Answering the following questions should help disclose whether you really want to host a meeting or event:
1) What’s the purpose? Why are you hosting this meeting or event? Is there another way to accomplish this objective? Do key players in your organization understand and support this activity?
2) Who is the audience for this event? How many people do you expect to attend? If the targeted audience includes non-staff people, who are they? Developing categories of participants allows you to decipher who your guests should be.
3) What does your audience want or expect? Addressing this issue assists in defining content based on needs and expectations. How do you identify audience expectations? Ask. Identify key prospects in each category, then talk to them.
4) What resources – staff and budget – are you willing to pledge to this project? Remember, you get what you pay for. Are you willing to spend the money necessary to effectively host this event?
5) Location. Location. Location. Are you looking for Flagstaff event venues with access to public transportation? Do you need a distraction-free environment? Are children welcome at your chosen venue? Will the event be casual or elegant. Formal or informal?
Source: Linda Jackson Cocroft, I Am Events Planning, Shorewood
July 1998 Small Business Times, Milwaukee

Cultivating convention business pays off for area firms
In making plans for President Bill Clinton’s appearance in Milwaukee two years ago, the White House florist had available to her any national floral company as well as several larger floral chains in the Milwaukee area.
But she commissioned a small downtown Milwaukee business to do the job. Private Gardener had made its presence known to the Greater Milwaukee Convention and Visitors Bureau and to its peers, and therefore when the need arose, its name came up in several circles.
Private Gardner owner Victoria Vonier knew that convention and meeting planners come into a city and look for referrals, and she made sure that her business stuck in the minds of anyone doing any referring.
Conventions bring more to the greater Milwaukee area than people. Conventions bring business, and not just business for hotels and restaurants. From florists to group transportation services to printing companies, local businesses have found a niche in convention trade.
Brian Dunn of Limousine Services, an airport transportation business on South Third Street, knows that conventioners often fly to Milwaukee, and therefore he determined that a need existed in the convention sector for airport transportation. His business often supplies conventioners with discounted prices, and transportation to events around the city in addition to airport transportation.
CVB is a crucial link
By making his business known to the Greater Milwaukee Convention and Visitors Bureau (GMCVB), Dunn gets the word out about his business to conventioners and meeting planners.
“It’s a very helpful organization,” Dunn says of the GMVCB. “They want to get convention trade into Milwaukee and they’re very supportive of the businesses that make the effort to get involved with the bureau.”
Making the effort is the key phrase here. It’s no good simply to join GMCVB, pay your membership dues and disappear. In order for GMCVB to let conventioners and meeting planners know what your business has to offer, you must first market your business to GMCVB.
“Convention and meeting planners come to the city not knowing much about the city or the available businesses and depend on us to make referrals,” says Gloria Gappa-Grundman, GMCVB membership manager. “Stay in touch with the bureau and be aggressive in letting us know that you want convention business.”
Membership dues for GMCVB start at $310 per year and average about $500 per year, says Gappa-Grundman. The dues depend on several factors such as the size of the business, type of services offered and proximity to the convention center. For that fee, however, GMCVB members receive the Master Convention Calendar which contains a two-year listing of all the conventions coming to Milwaukee, the services they require, and contact people. The calendar is otherwise confidential, so the only way to get one is to join GMCVB.
Additionally, GMCVB members are listed in the GMCVB Official Visitors Guide, Membership Directory, which is distributed to convention planners, Group Tour Planner and Meeting Planners Guide, as well as on the Destination Milwaukee Website.
Furthermore, the GMCVB Convention Services Department receives leads from meeting planners listing what types of services are needed for various meetings and conventions and forwards those leads to GMCVB members, who then are responsible for marketing themselves to the planners.
“We call people listed on the convention calendar and send them letters of information about the services we offer,” says Mark Powell of Audio Visual of Milwaukee, a business which has provided all the audio-visual equipment and personnel for such conventions as the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel Sports Show and the Central States Conference on the Teaching of Foreigners. “I would recommend that all businesses interested in convention trade take advantage of [GMCVB]. They turn a lot of leads over to us directly.”
A to Z Printing got the business of the Christian Missionary Convention through contacts at GMCVB. The company, a full-service printer, produced the convention’s newsletter for all seven days it was in Milwaukee. Says A to Z’s Greg Christensen, the company’s flexibility helped get it the convention’s business.
“We only had about six hours turnaround time to get the newsletter out every day, but since our plant has overnight capabilities, we did the job overnight for the conventioners,” Christensen says. “We wouldn’t do that on a daily basis, but we did it for the conventioners because it was a need they had.”
Word of mouth
Sometimes, word of mouth referrals are still the best way to get business. That’s how Private Gardener on North Broadway in Milwaukee’s Third Ward got the White House’s business. Private Gardener provided all the floral arrangements when President Clinton came to Milwaukee.
“It wasn’t because we called the White House and asked for their business,” says Vonier, whose business also is doing the floral arrangements for the Midwest Express Center’s opening gala. “The White House florist called a restaurant and a hotel in Milwaukee and both recommended me. When you want to get convention business, not only do you have to get involved with the Convention and Visitors Bureau, you also have to make your business known to other businesses so that when conventioners scout the city and look for business, your company’s name comes up. Anyone can be a reference for you.”
For instance, in addition to working with GMCVB to get convention business, Dunn also communicates with hotels to find convention information.
“Sometimes the smaller conventions are held in hotels and are set up through the hotels rather than through the [GMCVB],” Dunn says.
Although it may be tempting for a small business to assume that convention and meeting planners only want to give their business to the big corporate names, Gappa-Grundman suggests that small businesses which play aggressively might have an advantage when it comes to getting convention business.
“Small businesses often are more likely to take advantage of our leads than the big companies who think convention business will just come knocking at their door,” Gappa-Grundman says. “We do the referring, so if we know your business, we’ll tell the meeting planners about it. Be aggressive. It’s what the meeting planners want.”
July 1998 Small Business Times, Milwaukee

