Milwaukee Biz Blog

Jaws dropped when the supporters of the recall against Gov. Scott Walker recently submitted more than 1 million signatures of Wisconsin residents.

Then jaws dropped again when Walker’s campaign announced a few days later it had raised more than $4.5 million in the most recent reporting period from a total of 21,443 contributions.

State law allows candidates who are targets of recalls to raise unlimited cash while the signatures are being gathered. Walker seized the moment, making a series of out-of-state fundraising appearances during the 60-day window.

“Gov. Walker's message of moving Wisconsin forward continues to resonate with voters,” said Ciara Matthews, communications director of the Walker campaign. “It is this message, and the success of the governor's reforms, that have inspired people to contribute to his campaign in overwhelming numbers. These donations will allow us to fight back against this baseless recall and ensure Gov. Walker can continue to lay the foundation for a more successful Wisconsin and keep government working on the side of taxpayers.”

The Walker campaign finished the quarter with a combined total of more than $2.6 million cash on hand in the recall and general campaign funds. The campaign has raised more than $12 million since Jan. 1, 2011. According to the campaign, 16,406 of those contributions were $50 or less, representing 76.5 percent of the overall number of contributions.

A quick review of the Walker donations reported to the Government Accountability Board shows strong support from prominent Wisconsin business executives (name, company and city of residence): John Bergstrom of Bergstrom Automotive, Neenah, $2,500; Frederick Boelter of The Boelter Companies, Hartland, $2,500; John Burke of Burke Properties, Fox Point, $10,000; Jere Fabick of Fabco Equipment, Oconomowoc, $50,000; Gerald Frye of The Benefit Services Group Inc., Elm Grove, $5,000; Robert Greenheck of Greenheck Fan Corp., Schofield, $7,500; William Haack of Zywave, Elm Grove, $8,000; Thomas Halquist of Halquist Stone Company, Menomonee Falls, $2,500; Harvey Hammond of HNTB Corp., Mequon, $5,000; Emery Harlan of Gonzalez, Saggio & Harland LLP, $5.000; Robert Hillis of Direct Supply Inc., Milwaukee, $10,000; Chris Kappl of Wildwood Reserve LLC, Menomonee Falls; Ted Kellner of Fiduciary Management, Mequon, $8,564.84; Dennis Klein, KBS Construction, Milwaukee, $10,000; Richard Klein of Aurora Health Care, Brookfield, $10,000; Herbert Kohler of Kohler Company, Kohler, $8,000; James Leef of ITU Inc., Brookfield, $4,000; Fred Luber of Super Steel Products Corp., Milwaukee, $2,000; Glenn Madrigrano of CJW Inc., Kenosha, $2,500; Michael Mahoney of Park Bank, Mequon, $2,000; Daniel McKeithan of Tamarack Petroleum Company, Milwaukee, $20,000; John Mellowes of Charter Manufacturing Co. Inc., Mequon, $10,000; Mark Neumann of Neumann Homes Inc., Nashotah, $2,500; Albert Nicholas of Nicholas Company Inc., Hartland, $25,000; Eric Peter of Jax Inc., Elm Grove, $2,500; Thomas Quadracci of Quad/Graphics Inc., Hartland, $2,000; V. Ross Read III, Clement Finance & Leasing Inc., Milwaukee; Roy Reiman (retired) of Reiman Publications, $10,000; Steve Ristow of Schneider Excavating, Lannon, $2,500; Michael White of Rite-Hite Holding Corp., River Hills, $16,700; Richard Wiederhold of Managed Health Services, Elm Grove, $2,000; and James Wigdale (retired) of Marshall & Ilsley Corp., Fox Point, $3,000.

A Wisconsin Democracy Campaign analysis of the individual Walker contributions reported in the latest campaign finance report shows that 61 percent came from outside Wisconsin. Nearly $2.3 million of the $4.5 million raised came from just 33 donors.

