packaging Services, Waukesha; and Integrated Risk Solutions, Delafield.
"Our employees are extremely service-oriented and are key to our success. We’ve got a good team-and it takes a good team to accomplish goals. We’re very selective of who we hire," she said.
June 25, 2004, Small Business Times, Milwaukee, WI

Grandview Management Inc. has come a long way since Angelo and Ellen Zilli began with a humble little Tastee Freeze franchise in Waukesha back in 1967.
The Zillis converted that Taste Freeze into a family restaurant called Ellen’s on Grandview a few years later, and that transformation set the stage for a growing company.
"That planted the seeds for a company that now employs more than 200 individuals and serves food to thousands of customers every year," said Jim Zilli, son of Angelo and Ellen, who is now the vice president of marketing for Waukesha-based Grandview Management. "It’s a source of pride for our entire family to be able to carry on our tradition."
That pride as a family business is just one of the reasons Grandview Management was selected by the Waukesha Area Chamber of Commerce as the "Top Business of the Year" from a group of 10 finalists for the annual award.
"My mother, Ellen, is president of our organization, and three generations of our family now work in the daily operations of the company," Jim Zilli said. "They help each division operate seamlessly and in concert with the vision established at the company’s inception. Together with our talented team of professionals, we’ve grown from one small family-style restaurant into a multi-tiered restaurant and hospitality corporation."
Grandview Management’s divisions are:
— Zilli’s Grandview Inn, a Waukesha landmark serving high-quality food in a relaxed but sophisticated atmosphere.
— Ellen’s Prestige Catering, a company that has grown to be one of the top five largest independently owned catering operations in the Midwest, employing experienced event planning professionals, elegant presentations and five-star cuisine;
— Coast – A Zilli Restaurant, their newest venture located on Milwaukee’s lakefront, combining all of the elements of quality and service the family has become known for.
Last year, Grandview Management reported revenues of almost $7 million. However, despite the company’s significant growth, Zilli said the Grandview Management maintains the same core of values of hard work, exceptional service and dedication to excellence that his father defined decades earlier.
"We keep a very strong focus on developing our staff," he said. "We invest in
continuing education for them. We’re very fortunate to have the staff we have. A lot of them are my heroes, giving us good ideas for customer service and pitching in for each other to get the job done right. And we emphasize customer retention. It’s really a discipline that helps grow our business and keeps us in touch with what’s going on."
June 25, 2004, Small Business Times, Milwaukee, WI

What a difference a few months make. Five months ago, you could not go more than a day or so without an article in a newspaper or magazine about the outsourcing crisis.
Now you could almost forget there even is a China. Recent newspapers stories say manufacturers are having trouble finding the skilled labor they need.
I’m sure there are still manufacturers feeling the pressure of outsourcing, but recovery is showing its face in the manufacturing sector.
There are many business owners breathing a sigh of relief and confronting the good problem of how to ramp up. But they are not out of trouble yet. The same outsourcing freight train is continuing its relentless surge.
Why was the alarm raised in the first place if the business cycle would eventually come to the rescue? During the bottom of the downturn, workers feared the loss of their high paying manufacturing jobs and business owners saw the crumbling of their businesses’ value just at the point some were contemplating selling or retiring and turning the business over to their successors. The panic was caused by the perceived loss of value to labor and to business net worth.
The recovery will temporarily rescue many marginal businesses as a booming U.S. economy can easily absorb the increased supply from China as well as everything that can be made in the U.S. But there will still be slow erosion of American jobs to low-cost countries, and it will not be obvious until the next downturn.
The boom of the 1990s was historic for its length and strength, and so some economists are predicting the start of the next downturn as early as next year. Whenever the downturn hits, the crunch will be on again.
How can the small to medium-sized business protect its value for its owners, and how does it protect the value of labor? There is only one way to preserve company value. Jack Welch, the former chairman at GE, put it very well, saying you either grow or die.
Every company needs to develop a strategy for growth. If it doesn’t, it becomes a stationary target for competitors, both foreign and domestic.
The strategic plan needs to answer the following questions:
¥ How does my company use its expertise to grow its customer base?
¥ How does my company provide customers the product and service they will pay a premium for and not be tempted to go to low-cost solutions?
¥ How can my company level the business cycle (exports)?
¥ If there are pieces of my product that have high labor costs but low contribution to margin, maybe I outsource those parts, which will provide lower cost to my customer before he decides to look to China. If my product is essentially a commodity, is there a service or innovation that can be added to make my product critical to the success of the customer?
These and other questions need to be thought through in developing a growth strategy. While companies are doing lean, six sigma or other process and quality improvement programs, they need to develop and execute a strategy to grow the business.
Some other recent news items also were interesting.
Recent data indicates Asian auto companies continue to grow market share in the United States. Also, Japan’s balance of trade with China just went positive, and the China boom is lifting the whole Japanese economy.
Imagine Japan, a country with higher labor costs than the United States, has a positive trade balance with China. Of course, Japan was doing lean and quality programs while U.S. companies were mired in the methods of the 1950s. Now, the latest in Japan is time-based competition, which is the process of bringing innovation to your customers, eliminating bottlenecks and improving speed. Japanese companies have growth strategies. Many U.S. firms are just starting with the basics of lean, while the Japanese are going to the next level.
Priorities should be clear. Companies need to develop and execute strategies for growth, get fast and improve processes and quality. Otherwise, you will also eventually see your company give way to the competition, whether the competition is a low-cost country or another U.S. company.
Joe Geck is the principal of Accelerated Solutions in Waukesha. He can be reached at (262) 542-2960, or at joegeck@global-intercultural-communication.com.
June 25, 2004, Small Business Times, Milwaukee, WI