The City of Milwaukee has approved financing for the $3 million second phase of the North Avenue Commerce Center, the first business park in the central city.
The 55,000-square-foot, second phase of the central city business park which Mayor John Norquist approved will begin construction in the fall. Once completed in the spring and leased, it is expected to be home to up to 100 new jobs.
The North Avenue Commerce Center is located on 15 acres in the heart of the central city on long-vacant land between North 24th and North 27th streets, on the north side of West North Avenue once cleared for freeway construction.
Goodwill Industries leases the $2.4 million first phase of the commerce center, where it employs 50 to 70 workers in a new 57,600-square-foot building that opened two years ago. Its Goodwill Commerce Center, 2620 W. North Ave., houses a textile recycling business and an employment training program connected with the W-2 initiative.
That Goodwill facility will ultimately employ 110 workers in addition to the 100 expected to work in the business park’s second phase, which has not yet been leased.
Irgens Development Partners, LLC, of Wauwatosa, which is developing the business park under an agreement with the city and the Redevelopment Authority, will build the second phase on land just to the east of the first phase.
“The commerce center’s success is leading to this major expansion, and we look forward to building a third phase in the future,” said Mark Irgens, Irgens Development president.
The city will provide nearly $1 million in city equity and other financing for the expansion.

The 10 finalists for 2004 Better Business Bureau Serving Wisconsin Torch Awards have been named. The finalists are: Badger Meter, Inc., Milwaukee; Batzner Pest Management, New Berlin; Kelmann Corp., Wauwatosa; Kolb+Co., Milwaukee; Lakeland Supply Inc., Waukesha; Personally for You Invitations & Accessories, Madison; SmokeStacks LLC, Brookfield; Stowell Associates-Select Staff Inc., Milwaukee; The Swiss Colony Inc., Monroe; and Thomas Fence & Deck – Waukesha. The awards honor honest and ethical businesses that provide exceptional customer service, uphold a strong commitment to the community and continue to be innovative in their industry.The winners will be announced at the Torch Awards ceremony, which will take place at the Italian Community Center in Milwaukee on Wednesday, Oct. 13, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Curt and Craig Culver, both of whom are leaders of successful Wisconsin companies, will be the keynote speakers at the event. Curt Culver is the president and chief executive officer of MGIC Investment Corp., Milwaukee. His brother, Craig, is the president and co-founder of Culver Franchising Systems Inc., the Prairie du Sac-based parent company of the Culver’s restaurant chain.
Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle also is scheduled to speak at the Torch Awards ceremony. The awards will be given to businesses in four size categories: 1-10 employees; 11-99 employees; 100-999 employees; and 1,000 or more employees. Admission fees for the event are $40 for Better Business Bureau members and $45 for non-members. Corporate tables of eight are available for $400. To register for the event, contact Sarah Wilson of Small Business Times at (414) 277-8181, ext. 129, or Carole Milos at the Better Business Bureau at (414) 847-6064. Small Business Times is a media sponsor for the program.
September 17, 2004, Small Business Times, Milwaukee, WI

Question:
In my meetings and discussions with professional colleagues, I’m hearing about the importance of human capital. Can you offer some suggestions on how a company can do a good job regarding its human capital?
Answer:
Human capital is one of the emerging buzzwords in today’s business literature. Some of you may not be familiar with the term and may be wondering, "Just what is human capital?" Put simply, human capital is another way of saying, "Employees . . . the people who work here . . . the collective contributions that our people have to offer."
Why is human capital becoming an important factor in today’s business climate? There are several factors.
First, we are living in a fast-paced Information Age. Intense competition and the need to excite your customers each and every time are driving forces. This means organizations must focus on managing change and moving ahead. To do so, they must deploy employees who are able to adapt, grow and add value.
Second, despite higher unemployment over the past few years (which means more people to select from), many employers are confronted with the dilemma of finding strong candidates when job vacancies occur. Additionally, it is no secret that the Baby Boomers are aging and beginning to exit the workforce.
There are fewer Generations X and Y employees following in their footsteps. Put simply, an employee shortage looms on the horizon.
Third, employees today are more mobile than ever. This is especially true of younger employees. Employees today are making more frequent job changes. This will only accelerate as Generation Y employees enter the workforce in large numbers. In comparison with their predecessors, younger employees tend to be more self-directed. They are more inclined to define success on their own terms. For them, the psychological contract underlying employment is not principally based on loyalty or company allegiance. Rather, it is based on WIIFM – "What’s in it for me?"
So, in light of these and other trends, employers today have to focus on maximizing their human capital. The idea is to attract, retain and harness the full potential of all of your employees, especially those with high potentials (i.e., "high pots"). It simply makes good business sense, especially when you step back and consider that up to 40% of a company’s overhead can attach to the people that it has on the books.
How do you feel about the people you have on-board? How many of them are "keepers?" How many are not?
Three initiatives are critical in developing the human capital of your organization. They are: (1) Talent assessment; (2) Talent evaluation; and (3) Talent development. Let’s take a brief look at each of them.
1. Talent assessment
The first step in developing a strong human capital focus is to make sure you are doing a good job in assessing talent. This means developing an employee selection system that looks beyond demographic characteristics (e.g., current employer, current job title, school, program of study, etc.).
It means looking at the underlying success factors or competencies. What does the person know? What is he/she able to do? What attributes does he/she possess that have yet to be fully developed? These are the best predictors of who is going to succeed and who is not. So, you must make sure that your talent assessment program measures them.
To do so, follow these steps:
á Identify the competencies attached to each job.
á Develop an assessment approach (e.g., interviews, work samples, tests, assessment centers, etc.) that measures the competencies that have been identified
á Track your "hit rate" by comparing assessment data with performance indicators (e.g., productivity data, performance appraisal, peer review, etc.)
2. Talent evaluation
The second step in developing a strong human capital focus is to develop a sound performance management program. As the old adage goes, "What gets measured, gets done." So, you need to be sure that you are measuring the things that matter.
If you are emphasizing responsiveness to change and an overriding customer service focus, then those need to be factors that individuals, work areas/teams/departments and the organization as a whole measure and track each and every day.
Doing so links and aligns the efforts of all organizational members. To do a better job of evaluating individual talent, follow these steps:
á Based on the competencies that have been developed, formulate operational definitions that are job-specific (e.g., how is customer service demonstrated in Job A? Job B? And so on).
á With the operational definitions in hand, identify what the data and criteria to document the performance.
á Develop a structured program of performance monitoring and meetings in which managers and employees get together regularly and document what is working and what is not. Emphasize the links between the goals and efforts of individuals, the work team and the organization.
3. Talent development
The third step in developing a strong human capital focus is to build and deploy a comprehensive learning program. If there is one rule of thumb to developing the full potential of your employees it is this: "Unleash learning!" To do so at an optimal level, the learning must be organizationally sponsored and monitored.
Too often, learning is something that employees do on their own, on a hit-or-miss basis.
Identify and make available appropriate learning resources (e.g., tuition reimbursement at colleges/universities, Internet and intranet materials, face-to-face sessions, mentoring programs, book clubs, etc.) that encompass the learning needs of the organization.
Most importantly, emphasize that managers must be "career coaches" on behalf of their employees. They need to be helping employees move further and further along in their careers.
By attending to these three elements, you will do a better job of harnessing your company’s human capital. In doing so, your employees will be better able to pursue process improvements. They will be better able to provide exciting service to your customers. Ultimately, as a result, your company will be better able to meet its strategic and financial objectives.
Daniel Schroeder, Ph.D., of Organization Development Consultants, Inc. (ODC) in Brookfield provides "HR Connection." Small Business Times readers who would like to see an issue addressed in an article may reach him at (262) 827-1901, via fax at (262) 827-8383, via e-mail at schroeder@odcons.com or via the internet at www.odcons.com
May 28, 2004 Small Business Times, Milwaukee, WI

