Business development
Advocate Aurora Health and Beaumont Health have been exploring a potential partnership. Following approval by the organizations’ boards of directors, both providers signed a non-binding letter of intent that paves the way to deeper discussions to create a health care system that would span across Michigan, Wisconsin and Illinois.
Nature’s Way opened its new corporate office in the Green Bay I-43 Industrial Park. The project is one piece of the company’s two-year, $75 million investment that also includes remodeling its current office facility and the completion of a second production facility to meet increased demand for the company’s gummy products.
The Paper Valley Hotel in downtown Appleton is being rebranded as a Hilton Hotel & Resort. After a property refresh, the hotel will open under the Hilton name in late 2021 and be known as the Hilton Appleton Paper Valley.
Oshkosh Defense was selected to develop initial concepts for the U.S. Army’s Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle program. The OMFV will replace the Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle.
TIDI Products announced the addition of the AquaGuard line of moisture barrier products to its portfolio of patient safety products. AquaGuard’s specialized products provide patients with moisture protection for wound, surgical and vascular access sites throughout the body when showering.
Equity Group Investments has partnered with Paper Transport Inc. The partnership provides additional capital for add-on acquisitions and strategic support for PTI’s truckload, intermodal and truck brokerage offerings.
Top Dog Apparel and Industrial Nameplate rebranded to bring the two businesses under the new name of Stryker. The company also unveiled the expansion and renovation of its Appleton facility. Bayland Buildings completed the work.
Manitowoc Co. announced an agreement to acquire the crane business of H&E Equipment Services.
ProAmpac acquired APC Paper Group, a producer of recycled paper packaging products for foodservice and retail markets.
Appleton International Airport transitioned management of its fixed-base operator from Express Airport Services to Appleton Airport and Outagamie County. In addition, the FBO will change its name from the Platinum Flight Center to Appleton Flight Center.
Ayres announced a merger with Gausman & Moore. The merger created an approximately 350-person firm with an array of new services.
The MCW-Prevea Family Medicine Residency Program announced the first round of physicians accepting appointments at the Prevea Shawano Avenue Health Center in Green Bay.
Unity, which specializes in hospice care, supportive palliative care and grief support, expanded its services to include nonmedical home care, sometimes referred to as personal care, senior care or companion care.
The Experimental Aircraft Association brought on Airbus as a major supporter of EAA’s new AeroEducate program, an effort to inspire young people about aviation and aerospace across a range of career paths. Airbus will provide funding to support youth engagement initiatives focused on careers in commercial aviation and aerospace. Additionally, EAA will become the Official Youth Aviation Partner of Airbus.
Clark Material Handling Co. selected Conger Industries, Inc. as the authorized Clark dealer for the Wisconsin and Upper Michigan markets.
The Wisconsin CASA Association is expanding the work of CASA of East Central Wisconsin to include Sheboygan County. The Wisconsin Court Appointed Special Advocates Association champions and gives a voice to abused and neglected children by supporting and growing local CASA programs.
O’Neil & Associates, an Oshkosh company that develops technical publications, training resources and related product support materials, secured a $1.5 million global contract with Mitsubishi Logisnext Americas group.
Business comings and goings
The Oshkosh Food Co-op opened in Oshkosh. The store is member-owned and focused on reinvesting in the community.
The Wisconsin Veterans Village dedicated the Oscar C. Boldt Wellness Center in Appleton.
Harry’s Diner at Interstate in Sheboygan reopened as a 1950s-themed diner. The location was previously home to Harry’s Pizza Market, and the owners are searching for a new property for the Roman al taglio pizza restaurant.
The Oshkosh City Council approved a new Popeyes location on Oshkosh Avenue.
Dimond Brothers Insurance consolidated its two Oshkosh locations into one on South Koeller Street.
Audrey Thomas Photography opened a new office at 520 N. Broadway in Green Bay.
La Capella, a renovated event venue, opened in Newton.
Restaurant Mad Chicken opened in Green Bay.
Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers opened in Appleton.
