Get to know:
Adam Rupp
Co-founder & president, Wisconsin Lighting Lab, Inc.
Adam Rupp, co-founder and president of Wisconsin Lighting Lab, Inc. (WiLL), which specializes in high-output LED lighting, professional-grade light poles and wireless lighting controls, is on a mission to make manufacturing careers exciting — one brewery and podcast at a time.
“When I went to college no one was pushing me into manufacturing. And that’s really unfortunate because, as we’ve seen the last two years, somebody has to make stuff,” he says. “Manufacturing is fundamental to everything we do.”
Supporting the personal interests of his team is one way Rupp connects with young workers. For example, the WiLL Brew Lab — a fully-operational brew room on the Fond du Lac-based company’s Lighting Campus — opened in 2019 as the brainchild of Senior Applications Engineer and avid homebrewer Nick Puddy. Today Puddy also serves as brewmaster, and the beer he brews at WiLL Brew Lab is given to clients and vendors as a custom calling card.
“We have empowered young people to really rise to the occasion,” Rupp says. “We’re trying to add excitement so young people are attracted to manufacturing.”
Rupp’s efforts are working. The average age of WiLL’s 55 employees is 33 years old.
“We have never hired an executive,” Rupp says. “Every person in a leadership position started here in their 20s and grew along with the company.”
WiLLCast, the company’s podcast that Rupp hosts with special guests, celebrates Wisconsin culture, technology and manufacturing. It also serves as a vehicle for sharing WiLL news and training in a user-friendly format.
With a tech-driven approach to manufacturing, Rupp says the company has grown between 10 and 50% every year since 2010, even during the pandemic, and is currently up 30% in 2022.
“I’m hoping we can serve as an example for Wisconsin’s small and medium manufacturers on how to attract the next generation to manufacturing and make it exciting,” Rupp says. “Other industries have been doing this type of thing for a long time; why should they get to have all the fun?” ·
Startup Wisconsin Week
Ten communities throughout the state are offering unique programming and events during Startup Wisconsin Week, Nov. 14-18. The goal is to connect, educate, inspire and grow Wisconsin’s tech startup ecosystem. Startup Wisconsin is presented by Green Bay-based Headway, in partnership with the Greater Green Bay Chamber and other statewide collaborators. “We are trying to bring all the communities together and bring it to the next level,” says Brehanna Skaletski, studio experience manager at Headway. “We want the conversation to be prevalent year-round.” Events will be hosted both in person and virtually and include a tech bash, livestream pitch contest, founders forum, investors panel and more. For a full event lineup, visit startupwi.org.
Tastiest tap
The best-tasting tap water in Wisconsin can be found in Menasha, says the Wisconsin Section of the American Water Works Association. The organization awarded Menasha Water Utility with the distinction at the state’s largest annual water conference in September. “I’m honored and proud of the employees we have, knowing their hard work and dedication. We’ve committed to providing the community with reliable, safe drinking water,” said Menasha Water Utility Manager Adam Smith. Ten municipalities submitted samples to the competition, which was judged by five water quality professionals from around the state. Judges scored criteria such as water color, clarity, odor and aftertaste. Menasha will represent Wisconsin as it competes for the title of North America’s best-tasting tap water next June in Toronto, Canada.
Heroes among us
Twenty-two Appleton Boy Scouts received Heroism Awards for their courageous action during a train derailment at the Bay-Lakes Council, Boy Scouts of America’s 5th Annual Golden Eagle event. The scouts from Troops 12 and 73 were returning from Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico last June when their train derailed in Missouri, leaving four dead and hundreds injured. The scouts assisted the injured and helped first responders rescue people from the train wreckage. Green Bay Packers running back Aaron Jones was on hand for the Oct. 18 event at Lambeau Field Atrium, which raised funds to support local scouts. The Bay-Lakes Council serves 11,000 scouts in 36 counties throughout Northeast Wisconsin and Upper Michigan.