About 30 years ago, Brian Dowling Sr. dreamed of starting a printing company in Waukesha County. His vision came together in 1978 when he established a small company, with one small printing press, called Custom Label & Design.
Over the years, CL&D, as it is now called, grew steadily. The company has added pre-press and plate-making capabilities, has utilized a flexographic printing process, has moved into a larger facility (60,000 square feet) and has opened additional plants.
"This year, under the leadership of Mike Dowling, who took over when his father retired, we’re approaching sales of $45 million," said Chris Keller, human resources manager of CL&D. "And we’re proud of our accomplishments."
The company found its niche in packaging and print labels for consumer products.
"Our largest customer is SC. Johnson Co.," Keller said. "We print a lot of labels for their products, including Raid, Off, Glade and Windex. We also print labels for the products of Rustoleum, Con Agra and Mead Johnson corporations, among others."
Flexographic printing, she explained, is a newer application for consumer product labels that were previously printed by other methods. It utilizes a press machine printing up to 10 colors. In the press, there’s a plate, a rubberized matte type of material that holds the image going around a cylinder. Ink is applied when the machine is turning and the web runs through it. During the process, the plate flexes, hence the term flexographic.
"We can print with the same high standards and resolution of other methods and can do it more easily, more cost-effectively," Keller said.
Keller said service and skills set CL&D apart from its competition.
"We’re the best at what we do," she said. "We credit the vision of the owners and their ability to manage the business and determine where they can be successful. In fact, last year, we won the Best Managed Company award from the Tag and label Manufacturing Industry. We also credit our employees. This place is energized constantly. Every day, our people are excited and positive. There’s an urgency to do things right, to exceed customer expectation. We’re so proud of what we do."
June 25, 2004, Small Business Times, Milwaukee, WI

Chris Crawley’s company, Think Innovative Media, is nine years old and expects to have revenues of $1 million to $2 million this year.
Even so, Crawley describes his business as, "fragile."
"I’m a first generation business owner," said Crawley, president and chief executive officer of Think Innovative Media. "I’m not trained in business. I’m on a shoestring budget."
Crawley, 44, has a communications degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and is pursing a masters of business administration degree from Cardinal Stritch University to obtain the business training he hopes will make his company even more successful.
However, Crawley said it is harder for African-American business owners like himself to attract investors and establish relationships with banks. Additional capital would help Crawley grow his company.
"That’s been my biggest challenge since I’ve been in business – financing," he said. "I don’t have uncles and aunts with deep pockets. I’m not part of the good old boy network."
Think Innovative Media will be the first minority-owned business participating in The Milwaukee Collaborative, a concept created by former Robert W. Baird & Co. Inc. vice president Alton Bathrick.
The collaborative seeks to unite small, minority-owned businesses with larger companies joint ventures. The minority-owned business is the majority shareholder in the joint venture. The larger company acts as a mentor and investor, providing financial resources, additional capacity and business contacts to allow the minority-owned business to take part in larger projects and grow.
Crawley said he is considering a partnership in The Milwaukee Collaborative with one of eight companies his business already works with.
Think Innovative Media provides multimedia training, consulting and production services for sales, marketing, training and education applications. The company’s developers, designers, artists and programmers create computer-based communication products, including Web sites and CD-ROMs.
The company creates communication products that are visual, audible and interactive. That combination increases the rate of retention for the information Think Innovative Media’s customers are trying to relay, Crawley said.
"The thing I love most about our industry is it’s all about packaging information in a way people can absorb it better," he said.
Think Innovative Media recently moved from the Historic Third Ward to The Hide House, the former Greenebaum Tannery complex located at 2625 S. Greenley St. in the Bay View neighborhood and owned by Bathrick.
"Our space in the Third Ward was being remodeled, and our rent was going to go sky high," Crawley said.
Bathrick has been an ardent supporter of Think Innovative Media, Crawley said.
"Al Bathrick has become my best friend," he said. "He’s become a real brother to me. He’s helped me identify mechanisms to get to the next level. He’s started to get me access to the good old boy network. He’s been where I want to go. He’s brought a lot to me that I wouldn’t have been able to get. He’s helping me with connections. He’s been a cheerleader, a fan. He’s been a motivator."
The Milwaukee Collaborative seeks to grow businesses in the city’s economically depressed neighborhoods where many minorities struggle to find job opportunities nearby.
"To create true wealth in minority neighborhoods and minority communities, you’ve got to build minority businesses," Crawley said.
Milwaukee must eliminate the racial segregation that is plaguing the community, Crawley said, and businesses in the metro area must hire more minorities, or the city’s economy will lag behind others in the nation. Too many talented minorities are leaving Milwaukee for jobs in cities in the South and on the East Coast because they cannot find jobs here, he said. That brain drain must be stopped for the sake of the community’s future, he said.
"The city is at a crossroads," Crawley said. "The city can move into the new millennium as a diverse, tolerant community that attracts high-tech workers or not. The Milwaukee Collaborative, should the city embrace it, is one of the tools that will help put Milwaukee back on the map. This Milwaukee Collaborative has the legs to take us so far if we embrace it."
Despite Milwaukee’s dubious distinction as one of the most segregated cities in the nation, Crawley said he believes the local business community can help eliminate that stigma and transform the city into a magnet for diverse, young talent.
"If I didn’t think it could happen, I might as well pack up and leave," he said. "For minority businesses, we don’t have a chance unless this city changes to embrace diversity."
June 25, 2004, Small Business Times, Milwaukee, WI