The largest out-of-state donations included: $250,000 each from Sarah Atkins and David Humphries of Tamko Building Products in Joplin, Mo.; $250,000 from Stanley Herzog of Herzog Companies Inc. in St. Joseph, Mo.; $250,000 from Bob J. Perry of Perry Homes in Houston, Texas; and $100,000 from Bruce Kovner of Caxton Alternative Management LP in New York City.

Perry was the financier of the infamous “Swift Boat” ads against 2004 Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry.

The political action committee (PAC) of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce donated $150,000 to Walker’s campaign on Dec. 16 and another $25,000 on Jan. 2.

“Gov. Scott Walker is traveling across America selling out Wisconsin to the highest bidder,” said Scot Ross, executive director of One Wisconsin Now, one of the groups working to recall Walker. “No wonder Walker doesn’t have time to try and stop the six straight months of job loss. Traveling across the country to raise money is his day job, being governor is just his hobby at this point.”

- Steve Jagler is executive editor of BizTimes.

I know 2012 has just begun, but do yourself a favor. Put a star and write “BizTimes” down on your calendar for the late afternoon of Dec. 4.

That will be the date of the first BizTimes Best In Business celebration, and we are inviting all of our readers to attend this inaugural event.

The Best in Business event will be a celebration of our collective achievements from 2012. Think of it as a community Christmas party for southeastern Wisconsin’s business community.

Throughout the year, we will be collecting snippets of wisdom from the pages of BizTimes magazine and BizTimes.com. We will then present them like pearls on a necklace at the Best In Business celebration.

We’re off to a great start on the project in January alone with these great quotes from business leaders:
 “Waiting for Washington or Madison or the Supreme Court to ‘fix’ our problems is a fool’s errand. We need to take matters into our own hands.”
- Jon Rauser, The Rauser Agency Inc., Milwaukee.

“We’re a small business with 15 employees. We do not have a sales department. However, we have 15 salespeople. We do not employ a single account executive, yet we have 15 AEs. We have a simple business philosophy: encourage employee interaction with clients and empower them with your most sacred customers, then get out of their way.”
- Rich Schmig and Bruce Gibb, Plum Moving Media, Milwaukee.

 “I think customer bases are like clubs. It’s really hard to get new members if the longstanding members are leaving.”
- Paul Grangaard, Allen Edmonds Shoe Corp., Port Washington.

We will then invite all of the business leaders whose quotes are selected to be VIPs at the Best In Business party.
Imagine being in the room with so many insightful, bold business leaders. We’ll share their great quotes about business growth in a companion Best In Business coffee table book to be unveiled at the December event.

The book will feature business leaders to be honored by BizTimes over the course of the year, including the winners of the Bravo! Entrepreneur Awards, the Innovation Quotient (IQ) Awards, the Waukesha County Business Alliance Top Ten Awards, the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce/Council of Small Business Executives Future 50 Awards, the Kenosha County Business Excellence Awards and the BizTimes Fittest Execs Awards.

We’ll salute the panelists from the Northern Trust Economic Trends Breakfast, the Humana Wellness Summit, the BizTimes Women in Business Conference at the BizExpo and the BizTimes Commercial Real Estate & Development Conference.

You’ll get to meet the award-winning editorial staff of BizTimes Media, as well as the business consultants who serve as columnists and provide such great insights on the pages of BizTimes Milwaukee throughout the year. Go ahead, pick their brains.

Put all of these folks together, and you’ve got the Best In Business in southeastern Wisconsin. We plan to partner with local chambers of commerce to invite their members to be there for an unparalleled networking opportunity and a well-deserved celebration of the people and the companies that are driving this region forward.

In sum, if you’re playing in our sandbox, we want you there. See you on December 4. More details to follow. In the meantime, if you have some ideas to help us build this celebration or your organization would like to get involved, let us know. It’s your party.

Steve Jagler is executive editor of BizTimes Milwaukee.

Tens of millions of dollars from out of state will be poured into Wisconsin in 2012.

That money will not go toward restoring the state’s crumbling infrastructure. It won’t go into the state’s aging school buildings. It won’t go into training the state’s workforce. It won’t go into protecting the state’s natural resources or in boosting its struggling nonprofit community.

