McCloud Construction of New Berlin has begun construction on several projects, including:

– A 27,158-square-foot addition to the Academy of Lithonia in Lithonia, Ga.
– An auction facility for Adesa Auto Auction in Orlando, Fla.
– Remodeling projects on Bank of America locations throughout Florida
– Remodeling of a Kohl’s distribution center in Menomonee Falls
– A water treatment plant in Bonita Springs, Fla.
The company has also recently completed construction on several projects, including:
– River Crest Shopping Center, Menomonee Falls
– Bell Heights Shopping Center, Appleton
– Remodeling and expansion of a trucking facility addition for Schneider National in Gary, Ind.
– A seven-building, 200-acre, automobile auction facility for Manheim Auto Auction, Detroit, Mich.

CG Schmidt Inc. of Milwaukee has completed construction of the 3,000-space General Mitchell International Airport parking structure. The six-level structure is designed to match the airport’s existing parking structure and includes circular helices and entry and exit plazas for hourly and daily parking. Pedestrian moving walkways were added from the garage to the terminal.

B. Oliver Construction Co. has completed the 25,000-square-foot renovation and expansion of an existing building at International Food Solutions in Germantown. The project utilized structural steel and precast panels. Other features of the renovation include dock equipment, cooler, mixing rooms, new offices, bathrooms, lunchroom and paving modifications.

Beyer Construction has been awarded a contract to renovate and expand Tripoli Country Club at 7401 North 43rd St., Brown Deer. Major improvements to the existing clubhouse include reconstruction of the canopy and main entrance and renovation of the bar area. Construction of an addition will accommodate a new dining room and elevator installation. The project is slated for completion by the beginning of the 2003 golf season. Architectural design is by The Zimmerman Design Group, Wauwatosa.

First Bank Financial Centre, Oconomowoc, has selected MSI General, Oconomowoc, for renovation of its headquarters. Renovations will be made to the existing bank lobby, teller line, second floor lobby and portions of the lower level.
Innovative Picking Technologies, Dousman, has selected MSI General to design and construct a 10,500-square-foot new facility on Industrial Drive in Ixonia. The Dousman company provides paperless order fulfillment systems.

Wahlgren Schwenn, Menomonee Falls, has begun construction on a 27,000-square-foot headquarters building for IDC Aerospace, a subsidiary of Zodiac Intertechnique, Paris. The facility is being constructed on a 4.4-acre parcel in the Silver Spring Technology Park, Menomonee Falls.

Briohn Bulding, Pewaukee, has been awarded a contract to design and construct a 6,550-square-foot office, warehouse and distribution facility for Gonnella Banking Company. The project is located at 4630 S. Brust Ave., St. Francis.
Briohn has also recently completed several projects at Brookfield Towne Center in the 1900 block of W. Capitol Drive, including:
– A 20,000-square-foot tenant improvement for Furniture Clearance Center
– A 10,000-suare-foot, two-story bank and office building for Lincoln State Bank and a 3,650-square-foot restaurant for Safafina’s Pasteria
– A 3,650-square-foot office, retail and showroom facility for Lil Gabriel Boutique & Galleria
– A 1,636-square-foot retail tenant improvement for Bath Mania.
Briohn has also completed a 4,000-square-foot multi-tenant building for BenJo, at 10380 W. Silver Spring Dr., Milwaukee, and has completed 2,100 square feet in tenant improvements at the building for Beauty Secret and another 1,900 square feet of build-out services for Guaranty Bank.

J.P. Cullen & Sons, Brookfield, has been awarded major projects in South Milwaukee and Janesville, and Freeport, Ill.
– J.P. Cullen will serve as general contractor for a 300,000-square-foot, two-story addition to South Milwaukee High School. The addition will include technical education, science and academic classrooms, a new commons and a four-station gymnasium with a new locker room. The project is scheduled for completion in August 2004.
– In Dodgeville, J.P. Cullen will construct a 280,000-square-foot warehouse. Work is to be completed by September.
In Freeport, the firm has also been retained to construct a 40,000-square-foot library, replacing a 1902 structure also built by Cullen.

Early View Academy of Excellence, 7132 W. Good Hope Rd., has awarded Anderson-Ashton, New Berlin, the contract for conversion of a 27,000-square-foot Budget Cinema movie theater into a new school. The school will include 14 classrooms, three computer labs, music and art rooms, a cafeteria and a multi-purpose auditorium/gymnasium. Work will be completed in the spring.
The firm has also been hired by Heider & Bott Co. to construct a 4,500-square-foot warehouse building addition at 3840 N. Palmer St., Milwaukee.

Bukacek Construction, Racine, will construct and renovate an office site in downtown Racine for the Jeffrey Leavel law firm. The law offices at 723 S. Main St., Racine, will be renovated, and four new, private offices will be constructed.
Bukacek has also completed the foundation for a 170,000-square-foot building for Texas-based McLane Food Distribution’s project in Racine’s Grandview Industrial Park.

Voss Jorgensen Schueller, Waukesha, has been hired as construction manager for new construction at St. Rita Parish, 4433 Douglas Ave., Racine. The $4 million construction project includes a new sanctuary and gathering space. Completion is scheduled for 2004.
Voss Jorgensen Schueller has also completed work as general contractor for renovations to the Hickory Building at the Village at Manor Park, 8545 W. Beloit Rd., West Allis. Work included the renovation of the 48-unit Hickory Building’s HVAC system.