Personnel file
Dirk A. Mlachnik and Kyle Wasserman have joined The Starr Group, Greenfield, as account executives for commercial insurance. Mlachnik brings 12 years of experience in the insurance industry, specializing in manufacturing and construction. Mlachnik has a bachelor’s degree in business management from Cardinal Stritch University. Wasserman has 10 years of experience in the insurance industry (loss control and prevention) and 10 years in risk management for private industry. He has a bachelor’s degree in safety management and a master’s in industrial relations.
Octane, Milwaukee, has named Michelle Pape a senior account executive. Prior to joining Octane, Michelle served as a senior account executive at Hoffman York, Milwaukee, for the past five years. Pape received her bachelor’s degree in journalism from UW-Madison.
Heath Corp., Brookfield, has added Dan Seidner as account executive. Seidner has more than 20 years experience at the executive level. Prior to joining Heath Corp., Seidner served as a partner for Grant Thornton and held management positions with Xerox Corp. and Square D.
The Bentley Company, Milwaukee, has elevated senior project manager, Robert L. Hawkins, to the position of vice president. Hawkins, with Bentley since 1999, has 26 years combined architectural design and construction experience managing over $200 million in corporate, industrial, retail, financial, hospitality, health and religious projects.
Wallner Builders, Elm Grove, announced the addition of Ron Klassen to its design and project management staff. Klassen has a diverse background of more than 22 years of marketing and project management experience. Founder Leo Wallner has partnered with Klassen in the expansion of Wallner Builders.
FoodSpot.com, Elm Grove, haws hired Lisa Leinfelder as its promotions coordinator. Before joining FoodSpot.com, Leinfelder freelanced with K-Kom and Voila Media Group working on a variety of sales and marketing projects.
Integral Pro, Milwaukee, has added Jill M. Blazek as director of operations. Blazek brings more than 20 years of progressive experience to the Integral team. Blazek will be responsible for management of the Milwaukee and Phoenix offices.
Jim Tretow has joined the Milwaukee Mile staff as director of public relations. Tretow comes to the Milwaukee Mile with 16 years experience in event coordination, promotions and marketing with Lakefront Communications and its radio stations.. He earned his degree in mass communications from UW-Milwaukee in 1988.
Layton State Bank, New Berlin, announced that Eric Hall has joined the commercial lending team as assistant vice president. Hall comes to Layton State Bank with more than 10 years of financial experience. He is a graduate of Marquette University’s College of Business Administration with a bachelor’s degree in finance.
Tari Gorsalski has joined the design team at Creative Business Interiors, West Allis. Gorsalski has worked in the design industry for the past 10 years and has a broad spectrum of project experience.
ASQ, Hartland, has added Georgia Fitzwilliams as account executive and Jean Hohenwald as project manager. Both positions are within ASQ’s client services department. Fitzwilliams has more than 25 years experience in property/casualty insurance. Hohenwald has more than 30 years of insurance industry experience including insurance systems technology development, implementation and management.
Vince Halaska has been named account coordinator at Scheibel Halaska, Milwaukee. Halaska graduated in 2003 from the UW-Madison with a degree in political science.
Meyer & Wallis, Milwaukee, has added Lindsay Matthews as an account executive. Matthews joined the agency from Hoffman York, Milwaukee, where she was also an account executive. Matthews has three years agency experience and is a graduate of the UW-Milwaukee with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication.
A new IT consulting firm, JellTech Consulting, Brookfield, has added two new employees. Pam Ertl is manager of recruiting and Erv Raasch is director of new business development.
Stephens Trzinski Advertising, Brookfield, has added Rob Balge as vice president of new business development. Prior to joining Stephens Trzinski, Balge was general sales manager at WMYX/WEMP/WXSS for nearly 22 years.
Balestrieri Environmental & Development, Elkhorn, promoted Beth A. Nethery to the position of inside project manager. Nethery has been an employee of BE&D for more than three years.
Robert Boschke has joined The Disciplined Investor Group, Brookfield, as a financial consultant. Boschke had been at RW Baird and has several years of experience in the financial services industry. Boschke is a graduate of UW-Whitewater.
Great Lakes Media Technology, Mequon, has hired Kimberly Walker as purchaser. Walker brings with her seven years of experience as a purchasing agent in the digital and print media industries and is also experienced in graphic arts and production.
USA Funding, Brookfield, has added two account executives. Kris Barnes has been named account executive for southeastern Wisconsin. Barnes brings 11 years of managerial and financial skills to USA Funding. Matt Bunyan has been named account executive for the Fox Valley area of Wisconsin. Bunyan came from Country Side Mortgage.
Meyer & Wallis, Milwaukee, has promoted Chris Dresselhuys to account supervisor. Dresselhuys joined the agency as a senior account executive in 2002. Prior to Meyer & Wallis, he held account management positions at Cramer-Krasselt and Hoffman York. A graduate of UW-Madison, he has 10 years of advertising agency experience.
Jamie Henley has been named executive producer in the advertising, marketing, design and media team of Mader Communications Group (MCG), Milwaukee. Henley has more than 15 years of experience, including work with M2 OnStage, Revolution Creative and Sorgel Studios.
Marcus Fink has joined Welch Hanson Associates, Delafield as a civil engineer. Fink earned his bachelor of science degree in civil engineering at UW-Platteville, graduating magna cum laude.
Christopher S. Gray Sr. recently joined EPIC of Wisconsin, West Bend, as a writer, producer and technical consultant on all educational and marketing projects related to golf course maintenance. Gray is a 10-year veteran as a golf course superintendent and is a published author. Most recently, Gray supervised the construction and grow-in of Lost Marsh of Hammond Golf Course.
Zeppos & Associates, Milwaukee, has announced Kris Lueneburg Naidl has been promoted to executive vice president; Brenna Kriviskey Sadler has been promoted to vice president; and Brian Knox has been promoted to director of strategic services. Naidl joined Zeppos & Associates in 1994 and most recently served as vice president of the firm. Naidl has more than 13 years of experience in public relations. She graduated from UW-Madison with degrees in journalism and political science. Sadler joined the firm in 1995 and most recently served as director of client services. Sadler has prior experience in newspaper, radio and television news. Sadler graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. Knox joined the firm in 1998 and most recently served as senior account executive. Knox has more than 10 years experience in broadcast journalism. He has a bachelor of science degree in communications from Middle Tennessee State University.
Dec. 26, 2003 Small Business Times, Milwaukee