Nope. All that money will flow directly into Wisconsin’s toxic political bloodstream.

For a moment, think of the time, talent and treasure that will be devoted to recalling or defending Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch and four Republican state senators. Then add the millions of dollars to be invested in the most expensive U.S. Senate race in Wisconsin history.

And just imagine the lead-up to the Nov. 6, 2012, presidential race playing out in this purple state.

Make no mistake, Wisconsin is a state divided against itself. The state has devolved into camps of “us” and “them.”
Brace yourself. Your television is on the verge of becoming one perpetual political soap box. The bulk of the commercials will not even be bought by the candidates, but by outside, shadowy forces.

Walker is good. Walker is evil. Walker is good. Walker is evil. Back and forth the commercials will go. And go. And go some more. Other than Wisconsin TV station managers, the only people smiling will be attorneys assigned to either protect the recall process or disrupt it.

With such a fractured populace, how can the state’s economy collectively move forward in 2012?

How, indeed.

Let’s step back for a moment to June 16, 1858, when more than 1,000 Republican delegates met in the Illinois statehouse in Springfield for the Republican State Convention, where Abraham Lincoln, a candidate for U.S. Senate, made the following statement: “A house divided against itself cannot stand.”

Lincoln’s remark was a paraphrase of a Biblical passage (Matthew 12:25): "And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand.” (King James Version)

Of course, Lincoln’s remark was in reference to the growing national debate over the morality of slavery.

Wisconsin’s philosophical debate of 2012 is much more murky, complex and nuanced. But the people on both ends of the Wisconsin debate feel no less impassioned. I know of families that have been split in half by Wisconsin’s divide.

Us and them.

And no matter whom your “us” and your “them” are as this Wisconsin drama plays out in 2012, we will eventually have to move forward somehow. Together.

Steve Jagler is executive editor of BizTimes Milwaukee.

U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Janesville) found himself at the center of a controversy he did not create this month.

The controversy stemmed from H.R. 3261, the proposed Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), which would empower the U.S. Justice Department and copyright holders to demand that search engines, Internet providers and ad networks cut off access to sites “dedicated” to copyright infringement. The bill is aimed at blocking foreign sites that offer illegal and cheap copies of movies, music and television shows with impunity.

A broad coalition of forces, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, organized labor and advocates for Hollywood and the recording industry, are supporting the bill, which was sponsored by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas).

However, consumer watchdog groups and major Internet companies, including Facebook, Google and Yahoo, are opposing SOPA and warn that the bill could stifle innovation and censor free speech.

The division between support and opposition on the bill is not falling directly down party lines.

Ryan, chairman of the House Budget Committee, became a target of “Operation Pull Ryan” (www.pullryan.com), a Reddit campaign community, last month, and Internet rumors quickly spread that Ryan was a sponsor of the bill. He was not. Ever.

Ryan originally declined to take a stance on the bill. Eventually, as the Internet campaign against him grew, Ryan issued a statement announcing his opposition to the bill: “The Internet is one of the most magnificent expressions of freedom and free enterprise in history. It should stay that way. While H.R. 3261, the Stop Online Piracy Act, attempts to address a legitimate problem, I believe it creates the precedent and possibility for undue regulation, censorship and legal abuse. I do not support H.R. 3261 in its current form and will oppose the legislation should it come before the full House.”

Smith said his bill does not apply to lawful websites, and opponents such as Google are “spreading lies” about SOPA.

“Chairman Ryan is usually very knowledgeable on issues before Congress, which is why it’s surprising that he appears not to have closely read the manager’s amendment to the Stop Online Piracy Act," Smith said in an emailed statement to The Hill, a web site that tracks Congress.  "Had Chairman Ryan read the manager’s amendment, he would have realized that the bill targets only foreign websites dedicated to illegal activity.  It’s not regulation to enforce the law against online criminals. And it’s not censorship to prevent online criminals from stealing the products and profits that rightly belong to American innovators."