Building Service Inc., Milwaukee, has been awarded work including design, architecture and construction of new examination rooms at the Sixteenth Street Community Health Center 1337 S. Cesar A. Chavez Dr., Milwaukee. The new space will be devoted to preventative women’s health services.

San Juan Regional Medical Center in Farmington, N.M., has hired Kahler Slater Architects, Milwaukee, to remodel and expand its existing hospital.
The $55 million addition and renovation project will consist of four separate phases to include an east tower addition, east tower renovation, new outpatient center and a bed modernization.

Feb. 7, 2003 Small Business Times, Milwaukee

"Our Wisconsin roots and the Milwaukee Electronics name have served us well. But the name no longer accurately represents our business," Stoehr said.

The company will continue its growth orientation, with intentions to open additional manufacturing facilities through acquisitions and start-ups. "We’ve chosen to decentralize our business and structure the company to be closer to our existing customer base," Stoehr said.
Along with the naming structure, a redesigned Web site, www.perfect-product.com, has been launched, and a branding campaign has begun.
MEC Northwest, in Portland, Ore., was acquired in 1999. MEC Mexico and MEC Southwest, in Tecate, Mexico and Tecate, Calif., were opened in December.

The public relations/public affairs firm of Tries & Rice has formed a strategic alliance with Donald Stitt, former state legislator and Wisconsin Republican Party chairman, to offer government relations and public policy advocacy services. The firm will operate out of offices at 322 E. Michigan St., Suite 600, in Milwaukee, and at 10 E. Doty St., Suite 800, in Madison.

Superior Special Services will change its name to Onyx Special Services. With the change, Superior adopted the name of its parent company, Onyx. Onyx Special Services, headquartered in Milwaukee, provides environmental remediation, abatement, emergency response and construction services in Wisconsin and throughout the nation.

The Peltz Group and Waste Management have joined to form the Recycle America Alliance, a new business that represents a long-term venture to combine the resources and assets of the two companies into a national recycling operation. Under the agreement, Waste Management will combine the majority of its recycling assets with The Peltz Group’s assets to form a new company that will provide recycling, materials brokerage services, container processing and trading. Waste Management will own about 90% of the new firm, which will operate as a consolidated subsidiary of Waste Management and will be directed by a management team of former officers and managers of both companies. The Peltz Group will own the remaining 10% of the business.

WorkWise, a Milwaukee-based provider of efficiency-oriented programs for manufacturers, has purchased the assets of Integrated Business Systems (IBS), based in Des Moines, Iowa.
IBS develops an e-manufacturing suite of Web-enabled applications, which integrate with WorkWise’s product, Time Critical Manufacturing (TCMï). The e-manufacturing suite of products purchased by WorkWise includes: a Web-enabled front office system with e-business capabilities, a Web-enabled shop floor data collection system, a Web-enabled radio-frequency warehouse management application and a Web-enabled outside processing module. WorkWise plans to further integrate the e-manufacturing suite with TCM.
"The acquisition of IBS will provide benefits for our customers in a number of areas," said Wayne Wedell, president of WorkWise. "The e-manufacturing suite of products, developed by IBS, are Web-enabled, built on the latest proven technologies and already integrate with our TCM applications at multiple customer sites. These products further extend the TCM backbone, helping to provide solutions to some of today’s complex issues in the areas of e-commerce, lean manufacturing, warehouse management and vendor fulfillment." He adds, "In addition to the e-manufacturing suite of products, the experienced staff at IBS has also joined WorkWise, furthering our commitment to serving our customers."
"IBS and WorkWise already share many of the same customers, so the acquisition of IBS will further leverage initiatives already in place", said Lloyd Saville, president of IBS. "Some of the key benefits of the acquisition include: better integration of the IBS/WorkWise products, improved overall support, and new technologies/functionality available to the TCM product line."
WorkWise has its headquarters at 12000 W. Park Pl. on Milwaukee far northwest side.

First MidAmerica Investment Corp., based in St.Joseph, Mo., has opened its first branch office in the Milwaukee market,at 1234 E. Juneau Ave. in Milwaukee. Founded in 2001, the firm focuses on individual investors. The Milwaukee office branch manager is Joan C. Levine, a vice president in the firm. Gayle L. LaVora is director of operations.

Feb. 7, 2003 Small Business Times, Milwaukee

Bukacek Construction is in the process of designing and building a $900,000 addition to Norco Manufacturing’s Racine County facility located in the Town of Raymond. The 12,500-square-foot addition will almost double the size of the existing 15,000-square-foot facility. The project will be constructed of masonry block to match the appearance of the original building, which houses Norco’s aircraft hangar door manufacturing operation.
Plymouth-based Jim Pankow, Inc., has landed several design-build projects in Sheboygan, Ozaukee and Dodge counties. Projects include:

