Milwaukee Biz Blog

The prevailing perception around these parts is that Milwaukee has no chance of being the home for the corporate headquarters when Miller Brewing Co. and Molson Coors Brewing Co. merge their U.S. forces.

After all, Molson Coors vice chairman Pete Coors, who will serve as chairman of MillerCoors, said the future headquarters will probably located in a "neutral" city other than Milwaukee or his hometown, Golden, Colo.
The Denver Post reported that the cities being considered for the new MillerCoors headquarters include Chicago, Kansas City, Dallas, Atlanta, New York and Des Moines.

Still, that isn't stopping the folks at the Milwaukee 7, the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle from continuing their efforts to convince the merged brewer to come to a town that has marketed itself as "Brew City" for decades.

The M7 is bringing the international site selection team of Deloitte LLP to our fair city this week to evaluate our region and provide insight about how it should market itself to companies that may be considering Milwaukee as an option for corporate headquarters.

Steve Baas, governmental affairs director of the MMAC, said the Deloitte team will be here today and Friday, sizing up the region's assets and making note of its weaknesses.

"We have them coming in to look at what we're pitching, to coach us up," Baas said. "You could call it due diligence, but it's much more than that. It's a great opportunity."

The M7 folks will use the feedback as they continue to make their case to MillerCoors and as they pitch Milwaukee to other corporations in the future, according to Pat O'Brien, executive director of the M7.

Deloitte had provided some consultant work related to the formation of the M7, which then invited the company's site selection team to hold its annual meeting here, O'Brien said. While they're here, the dozen-or-so members of the team are going to size up Milwaukee.

MillerCoors officials have been mum about their progress in determining the location of their combined headquarters, because they are awaiting the U.S. Department of Justice's antitrust review of the corporate marriage, O'Brien said. He said the government's decision is expected in June.

Ultimately, Milwaukee might need to come up with a new identity to supplant the "Brew City" moniker. After all, if Miller goes the way of Pabst, Blatz and Schlitz, the only thing left will be a collection of nice local microbreweries.

Still, the M7 has not given up on the notion of convincing MillerCoors to put its headquarters here, Baas said. The Milwaukee team will "dot every i" and "cross every t" until a decision is made, he said.

Baas acknowledged that a pessimist may believe the cause is lost. He said an optimist may believe Milwaukee still has a chance. But a realist believes Milwaukee must make its best case and let the chips fall where they may, he said.

In other words, the M7 gang is going to swing hard, in case it hits something.

Steve Jagler is executive editor of Small Business Times.

Do you have any grandiose business ideas you'd like to bounce off of some of southeastern Wisconsin's brightest and most innovative company leaders?

Maybe you'd like to bend your state legislator's ear about an issue that has been gnawing away at you for some time now?

Do you have any suggestions for Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker or Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett?

Perhaps you'd like to learn more from some dynamic authors, speakers and consultants?

Or maybe you'd just like to share your comments - good, bad or indifferent - with the staff of about Small Business Times?

This year, we've compiled the "BizTech Expo A List" of some of the prominent business and civic leaders who will be stopping by the Small Business Times exhibit booth over the two days of the event. This is only the first draft of the list, with more names to be added, but it's an impressive start:

Wednesday, April 30

• Joe Pine, author of "Authenticity: What Consumers Really Want."
• Dave Logan, author of "Tribal Leadership: Leveraging Natural Groups to Build a Thriving Organization."
• Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker
• Steve Jagler, Small Business Times executive editor
• Eric Decker, Small Business Times reporter
• Dean Amhaus, president of Spirit of Milwaukee
• Milwaukee Alderman Robert Bauman
• T.J. Fox, president of the Wisconsin/Illinois region for Verizon Wireless
• Ruben Hopkins, president of the Wisconsin Black Chamber of Commerce
• State Sen. Mary Lazich (R-New Berlin)
• Susan Marshall, executive consultant
• Chip Martin and ventriloquist/PR consultant Dale Brown
• Phil Mydlach, SBT columnist and consultant on executive performance
• Eric Ness, director of the Wisconsin District of the U.S. Small Business Administration
• Carlos Santiago, chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
• Dan Schroeder, SBT columnist and human resources expert
• Cary Silverstein, SBT columnist and business consultant
• John Steinmiller, vice president of Milwaukee Bucks
• Kirk Strong, web site expert and CEO of Smart Interactive
• Andy Tarnoff, publisher of OnMilwaukee.com
• State Sen. Lena Taylor (D-Milwaukee)
• State Rep. Leah Vukmir (R-Wauwatosa)
• Evan Zeppos, president of Zeppos & Associates Inc.