Smith claimed foreign websites are costing American businesses billions of dollars and thousands of jobs every year.

As “Operation Pull Ryan” progressed, members of the movement began to gravitate toward Rob Zerban, Ryan’s Democratic opponent in the 2012 elections. Zerban, a Kenosha County Board supervisor, was quick to denounce SOPA and credited his opposition with helping him to raise more than $220,000 in campaign donations in the final quarter of 2011.

Zerban said, "Paul Ryan has bowed to public pressure and decided to join me in opposing SOPA legislation, which endangers our freedoms online. This legislation is clearly contrary to the will of the people, and thousands of people helped get that message through to Paul Ryan. I realize I am a partner in this effort with the public and I am not claiming credit for this. The American people rallied behind this effort and my position, and they got results.”

The House Judiciary Committee is expected to vote on the bill when Congress returns from its recess later this month. The Senate is also set to vote on its version of the legislation, the Protect IP Act, when Congress returns.

Steve Jagler is executive editor of BizTimes Milwaukee.

One of the oldest adages in business is that companies hate uncertainty.

To some degree, that is a farce, as the future is always uncertain. But this year, with so much hanging in the balance in national and state politics and the economy, the future is spectacularly uncertain.

Yet, if businesses stand frozen in their tracks, they surely risk losing market share to others willing to boldly go forward, despite the uncertainty.

The only thing that can diffuse uncertainty is knowledge. While you are contemplating whether to zig or zag, allow me to suggest you attend the 11th annual Northern Trust Economic Trends Breakfast to be presented by BizTimes Media on Friday, Jan. 20.

The event will provide southeastern Wisconsin business leaders with early forecasts about the worldwide trends that will affect their companies in 2012.

The panelists who will share their insights about doing business in the year ahead at the conference will include:

• Michael Knetter, Ph.D., an economist and president of the University of Wisconsin Foundation. Knetter serves as a research associate for the National Bureau of Economic Research. He serves as a consultant to the International Monetary Fund. He previously served as an associate dean of the MBA program and professor of international economics in the Amos Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. He also served as a senior staff economist for the Council of Economic Advisors for former Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton. Knetter will provide his annual macro-economic outlook for the year ahead. 
• Daniel Ariens, president and chief executive officer of Ariens Company, based in Brillion, Wis. Ariens Company manufactures outdoor power equipment for consumer and commercial use. Its products include walk-behind lawnmowers, riding lawn mowers, rear engine riders, string trimmers, tractors, zero turn mowers and snow blowers. The company sells its products through a dealer network, as well as home center and farm stores in the United States, Canada, and internationally. The company serves landscape contractors, golf, turf, and sports turf industries. Dan Ariens is the great-grandson of company founder Henry Ariens. During his tenure at the helm, Dan has led several strategic acquisitions, creating a family of brands that represent several of the most respected names in the consumer and commercial equipment markets, as well as the replacement parts and accessories segment of the industry. Ariens will speak about the economic challenges and opportunities facing Wisconsin manufacturers in 2012. 
• Mark DiBlasi, president and CEO of Roadrunner Transportation Systems Inc. in Cudahy.  Since joining Roadrunner, DiBlasi has transitioned the company from a single-service long-haul LTL (less than load) trucking company to a full-service transportation provider. Through organic growth and strategic acquisitions, the company has more than doubled in size since 2006, and its stock is now traded on the New York Stock Exchange. Roadrunner has annual sales of more than $771 million and more than 1,000 employees. Prior to joining Roadrunner, DiBlasi served as vice president of the Southern Division for FedEx Ground Inc. DiBlasi will speak about emerging trends in transportation and logistics. 
• Bill Haack, chairman and CEO of Zywave Inc. Haack founded Zywave, a provider of best-in-class software solutions for insurance brokers and financial planners around the world, in 1995. He previously served as chairman and CEO of Frank F. Haack & Associates, which grew under his leadership to become the largest independent insurance brokerage in Wisconsin. Haack will speak about cutting edge business technologies.
• Frank Krejci, president and chief operating officer of Strattec Security Corp., a Milwaukee-based global manufacturer of automotive access products such as locks, key fobs, latches, handles power door mechanisms and contract die casting. Strattec has been providing parts to the automotive business for more than 100 years. The company has grown to have annual sales of more than $267 million and 2,500 employees, and its stock is traded on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange. Krejci’s prior experience included serving as an executive at Wisconsin Furniture, Briggs & Stratton Corp. and Cutler-Hammer. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Yale University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. Krejci will speak about the year ahead in the automotive industry. 
• Sara Meaney, a partner at Hanson Dodge Creative, America’s “leading active lifestyle agency.” Based in Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward, Hanson Dodge has been assisting brands to reach new audiences, embrace emerging technologies and distinguish themselves as market leaders for three decades. Recent clients that have sought Hanson Dodge’s brand-building services have included Wilson Sporting Goods, Trek Bicycle Corp., Wolverine Boots, Kmart and Volkswagen. Meaney will return for an encore of her presentation last year and discuss the latest trends for businesses in mobile technology and social media.

