Leading an organization is a big job under any circumstances, but at Valley Packaging Industries, Inc., President and CEO Tim Riebau’s focus is twofold. The nonprofit offers contract packaging services to business customers while at the same time meeting the needs of its clients — a group of workers who face employment hurdles and make up one-third of VPI’s 500-person workforce. Having that dual emphasis means it’s easy for people from the outside to overlook the full scope of VPI’s work. For more than 60 years, it has provided employment opportunities for workers with disabilities and those from disadvantaged backgrounds — the organization bills itself as having one of the region’s most diverse workforces. At the same time, VPI meets the exacting standards of its customers, which include Kimberly-Clark Corp. and Hoffmaster Group, through the contract packaging side of the business.
When I spent the morning at VPI for the photo shoot for this month’s issue, I got to witness both sides of its mission come together to create a workplace
that provides both meaningful employment opportunities and essential services to its business partners. Turn to page 22 to read Sharon Verbeten’s story and learn what VPI means to both its customers and the clients it serves.
Steve Janke, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and founder of a talent attraction business focused on connecting transitioning service members to job opportunities, is on a mission of another kind. Through his personal experience and his work at Mission Wisconsin, he has seen that veterans bring invaluable skills to the workplace, including accountability, structure and discipline. Read Kate Bruns’ Personalities interview with Janke to learn how his business helps create opportunities for veterans and employers alike.
A reputation for a strong work ethic is but one of Northeast Wisconsin’s assets. The region’s natural resources, including its lakes and rivers, are another. Projects both underway and completed in the region aim to protect and elevate precious water resources. Partners including the Oneida Nation have come together to address water quality issues, and the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay is leading efforts to establish a National Estuarine Research Reserve in the area surrounding Green Bay — a project that could lead to research funding and education and training opportunities. Last fall, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration designated 962 square miles of Lake Michigan stretching between Two Rivers and Port Washington as a U.S. National Marine Sanctuary. The designation protects 36 shipwrecks, with more to be discovered. Check out Nikki Kallio’s Insight Insider feature on page 50 to learn about exciting efforts underway.
February often brings with it the arrival of the winter doldrums. As the season progresses, take the opportunity to get outside and enjoy those year-round recreation opportunities we are so lucky to have — even if it feels a little bracing at first. Stay well!
