Business Development
McNeilus Truck and Manufacturing, Inc., an Oshkosh Corp. company, has acquired the CartSeeker curbside automation product from Eagle Vision Systems, Inc. and Waterloo Controls, Inc. McNeilus is focused on designing and developing technology and other heavy-duty truck advancements that move the waste industry forward, including this investment in refuse vehicle collection automation.
Missouri-based BKD CPAs & Advisors added Ledgeview Partners to BKD. Ledgeview’s 40-plus professionals will become part of the BKD Technologies team and will remain at their current location in Appleton.
Shopko Optical acquired Becker Vision Center in Wisconsin Rapids.
Mercury Marine announced an initial concept for the Mercury Avator electric outboard series.
Sun Country Airlines announced it will begin service to Las Vegas from Green Bay Austin Straubel International Airport on Sept. 9.
Allegiant announced nonstop service to three destinations from Appleton International Airport: Fort Lauderdale, Sarasota and Denver.
A-mazing Events began offering venue management services for venue property owners.
Business comings and goings
Wilmar Chocolates of Appleton was sold to John Houlihan by former owners Lisa, Liz and Paul Garvey. Houlihan will take over after Easter.
The Sheboygan Pasty Co. purchased the former Charcoal Inn South building at 1313 S. Eighth St. to expand production.
Vanna Lor purchased the Union Asian Market, formerly known as Union Oriental Market, in Sheboygan.
Velvet Sheep Farms added a bed and breakfast in a century-old farmhouse in Sheboygan.
Construction news
EnTech Solutions installed a clean energy electric vehicle (EV) charging system outside of Metcalfe’s Market at Hilldale in Madison.
After May commencement, substantial renovations and updates will begin at several residence halls at St. Norbert College, improving the residential experience for approximately 675 students.
T. Wall Enterprises submitted plans to the City of Oshkosh for the proposed “The Mill on Main” riverfront project, which includes a mix of commercial and industrial uses, including almost 300 apartment units.
Bayland Buildings is completing projects for Mashuda Contractors in Princeton; Countryside Vet in Appleton; The Alpine Resort – Door County in Egg Harbor; and McKey Perforating in New Berlin.
Keller Inc. is completing projects for the following: Sure-Dry in Menasha, United Cooperative in Beaver Dam, The Bank of New Glarus in Monroe, WVRC — Waukesha, Timlin’s Furniture & Mattress in Hartford, Michels Corp. in Lomira, and Gibson Family Funeral Home in Eagle.
McMahon is the designer for the new 16,000-square-foot Gordon Flesch Co. location in Appleton.
Education news
Paper Converting Machine Co., a part of Barry-Wehmiller, announced its partnership with Fox Valley Flexo Services to provide educational opportunities, demonstrations and training through PCMC’s Packaging Innovation Center.
UW-Oshkosh launched “It’s Time,” a podcast featuring faculty and industry experts discussing leadership development and business strategy in Northeast Wisconsin.
Awards/recognitions/milestones
New North area cheesemakers took many of the top honors at the 2022 World Championship Cheese Contest. Cheesemakers that placed Best in Class include Land O’ Lakes of Kiel for Aged Cheddar-One to Two Years; Renard’s Rosewood Dairy of Algoma for Traditional Red Wax Cheddar Daisy; Agropur of Luxemburg for Whole Milk Mozzarella and Provolone; BelGioioso Cheese of Denmark for BelGioioso Mandarini Aged Provolone, BelGioioso Asiago Fresco and BelGioioso CreamyGorg (gorgonzola); Sartori Cheese of Plymouth for Sartori Classic Asiago and Sartori Tuscan Blend; Arla Foods of Kaukauna for Dofino Havarti and Castello Gouda; Deer Creek Cheese of Kiel for Deer Creek The Night Walker; Pine River Pre-Pack of Newton for Chunky Bleu Cold Pack Cheese Food; Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery of New London for Ellsworth New London Pizza Cheese and Ellsworth New London Hot Pepper Processed Cheese; and Saputo Cheese USA Waupun for Dry Sweet Whey. New North cheesemakers also recognized at the contest include Agropur of Weyauwega; Door Artisan Cheese Co. of Egg Harbor; Henning Cheese Inc. of Kiel; LaClare Creamery of Malone; Pine River Dairy of Manitowoc; and Great Lakes Cheese of Plymouth.
Acuity was named a Top Entry Level Employer for 2022 by CollegeGrad.com, ranked at 178 out of 500 companies on the list.
Solar energy contractor Arch Electric was named the 2021 Renewable Energy Business of the Year by RENEW Wisconsin.
Best Western Premier Bridgewood Resort Hotel & Conference Center was named the best conference center in Wisconsin by Wisconsin Meetings’ annual Best of Wisconsin Meetings readers poll.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Fox Valley’s Center for Grieving Children program was selected by Judi’s House/JAG Institute as a Childhood Bereavement Changemaker.
Conger Industries Inc. received the CLARK New Dealer of the Year award.
Country Inn & Suites-Appleton was honored with the 2021 Hospitality Excellence Award from Radisson Hotel Group Americas.
Green Bay Packaging announced that its Green Bay mill achieved net-zero water use in its production of 100% recycled containerboard paper, Underwriters Laboratories’ first-ever validation of this environmental claim.
Kohler Power received international recognition for its data center generator solutions and global data center support on Data Centre Magazine’s list of Top 10 Power Supply and Management Companies.
Oshkosh Corp. was named one of 2022 World’s Most Admired Companies by Fortune and was one of 640 companies to earn this designation.