Datasyst expands lab space
Datasyst Engineering & Testing Services, a 15-year-old family-owned business in Delafield, has acquired an additional 10,000 square feet of laboratory space adjacent to its facility at 33511 Hwy. 18.

The additional space will allow the company to move forward on business expansion plans. The first phase involves expansion of environmental testing capabilities that include the simulation of temperature, humidity and corrosive environments for mechanical and electrical components. Additional chambers are being installed that will accommodate test units up to 80 feet by 17 feet.

Connex Logistics is established
Connex Logistics has been formed by the owners of two existing area companies to serve commercial shippers with third-party logistics support.
The company was formed by Mark Kurziak, owner of Grafton Transit, and Tom Haering, owner of Bridge Logistics. Grafton Transit is a common carrier established in 1989, serving the US except Alaska and Hawaii. Bridge Logistics, of Cedarburg, provides warehousing services.
Charlie Schloemer is handling operations for the new company, which is at W60 N171 Cardinal Ave., Cedarburg, and on the Web at www.connexlogistics.com.
"With the downturn in the economy, many companies have cut back and no longer have the expertise to handle certain parts of their shipping operations," Schloemer said. "But they still need to get the goods to their customers on time and at the lowest cost. We use our experience to make it happen for them."

State awards training grants for planning
Several area entrepreneurs have been awarded $637 grants to attend UW-Small Business Development Center courses to help them develop business plans.
The following summarizes the successful proposals:
George F. Englehardt, Union Grove, to evaluate the feasibility of starting a roofing and siding maintenance and repair business;
Rachel E. Falaschi, Racine, to evaluate the feasibility of starting a rough framing construction company;
Harley L. Fellion, Racine, to evaluate the feasibility of marketing bioshelters for pets;
Jennifer L. Johnson, Cedarburg. to evaluate the feasibility of opening a women’s clothing store;
Joseph T. Klein, Milwaukee, to evaluate the feasibility of starting an alternative telecom infrastructure in urban areas;
Amy L. Kurtz, Franklin, to evaluate the feasibility of expanding a travel agency;
Vincent P. Lambrechts, Kenosha, to evaluate the feasibility of making and selling egg rolls;
John I. Parker, Racine, to evaluate the feasibility of starting a siding-and-windows installation business;
Beverly L. Pilarzyk, Milwaukee, to evaluate the feasibility of opening a yarn shop;
Harry Ticknor Sr., Racine, to evaluate the feasibility of starting an Internet coupon business.

Swimtastic now offering franchises
Swimtastic Swim School of Waukesha has developed Swimtastic Complete Franchise Mix, offering proprietary curriculum and software, plus ongoing
training and support, said Sue Wainscott, Swimtastic’s founder and president.
Swimtastic has facilities in Waukesha and the Fox Cities, offering year-round lessons to students of all ages. The company has taught more than 25,000 children since its founding.
The company will discuss its franchise opportunities during meetings Aug. 8 and 22, 6-8 p.m., at the Waukesha site at 900 Tesch Court.

Stone Creek Coffee opens seventh location
Stone Creek Coffee has opened its seventh location in the Milwaukee market, at 2266 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., Milwaukee. The Milwaukee-based company has cafes in the Shops of Grand Avenue, at Water Street and Wisconsin Avenue in downtown Milwaukee, and in Wauwatosa, Whitefish Bay and Oconomowoc.

Milwaukee gets brownfields clean-ups funds
The City of Milwaukee will receive $1.8 million in Environmental Protection Agency funds to clean up contaminated brownfields around the city. Among the planned uses of the funds is the clean-up of the long-vacant Milwaukee Road depot site in the western part of the Menomonee Valley. The city will receive $250,000 in cleanup funds to be used as part of a $1 million allocation for the area on both sides of the 35th Street viaduct.
A 100-acre industrial park is planned for the property, which the city is acquiring.
Another $200,000 will be used to clean up a 40-acre former railroad site in the Menomonee Valley between the Mitchell Park Domes and Miller Park.
The grants also include $250,000 toward a $10.7 million, three-story mixed-used building on Dr. Martin Luther King Drive and Hadley Street. The development will include 18 units of subsidized housing.
The city will receive $400,000 to test gas stations and tax-delinquent lands in the city for contamination.

