More than 200 people celebrated Wisconsin’s Best Places to Work in Manufacturing Nov. 13 at a raucous event featuring music, noisemakers, costumes and a few thought-provoking moments as well.
The event, held at Lambeau Field, was hosted by Insight Publications with presenting sponsor Werner Electric Supply. Additional sponsors were Appleton Airport, Bayland Buildings, Greenfire and Executive Agenda.
Keynote speaker Maureen Pistone, chief human resource officer of Wipfli LLP, took a few minutes to talk about inspiring leadership. Pistone said employees are inspired to do their best through calm leadership, humanness, listening, resilience, integrity and developing talent. She ran through what each of those look like in practice and then encouraged those in attendance to focus on just one for improvement in the short-term, promising that would lead to results.
Insight partnered with Workforce Research Group to conduct surveys of employees in manufacturing workplaces. Peter Burke, president of Workforce Research Group, said that the companies being honored had an average of 90% of their employees agreeing with the statement “this organization’s culture allows me to do my best work.”
Burke praised their efforts which were then highlighted as each company was honored. As the company names were introduced, they would leap to their feet to cheer hoping to earn the “Spirit Award.”
The 10 Best Places to Work in Manufacturing in Wisconsin are:
- Advanced Tooling, Inc., Mt. Calvary
- Cherry Optical Lab, Green Bay
- Dairyland Electrical Industries, Stoughton
- Eagle Performance Plastics, Appleton
- Fox Cities Builders, Seymour
- FTI (Faith Technologies Incorporated), Menasha
- HART Design & Manufacturing, Green Bay
- HUI Manufacturing, Kiel
- Kadant GranTek, Green Bay
- Redline Plastics, Manitowoc
After they were all introduced. The top three were named. Dairyland Electrical Industries was No. 1. Advanced Tooling Inc. was No. 2 and Redline Plastics was No. 3. Fox Cities Builders earned the Spirit Award wearing hardhats and safety vests. One employee dressed as a traffic cone.
Read more about each company in the latest edition of Insight on Manufacturing.