Construction news
Bank First announced plans to construct a new operations center. The new 13,100-square-foot facility will be located on the 8.74-acre lot in the industrial park at the corner of Dufek Drive and West Drive in Manitowoc. It will feature all LED lighting and will be constructed through a variety of environmentally friendly methods and systems, including the use of carbon-reducing building materials.
Jos. Schmitt Construction will serve as general contractor.
Construction has begun on the Mulva Cultural Center in De Pere. The $70 million project will include a 10,000-square-foot museum for national exhibits, a 200-seat auditorium, classroom space, a café and a gift shop. The center is expected to open in summer of 2023.
Copper-alloy wire manufacturer Luvata Appleton LLC broke ground on a 70,000-square-foot facility expansion at its Kimberly mill.
Titletown Development expanded its park and plaza as a part of the development’s phase two, adding four more acres of public space that is now open for the community to visit. The second phase was aimed at adding to the “live” and “work” elements of Titletown’s draw, with townhomes available to purchase and apartments in TitletownFlats and office space in TitletownOffice available for lease.
N.E.W. Community Clinic broke ground on a $4.5 million facility at the northeast corner of North Broadway and Mather streets in Green Bay.
Samaritan Counseling Center of the Fox Valley Inc. broke ground on an 11,000-square-foot facility in Menasha. The Boldt Co. is completing the project.
The Kaukauna Common Council approved the development agreement for the redevelopment of the Uptown site. The $30 million project features a 101-unit market-rate apartment development and a 68-room hotel. The investment is expected to bring visitors, new residents and a minimum of $15 million in new taxable valuation to the community.
The Town of Sheboygan reached an agreement with American Dream Builders of Sheboygan County LLC on the construction of the 33-lot Lincoln Estates subdivision in the town.
Fox Communities Credit Union broke ground on an Oshkosh location.
Champion Storage in Sheboygan broke ground on a 22,500-square-foot climate-controlled storage building at its W1750 Playbird Road location.
Woodland Dunes Nature Center and Preserve in Two Rivers debuted its newly renovated nature center.
Jones Sports, a Jones Sign company, was selected as a subcontractor by TSAV to install two large LED video display units at the Tom Benson Stadium, Hall of Fame Village in Canton, Ohio.
Construction of the Brown County South Landfill in the town of Holland is progressing and the site is on track to open in January.
Keller Inc. is completing projects for the following organizations: Bridge Up North, Fish Creek; Fox Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau, Appleton; Primitive Gatherings, Larsen; Hair Studio on 3rd, Kaukauna; Unison Credit Union, Wrightstown; Neway Packaging Corp., De Pere; Riesterer & Schnell, Denmark; Float Light, Appleton; Nobility Reigns, Kaukauna; Lake Mills Veterinary Clinic, Lake Mills; LKQ Star Auto Parts, Janesville; United Cooperative, Beaver Dam; My Other Garage, Slinger; Lakeview Dental Center, Ashland; Ashley HomeStore, Madison; Highland Dental, Fort Atkinson; Two Saints LLC/Little Saint Mobil, St. Germain; Kenosha Animal Hospital, Kenosha; Kriete Truck Center, Stevens Point; Midwest Dental, New Lisbon; and Wisconsin Foam Products Inc., Madison.
Education
Lakeland University expanded its cooperative education program with the debut of the Milwaukee Co-Op, which provides students in that area the opportunity to take tuition-free courses for one year, earn college credits by working through LU’s cooperative education program and develop a plan for their future.
Northeast Wisconsin Technical College received a $1.8 million grant to be used over four years on efforts to increase diversity within the area’s nursing workforce.
Fox Valley Technical College began offering an associate degree in funeral service this fall.
The State of Wisconsin Building Commission approved a total of approximately $92.6 million in key projects across the state. Among the allocations were funds for improvements to the plumbing infrastructure and converting restrooms to be ADA accessible at Gruenhagen Hall at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.
UW-Green Bay developed non-credit certificate programs for supply chain management and mentoring.