State updates county profiles on Web site
The Wisconsin Department of Commerce has updated the economic profiles of each of the state’s 72 counties on its Web site, www.commerce.state.wi.us.
"These profiles are a valuable economic tool," said Cory Nettles, department secretary.
The profiles incorporate the latest available federal and state data on demographics, income, quality of life and other measures.

New farmers market opens
A new farmers market has been started in Milwaukee, a joint venture of the Milwaukee Alliance and the Hunger Task Force of Milwaukee. The market is at the northeast corner of Mitchell Street and Muskego Avenue. The market is hosting 15 area growers, grocers and bakers. It is open Thursdays and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. through the end of October, and is accepting WIC and senior nutrition program vouchers. Live music and special events are also planned.
Meanwhile, South Shore Farmers’ Market has returned to Milwaukee’s Bay View neighborhood for the fifth season. The market will be open through Oct. 18, extending an extra week from the traditional 13-week season due to increased popularity and demand. The market will be in operation from 8 a.m. to noon each Saturday. Organizers of the market have expanded the "special event" hour of each week’s market to include two hours of special events and live music. From 9 to 10 a.m., there will be presentations on community information, discussions with visual artists, storytellers and more. From 10 to 11 a.m., local entertainers will fill the lakefront air with music.

Web site aims to link former Marines, jobs
The United States Marine Corps has established a new transition program called "Marine For Life."
The Marine For Life program annually helps some 27,000 Marines nationwide who have recently received an honorable discharge transition back into civilian life.
Wisconsin’s share stands at approximately 400 such Marines. Details are can be found at www.marineforlife.com.
The program combines the efficiency of the Internet with the personal input of two local Wisconsin Reserve Marines called "Hometown Links."

Aug. 8, 2003, Small Business Times, Milwaukee

Bukacek said the changes reflect "part of the national transition within BCI’s long-term Employee Stock Ownership Plan vision."

In their new roles, Cairns, a 26-year veteran with the company, and Thompson, a 10-year veteran, are responsible for day-to-day construction operations.
During his tenure with BCI, Cairns has supervised such projects as Ruud Lighting, Educator’s Credit Union, Johnson Worldwide, Danfoss and high-end residential properties.
Thompson has overseen BCI’s Hedberg Library at Carthage College, One Main Centre, The Historic Arcade Apartments, G. Leblanc Corp., Centrysis Centrifuge, the Kenosha County Courthouse, and the Kenosha Administration Building.
Bukacek said he would focus on growth opportunities for the company, including bringing complementary businesses under the BCI umbrella. He will continue to oversee all company operations, and direct BCI’s marketing, finances and real estate development.
The company is at 2429 Summit Ave. in Racine, and at www.bukacek.com on the Internet.

The following loan guarantees were approved by the US Small Business Administration during February:
AOK Investments, 3426 W. North Ave., Milwaukee 53208, $125,500, M&I Marshall & Ilsley Bank;
Build All Corp., 5203 W. Clinton Ave., Milwaukee 53223, $200,000, Park Bank;
Butch’s Automotive, 919 Williams St., Lake Geneva 53137, $12,000, First Banking Center;
Church Home Inspection Service, 204 S. Elmridge Ave., Brookfield 53005, $25,000, US Bank;
C-S Recknagel Construction, 12003 W. Brown Deer Rd., Milwaukee 53224, $65,000, Wells Fargo Bank;
Design Build Fire Protection, 1921 S. West Ave., Waukesha 53189, $191,000, Illinois Small Business Growth Corp.;
Engineering Label Products, 2615 N. Wauwatosa Ave., Wauwatosa 53213, $59,000, Wells Fargo Bank;
EZ Car Wash, 9102 S. 20th St., Oak Creek 53154, $75,600, Community Bank & Trust;
Harborside Common Grounds, 5159 Sixth Ave., Kenosha 53140, $25,000, Bank One;
Insul-Rite Systems, 3601 S. 92nd St., Milwaukee 53228, $25,000, US Bank;
Izumi’s Restaurant, 2178 N. Prospect Ave., Milwaukee 53202, $481,529, Delafield State Bank;
LLG Enterprises of SE Wisconsin, 2750 S. 14th St., Milwaukee 53204, $94,000, M&I Marshall & Ilsley Bank;
Mail Boxes Etc., 823 W. Moreland Blvd., Waukesha 53188, $150,000, Waukesha State Bank;
Market Square Restaurant, 1015 Hwy. NN, Mukwonago 53149, $219,000, Wisconsin Business Development Finance Corp.;
Milwaukee Lithographing Co., 5070 N. 35th St., Milwaukee 53209, $50,000, Capital One Federal Savings Bank;
Minelli Juice N’ Produce, 17000 W. Bluemound Rd., Brookfield 53005, $115,000, St. Francis Capital Corp.;
Moe’s Southwest Grill, 858 Laureate Dr., Pewaukee 53072, $235,000, Waukesha State Bank;
Prairie Stone Garden Center, 8504 Hwy. 60, Cedarburg 53012, $259,000, Wisconsin Business Development Finance Corp.;
Precision Metals and Hardware, 5625 N. 124th St., Milwaukee 53225, $175,000, M&I Marshall & Ilsley Bank;
Sleep Inn, Motel Road, Sheboygan 53081, $1,149,000, Wisconsin Business Development Finance Corp.;
Kurt Weber, W331 N9297 W. Shore Dr., Hartland 53029, $64,000, M&I Marshall & Ilsley Bank;
Ziaja Machining Corp., 105 Clark St., Sheboygan Falls 53085, $80,000, Community Bank & Trust.
State grants
Southeastern Wisconsin companies will share in Wisconsin Development Fund awards made at the Wisconsin Development Finance Board meeting on March 5.
Absolute Custom Extrusions, Milwaukee, $31,616 Customized Labor Training (CLT) grant — Absolute Custom Extrusions is a thermal-plastics extrusion house that manufactures custom profiles, tubing and wire coatings. The company is seeking ISO 9001/2000 Certification. The CLT funds will be used to train 12 existing employees and three new employees and will leverage $31,616 in additional private investment.
Elwood Corp., Oak Creek and Racine, $ 37,039 CLT grant – Elwood Corp. provides electronics design and consulting services and manufactures hydraulic valves and electronic products used in remote data acquisition. To meet customer requirements, Elwood is seeking ISO 9001/2000 Certification. The CLT funds will be used to train 69 existing employees and will leverage $37,039 in additional private investment.
Great Lakes Friction Products, Brown Deer, $17,781 CLT grant – Great Lakes Friction Products supplies friction components of brake and clutch assemblies to original-equipment manufacturers. The company is seeking ISO 9001/2000 Certification. The CLT funds will be used to train 12 existing employees and will leverage $17,782 in additional private investment.
Gruber Tool & Die, West Bend, $56,247 CLT grant – Gruber Tool & Die designs and builds tools and produces metal stampings. To meet customer requirements, Gruber Tool & Die is seeking ISO 9000 Certification. The CLT funds will be used to train 65 existing employees and 15 new employees and will leverage $56,247 in additional private investment.
L.T. Hampel Corp., Germantown, $40,500 CLT grant – L.T. Hampel Corp. and its three divisions provide plastic molded shelters for the agricultural market, thermoformed parts to original equipment manufacturers, and plastic products for industry and distribution. L.T. Hampel Corp. is seeking ISO 9001/2000 Certification. The CLT funds will be used to train 94 existing employees and will leverage $40,552 in additional private investment.
MTE Corp., Menomonee Falls, $13,582 CLT grant – MTE produces custom ballasts, reactors, and various power quality devices used in conjunction with electronic equipment in the commercial and industrial markets. MTE is seeking ISO 9001/2000 Certification. The CLT funds will be used to train 62 existing employees and three new employees and will leverage $13,583 in additional private investment.
Prodesse, Waukesha, $250,000 Technology Development Loan (TDL) – Prodesse develops molecular diagnostic detection methods allowing for the simultaneous detection of multiple infectious disease agents. The TDL funds will be used by the company to commercialize its biotech product lines. The project will leverage $267,300 in additional private investment.
The Department of Commerce (COMMERCE) staffs the Wisconsin Development Fund. The independent Wisconsin Development Finance Board considers proposals and awards funds. For further information, contact Todd Kearney, Department of Commerce, 608-266-6675.
March 21, 2003 Small Business Times, Milwaukee