John Scala has been named president of United Visual Products, a Milwaukee-base
manufacturer of office products, including visual communication boards, signage and display materials.
Joseph G. Schaefer has joined Associated Bank as assistant vice president of commercial banking at the Kilbourn Avenue office in downtown Milwaukee. Schaefer has more than nine years of experience in banking. Prior to joining Associated, he held positions such as commercial lending officer at LaSalle Bank. Schaefer earned his bachelor’s degree in international relations and economics from Connecticut College in New London, Conn.
Jay Radmer has joined M&I Marshall & Ilsley Bank as vice president, business banking. Previously, Radmer worked at Meridian Capital Bank, which has been acquired by Wells Fargo. Radmer holds a bachelor of business administration in finance degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and an MBA from Marquette University. He is a member of the board of directors of Curative Care Network and Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Milwaukee and Waukesha.
Kelly Strnad has joined Milwaukee Catholic Home as director of human resources. With six years of experience in the field, she holds a master’s degree in human resources from UW-Milwaukee, and an industrial labor relations degree from Marquette University.
FlexBen Corp. in Mequon has promoted five persons to executive vice president positions, including Ruth M. Otto, information technology; Doug Layman, sales and marketing; Robin Brugman, controller; Liz Gumtow, human resources; and Deborah Alpert, benefit administration.
Craig Bauer has joined Community Bank of Grafton as vice president for commercial lending in the Waukesha and Washington county markets. He will work out of the Menomonee Falls office. He has been in banking for 16 years.
Dan Ouimet of Kenosha, has joined Alfa Laval as US and Mexico production purchasing manager. He will coordinate production purchasing for all 8 manufacturing sites within in the US and Mexico. He will operate out of the Pleasant Prairie facility in Kenosha County. He joined Alfa Laval in 2000 as materials manager. Ouimet has a B.S. from UW-La Crosse, and is a CPM (certified purchasing manager.)
Michael Wilson has joined the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, based in Brookfield, as CEO. He replaces John A. Altobelli, who retired as of Sept. 9. Wilson has 23 years of executive management and operational experience in the health-care industry. Prior to joining the foundation, Wilson was president and CEO of Medical Professional Associates of Arizona (Medpro), the largest multispecialty physician organization in Arizona. Earlier in his career, Wilson served as executive vice president of the LaSalle Clinic in Neenah, and as president and chief administrative officer of Dean Medical Center in Madison. He holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Baylor University, a master’s degree in counseling from Chapman College in Orange, Calif., and an MBA with emphasis on finance and economics from Southwest Missouri State University. He holds certified medical practice executive status in the American College of Medical Practice Executives.
Rebecca J. Krentz has been named manager of North Shore Bank’s branch at 4414 N. Oakland Ave. in Shorewood. She had earlier been with Mutual Savings Bank and First Financial Bank in Grafton.
Teresa Benson has joined the Sales and Marketing Executives of Milwaukee (SME) as the vice president and executive director of the organization.
Julie Tolan has joined Marquette University as vice president for university advancement. She has been president of Milwaukee’s United Performing Arts Fund, the nation’s largest united performing arts fund, since 1999. Tolan previously served as Marquette’s assistant vice president for university advancement after joining the university in 1990. She succeeds the Rev. Timothy Lannon, S.J., who is stepping down to prepare for his next assignment from the Society of Jesus.
Sept. 13, 2002 Small Business Times, Milwaukee

Anchor Moving Systems of Milwaukee has purchased Ordway-Frazer Cartage, based in Hartland, which specializes in moving office imaging equipment and other business machines.
Anchor said it would retain all 20 of the Ordway-Frazer employees. The company’s previous president, Jim Ordway, will stay on in an advisory role.
Employment in Hartland is expected to increase by 50%, according to Bill Forrester of Anchor Moving Systems, who said the acquisition will foster the firm’s growth in the western part of metropolitan Milwaukee.
Jim Meinert, president of Meinert Market Services, has established an office in his home near Grafton. Meinert is devoting more time to his consulting firm upon leaving Snider Mold after 36 years of ownership and affiliation with the company, where he served most recently as director of international marketing.
Meinert Market Services was founded in 1997 to assist companies in plastics and other manufacturing industries to market and sell globally.
The business is at 1587 Hwy. I, Grafton. Meinert can be reached at 262-375-2500; or jlmeinert@aol.com.
The CPA firm of Kerber, Eck & Braeckel has moved from downtown Milwaukee to offices in the Honey Creek Corporate Center, 125 S. 84th St., Milwaukee. Its new telephone number is 414-456-1099. The firm has six offices in Wisconsin, Illinois and Missouri.
Integrated Risk Solutions, a risk management and insurance brokerage firm, has moved to new offices in the Town Center building, at 524 Milwaukee St., according to Tom Precia, president of the firm. The company was established a year ago in Delafield; growth led to the need for more space.
Davians Banquet & Conference Center has completed a major renovation of its 9,000-square-foot facility at 16300 W. Silver Spring Dr. in Menomonee Falls. Pewaukee designer Cherl Carlson, vice president of Imperial Displays, created a European and stately environment featuring metallic bronze, taupe and gray tones.
Schneider Cheese of Waldo in Sheboygan County has garnered a $9,202 Customized Labor Training grant through the state Department of Commerce.
Schneider Cheese provides private-label dairy products for retail grocery chains, operates as a co-packer for major dairy marketers, and sells cheese products under the Schneider label in southeastern Wisconsin markets.
The company is planning a $2 million expansion of its production facilities, including purchasing new equipment and adding more personnel.
The funds will be used to train nine current employees and eight new employees on the new equipment and processes. The training project will leverage $9,203 in other private investment.
Vanguard Computers of Brookfield has obtained a $60,000 Minority Business Development loan through the state Department of Commerce.
Vanguard Computers supplies educational institutions, governmental entities, and corporations with custom computers, and provides sales, rentals, networking consultation, design, and implementation services. The loan will be used to purchase equipment. The project is expected to create 10 new positions and will leverage $113,100 in additional investment.
Sept. 13, 2002 Small Business Times, Milwaukee