The 11th annual Northern Trust Economic Trends Breakfast will take place Friday, Jan. 20, at 7:30 a.m. at the Italian Conference Center in downtown Milwaukee. We still have some room for you. For additional information, visit www.biztimes.com/trends.

As 2011 draws to a murky conclusion and 2012 rises from the horizon, BizTimes Media recently conducted its first Business Dashboard Survey.

About 300 readers at BizTimes.com completed the survey, which asked questions about the outlook for their companies in 2012.

Keeping in mind that most of the readers are decision-makers at their companies, we found some remarkable optimism among the respondents. The vast majority (65.5 percent) expect their company’s revenues to increase in 2012 from 2011, while only 26.3 percent predict flat revenues and 8.3 percent foresee revenue declines.

Similarly, 62.2 percent expect higher company profits in 2012, while only 28.8 percent predict flat profits and 9.0 percent foresee profit declines.

Simply put, those are some bullish responses amid so many economic and political uncertainties.
Another encouraging sign came in the answers to a question about hiring projections for 2012, as 43.5 percent expect to add staff and 51.1 percent expect to retain their current staffing levels. Only 5.4 percent expect to cut staff.

Other findings from the survey include:
- 26.3 percent will make significant investments in equipment in 2012.
- 12.0 percent will expand their office/plant space in 2012.
- 7.2 percent will move to a new location in 2012.
- 32.5 percent will provide an employee wellness program in 2012.
- 49.3 percent expect their employee health care benefit costs will increase by up to 10 percent, and 15.9 percent expect those costs to rise up to 20 percent in 2012. (Of those expecting higher health care benefit costs, 47.1 percent will pass along some of those costs to their employees.)
- 62.0 percent will increase their investments in branding, advertising and marketing in 2012.
- 56.3 percent have a company social media strategy.
- 9.5 percent have a customized company smart phone “app.”
- 62.1 percent will provide employee pay raises in 2012.
- 57.3 percent will increase the prices of their goods or services in 2012.
- 51.8 percent believe the state’s business climate will improve in 2012.

Some of the respondents added comments to their survey responses. Many respondents applauded Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and his reforms.

“Wisconsin is on track with Scott Walker’s leadership,” said Scott Jankowski of DK Sales Inc. in Sussex.

“If we deviate from the track Gov. Walker has us on, the business community will see Wisconsin as a place not to do business, and the unemployment rate will increase, as will taxes, making the perfect storm for Wisconsin to close its doors,” said Bill Forrester of Anchor Moving Systems in Menomonee Falls.

“I think businesses in Wisconsin will definitely improve in 2012 once the political dissonance stops, so businesses can pay more attention to business,” said Ron Sonntag of Ron Sonntag Public Relations Inc. in Milwaukee.
Some expressed disapproval of Walker’s reforms.

“Scott Walker and the GOP need to get out of the way of technological development,” said Keith Schmitz of KRPR Inc. in Shorewood

Jon Rauser of The Rauser Agency Inc. in Milwaukee perhaps took the most pragmatic approach, regardless of the fates of the Walker recall and the 2012 presidential election.

