Get to know: Jen Fietz,
Owner & CEO, Imaginasium
After a 20-year career in the financial services industry, Jen Fietz transitioned her marketing expertise to agency work, where she learned the challenges of serving clients across many industries.
When Fietz joined Green Bay’s Imaginasium as a client strategist in 2019, she was excited to take a more industry-focused approach.
“I got to see the things that could be done differently, and one of them was that we really need to focus on an industry — being able to compare findings and what you learn from one client to another is really important,” the De Pere native says.
Fietz became Imaginasium’s sole owner Jan. 1, replacing former owner and CEO Denis Kreft. She now leads the marketing agency’s strategic growth initiatives and assists in the development of annual strategies for underserved manufacturing and industrial clients.
“My true focus is to give manufacturing the attention I think it needs and how do [manufacturers] stay on top of ever-changing needs from a marketing perspective, whether that’s focusing on lead generation or recruitment needs,” she says.
Manufacturers face unique challenges in implementing technology, integrating marketing and sales teams, and talent attraction and retention, all while working toward high-dollar goals.
“We’re seeing this need across manufacturers for marketing to do more,” Fietz says. “[Executives] look at marketing and say, ‘How are we moving from $10 million to $20 million in two years?’ Those are real scenarios that I can work with and help build a plan that we can execute in partnership with marketing, sales and HR teams.”
Fietz’s passion for manufacturing is personal. She grew up with both her parents working in the industry, and she estimates about 80% of her extended family held factory jobs. Fietz herself worked at Fort Howard Paper Company to fund her college education at UW-Stevens Point.
“My favorite thing is to tour a manufacturing facility, because there’s still this passion and obvious connection to building something for the greater good,” Fietz says. “I found my way back to manufacturing in a unique way here.”
— Amelia Compton Wolff
Manufacturing meet-up
IN4M (pronounced in-forum), a manufacturing conference showcasing the latest in industrial automation, robotics, AI, cybersecurity and smart manufacturing, returns to Lambeau Field Aug. 20–21. Hosted by Werner Electric Supply, the two-day conference convenes business leaders, network security, IT, engineers and manufacturing professionals to focus on the application of industrial services and training. The conference is expanding sessions in 2024 to address the increased trend toward automation in all aspects of production, especially for medium‑sized manufacturing companies. “We are excited to gather professionals from across Wisconsin to show how automation can help improve efficiencies in all aspects of manufacturing,” said Craig Wiedemeier, president of Werner Electric. He added that attendees will be able to see examples of smart manufacturing in a wide range of demonstrations and expert presentations. Registration is now open at na.eventscloud.com/IN4M24.
No more noncompetes
The Federal Trade Commission voted 3-2 April 23 to ban nearly all noncompete employment agreements that can prevent workers from joining competing businesses or launching businesses of their own. It stated that the rule change would increase business formation, wages and patents. The rule allows currently existing noncompete agreements for senior executives to remain in force. The rule would go into effect 120 days after it is published in the federal register for existing and new noncompete clauses, but enforcement could be delayed by legal challenges. The FTC estimates that 30 million workers, as many as 1 in 5, are bound by noncompete clauses.
Ready for takeoff
Appleton International Airport logged its busiest month ever in March 2024, welcoming 100,800 total passengers. Airport officials credit a busy spring break season and the growing number of nonstop flights available from the Appleton Airport with the growth in passenger numbers. “It’s clear more and more travelers are choosing to fly through Appleton,” said Airport Director Abe Weber. “We anticipate the increase in nonstop destinations and our planned terminal expansion will help us top the one-million mark in arriving and departing passengers in 2024.” The $66 million, 47,000-square-foot expansion of the main concourse is now underway and slated for phased completion starting in late 2025.