Brett Burris has been promoted to the position of president of Kempsmith Machine Co., a 113-year-old corporation and one of Wisconsin’s oldest machine builders. Burris had been serving as vice president of manufacturing at the firm, at 1829 S. 73rd St. in Milwaukee.
Burris has been with Kempsmith for 10 years.
Robert Burris will remain as chief executive officer of the company. He is also active as CEO of Motive Equipment, Inc., of New Berlin.
Brett Burris will be responsible for Kempsmith paper converting product lines as well as the D&L division of bottle-washing, filling and capping machinery.
The Kempsmith paper-converting machinery involves machinery for the production of cartons and office-filing products. Kempsmith is also a supplier of contract machining and assembly for other machine builders, as well as other manufacturing companies.
The D&L division, formerly Dostal & Lowey, of Menomonee Falls, manufactures machinery for washing, filling and capping three- and five-gallon water containers, as well as washers for all reusable bottles.
John Malloy has joined NAI MLG Commercial as chief financial officer/chief operations officer of the Brookfield-based firm. Malloy had previously been a partner with the Milwaukee office of BDO Seidman, a public accounting and consulting firm, and had earlier been with the Milwaukee office of Arthur Andersen. Malloy also serves on the board of directors of Nativity Jesuit Middle School and the Great Lakes Hemophilia Foundation. He serves on advisory boards for the Professional Interpreters Enterprise and for the Marquette University Accounting Department. The company has also announed that Mike Siewert has been named executive vice president and principal in NAI MLG Commercial. He had CEO of CoForce.com, a firm he founded in St. Louis but which was sold in July. He had earlier been with Stifel, Nicolaus & Co. and with Robert W. Baird & Co.
KeyLink Solutions, a software and administrative services company for healthcare payers and provider organizations in Thiensville, has hired Paula Lucier as a QA manager. The firm has also hired Lana Tash to the newly created position of executive assistant.
Tanya J. Crivello of Whitefish Bay has joined Martech Assemblies in Grafton as quality assurance supervisor. She is a member of the American Society for Quality and has served in various quality assurance and customer advocacy positions with Milwaukee-area electronic device manufacturers. Dennis Rector of West Allis has been appointed engineering supervisor with the firm. Rector is a graduate of Milwaukee School of Engineering and joined the company in 2000. The company provides contract manufacturing and product development for manufacturers and marketers of medical monitoring devices.
T-3 Group of Milwaukee has hired David Schwalm as construction superintendant for its multi-family division. He is a graduate of Plattsburg State University in Plattsburg, N.Y., with a construction management supervision degree, and has been in commercial construction for more than 10 years.
Glenn Gohlke has joined Berghammer Construction Corp. of Butler as chief operating officer. The firm has also promoted Cheryl Lehman to the position of vice president of finance and administration, and has hired Chris Rozof as chief estimator, and Ryan Konop as project manager is the medical division.
Matt Miskowski has been hired as retail operations manager at MC2, a cellular consulting firm in downtown Milwaukee. He had previously been with TSR Wireless and US Cellular.
Carey Kusik has been named director of marketing at NAI MLG Commercial in Brookfield. The firm has also added Jalal Ali as director of information services, John Malloy as COO/CFO, Michael Siewert as executive vice president, investments, and Karri Tate, director of human resources and communications.
Kim D. Michaud has been hired as district sales manager for the Milwaukee office of AE Business Solutions, an IT consulting and systems integration company based in Madison.
Kelly Coyne has joined Suby von Haden & Associates as a manager at the firm’s Milwaukee’s location. Coyne, who had previously been a manager at another accounting firm, is a 1992 graduate of Michigan State University at East Lansing.
Leader Paper Products of Milwaukee has named Marvin S. Cohen to the new position of vice president, national accounts. He joins the firm with more than 30 years of experience in sales of envelopes, specialty converted products and related services, including 22 years in various sales capacities at Williamhouse. He also has held positions with Ampad and Taylor Co. Leader is marking its 100th year in business this year.
Jeff Fleming, who had worked for Milwaukee city government for the past decade, has joined Zizzo Group Marketing in Milwaukee as public relations director. Fleming had served as communications director for Milwaukee Mayor John Norquist, and most recently worked as a lobbyist for the city. He had earlier been in broadcast journalism, working with NBC News in New York and with WTMJ-TV in Milwaukee for nine years.
Bill Angsten of Oconomowoc has been named president and CEO of Metal Express, an affiliate of A.M. Castle Co., and a national supplier of industrial metals headquartered in Waukesha. Prior to being named president and CEO, Angsten served on the company’s board of directors. He had earlier been owner of Metal Buyers Mart, a company that he founded. Angsten earned his bachelor of arts degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
John E. Murray and Alan G.B. Kim Jr. have been elected shareholders at the law firm of Davis & Kuelthau in Milwaukee. Murray is a member of the Employment Litigation practice group and works in the Milwaukee office. Kim is a member of the Litigation Section and the Environmental Law Section where he focuses his work on construction, land use/real property, and commercial litigation. He practices from the Madison office.

