Get to know: Denise Starcher
Vice president and chief human resources officer, Menasha Corporation
After seven years in operational roles, Denise Starcher’s career shift to human resources was born from a desire to build stronger workplace connections.
“I chose to go into HR because when I was in operations, I felt like HR could have been a better partner and that I could fill that void,” says Starcher, who earned her MBA from Georgia State University with an emphasis on international business.
The Florida native started her HR journey in health care and moved into various industries including utilities, software development and manufacturing.
Starcher joined Menasha Corporation in 2017 as vice president and chief human resources officer. Prior, she served as global vice president of human resources for ASCO Power Technologies, a division of Emerson Network Power in New Jersey. During her 10 years with the company, Starcher worked in global markets. She says the experience set her up for success with Menasha Corporation, which currently has operations in Canada, Mexico and Europe.
“Operating in different countries, you can’t have a one-size-fits-all [approach],” she says. “What appealed to me about Menasha Corporation was the fact that I could help this organization achieve its desire to continue to grow by applying my knowledge of global markets.”
Menasha Corporation conducts regular employee engagement surveys. Starcher says her team implemented a location-specific review process that allows each to most effectively address its unique opportunities and challenges, while still recognizing overarching themes.
In October, Starcher was named a 2024 Wisconsin Titan 100, a program that recognizes the state’s most accomplished business leaders for demonstrating exceptional leadership, vision and passion.
“I enjoy surrounding myself with people who challenge me to be better,” she says. “Everything I’ve accomplished is due to my team and they are the reason I have the passion to do what I do.”
— Amelia Compton Wolff
Honoring innovation
Werner Electric Supply received the Innovation Award at the 2023 Tecsys User Conference, which celebrated the achievements of Tecsys’ supply chain partners. The award recognizes Werner Electric for building and implementing a smart system for picking inventory from its 200,000-square-foot warehouse with 30,000 individual SKUs in components ranging from general electric supplies to networked electrical systems. Prior to automation, warehouse workers traveled around 290 miles per month picking inventory from the racks. The smart system has resulted in picks per hour improving by 30% and travel through the warehouse reducing by 39%. “This innovative, co-developed AI solution delivers an improved employee experience for our team members, both accelerating their training progression and freeing capacity to better serve our customers,” said Fred Mauermann, Werner Electric’s vice president of operations.
Artful opening
The $100 million Mulva Cultural Center in downtown De Pere opened in December. The 75,000-square-foot center was funded by philanthropists and De Pere natives, James J. and Miriam B. Mulva. It includes a state-of-the-art auditorium, classrooms, a gift shop, a specialty restaurant and event space. The center was designed by Chicago architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. “We are so excited to welcome people inside of this magnificent facility,” said Tom Shefchik, executive director of community relations. “We know this will quickly become a major destination for Northeast Wisconsin.”
Putting down roots
The first four homes in the Founders’ Pointe subdivision – each with a $315,000 price tag – are for sale in Sheboygan Falls. The Sheboygan County Economic Development Corporation provided $8 million from its Forward Fund for the development, located southwest of the Highway 32/23 intersection. The Forward Fund is a $10 million community development investment by Johnsonville, Kohler Company, Masters Gallery Foods, Sargento Foods and Sheboygan County. The mission is to provide funding to address workforce development barriers, beginning with the construction of entry-level homes. Groundbreaking took place on May 8, and four additional homes are expected to come on the market each month until there are 54 constructed.