Construction will begin this spring on a sprawling new residential development, valued at more than $40 million, near the new Northwestern Mutual Life office complex being built in Franklin.
The Franklin Oaks development will span more than 60 acres on the city’s east side, near the former site of the 41 Twin Drive-In movie theater.
The residential subdivision will include:
— 144 apartments, with various numbers of bedrooms, with a total value of $16 million.
— 45 duplex condominiums (90 units), ranging from 1,800 to 2,000 square feet, with a total value of $20.5 million.
–17 new single-family homes, with lot sales ranging from $55,000 to $75,000, and an estimated total value of $5.1 million.
Franklin Oaks was conceived by real estate development partners Jeff Klement, Gerry Klamrowski and Christopher Alessi.
The subdivision will be developed by Icon Development Corp., the Franklin company formed by Klement in 1998. The multifamily units, comprised of brick and stone materials, will be designed by The Shepherd Partnership of Wauwatosa. Icon Construction LLC, a division of Icon Development, will construct the multifamily units.
Construction is expected to begin in two months and will continue in phases over the next five years, Klement and Klamrowski said.
Franklin Oaks will be bordered by Drexel Avenue on the North, South 27th Street on the east, Plaza Drive on the south and South 35th Street on the west.
The subdivision’s single-family units will be located near existing single-family houses in Franklin. The new development will retain the wetlands and other vegetation on the land as buffer zones between the single-family and multifamily units.
The project also will include six retention ponds.
"There’s two reasons this development is special," Klamrowski said. "Along 35th and Plaza, we kept that all single-family, then we have a nice transition to a slightly higher density of duplex condos. The other transition is you have all the wetlands that separate the multifamily from the single-family units."
"The natural areas become buffers," Klement said. "It’s important. People like looking at those."
The developers have obtained all of the permits needed from the City of Franklin to proceed with the project, according to Mary Kay Buratto, who started as the city’s planning manager in December.
"Just by looking at it (the site plan), I would agree this project is well thought out," Buratto said.
Klement and Klamrowski both said they expect employees who will work at the nearby Northwestern Mutual complex will express interest in moving into the Franklin Oaks development.