Metal Express, a national supplier of industrial metals, has moved its corporate headquarters from Cleveland, Ohio, to Waukesha, at W229 N2464 Joseph Rd.
The company, an affiliate of A.M. Castle Co., has 15 locations nationwide, serving a wide variety of clients from industrial to retail accounts. Metal Express specializes in small orders, and offers a wide range of metals including carbon alloy, aluminum, stainless steel, copper, brass, bronze and tool steel to more than 25,000 customers, said Bill Angsten, president and CEO of Metal Express.
The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra’s administrative and ticket offices have moved to the First Financial Centre, 700 N. Water St., in downtown Milwaukee. The MSO’s administrative staff are on the sixth and seventh floors of the building, while a ticket sales office is at street level. “Our new location will allow us to have a greater street presence in downtown Milwaukee,” said Cecilia Francis, public relations associate for the MSO. The new office is close to the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts, where the MSO performs. The MSO offices had been on the ninth floor of one of the Park East Plaza towers at 330 E. Kilbourn Ave.
Zeppos & Associates has completed its move to the renovated and renamed Monroe Building at 400 E. Mason St. in downtown Milwaukee, said Kris Naidl, vice president of the firm. Zeppos & Associates is on the second floor of the building, leasing approximately 6,500 square feet of space. The Monroe Building is also home of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, a law firm, an accounting firm and other businesses.
Waukesha Health Care has leased 9,000 square feet of office space at 2750 Golf Rd. in Delafield, according to John Czarnecki of Wangard Partners, the listing broker. Waukesha Health Care, affiliated with Waukesha Hospital, will operate as a medical clinic. The building is adjacent to M&I Bank at the intersection of Golf Road and Highway 83. Steve Wagner of The Polacheck Co. was the leasing broker.
New businesses, acquisitions
Andrea Ward has incorporated WDSI as a lock and detention equipment contractor in Cedarburg. The firm handles consulting, design, installations, and service and maintenance of locks and other detention equipment.
Global Sound, formerly known as Global Sound International, of Greendale, has been purchased by Debra and David Petersen, owners of Gardtec, of Racine. The company is being relocated to Racine, according to Debra Petersen, Gardtec president. David Petersen serves as vice president of the company while Tony Catrine is manager for business development. Gardtec is at 2909 Mt. Pleasant St. Global Sound supplies audio accessories to the automotive market.
International Monetary Systems of New Berlin has incorporated a Canadian barter division: Continental Trade Exchange of Canada, with offices in Ottawa and Durham, both in Ontario. The stateside Continental Trade Exchange, meanwhile, has purchased the assets and client base of Trade Systems Interchange, a barter exchange in Rohnert Park of the San Francisco Bay area. The company now has five offices in Wisconsin, Illinois and California.
Chrysalis Packaging & Assembly (Chryspac) of Milwaukee has merged with Outsource Assembly and Distribution, according to William Becket, Chryspac president, and Rob Namowicz, Outsource owner. Namowicz is also owner of JNA Temporary Services in Milwaukee. Chryspac is at 2701 S. 1st St., the plant formerly operated by Outsource. The company wraps, bags, labels, sorts, assembles, disassembles, inspects and distributes products made by others.
Creatonomy, a marketing communications firm, has been formed at 1661 N. Water St. in Milwaukee, by Priya and Kevin Barnes, with the name having been formed from the words creativity and autonomy. Barnes is focusing on the financial services, insurance, health-care and senior markets. The firm’s Web site is www.creatonomy.com.
Tech grants
Four southeastern Wisconsin firms were among 25 companies in the state that won 49 federal Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)/Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) awards totaling $70.7 million.
The awards were made at the Sept. 25 SBIR/STTR conference and technology awards banquet in Waukesha.
The following summarizes the awards for southeastern Wisconsin firms:
— 3D Molecular Design, Wauwatosa, Phase II SBIR Award from National Institute of Health (NIH) of $208,000
— Advance Engines Development Corp., Milwaukee, Phase II SBIR Award Department of Defense of $727,938
— Bioelectromagnetics, Elm Grove, Phase I SBIR Award from NASA of $70,000.
— Simulation Technology & Applied Research, Mequon, Phase I SBIR Award from Dept. of Energy of $99,667.
State financing
E&M Citgo of Milwaukee will receive a $100,000 loan from the state’s Minority Business Development Fund (MBDF), Gov. Scott McCallum has announced. E&M Citgo is a start-up convenience store . It will be located in a North Avenue neighborhood currently undergoing extensive redevelopment. The owners will construct and equip a 1,500-square-foot facility. The business will use its loan to purchase equipment. The project will create nine jobs and leverage $551,000 in additional investment.
Oct. 12, 2001 Small Business Times, Milwaukee