 

Thursday, May 1

• Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett
• Tim Sheehy, president of Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce
• Andrew Weiland, Small Business Times managing editor
• Alysha Schertz, Small Business Times reporter
• David Bohl, lifestyle mentor
• Tom Bolger, president of Harris Bank Wisconsin
• Maria Monreal-Cameron, president of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
• George Dalton, CEO of Novo 1 Inc.
• State Sen. Glenn Grothman (R-West Bend)
• John Heppner, president of Master Lock Co. LLC
• State Rep. Mark Honadel (R-South Milwaukee)
• Jerry Jendusa, CEO of Emteq
• Linda Kiedrowski, consultant and president of The Paranet Group Inc.
• Jim Lindenberg, CEO of World Class Wire & Cable Inc.
• David Lubar, president of Lubar & Co. and co-chairman of United Way
• Dester Martin, chairman, African American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Milwaukee
• Mark Readinger, CEO of P&H Mining Equipment
• State Rep. Jon Richards (D-Milwaukee)
• Carl Sheeley, CEO of Fontarome Chemical Inc.
• Jeff Sherman, president/co-owner of OnMilwaukee.com
• Jerry Stapleton, SBT columnist and sales consultant
• State Rep. Jeff Stone (R-Greendale)
• Franklin Mayor Tom Taylor
• Patti Wallner, president of the Waukesha County Chamber of Commerce

The SBT booth is just one of more than 200 booths with special attractions at the BizTech Expo.

 

For instance, TDS Metrocom always has something cool going on at its booth. This year, the TDS booth lineup includes:
* The D-List cast (Drew Olson and Dan Needles) of 540 AM ESPN radio will broadcast live from 9 a.m. to noon on both days of the Expo.
* Steve "The Homer" True of 540 AM ESPN radio will broadcast live on Wednesday, April 30, from 2 to 6 p.m.
Green Bay Packer offensive lineman Mark Tauscher will appear at the TDS booth on Wednesday, April 30, from 2 to 3:30 p.m.
* Brent "Buzz" Williams, the new men's basketball coach at Marquette University, will appear at the TDS booth on Thursday, May 1, from 10 to 11:30 a.m.

Then again, maybe just hanging out with more than 5,000 business people is reason enough to attend the BizTech Expo on Wednesday, April 30, and Thursday, May 1, in the Exposition Center at Wisconsin State Fair Park. Admission to the BizTech Expo is free at www.biztimes.com/expo by pre-registering. And as "The Homer" is fond of saying, "Free is good."

Steve Jagler is executive editor of Small Business Times.

Tuesday's announcement that the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) is leaving the Milwaukee region and relocating to Arlington, Texas, is a disappointment, but not a shock.

The City of Milwaukee and the City of Cudahy, respectively, put together highly competitive financial packages to keep the USBC here. The State of Wisconsin and Visit Milwaukee are also to be commended for their significant contributions.

All stepped-up to keep the USBC here. If this were about simple economics, the announcement Tuesday would likely have been different.

The reality is that the USBC wanted to join forces with the Bowling Proprietors' Association of America, a separate bowling organization which is already located in Arlington. It was an internal strategic decision.

Our efforts gave the USBC reason to seriously reconsider what appeared to be a done-deal a couple months ago.

The M-7 proposal was aggressive, thorough and timely.  

The region lost one Tuesday, but let's not forget the bigger picture. We have a deep, diverse economy with one million jobs and 52,000 businesses.

There are going to be wins and losses … and we've had our share of the former. M-7 wins include 10 corporate expansions or relocations that have created/saved 3,600 jobs with $323 million in direct and indirect payroll.

Recent successes include:

• The Gehl Co.'s $20 million headquarters expansion and new R&D facility in West Bend, with 190 jobs retained and 90 to be added.
• C&D Technologies' new multimillion-dollar battery research facility planned for Milwaukee, an investment of $19 million, with 150 new jobs to be added.

Companies like Gehl and C&D epitomize the future we are building - technology-intensive companies that export their goods and services outside the region, thereby bringing jobs, capital and investment into the region.