Lakeshore Technical College reported applications for the 2020-21 school year increased 38 percent. The college also honored its longest-serving employee and second president, Dr. Dennis Ladwig, with the newly named Dennis Ladwig Bridge.
Awards/recognitions/milestones
Three companies in the New North were selected as finalists for the 2021 Wisconsin Innovation Awards: Mercury Marine of Fond du Lac, Fox World Travel of Oshkosh, and Nelson and Pade Inc. of Montello. The winner will be announced Oct. 5.
Oshkosh Corp. was recognized as one of the 2021 Best Places to Work in IT by IDG’s Insider Pro and Computerworld. The company also entered a partnership with Black Progress Matters, an executive minority staffing organization. Black Progress Matters’ core mission is to change the face of leadership in organizations worldwide through its minority staffing activities.
Gordon Flesch Co. became the official business technology partner of the Green Bay Packers, providing office equipment for the entire organization. Through the agreement, GFC will have promotional rights to the Packers’ name and logo and will receive naming rights to the Terrace Suites in the south end zone of Lambeau Field. In addition, Canon U.S.A. awarded GFC its Top Dollar Volume Award as the nation’s highest-earning Canon dealership for the seventh consecutive year.
Secura Insurance was named to the Fortune 2021 Best Small and Medium Workplaces list for the sixth consecutive year. The company took the No. 44 spot on this year’s list.
Healthgrades named Bellin Memorial Hospital to its list of America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Orthopedic Surgery and Joint Replacement.
Miron Construction Co., Inc. was named the eighth largest contractor on ENR Midwest’s 2021 Top Contractors list, a jump from 2020’s ranking as the Midwest’s 13th largest contractor.
Schneider was named a Challenger on the Gartner 2021 Magic Quadrant for Third-Party Logistics Providers in North America.
Associated Bank received the 2021 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award, which recognizes businesses for supporting National Guard and reserve component employees.
Verve, a Credit Union, was named to the spring 2021 National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For list, administered by the National Association for Business Resources.
Jewelers Mutual Insurance Co. and Secura Insurance were named to the 2021 list of Ward’s 50 top performing property-casualty insurance companies.
Ahern received several accolades: it was recognized as the 193rd largest environmental service provider in the country on Engineering News-Record magazine’s list of the Top 200 Environmental Firms; won a BUILD Wisconsin Award from Associated General Contractors of Wisconsin in the Specialty Contractor — Plumbing category; and received the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association 2021 Safety Innovation Award.
ThedaCare Regional Medical Centers-Appleton and Neenah were recognized with a Bronze Award of Hope from UW Organ and Tissue Donation.
North Shore Bank was named to Forbes Best Banks in Wisconsin list, ranked as No. 2 in the state.
Arch Electric was named a 2021 Top Solar Contractor by Solar Power World, a trade magazine for the solar industry.
Bartow Builders was named a Badger Craftsman award winner in the category of Best New Home Build over $1.2 million.
Writing by Design won two gold Hermes Creative Awards and one honorable mention for marketing work completed in 2020.
For the third consecutive year, Lubenow Companies Inc. received the Acuity Insurance Safety Award in recognition of outstanding long-term safety achievements.
Travel and Leisure named Kohler and Fish Creek to its list of the 10 best small towns in the Midwest.
Grants
More than 500 partners and donors raised $4.15 million at the U.S. Venture Open. The event has raised more than $55 million over the past three decades, with over $40 million granted to nonprofits throughout Northeast Wisconsin. Grants impacted 235 collaborating organizations in Green Bay, the Fox Valley and Oshkosh.
Algoma received a $1 million grant as part of more than $22 million distributed statewide in Community Development Block Grant Public Facility awards for critical public infrastructure projects in low- to moderate-income communities and municipalities.
Outagamie County received a Community Development Block Grant totaling $1.1 million. The county is using the nonprofit LEAVEN to administer a program to assist income-eligible homeowners who experienced a financial hardship due to COVID-19. Resources may be available for mortgage and/or utility assistance. Homeowners should contact LEAVEN for assistance.