Successful team-building programs
exhibit four key characteristics
DANIEL SCHROEDER
For SBT
Question: What’s your take on team-building programs? We’ve been doing some different team-building activities over the last couple of months and about the only thing it’s done is given us something to talk about at lunch. I haven’t noticed much of a change in productivity. Some of us have been concerned about how all of this sharing is going to help us do our jobs better.
Answer: You may be surprised to hear that I am an advocate of team-building programs, so long as they are structured and organized and supported by top management. I am, however, pragmatic about many of these initiatives. Too often, it seems, these programs leave participants (like you) disenchanted and frustrated. Yet, it also seems safe to say that most of us will agree that teamwork and cooperation are essential to organizational or work-unit performance.
How many companies really do a good job of developing and honing that cooperative spirit?
How many managers devote focused attention to developing a team orientation?
There are a number of reasons why managers do not succeed in their team-building activities. Those include the fact that they do not understand the benefits of a team-based approach to work. Sometimes they do not have the skill or knowledge to facilitate team building. And sometimes they lack the support of the next level of management.
In general, for team building to succeed, the following four characteristics must be present:
· The team must be committed to a common goal or purpose – In order to really work, all team members must be united around a theme or vision. The old adage “A chain is only as strong as its weakest link” is applicable here. Dissidents or naysayers can undermine even the most formidable team-building program.
· Members of the team must have clear roles and responsibilities – A team of individuals working together is able to do more than they could working on their own, provided that each member understands his/her role. A critical component of an effective team is the clarity around individual strengths and weaknesses. Not every member has to be good at every task. Every member does, however, need to know who is doing what and why he/she is doing it.
· A communication structure must exist that fosters the sharing of information – Information must be easily accessible and it must come from credible sources. Additionally, meeting management skills must be developed and nurtured. And a mechanism must be built for ensuring that what is agreed to is carried out.
· The team must have a sense of mutual accountability – Objective measures of performance must be established. Self-assessment must be encouraged, supported by peer assessment that is constructive and improvement-oriented.
An environment of honesty and sincerity must be fostered.
Normally, when a team building program is pursued, the following stages of development emerge:
· Forming – Developing methods of cooperation and clarifying roles/responsibilities.
· Storming – Resisting the new approaches and struggling with new ways of working.
· Norming – Coming to an understanding of how the work will be done, overcoming conflicts and in fighting, establishing trust and rapport.
· Performing – Moving to a higher level of performance and developing process improvements and systems of individual and team evaluation.
A number of team-building techniques are possible, ranging from off-site adventure-based learning programs to manager-led activities to informal team meetings during the day, over lunch, or after hours. Regardless of the approach used, the goal remains the same: to build feelings of trust and enthusiasm so as to transform individual and collective work performance.
There are some common barriers that must be overcome for team building to succeed. From the tone of your question, my sense is that you are confronting one or more of the following:
· Insufficient time – Perhaps you are using workshops to learn about team building. These might be held every couple of weeks. What is going on in between sessions? Perhaps different members are able to offer different amounts of time because of workload variations. There are no easy answers except to note that anything worth pursuing takes time. If team building is important it needs to occupy a prominent place on the schedule.
· Lack of knowledge about how to build a team – Who is facilitating the team-building process? Not everyone manager is a facilitator of group process. Not every team-building consultant is effective. Be sure that the person(s) charged with facilitating the process have the know-how to get the job done.
· Organizational culture – Not every company can support a team-based approach to work. Hierarchical, autocratic, top-down structures do not lend to participation and involvement. Management needs to be prepared to let go of some its power and decision-making authority for team building to truly work.
So, are team-building programs a waste of time? They can be, but I don’t think they have to be. Setting some realistic expectations and defining the process to be used will help to make the program a success. My advice to you is to challenge your team-building process by examining the four characteristics I shared earlier in this column.
Daniel Schroeder, Ph.D., of Organization Development Consultants (ODC) of Brookfield, provides HR CONNECTION. Small Business Times readers who would like to see an issue addressed in a future column may reach him at 262-827-1901, via fax at 262-827-8383, or via e-mail at schroeder@odcons.com.
Aug. 17, 2001 Small Business Times, Milwaukee

St. Mary’s Hospital, Ozaukee County (Mequon): A 107,000-square-foot addition and 36,000-square-foot renovation project will cost $38 million. Construction began in August, 2000. The addition is scheduled to be completed in February, 2002. The renovation should be completed by the end of 2002.
St. Joseph’s Hospital, Washington County (West Bend): Plans are in the works for a new hospital. The cancer and mental health centers would remain at the current hospital, along with some administrative departments. Sites in West Bend and just outside of the city, as well as the current site, are being considered. Cost and size of the project have not been determined.
Oconomowoc Memorial Hospital, Waukesha County (Oconomowoc): Construction of a new radiology unit began in April and is scheduled to open in January, 2002. The addition is part of a 5-year, $26.5 million expansion and renovation project. Also, a 22,000-square-foot clinic is being built in the Oconomowoc Corporate Center. Construction of the $3.2 million clinic began in June and is scheduled to be completed in January, 2002.
Community Memorial Hospital, Waukesha County (Menomonee Falls): Construction of a 40,000-square-foot heart and vascular center and a 37,000-square-foot women’s health center began in June and is scheduled to be completed in late 2002 or early 2003. Total project cost, $60 million.
Elmbrook Memorial Hospital, Waukesha County (Brookfield): 9,000 square-feet of above-ground and 8,000-square-feet of subterraneal additions are being built at a cost of $7 million. Additions will house new operating suites and a new Center for Digestive Health. Construction began in fall of 2000 and is scheduled to be completed in early 2002.
Waukesha Memorial Hospital, Waukesha County (Waukesha): A 200,000-square-foot addition will include a cardiology unit, birthing center and pediatric unit. Cost of the project is $60 million. The addition is scheduled to open in spring, 2003.
St. Luke’s Hospital, Milwaukee County (Milwaukee): A 430,000-square-foot, $180 million addition will house a 280-room cardiac center. Construction is scheduled to begin in October and be finished by 2004. The project, a 12-story tower, will be the third tallest building in Milwaukee. It is one of the largest construction projects in the state, second only to the renovation of the Green Bay Packers’ Lambeau Field.
Aurora Women’s Pavilion, Milwaukee County (West Allis): The 207,000-square-foot building will be connected to West Allis Memorial Hospital. Construction of the $80 million project began in May, 2000 and is scheduled to be completed in April, 2002.
Aurora Health Center, Ozaukee County (Port Washington): Construction of the 11,300 square-foot building began in March, 2001 and was completed in June. The clinic includes family practice, pharmacy, x-ray, mammography and occupational health services. A cost estimate was unavailable.
St. Catherine’s Hospital, Kenosha County (Pleasant Prairie): The hospital is being rebuilt and expanded to be a 272,000-square-foot facilities including the Joseph F. Andrea Regional Cancer Center, a kidney center and the H.E. Sommer Women’s Health Center. Construction is scheduled to begin in October and completed by July, 2002. A cost estimate was unavailable.
All Saints-St. Mary’s Medical Center, Racine County (Racine): Construction of St. Luke’s Health Pavilion, a 174,000-square-foot addition, began in March, 2001 and is scheduled to be completed spring, 2003. The cost of the project is $39 million. The addition will include the St. Luke’s Center for Women and Children. Also, two floors of office space totaling 40,000-square-feet is being added to the hospital. The $9 million project began in March, 2001 and is scheduled to be completed in spring, 2002.
Aug. 17, 2001 Small Business Times, Milwaukee