 

We aren't happy with the USBC's decision, but nobody here is hanging their head. 

Jim Paetsch is director of corporate expansion and relocation for the Milwaukee 7. For additional information, visit www.choosemilwaukee.com.

In 1998, when the U.S. Women's Open was held at Blackwolf Run in Kohler and Whistling Straits was opening, it appeared that Wisconsin was on the verge of becoming a major player in the world of championship golf.

But did any one back then even dream that southeastern Wisconsin would become the golf championship hot spot that it has?

Consider, in addition to hosting the 1998 U.S. Women's Open, Blackwolf Run will host the 2012 U.S. Women's Open. Whistling Straits, located in Haven just north of Sheboygan, hosted the 2004 PGA Championship, the 2007 U.S. Senior Open, and will host the 2010 and 2015 PGA Championships and the 2020 Ryder Cup. Erin Hills, which opened in 2006 in the Washington County Town of Erin, will host the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links this year and the U.S. Amateur in 2011.

Robert Lang, who developed the course, hopes to one day bring the U.S. Open to Erin Hills.

In addition, the U.S. Mid-Amateur will be held at the Milwaukee Country Club this year.

These tournaments provide a huge benefit to the region's economy. The U.S. Women's Open, the U.S. Amateur, the PGA Championship and the Ryder Cup are broadcast on national television. When golf fans watch those events, the televised images of beautiful Wisconsin golf courses help shatter the myth that this state is nothing but frozen tundra. The tournaments also bring big crowds to fill hotel rooms and restaurants.

But even after they are over, the exposure and the prestige of these events attracts travelers to Wisconsin to play at these elite golf courses. The parking lots at Blackwolf Run and Whistling Straits are always filled with several vehicles bearing Illinois license plates. Even before it has hosted a major event, Erin Hills attracted golfers from 40 states last year, as a result of overwhelmingly positive buzz in the golf world.

How did all of this happen? How did southeast Wisconsin become a major golf destination? The props go to three people: Mother Nature, Herb Kohler and Bob Lang. Mother Nature provided the beautiful terrain, and Kohler and Lang provided the vision and the resources to mold the land into breathtaking gold courses.

In the beginning

It all started in the 1970s, when the Kohler Co. was trying to figure out what to do with an old brick building that was built in 1918 to provide hosing for the company's immigrant workers.

Herb Kohler, the company's president and chief executive officer, rejected the advice of consultants and the preference of his own board of directors and transformed the building into a first-class resort called the American Club, which opened in 1981.

The American Club was a big success. Many guests at the hotel liked to play golf and would go play at courses in the Sheboygan area, and they suggested that Kohler Co. build its own course. Kohler saw an opportunity, so he built Blackwolf Run, which opened in 1988. The course was designed by Pete Dye, one of the best golf course architects.

Ten years later, Blackwolf Run was the host of the U.S. Women's Open. I helped cover that event as a reporter for The Sheboygan Press. It was a huge success for Kohler, with record-breaking crowds and a thrilling ending. Jenny Chuasiriporn, a college kid and an amateur, hit a 40-foot putt on the 18th hole to force a playoff with Se Ri Pak. The huge crowd around the 18th green exploded in cheers as if they had just seen a last-second, game-winning Packer touchdown. Chuasiriporn's jaw dropped, and she put her hand over her mouth as if to say, "Oh, my God! What did I just do?"

It was a classic, but underappreciated moment in Wisconsin sports history. However, the next day, Pak beat Chuasiriporn in an 18-hole playoff.

Kohler looked like a proud papa the whole weekend, and not just because of the U.S. Women's Open. During the tournament, he unveiled his newest crown jewel with the opening of Whistling Straits.

Kohler and his friend, former President George H.W. Bush, played the first round at the course, located along the Lake Michigan bluffs north of Sheboygan, before heading to Blackwolf Run to watch the U.S. Women's Open.

Backroom bargaining

Once it opened in 1998, Whistling Straits was immediately considered one of the best golf courses in the country. Its spectacular lakefront setting earned rave reviews.

The success of the U.S. Women's Open in 1998 and the quality of Whistling Straits put Kohler in a great position to negotiate with the United States Golf Association (USGA) and the Professional Golfers' Association (PGA) for a major championship.