MSI General Corporation is designing and constructing a new development for General Capital/LaMacchia Shores, LLC, on the southwest corner of Port Washington and Greentree Roads in Glendale. The Glendale Market will consist of two separate retail buildings with a total of 23,700 square feet and a 50,000 square foot Pick N’ Save. The shopping center will incorporate “Prairie-style†influences, including the use of natural materials and long horizontal forms. The project also includes outdoor patio and plaza spaces for café dining and public use. Tenants will enjoy good visibility from both Port Washington and Green Tree Roads. MSI General Corporation is located in Oconomowoc and is a leader in the design and construction of commercial educational, industrial, municipal, religious and retail facilities in southeastern Wisconsin. MSI General Corporation also has been selected by Hartford Fire and Rescue to remodel and add an approximately 4,500 square foot addition to their existing fire station. MSI is a design/build general contractor located in Oconomowoc and serves as a leader to southeastern Wisconsin in the design and construction of commercial, educational, industrial, municipal, religious and retail facilities.

The Wyndham Garden Hotel in Brookfield has completed a $2.2 million renovation of its guestrooms and public spaces. All guestrooms have been updated to include new carpeting, light fixtures, closet doors, and artwork. They have also improved guest bathrooms and upgraded guestroom amenities. In the hotel’s public spaces, new furnishings, draperies, and carpeting give the hotel’s interior a new look. The Wyndham Garden Hotel is managed by Dallas-based Aimbridge Hospitality, which also manages properties in North Carolina, Illinois, and Texas. The hotel is owned, managed, and franchised by Wyndham International, Inc., which has properties in the U.S., the Caribbean, Canada, Mexico, and the United Kingdom.

Briohn Building Corporation in Brookfield is working on a number of projects. First, they have been contracted to design and construct a 6,000 square foot tenant improvement remodel and expansion of existing office and computer repair areas at 12100 West Wirth Street, Wauwatosa, for Walgreen’s DTR. Briohn has also been contracted to construct a new 30,000 square foot building for Chef Craft in Pewaukee Woods North on Wood Gate Court in Pewaukee. In addition to Walgreens and Chef Craft, Briohn continues to work with Always 99 on a renovation project that will include a new produce area at 3333 South 27th Street, Milwaukee and another project which involves building a new Always 99 store in Westgate Mall at 4901 Washington Avenue, Racine. Cottonwood IV, LLC has contracted Briohn to design and construct a 58,00 square foot multi-tenant building. The project, located at 1100 Cottonwood Drive in Hartland is underway and will be completed in early fall.