The following commercial property leases have been reported:
Apex Commercial
— 762 square feet of office space at 2433 N. Mayfair Rd., Wauwatosa, by Alternative Psyc;
— 770 square feet of office space at 2100 N. Mayfair Rd., Wauwatosa, by Guidance Mortgage;
— 2,120 square feet of office space at 1011 N. Mayfair Rd., Wauwatosa, by Marinelli;
— 3,500 square feet of office space at 1011 N. Mayfair Rd., Wauwatosa, by Information Technology Partners;
Boerke Co.
— 13,900 square feet of industrial space at 3485 N. 127th St., Brookfield, by Shaw Contract Flooring, from Siepmann Family Trust;
— 1,600 square feet of retail space in the Meadow Creek Shopping Center at 1405 W. Capitol Dr. in Pewaukee, to H&R Block, by Chestnut Ltd. Partnership for $15 per square foot;
— 1,718 square feet of retail space in the Mequon Pavilion at 10920 N. Port Washington Rd., Mequon, to H&R Block, by Heritage Property Investment Trust, for $14.28 per square foot;
— 3,360 square feet of space at 1234 N. Prospect Ave. in Milwaukee, to Jill Seebantz, d/b/a Body Awareness Center, by Matex for $10.54 per square foot;
— 4,633 square feet of office space at 175 N. Patrick Blvd. in the Brookfield Lakes Corporate Park VI in Brookfield, to Crawford & Co. from Great Lakes REIT, for $18.21 per square foot;
— 2,672 square feet of space in the Bank One Plaza at 111 E. Wisconsin Ave., to Mocais Café, from Bank One for $17 per square foot;
— A 20,000-square-foot industrial building at 6724 S. 13th St., Oak Creek, to Technical Transportation;
— 1,653 square feet of space at 789 N. Water St., Milwaukee, to SPR, from Heartland Advisors for $18.50 per square foot;
— 6,940 square feet of space at 420 S. 1st St., Milwaukee, to Doggy Day Care, from KAL;
— 1,200 square feet of retail space at 10855 W. Park Pl., Liberty Plaza, Milwaukee, to State Farm Insurance, by Liberty Property Development Corp., for $13.50 per square foot;
DeMattia Group
— 1,500 square feet of space at 223 N. Water St. in Milwaukee, to LaMacchia Group;
Dickman Co.
— 52,055 square feet of industrial space at 6001 S. Ace Industrial Dr., Cudahy, by Ace Airfreight Co., d/b/a Intercontinental Transportation Systems;
— 37,000 square feet of industrial space at 6101 N. 64th St., Milwaukee, by Industrial Risk Insurers;
— 1,604 square feet of office space at 2448 S. 102nd St., West Allis, by U.S. Medical Management Inc. (Visiting Physicians);
— 45,000 square feet of industrial space at 6101 N. 64th St., Milwaukee, by Lamplight Farms;
Gerald Nell
— 2,400 square feet of industrial space at 2325 Bluemound Rd., Unit C, Waukesha, by Garage Interiors of Wisconsin, LLC d/b/a GarageTek, from Sunset Investment Co.;
— 2,400 square feet of industrial space at 2325 Bluemound Rd., Unit D, Waukesha, by Mad House Marketing, from Sunset Investment Co.;
— 6,000 square feet of industrial space at W140 N5940 Lilly Rd., Menomonee Falls, by Packaging Sales, from Bronell Investment Co.;
— 8,700 square feet of industrial space at 3225 Gateway Rd., #300, Brookfield, by Fairway Golf Cars, from Sunset Investment Co.;
— 5,350 square feet of industrial space at W237 N2889 Woodgate Rd., #C, Pewaukee, by Advanced Business Technologies, from Charter Oak Investment;
— 1,310 square feet of office space at 2515 N. 124th St., #220, Brookfield, by Medical Staffing Network, from G&N Investment Co.
— 8,100 400 square feet of industrial space at N27 W23910 Paul Rd., Unit A, Pewaukee, by Innovative Control Systems, from Charter Oak Investment;
Inland
— 12,105 square feet of office space at the Airport Atrium Building at 5007 . Howell Ave., Milwaukee, by the General Services Administration;
— 1,200 square feet of office space at 13255 W. Bluemound Rd., Brookfield, by Eye Prosthetics;
— 4,900 square feet of industrial space at the Mill Run, Milwaukee, by Courtney Industrial Battery.
— 20,000 square feet of warehouse space at 7025 West Parkland Court in Milwaukee, leased by Roller Fabrics;
— 1,860 square feet of office space at Hillside Office Center in Delafield, leased by AEGIS Therapies;
— 4,083 square feet of office space at 250 Plaza located at 250 E. Wisconsin Ave. in Milwaukee, leased by Protiviti, Inc.;
— 1,488 square feet of office space at West Allis Center located at 1126 S. 70th St. in West Allis, leased by Fisher Unitech;
Judson & Associates
— 3,180 square feet of space at 1275 E. Wisconsin Ave. in Pewaukee to Piranha Promotions, by Sawyer Enterprises;
— 2,323 square feet of space at W191 S7733 Racine Ave. in Muskego to T.D.’s Caribbean Tan, by Lakewood Development;
— 2,575 square feet of space at W191 S7733 Racine Ave. in Muskego to Scheer Photography, by Lakewood Development;
— 1875 square feet of space at 16230 W. Lincoln Ave. in New Berlin to Hog Heaven, from Brick Buildings, LLC;
— 3,000 square feet of space at W223 N798 Saratoga Dr. in Pewaukee to Schmidt Custom Floors, by Cass Properties;
— 9,165 square feet of space at 1040 Cottonwood Ave. in Hartford to In-Line Cutting, by Cottonwood III;
— 3,400 square feet of space at W227 N880 Westmound Dr. in Pewaukee to Bay Therm Insulation, by John and Joe Gleason;
James T. Barry Co.
— The remaining 1,200 square feet of space in the Centrum Office Building at 120 N. Main St., West Bend, by Ryan J. Hetzel for his law practice, from Centrum Building;
— 50,000 square feet of industrial space in the Mitchell Distribution Center at 5150 S. International Dr. in Cudahy, to Illinois Industrial Tool for its distribution business, by Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co.;
— 3,500 square feet of office/retail space at 7105 W. Greenfield Ave., West Allis, to Yocum Enterprises for a Fairgrounds Espresso Coffeehouse, by 6301 W. Douglas, LLC;
— 2,550 square feet of office space in the Cushing Park Plaza at 78 Enterprise Rd. in Delafield, to Hydrofinish for a new business to test and service cylinders, by Cushing Park;
— 4,250 square feet of office space at N19 W24400 Riverwood Dr. in the Riverwood Corporate Park in Pewaukee, a sublease to Mitel Networks, from MRA.
Polacheck Co.