Bentley World-Packaging and Modern Packaging have joined forces to combine facilities and management. The combined operation of the export packaging operations will have six facilities in Wisconsin and serve more than 300 customers.
Bentley, with headquarters at 4080 N. Port Washington Rd. in Milwaukee, constructs wood crates, loads ocean carriers, sells custom specification cartons, provides parts distribution services, warehouses products and packages products to government and hazardous-goods specifications.
Modern Packaging, of Muskego, has been operated by Kurt Prange and Walter Wrobbel.
The combined companies will operate under the Bentley World-Packaging name.
R&R Insurance Services of Waukesha has acquired Ziegler Insurance – a division of B.C. Ziegler and Company, located in West Bend. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
“We had been looking for an opportunity to expand our operations into the counties north of Milwaukee, and acquiring Ziegler Insurance has given us a solid foundation for that expansion,” said Ken Riesch, owner and president of R&R Insurance. “We see exciting growth opportunities for R&R Insurance as we expand our operations in Washington County.”
John Mulherin, president and CEO of Ziegler, said the transaction “provides a wonderful opportunity for Ziegler Insurance and its staff to grow with a partner that has a excellent reputation in insurance services.”
Agents and personnel of the Ziegler agency will become employees of R&R Insurance, and will remain in their current office space in the Ziegler building at 215 N. Main St. in West Bend.
Besides Waukesha and the new West Bend office, R&R has an office in Ft. Atkinson in Jefferson County.
Milwaukee Eye Care Associates (MECA) has purchased the Franklin-based ophthalmology practice, Allen Eye Care Associates, from Dr. Ronald Lee Allen and the practice of the late Dr. J.B. Stafl, whose offices were at 10425 W. North Ave. MECA is under the direction of ophthalmologist and refractive surgeon Dr. Peter Foote, and has five locations: Brookfield, Bayside, Franklin and Milwaukee’s east and south sides. The Franklin office is at 9200 W. Loomis Rd.
Stay-Lite Lighting of Waukesha has acquired the assets of General Lighting of Little Chute. Stay-Rite provides lighting systems and maintenance services for commercial, industrial and retail buildings. It was founded in 1970.
According to Kirk Tuson, president of Stay-Rite, the company decided to acquire General Lighting in order to expand capabilities and provide better customer support throughout the state, including the Appleton area where General Lighting operated. Larry VerHeyden, former owner of General Lighting, will remain with the operation in a sales capacity. Stay-Lite is based at 222 W. St. Paul in Waukesha, while the Little Chute office is at 2215 Kelbe Dr.
Horizon Partners of Milwaukee has acquired Lantor, Inc., of Boston, and its two UK-based affiliate companies: Lantor U.K., Ltd., and Lantor Universal Carbon Fibres, with management from IPT, Ltd., in England.
The company will operate as Lantor, Inc., a subsidiary of Horizon. W.T. Sellman, its former general manager, will be its president and CEO.
With approximately $35 million in sales, Lantor is a leader in specialty sectors of the non-woven textile field, according to Robert M. Feerick, Horizon’s chairman.
Sellman said the transaction returns ownership of the operations to the United States and provides the capital for future expansions and acquisitions. It was established in 1974 to manufacture specialty textile materials for use in filtration applications within the cement, asphalt, power generation, automotive and chemical-processing industries. Lantor UK was established in 1957.
Aerial Specialists Inc-USA of Racine has acquired the total assets of Pro-Mark Aerials. Pro-Mark manufactured trailer-mounted boom lifts along with electric-vehicle-mounted models.
Aerial Specialists (www.aerialspecialists.com) markets itself as the “largest listing” aerial lift parts company in the US.
MC Care, a Milwaukee-based provider of rehabilitation therapy services to the long-term care industry, has acquired Greenbriar Rehabilitation in an effort to move into new markets, according to Curt Klade, chief operating officer for MJ Care. “Greenbriar Rehab is a logical addition to our existing business and assists in our expansion into northern Wisconsin,” Klade said. Greenbriar has headquarters in Eau Claire. It will operate as a subisdiary of MJ care. Jim Price, the head of Greenbriar, will become vice president, Greenbriar Division. MJ Care (www.mjcare.com), with headquarters on South 102nd Street, now employs more than 500 therapists and has contracts in six states.
Aug. 17, 2001 Small Business Times, Milwaukee

