Business development
Aurigin, Inc. is partnering with Green Bay’s Cornerstone International Alliance, a consortium of 28 mergers and acquisitions firms focused on the lower middle market.
Baer Performance Marketing in Green Bay announced a merger with Branding180 in Neenah.
Excelion Partners announced a new division, Snow Fox Data.
Guaranty Closing and Title Services, Inc. is acquiring Classic Title Services, LLC. Together the companies have nine locations in the region.
The Manitowoc Company, Inc.’s subsidiary, MGX Equipment Services, LLC, acquired the crane rental fleet of Honnen Equipment Company.
Business comings and goings
AMMO, Inc., owner of GunBroker.com, an online marketplace serving the firearms and shooting sports industries, opened a new 185,000-square-foot production facility in Manitowoc.
GRAEF moved its Green Bay office from the Baeten Farms Executive Office Park to the Adams Street Garage building in the city’s Downtown District.
Froedtert and the Medical College of Wisconsin bought the former Younkers building in Fond du Lac from Wisconsin Mall Properties LLC of Anacortes, Washington.
Chicago-based private real estate investment firm Prairie Hill Holdings purchased a 70,414-square-foot regional anchored shopping center in Appleton, anchored by JoAnn Fabrics and Dollar Tree.
Mid-America Real Estate announced that San Juanita Saldana purchased a 10,026-square-foot property at 830 Van Der Perren Way, Green Bay, from PT Green Bay LLC.
Oral Health Partnership opened a new dental clinic on Siegler Street in Green Bay.
Sanctuary Aquatics opened on Jackson Street in Oshkosh.
SSM Health Ripon Community Hospital unveiled the state’s first mental health day stabilization unit for individuals experiencing urgent mental health crises for up to 23 hours.
Titletown and the Green Bay Packers partnered with Hy-Vee on a variety of initiatives, including sharing the grocery store’s name with Titletown’s public plaza, now officially named Hy-Vee Plaza. The Green Bay Packers also announced an apparel collaboration with Duluth Trading Company.
Webfitters, LLC opened its new office in Green Bay’s Broadway District.
Construction
Construction work continues at ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Neenah as part of the $100 million investment to modernize the hospital campus. The next area of focus for construction crews will be to enhance and update surgical areas.
The Heart of the Valley Metropolitan Sewerage District began a project to reduce discharges of suspended solids and phosphorus. The $19.1 million Effluent Disc Filter Project is being funded by a low-interest loan from the Clean Water Fund.
The Boys & Girls Club of Oshkosh is planning a $16 million, five-part expansion of its classroom, administrative and playground space.
Bayland Buildings is working on a project for Buddy’s Vets, a new 8,200-square-foot animal hospital in Bellevue. Formerly known as Green Bay Animal Hospital, the hospital has been part of the community since the 1960s.
The Boldt Co. began work on two new dormitories in Door County that will house interns and staff members for Peninsula Players Theatre. The company also began the Carol & Bruce Bell Children’s Garden at the Green Bay Botanical Garden and is expected to be complete in spring 2023.
Jones Sports completed projects at Vanderbilt University, Fresno State University and San Diego’s Snapdragon Stadium.
The NEW Zoo and Adventure Park north of Suamico opened a new canopy walk measuring nearly a third of a mile long and 22 feet high.
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation announced a $1.5 million loan for a freight rail improvement project at Rio Creek Feed Mill in Luxemburg and a $492,791 loan for McDonald Companies in Green Bay.
The Sheboygan Common Council approved demolition of the former Jakum’s Banquet Hall building on 15th Street for future development of affordable housing.
Valley VNA Senior Care in Neenah began a project to expand and renovate its facility.
Education
Lawrence University was ranked as the No. 1 liberal arts college in Wisconsin and No. 63 in the nation in U.S. News & World Report’s annual Best Colleges rankings. St. Norbert College ranked No. 8 out of 221 Catholic colleges and universities in the U.S. and No. 111 overall. Lakeland University ranked No. 19 in Regional Universities Midwest and was recognized for advancing social mobility for its students. Additionally, Lawrence University introduced its Lawrence Advantage tuition assistance program for students from Wisconsin or Illinois.
The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay established a Nonprofit Education and Development Network with offerings including a certificate, training and networking opportunities. Additionally, UW-Green Bay and Moraine Park Technical College signed an articulation agreement allowing students pursuing Associate of Arts and Associate of Science liberal arts degrees to transfer from Moraine Park and continue their education at UW-Green Bay with confirmed junior status. UW-Green Bay also will receive $101,415 for continued research and enhanced student training collaborations among UW-System schools in water-related fields. Aurora BayCare Medical Center committed to more than $125,000 in scholarship dollars for UW-Green Bay nursing students to address a nursing shortage in Northeast Wisconsin.
The University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh was awarded nearly $11,000 from the Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin to fund two academic projects related to freshwater science. UW-Oshkosh also is launching the Wisconsin Tuition Promise program in fall 2023 to guarantee free tuition for eligible Wisconsin resident students whose household adjusted gross incomes are $62,000 or less. UWO Now, a biweekly radio show and podcast, launched on 90.3 WRST-FM. UW-Oshkosh also was listed by Forbes among the 10 best employers in the state.
Awards
Acuity earned Gold Spark Awards in both commercial lines and personal lines from Ivans. Acuity is one of only nine companies worldwide to achieve gold status for both categories.
The Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region was certified as a silver-level Employee Friendly Workplace by the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce.
Faith Technologies Incorporated earned the first place Safety Excellence Award from the National Association of Women in Construction for the United States Midwest Region and second place nationally, each in the subcontractor category.
The Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce announced its 2022 Business Awards recipients. Business of the Year, Large Employer: Milis Flatwork. Business of the Year, Small Employer: CarePatrol Fox Cities. Company Innovation, Large Employer: Jewelers Mutual. Company Innovation, Small Employer: Proceed.app. Corporate Citizen Leadership: Winch Financial. Rising Star: Whisk & Arrow Sugar Studio.
Fox Valley Technical College and the Wisconsin Technical College System Board recognized ThedaCare with the Futuremaker Partner Award.
LaClare Creamery received first place in the mixed milk cheese category in the 19th annual World Dairy Expo Championship Dairy Product Contest.
About two dozen New North companies were included in Deloitte’s annual ranking of Wisconsin’s 75 largest privately-held companies. The top 10 included Kohler at No. 6, U.S. Venture at No. 9 and Schreiber Foods at No. 10. Schneider came in at No. 11. Additionally, several companies were recognized with Distinguished Performer Awards: Sargento Foods, which ranked No. 24, received the Community Award; Foth, at No. 64, received the Innovation Award; Green Bay Packaging, at No. 19, received the Sustainability Award. Masters Gallery Foods (No. 26), Menasha Corporation (No. 18), Miron Construction (No. 28), Rockline Industries and The Boldt Company (No. 31) also were recognized, among others.
Miron Construction, Inc. was named to Employ Humanity’s Best Places to Work list for the fourth time. The company also was awarded two 2022 BUILD Wisconsin awards from the Associated General Contractors of Wisconsin. Miron also ranked 190th on Engineering News-Record’s Top 250 Global Contractors list. Additionally, five Miron employees were named Newsmakers of the Year by The Daily Reporter: Communicator of the Year, Sara Montonati, PR specialist; Estimator of the Year, Dylan Lienhardt, conceptual estimating manager; Executive of the Year, Jason Rieth, vice president, energy & environmental; Senior Project Manager of the Year, Jessica Ebertsch; and Servant Leader of the Year, Dave Walsh, executive vice president, human resources.
New North Inc. was nominated in two categories of the 2022 Community and Economic Development Awards by the Wisconsin Economic Development Association. The organization received a nomination in the economic development initiative category for its regional broadband access study and expansion plan, and in the talent attraction, development and retention category for its “More YOU in NEW” marketing campaign.
Secura Insurance was named on the Rising Insurance Star Executives (RISE) 2022 Elite 50 Internships list.
Verve, a Credit Union has earned a spot on the 2022 Best Credit Unions to Work For list awarded by the American Banker and Best Companies Group.
Wolter, Inc. has been named a 2022 Future 50 company by BizTimes Media in partnership with the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce.
Grants
U.S. Coast Guard Stations in Sheboygan and Sturgeon Bay will each receive $40 million in federal funds for rebuilding projects through the Bipartisan Coast Guard Authorization Act. The funding is to rebuild stations after high water levels over the last three years caused significant damage and compromised the facilities.
The 110-year-old Old World Creamery in Sheboygan received a $500,000 Community Development Block Grant from The Redevelopment Authority in Sheboygan for an expansion project that will create 20 new full-time positions over the next three years.
The Agnesian HealthCare Foundation raised more than $460,000 at its Charity Open event to support SSM Health at Home Hospice services in Greater Fond du Lac.
Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry received a $194,000 Wisconsin Fast Forward grant to help train and hire entry-level employees from diverse backgrounds to sand and finish metal castings.
The Waupaca Area Community Foundation awarded grants totaling a record $170,822 to 18 area nonprofit organizations.
The Brillion Area Family of Funds awarded nearly $6,000 in grants to six local nonprofit organizations.
The Door County Land Trust received a donation of two parcels of shoreline property totaling 9.27 acres near the Village of Egg Harbor from Susan, Nancy and Lori Nevins. With the acceptance of this land donation, the land trust now protects nearly 9,000 acres. The land trust is in the process of raising $150,000 for both the immediate and long-term care of the critical wildlife habitat.
On Broadway, Inc. launched a public voting phase to bring the Levitt AMP outdoor music series to Green Bay starting in 2023. Nonprofits will receive a total matching grant of $90,000 over three years for the series.
The Fond du Lac Area Foundation awarded 24 grants totaling $88,991 to nonprofit organizations through the fall grant cycle.
Matthews Tire presented a $16,000 check to Hand-N-Hand of Northeastern Wisconsin after its Oil Change for the Better event in August.
Samuel Pressure Vessel Group and the Tavern League of Marinette County each provided a $3,000 contribution and Enstrom Helicopter donated $6,000 to the M&M Area Community Foundation’s Future Fund children’s savings account program.
Green Bay Sail & Paddle received a grant from the Green Bay Packaging/George Kress Foundation for STEM programming, including scholarships and camp supplies.
Oshkosh Area United Way awarded 45 community programs, including seven new programs, with its annual United Way Community Investment grants.
Ripon printing company Walsworth donated to the Ripon Area School District in support of literacy in honor of the company’s 85th anniversary.