Voss Jorgensen Schueler Co., Inc. in Waukesha, is providing construction management services for additions and renovations at New Berlin West Middle and High School, with project completion slated for August 2005. The project includes an extensive addition including ten classrooms with updates totaling $11,500,000. In addition to the schools, Voss Jorgensen Schueler is currently providing construction management services for renovations to the Washington County Courthouse. The project consists of renovating the HVAC system, retrofitting nine elevators, updating the electrical system and in-flling an old coal vault that has been vacant for numerous years. The project has a completion date of March 2005 and total cost of $7.8 million. Voss Jorgensen Schueler is also providing their services for River Renaissance Luxury Condominiums. Currently, the space is being used as a parking lot at 100 W. Water Street in Milwaukee but, shortly will be built into 75 luxury condominiums and 20,000 square feet of retail space with a high-end restaurant and shops. Residents of the condominiums will have a large amount of amenities including fireplaces, private terraces, granite countertops, and rich hardwood floors. Furthermore, each resident will be able to access household electronics including lights, entertainment, and temperature through the telephone or internet. This project is scheduled to begin on September 1, 2004 with an estimated completion date of November 2005.

National Survey & Engineering is providing sitework engineering and surveying to the Historic Third Ward Association for the Milwaukee Public Market at the northeast corner of Water Street and St. Paul in downtown Milwaukee. The $10 million market project will include a glass and steel building that will provide space for about two dozen area farmers and local vendors selling fresh fruit, vegetables, fish, meat, cheese, flowers, and other items. The architect is Kubalo Washatko, Cedarburg. The project recently received a $2.5 million economic development administration grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce, allowing the market to break ground this June. It is expected to open in June 2005 and is anticipated as an important part of downtown Milwaukee’s revitalization.

Magill Construction Co. has a number of new projects. First Citizens Bank in Whitewater is adding a three-story addition, measuring 25,504 square feet, to their existing bank. The project is part of an effort to match the bank to other historical buildings in the area. Magill is working with Excel Engineering, Inc. on it as a Design-Build project for the bank. Magill was also hired by Guardian Container, owned by the Royal Group out of Cicero, Illinois to add a 3,000 square foot office addition and renovation project. The project is located in Elkhorn and is expected to be completed by the end of June. Better By Design in Delevan has hired Magill for a Design-Build project, with architectural services being provided by Dimension IV-Madison. The new building is an 11,500 square foot office and manufacturing building, and is scheduled to begin sometime in June, with plans for completion by the end of the year.

Collateral Mortgage Capital, LLC, recently closed a multimillion dollar, multifamily deal to fund The Ridges of Geneva East, a 120-unit development in lake Geneva. The transaction was funded through Archon Financial and collateral closed the first mortgage financing of $5,350,000 based on a ten-year term, amortized over 30 years. Amenities to the property include a clubhouse, pool and fitness center. Collateral is one of the nation’s leading commercial real estate lending/mortgage banking firms and has a servicing portfolio of over $5.3 billion. Their broad investor base includes leading life insurance companies, conduits, pension fund advisors and commercial banks. Currently, Collateral has 14 offices, but is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama and provides financing for all types of commercial and multifamily real estate on a national basis.

Bielinski Homes announces pre-construction sales in the Heritage Hills single-family neighborhood of Waukesha, featuring 102 homesites. Bielinski has also purchased open space adjacent to the neighborhood in hopes of expanding the Retzer Nature Center of Waukesha. The southern portion of the nature center is a wetland complex that Bielinksi will donate to Waukesha County. “The wetlands would not only expand and enhance Retzer’s natural lands, but perhaps eventually this could allow us to connect the Heritage Hills neighborhood to the large trail system that runs throughout the nature center,†said Bob Brownwell, Bielinski Homes CEO. Models can be toured at 1828 Deer Path in Waukesha. Bielinski Homes is the state’s largest homebuilder and offers homes and condominiums in nine southeastern Wisconsin counties.

Total Team Construction LLC completed the interior build-out of Café Brücke and the café officially opened for business on June 9. Café Brücke is located at 2101 N. Prospect Avenue in Milwaukee. The German-named bar and restaurant is owned by Jerry Patzwald and Christine Lorch. Their world travel was the inspiration for a “simply prepared menu†of appetizers, sandwiches, salads, and desserts. Patzwald plans to use Belgian techniques for serving his two draft beers, along with offering fine coffees and espressos. Dinner service will also be available. Total Team Construction has also been awarded the contract to provide construction management services for building and site work at AJ Wright-Midtown Center at 5730 W. Capitol Drive.

Building Service, Inc., Milwaukee, has been selected by Kenosha Beef, Kenosha, to provide office furniture and installation services for a new facility.

Kohler Credit Union has chosen La Macchia Group, LLC as the design/builder for a new branch in Saukville.

DBI Inc. of Pewaukee will design and build a 48,000 square-foot manufacturing and distribution facility in the Wingate Creek Business Center on Highway 33 in West Bend for Americraft Inc. The existing Americraft distribution center, located two blocks from the Regal plant, is no longer large enough. A new line of cookware and numerous new stainless steel items will be manufactured and distributed from the new facility.