“2012 will be a transformative year. Waiting for Washington or Madison or the Supreme Court to ‘fix’ our problems is a fool's errand,” Rauser said. “We need to take matters into our own hands.”

Steve Jagler is executive editor of BizTimes Milwaukee.

Editor’s note: The following is an encore presentation of this blog, which originally was written on Christmas Eve in 2010. BizTimes Media and the author wish all of our readers a very merry Christmas and a peaceful and prosperous New Year. We will return with a new edition of the BizTimes Daily on Tuesday, Dec. 27.

Not to be confused with THE Christmas story, I would like to conclude the year with a Christmas story. And a lighthearted, silly little one at that, as a holiday diversion from the gritty issues of the day that are typically tackled in this space.

I'd like to go back to the day before Christmas Eve in 1997. As per usual, the December Wisconsin ground was covered with snow. And as per usual, I had put off a lot of Christmas errands that should have been done earlier in the month.

Perhaps the most important of those errands was taking our two sons, Justin (age 7 at the time) and James (age 4) to see Santa Claus. Now, it was down to crunch time. We're on the clock.

So, I'm driving down Layton Avenue toward Southridge Mall, where I'm told Santa awaits. I'm regretting it the entire time, as I know the line to see Ol' Saint Nick is going to be long with lots of other children whose parents are procrastinators. The thought of standing in that line for an hour or two is dampening my holiday mojo. But you've got to do what you've got do...

We're stopped at the traffic light, about five blocks from the mall, when Justin suddenly yells from the back seat, "Dad, there's Santa!" His brother sits up straight in his car seat and screams, "Santa!" The boys are giggling with glee.

Confused, I look out the window, and what do I see? Not eight tiny reindeer, mind you.

Nope, I see Santa. He's standing in a vacant parking lot full of Christmas trees for sale.

Santa is commiserating with the guys at the Christmas tree stand.

The light is still red. My mind wanders. "Hey, wait a minute," my inner voice tells myself. "The boys think that guy is Santa. The guy is dressed in a Santa suit, replete with the beard. I'll bet if I just pull in there, the guy will cowboy up and become Santa indeed. The boys will tell him what they want for Christmas. No lines. No mall. We'll be outta here in a couple minutes. Done deal."

Time to call an audible. I pull into the parking lot. I unbuckle the boys. They make a bee line for the guy in the Santa suit. The guy is confused at first. As I get closer, I give him a wink.

The guy bends down to speak to my fellas at their level. As he does, I see he's got a flask in one hand, a cigar in the other and a half-opened package of beef jerky is hanging out of one of his pockets. The guy reeks like a toxic musk of brandy, cigar smoke and Lord knows what else. And his suit could use a trip to the dry cleaners.

But for this moment, he is Santa. And he asks all the right questions. He even says, "Ho! Ho! Ho!"

Moments later, my boys are back in the minivan, and I'm driving away with a smug smile on my face. And the beauty of it is I'm driving home, not to the mall. A few minutes later, we return home, and my wife, Kristi, asks, "Well, did the boys see Santa?"

"Oh they sure did!" I reply.

They sure did. And to this day, I owe Santa one.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good-night!

Steve Jagler is executive editor of BizTimes Milwaukee.

Every December, I have the distinct honor to meet with the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce’s Council of Small Business Executives (COSBE) board of directors for an editor’s forum.

It’s a chance to let these business leaders know what’s new with BizTimes Media and to hear what’s new with their companies. I consider these folks to be our publication’s de facto board of directors, and their insights help us keep tabs on which way the winds are blowing.

And as 2011 draws to a close and 2012 rises in the horizon, suffice to say those winds are swirling.
For starters, I was amazed by a show of hands that nearly all of the COSBE directors now have mobile tablets. That justifies our previous cover story about the need for businesses to develop mobile strategies.

As we went around the room, the executives gave updates about their companies. Here is a sampling of what’s new.