RCS Empowers, Inc. received the Safety Leader of the Year Award from the Sheboygan County Chamber of Commerce.
Schneider was named one of America’s Best Large Employers by Forbes.
The winners of awards presented at the Sheboygan County Chamber of Commerce 2021 Chamber Champions Gala are: Ambassador of the Year, Christy Jacobs of Jacobs Financial Solutions-Thrivent; Culinary Star of the Year, Ranieri’s Four of a Kind Bar & Grill /Sheboygan Pasty Co.; Manufacturer of the Year, Plymouth Foam; Nonprofit Charity of the Year, Humane Society of Sheboygan County; MVP of the Team, Justin Selle of HSHS St. Nicholas Hospital; Retailer of the Year, The GameBoard; Safety Leader of the Year, RCS Empowers, Inc.; Service Organization of the Year, Begalke & Associates, LLC; Working Together Award, Lakeshore Technical College; and Van Horn Automotive Pay it Forward Moment, Samaritans Hand, Inc.
The 2022 Wisconsin SBA National Small Business Week award nominees in the New North region include Tara Carr, Small Business Development Center at UW-Green Bay; Jesse Cullen, Jiggers Auto, Chilton; Adam Mueller, Bay Area Granite and Marble, Wrightstown; Grant Pauly, 3 Sheeps Brewing, Sheboygan; and Lisa Reynolds, Reynolds Packaging, Green Bay.
SYNERGY HomeCare received the Caring Star Award from Caring.com as well as the Provider of Choice Award from Home Care Pulse.
ThedaCare Medical Center-Waupaca was recognized as a 2022 Top 100 Critical Access Hospital by the Chartis Center for Rural Health, one of only eight from the state of Wisconsin.
Cornerstone International Alliance members completed 146 business transactions in 2021, setting a new record of more than $1.1 billion in value. The alliance comprises 25 industry-leading M&A and investment banking firms focused exclusively on serving businesses in the lower middle market.
Grants
Gov. Tony Evers announced more than $17.2 million in Community Development Block Grant Housing awards were provided to regional housing authorities across the state. These funds will help low- and moderate-income families in Wisconsin purchase a home or make critical repairs to their homes. Brown County received $1.7 million in funding.
More than $7.9 million from the Health Care Infrastructure Capital Investment Grant Program will go toward capital improvement projects in the Appleton area. Tri-County Community Dental Clinic was awarded $160,000 to make facility improvements to better serve its more than 16,000 patients each year, many of whom are Medicaid patients. Mosaic Family Health Inc. was awarded $7.7 million to expand care for an estimated 5,000 additional patients.
The United Way Fox Cities annual community campaign raised more than $8.5 million.
The Basic Needs Giving Partnership within the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region, supported by the U.S. Venture Fund for Basic Needs and the J. J. Keller Foundation and other community partners, awarded a $300,000 seed grant to Safe Families for Children to launch a local chapter in 2020. This year, the grant awarded its third installment of support. This initiative marked growth in the statewide impact of Safe Families, which serves 12 counties across the state and now includes Brown and Outagamie counties.
Options for Independent Living was awarded $25,000 as part of the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation National Paralysis Resource Center 2021 2nd Cycle Direct Effect Quality of Life grants.
Fox Valley Memory Project announced that the Otto Bremer Trust awarded the organization $20,000 to support programs serving people living with dementia and their caregivers in Calumet, Outagamie, Waupaca and Winnebago counties.
Heid Music is giving away nearly $20,000 in prizes for local school music programs during March.
Lubenow Companies Inc. announced its fourth annual Hauling for Good campaign to support the Littlest Tumor Foundation. Throughout March, Lubenow will donate a portion of the proceeds from each mile driven to the Appleton-based foundation.
All the rest
The Green Bay Packers added 176,160 new shareholders during the team’s sixth stock sale, which ended Feb. 25. More than 198,000 shares were sold at $300 each during the offering that began on Nov. 16. Including previous offerings, the organization now has more than 537,000 shareholders. Approximately $65.8 million was raised during the offering, with net proceeds going toward ongoing construction projects at Lambeau Field, including new video boards and concourse upgrades. In addition, the NFL and the Green Bay Packers announced that the Packers will play an international regular-season game for the first time in 2022, with a matchup set for Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. The date and opponent have yet to be determined.
The Brian LaViolette Foundation, which raises funds for scholarships, is seeking donations of watches from people who are important role models. Noteworthy donors include Pope Francis, Condoleezza Rice, Terry Bradshaw and Tony Shalhoub. The timepieces will be auctioned live and online to a worldwide audience later this fall or early this winter.
Coolest Coast announced a new web portal: coolestcoast.com, which serves as a hub for discovering and exploring attractions and resources throughout Manitowoc County.
ThedaCare Medical Center-New London installed a history wall featuring photos, documents and memorabilia from the hospital.
Consultants from the Wisconsin Small Business Development Center will now be available regularly at the Fox Cities Chamber office in Appleton to assist people starting or growing their businesses.
The Weidner Center, in partnership with The Tarlton Theatre, announced The Weidner Downtown, a new series of arts and culture offerings in downtown Green Bay.
The Wisconsin GLO released its 2022 schedule, with the first home game set for May 21 at the Oshkosh Arena. Visit wiscoglo.com for the complete schedule.
The Building for Kids Children’s Museum is bringing a two-phase interactive handwashing exhibit to life with help from the Rotary Club of Appleton.