— 2,400 square feet of space at 2325 Bluemound Rd., Waukesha, by Garage Interiors of Wisconsin from Gerald Nell;
— 24,514 square feet of space at W234 N2091 Ridgeview Parkway Ct. in Waukesha, to Southern Graphic Systems from RidgeView Business Center III;
— 9,600 square feet of space at N93 W14518-14670 Whittaker Way, Menomonee Falls, to Tech Master, from Da Milwaukee (Denholtz Associates);
–83,820 square feet of space at 4950 S. 6th St., Milwaukee, to MPS Services from TH Properties;
— 2,108 square feet of space at 735 N. Water St., Milwaukee, to Wisconsin Foundation for Independent Colleges, from Compass Properties North Water Street;
— 1,460 square feet of space at 735 N. Water St. to Seyman Pikofsk, from Compass Properties North Water Street;
— 1,139 square feet of space at 141 E. Sunset Blvd., Waukesha, to Advantage Wireless from Green Realty Co.;
— 3,000, 2,600 and 1,000 square feet of space at the Midtown Center, 4135 N. 56th St., Milwaukee, to Urban Gear, d/b/a City Sports, from BV/CJUF Midtown Ventures;
— 6,054 square feet of space at 8271 W. Brown Deer Rd., Milwaukee, to Ashley Stewart, from EIG Northridge Plaza;
— 1,200 square feet of space at Deer Trace Plaza at the Highway 28 and I-43 junction in Kohler, to Great Clips, from KP3;
— 4,438 square feet of space at 1528 S. 108th St., West Allis, to Hollywood Entertainment Corp., from BV West Allis;
— 1,207 square feet of space at 2177 E. Silvernail Rd., Pewaukee, to Wireless Logic, from Zabest Commercial Group;
— 2,946 square feet of space at 6400 N. 76th St., Milwaukee, to Payless ShoeSource, from Metropolitan Mill Road Venture;
— 2,598 square feet of space at 1416 W. Forest Home Ave., Milwaukee, to MVP Pizza, from American Drug Stores;
— 5,200 square feet of space at 191 N. Broadway, Milwaukee to Broadway Paper Store, from Lofts on Broadway;
— 1,785 square feet of space on Silvernail Road in Waukesha, to B&H Supper Pizza, from Zabest Commercial Group;
— 4,000 square feet of space at 10029-11031 N. Port Washington Rd., Mequon, to Fitness Factory, from East Towne Shops.
Property sales
The following commercial real estate sales have been announced:
Boerke Co.
— A 11,848-square-foot industrial facility at 6565 N. 60th St. in Milwaukee, purchased by Kevin Schuele from Marconi for $1 million;
— A 26,000-square-foot industrial property at 4871 N. 119th St., Milwaukee, to Theodore F. Dragotta, by T.R. Products;
Dickman Co.
— The 127,000-square-foot industrial facility at 4715 N. 27th St., Milwaukee, by Jonco Properties II, from Estate of Milwaukee Lead Works;
— The 16,658-square-foot industrial facility at N27 W23655 Paul Rd., Pewaukee, by MDS Holdings, from Productivity WI Real Estate;
— A 29,20-square-fot industrial property at N90 W14337 Commerce Dr., Menomonee Falls, to Summit Real Estate Exchange Services, from T.W. Real Estate;
Inland
— The 17,500-square-foot Vestcom facility at 7915 N. 81st St., Milwaukee, by J. Johnson Holdings, from James Horst and Frank Capozzi;
— 2.305 acres of land in Sussex, purchased by Sussex Corporate Center;
James T. Barry Co.
— 7.45 acres of land at the northeast corner of Bluemound Road and Jennifer Drive in Brookfield, by Poplar Creek Associates, which plans to develop a new office building on the property;
— The 17,500-square-foot Vestcom facility at 7915 N. 81st St., Milwaukee, by J. Johnson Holdings, from its business, Cornell Communications, from James Horst and Frank Capozzi;
— The 34,900-square-foot Waukesha Specialties facility at 2450 S. Commerce Dr., New Berlin, by ATM Corp., from JT Enterprises. ATM also bought the Waukesha Specialties business; both operations will occupy the building;
— The 25,600-square-foot multi-tenant industrial building at W188 N11770 Maple Rd., Germantown, by Super Sales USA, from Alpine Business Center. Super Sales purchased the building as an investment and traded it to another investor to complete an exchange;
–Two office buildings totaling 28,019 square feet of space, at 8555 and 8585 W. Forest Home Ave. in Greenfield, purchased by Steve’s Number 1, from 8555 Forest Home Co., a Gleischman Sumner Co.;
— A 40,120-square-foot industrial facility at 1416 Poplar Dr., Waukesha, sold to Michael and Terri Kelliher from Bielinski Commercial; the buyer intends to use approximately 12,000 square feet of the space for an expanded business operation and lease out the remaining space while the seller will move out of approximately 6,750 square feet of space and consolidate its operation at its new building at N16 W23377 Stone Ridge Dr., Waukesha;
— A 21,500-square-foot industrial building at N57 W13566 Carmen Ave., Menomonee Falls, sold to Weber Leasing and Holding from The Chapter 128 Receiver of the Wellington Equipment Co.; the property will be leased to Butler Building Supply;
Judson & Associates
— 2.77 acres at 3660 Kettle Court East in Delafield, by Raley, from George Kanavas;
— A 2,866-square-foot facility at 518 Poplar St. in West Bend, by Chard Fuhrecic from James and Jean Jones;
— A 28,084-square-foot facility at N70 W25156 Indian Grass Lane in Lisbon, by Don Tomasine from Mike Toebes;
— A 7,150-square-foot facility at 19500 W. Bluemound Rd. in Brookfield, by Hales Corners Full Service Car Wash, from Go Clean Car Wash;
— A 21,328-square-foot facility at 2887 Main St. in East Troy, by JT Interiors, from Dr. Armin Nyffelor;
MLG Commercial
— 1.5 acres of land at 63rd and State streets in Wauwatosa, purchased by Parkway Developments for $140,000, from B & G Realty, a division of the Marcus Corp.;
Ogden & Co.
— The Sanford Kane House at 1841 N. Prospect Ave., Milwaukee, an historic Queen Anne architecture structure, by Bill and Margaret Huettner and Lorna Mueller, from Sam Rondone. The ornate mansion was built in 1880 and most recently was the home of the Lakeshore Montessori School. The property will become home to Prospect Management Co. and Prospect Realty;
Polacheck Co.
— A 3,171-square-foot facility at 6001 22nd Ave., Kenosha, to W&W Realty, from Discovered Services.
Jan. 10, 2003 Small Business Times, Milwaukee