Dave Kliber of S-F Analytical Laboratories Inc. in New Berlin said his company feels the price pressures its customers are coping with.

Connie Roethel of Core Health Group in Mequon said more companies are launching employee wellness programs as medical costs continue to spike.

Rick Parra of Pieper Electric Inc. in Milwaukee said his firm’s industrial clients are faring well, but the downtown office market remains soft.

Mequon entrepreneur Richard Blomquist said most of the small business owners he speaks to are “a lot happier today than they were a couple years ago.”

Paul Sweeney of PS. Capital Partners LLC in Milwaukee said the prospects for the American automotive industry and its suppliers are “fantastic.”

Mike Malatesta of Advanced Waste Services Inc. in West Allis said he sees growth in the environmental sector.

Mary Isbister of GenMet in Mequon, Debra Kessler of Palermo Villa Inc. in Milwaukee and Jeffrey Clark of Waukesha Metal Products each said they see challenges in finding skilled labor in the region.

David Werner of Park Bank in Milwaukee said banks are competing again to provide financing for business growth, but lending for commercial real estate development remains a challenge.

Nancy Hernandez of Abrazo Multicultural Marketing said corporate clients are increasingly engaging in digital strategies to reach minority audiences.

Arvid “Dick” Tilmar of West Allis said a wealth of affordable talent is available off the bench from independent consultants who were cast aside in the Great Recession.

Gary Zimmerman of Creative Business Interiors Inc. in Milwaukee said he is seeing rising demands for “pre-owned” office furniture.

Perhaps Kliber and COSBE chairman Mary Scheibel drew the strongest affirmation from their colleagues when they spoke about their concerns over the uncertainties of doing business in 2012.

Kliber lamented about the uncertainties over “taxes, regulations and the toxic political environment.” If this is the “new normal,” it’s nothing to cheer about, Kliber said.

Many COSBE directors nodded in agreement.

BizTimes will try to sort through those uncertainties at the Northern Trust Economic Trends Breakfast at the Italian Conference Center in downtown Milwaukee on Jan. 20. We invite you to join us (www.biztimes.com/trends).

Steve Jagler is executive editor of BizTimes Milwaukee.

For many of us, the clock is ticking on our countdown to Christmas.

Maybe you’ve got a few last-minute gifts to buy or wrap. Maybe Santa has a few more stops to make. Maybe you’ve got some major grocery shopping to do to prepare for your guests. Or maybe you’ve got to prepare for traveling over the river and through the woods.

Regardless, the Salvation Army of Milwaukee County has a more urgent Christmas countdown, and the good folks there could use your help.

With only four days left before the Red Kettles retire until next Christmas, the local Salvation Army is still $1.3 million behind in it’s $2.7 million goal.

“We’re thankful for the donations we have received to date. Reaching our Red Kettle Christmas goal is critical to providing much needed shelter for the homeless, food for the hungry and Christmas assistance for families in great need,” said Major Roger Ross, Salvation Army Milwaukee County Commander.

The Salvation Army operates 84 seasonal and year-round programs and services to families living in Milwaukee County.

In 2010, the Salvation Army provided:
132,439 meals to homeless individuals and families
66,813 nights of lodging to homeless individuals
96,572 toys to children of low-income and unemployed families

This year, the Salvation Army is prepared to provide more than 100,000 toys this Christmas to area children.

Donations can be made at Red Kettles through Christmas Eve, by texting ‘Give’ to 80888 to make a  $10 donations or visit www.SAmilwaukee.org to make a donation with your smart phone or on-line.
I’m also hearing the local food pantries could use an extra boost to meet the urgent needs out there. If you can spare some talent or treasure, they could sure use the help.

*******
While I’m at it, I’d like to take care of a couple of Christmas errands of my own. In the past couple of years, I have passed along some of the best holiday videos produced by Milwaukee public relations/advertising/marketing companies.