St. Mary’s Hospital, Ozaukee County (Mequon): A 107,000-square-foot addition and 36,000-square-foot renovation project will cost $38 million. Construction began in August, 2000. The addition is scheduled to be completed in February, 2002. The renovation should be completed by the end of 2002.
St. Joseph’s Hospital, Washington County (West Bend): Plans are in the works for a new hospital. The cancer and mental health centers would remain at the current hospital, along with some administrative departments. Sites in West Bend and just outside of the city, as well as the current site, are being considered. Cost and size of the project have not been determined.
Oconomowoc Memorial Hospital, Waukesha County (Oconomowoc): Construction of a new radiology unit began in April and is scheduled to open in January, 2002. The addition is part of a 5-year, $26.5 million expansion and renovation project. Also, a 22,000-square-foot clinic is being built in the Oconomowoc Corporate Center. Construction of the $3.2 million clinic began in June and is scheduled to be completed in January, 2002.
Community Memorial Hospital, Waukesha County (Menomonee Falls): Construction of a 40,000-square-foot heart and vascular center and a 37,000-square-foot women’s health center began in June and is scheduled to be completed in late 2002 or early 2003. Total project cost, $60 million.
Elmbrook Memorial Hospital, Waukesha County (Brookfield): 9,000 square-feet of above-ground and 8,000-square-feet of subterraneal additions are being built at a cost of $7 million. Additions will house new operating suites and a new Center for Digestive Health. Construction began in fall of 2000 and is scheduled to be completed in early 2002.
Waukesha Memorial Hospital, Waukesha County (Waukesha): A 200,000-square-foot addition will include a cardiology unit, birthing center and pediatric unit. Cost of the project is $60 million. The addition is scheduled to open in spring, 2003.
St. Luke’s Hospital, Milwaukee County (Milwaukee): A 430,000-square-foot, $180 million addition will house a 280-room cardiac center. Construction is scheduled to begin in October and be finished by 2004. The project, a 12-story tower, will be the third tallest building in Milwaukee. It is one of the largest construction projects in the state, second only to the renovation of the Green Bay Packers’ Lambeau Field.
Aurora Women’s Pavilion, Milwaukee County (West Allis): The 207,000-square-foot building will be connected to West Allis Memorial Hospital. Construction of the $80 million project began in May, 2000 and is scheduled to be completed in April, 2002.
Aurora Health Center, Ozaukee County (Port Washington): Construction of the 11,300 square-foot building began in March, 2001 and was completed in June. The clinic includes family practice, pharmacy, x-ray, mammography and occupational health services. A cost estimate was unavailable.
St. Catherine’s Hospital, Kenosha County (Pleasant Prairie): The hospital is being rebuilt and expanded to be a 272,000-square-foot facilities including the Joseph F. Andrea Regional Cancer Center, a kidney center and the H.E. Sommer Women’s Health Center. Construction is scheduled to begin in October and completed by July, 2002. A cost estimate was unavailable.
All Saints-St. Mary’s Medical Center, Racine County (Racine): Construction of St. Luke’s Health Pavilion, a 174,000-square-foot addition, began in March, 2001 and is scheduled to be completed spring, 2003. The cost of the project is $39 million. The addition will include the St. Luke’s Center for Women and Children. Also, two floors of office space totaling 40,000-square-feet is being added to the hospital. The $9 million project began in March, 2001 and is scheduled to be completed in spring, 2002.
Aug. 17, 2001 Small Business Times, Milwaukee

The following loan guarantees have been approved by the U.S. Small Business Administration during June:
Belle City Veterinary Hospital, 4701 Spring St., Racine, 53406, $379,000, Newcourt Small Business Lending Corp.;
Blue Moon Mortgage, 4475 Hearthside Dr., New Berlin, 53151, $45,000, St. Francis Capital Corp.;
Curves for Women, 448 S. Pine St., Burlington 53105, $87,000, M&I Marshall & Ilsley Bank;
Fewco, N5603 Hwy. 151, Fond du Lac 54935, $270,000, Hometown Bank;
First Horizon Mtg., 18000 W. Greenfield Ave., Brookfield 53187, $15,000, US Bank;
Subway, 15415 W. National Ave., New Berlin 53151, $116,989, St. Francis Bank;
Gee’s Clippers & Hair Design, 4323 W. Fond du Lac Ave., Milwaukee 53210, $75,000, State Financial Bank;
Gold Masonry, 20247 Chatham St., Racine 53402, $128,200, Bank One;
Gotta Golf, 208 Orchard Rd., Kohler 53044, $627,000, Community Bank & Trust;
H&H Utility Excavating, 415 Forest Ave., Sheboygan 53085, $1,116,000, Community Bank & Trust;
Human Resource Services, 7701 W. Barnard Ave., Greenfield 53220, $91,250, State Financial Bank;
KGA Control Systems, 5351 N. 118th Ct., Milwaukee 53225, $40,000, Milwaukee Western Bank;
The Main Wash, 294/298 N. Main St., Fond du Lac 54935, $300,000, National Exchange Bank & Trust;
Marys’ Beauty Salon, 5514 22nd Ave., Kenosha 53140, $56,000, Bank One;
Mike’s Pizzeria, 607/615 W. Sumner St., Hartford 53027, $49,500, First Bank Financial Centre;
Milwaukee High Lift, 1632 S. West Ave., Waukesha 53189, $625,000, M&I Marshall & Ilsley Bank;
Ponderosa Steakhouse, 2730 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr., Milwaukee 53212, $1,385,500, Legacy Bank;
Terry’s Lincoln Avenue Tap, 1028 Lincoln Ave., Sheboygan 53081, $67,000, Community Bank & Trust;
Three Blondes, 2030 W. Howard, Milwaukee, 53221, $170,000 and $61,000, US Bank;
Top of the Line Charter, 5738 N. 81st St., Milwaukee 53218, $105,500, Legacy Bank;
Ultimate Truck Accessories, Silvernail Road, Waukesha 53186, $484,000, Wisconsin Business Development Finance Corp.;
Westward Ho Camp Resort, N5456 Division Rd., Glenbeulah 53023, $830,000, Hometown Bank;
Zahur International; 7100 Douglas Ave., Racine 53402, $995,000, Amcore Bank.
Aug. 3, 2001 Small Business Times, Milwaukee