This year, through the Twittersphere, Matt Waller at Laughlin Constable in Milwaukee provided this video:
http://holiday.laughlin.com.
Priya Barnes of Creatonomy in Milwaukee sent along this video:
http://www.creatonomy.com/holiday.
Andy Larsen and the folks at Boelter Lincoln put this video together:
http://www.boelterlincoln.com/Holiday2011.
Marilyn, Phil and Jessica Vollrath, along with their staff, show off their ugly Christmas sweaters here:
http://vimeo.com/33791471.
Bruce Gibb and Rich Schmig at Plum Moving Media in Milwaukee get a silver star for bringing their crew to life in this one:
http://www.youtube.com/PlumMovingMedia.

But the winner - hands down – (even though the shower scene is about five seconds too long) has to be Ward Alles, Beth Crivello, Dana Carpenter, Colin Deval and the rest of the team at Core Creative, as they introduce a new product into the market:
http://www.uselesssack.com.

As a bonus, I’m tossing in this Christmas video sent by Marquette University’s Chris Stolarski, featuring the Gold ‘n Blues a cappella group singing “Oh Holy Night.” You can listen for free, and if you download the songs on iTunes, all proceeds will benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Miilwaukee.

Merry Christmas.

Steve Jagler is executive editor of BizTimes Milwaukee.

As a manager, I apply three core principles to the art of interviewing and hiring good people: (1) You can’t teach “smart;” (2) You can’t fix “stupid;” and (3) Personality counts for as much as technical skills and experience.

Few things in my professional life are more exhilarating or rewarding than making the right hire and watching a young journalist soar to new heights. I’m certain employers and managers in other fields have felt that same sense of accomplishment and pride with their people.

Unfortunately, for many employers, that feat is becoming more difficult, according to ManpowerGroup’s new report, “Hire and Retain the Best with Success Mapping: New Models for Unlocking Human Potential.”
Despite high unemployment rates, employers globally face steep challenges in finding the right talent. According to ManpowerGroup’s 2011 Talent Shortage Survey, one in three respondents report difficulty filling vacant roles, while 28 percent of employers report a lack of experience in candidates as a key barrier to filling vacancies.

“So while employers worldwide are trying to hire, they simply can’t find the right candidates. And they’ve become increasingly better at making do with existing workers. Organizations which streamlined their workforce during the downturn learned to maximize the potential of employees, by layering job descriptions across fewer roles. With a doing-more-with-less mentality, employers are more likely to budget for only the right talent, offering a specific mix of skills and competencies. What this means is that hiring today is contingent on finding the perfect fit,” the ManpowerGroup report concluded.

Milwaukee-based ManpowerGroup is calling this new era the “Human Age,” a time when individual human traits are the most valuable corporate assets, because in the aftermath of the “Information Age,” every company has access to the information it needs.

“Individuals’ strengths and potential, which define talentism, have become the world of work’s new capitalism,” the report stated. “Employers cite collaborative teaming as the No. 1 competency missing in today’s new hires and candidates. Interpersonal skills and enthusiasm/motivation levels follow.”

This new era also is posing an unprecedented challenge to the American educational system. The value of the traditional four-year college degree, heaping tens of thousands of dollars on debt upon the student, while often falling short of developing the skills that employers need, is being questioned across the board.

Employers need to rethink their hiring processes.

“Flexible skills and a learning mindset, which enable individuals to adapt to diversified, cross-department roles, are more important than ever, as slimmer businesses fight to remain competitive and sustainable. Hard skills are equally as important, yet rapidly evolving technology means many core technical skills quickly become obsolete. In short, employers seek flexible individuals with strong hard skills and workplace competencies (traditionally known as “soft skills”), yet continue to use outdated methods to attract and retain this talent,” the ManpowerGroup report stated.

In the end, businesses must work with governmental institutions and the educational system to develop the talent they will need, the report concluded.

“The world has entered a new era; employers demand more from their employees and yet are reluctant to hire those who are unlikely to add value to their organization,” the report stated. “Only by identifying what success looks like — and committing to helping employees advance their businesses will today’s employers truly unlock human potential and bolster competitiveness in the Human Age.”

Steve Jagler is executive editor of BizTimes Milwaukee.