Kohler was in talks with the USGA to have Whistling Straits host the 2005 U.S. Open. The U.S. Open may be the biggest men's golf major of them all.

However, the PGA beat the USGA to the punch. The PGA offered to pull its 2004 PGA Championship from Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Ky. and award the tournament to Whistling Straits instead.

With a bird in his, Kohler decided he couldn't turn down the 2004 PGA Championship on the chance that he would get the 2005 U.S. Open, and the events were too close together to try to host both. So, Kohler accepted the PGA's offer.

The move by the PGA hurt some feelings in Louisville, but the 2004 PGA Championship was another huge success for Kohler, with an attendance record and another championship tied after 72 holes. Vijay Singh won a three-hole playoff with Justin Leonard and Chris DiMarco.

After the tournament, speculation again heated up about what would be the next championship hosted by a Kohler golf course.

The USGA awarded Whistling Straits with the 2007 U.S. Senior Open. Golf legend Tom Watson appeared poised to win, but he faded, and the tournament was won by Brad Bryant.

In an apparent attempt to box the USGA out of Whistling Straits, the PGA made a blockbuster offer to Kohler, awarding the course with the 2010 and 2015 PGA Championships and the 2020 Ryder Cup. Reminiscent of Valhalla, the PGA pulled the 2010 PGA Championship from Sahalee Country Club near Redmond, Wash., and moved it to Whistling Straits.

Lang's bold venture

Meanwhile, as Whistling Straits was hosting the 2004 PGA Championship, Robert Lang, a developer and the former owner of the Lang Cos., was making plans to build a golf course in southwest Washington County that he dreamed would one day host the U.S. Open.

At first, Lang was planning to build a nine-hole golf course on the property located west of Holy Hill. Because he was not a serious golfer, Lang did not fully realize the potential of the undulating Kettle Moraine property that had been carved by glaciers.

"I just thought it was pretty land," Lang told SBT in an Aug. 19, 200,5 cover story on the building of Erin Hills.

He sent topographical maps to some of the top golf course architects in the nation. The architects were very excited about the property's potential. Then Lang realized he had a chance to build a special golf course. He hired Michael Hurdzan and Dana Fry of Columbus, Ohio-based Hurdzan-Fry golf Course Design Inc. and Golf Digest golf course architecture writer Ron Whitten to design Erin Hills.

The buzz about Erin Hills and its beautiful natural setting spread quickly in the golf world. Even before it was open, USGA officials toured the property and began considering it for future championship events.

The course was awarded this year's U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links before it even opened.

When it did open on Aug. 1, 2006, Erin Hills was a major hit. The course received so much positive press that in 2007 golfers from 40 states came to Wisconsin to play at Erin Hills. Golfers from 20 states have already made reservations to play there this year, Lang said.

The course recently was awarded the 2011 U.S. Amateur by the USGA.

Most major golf championships are played at courses on the coasts, but there are a lot of golfers and golf fans in the Midwest, and once in awhile the PGA and USGA need to bring their championships to flyover country. The PGA seems to have established Whistling Straits as its top Midwest site for championship tournaments. It's starting to look like the USGA may do the same with Erin Hills.
Speculation has already begun about if and when Erin Hills will get to host the U.S. Open. If this year's U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links and the 2011 U.S. Amateur are successful, Lang should achieve his ultimate goal.

Andrew Weiland is the managing editor of Small Business Times.

As a member of Milwaukee's gay community, I would like to give my perspective on the murder of Lodewikus "Vic" Milford last week in Walker's Point. Milford was a MillerCoors executive from South Africa, and like me, he was also a gay man.

I keep wondering whether his murder could be a gay hate crime, rather than random gang violence?

The reason I pose this question is that one year ago, three women were injured outside a Walker's Point bar (at the same corner of South Second and West Walker Streets where Milford was murdered) in what appears to be a gay hate-related crime. These three women were hit by a car driven by a man yelling anti-lesbian slurs.

I am happy to hear the Milwaukee Police department is increasing security in Walker's Point and their quick response in bringing suspects into custody. Crime in Milwaukee represents a private crisis with a steep public cost. It is a crisis for Mr. Milford's family and friends. There is an enormous cost to freedom for us all.

Residents and visitors to the Walker's Point neighborhood report poor lighting, nuisance properties, vehicle break-ins and slow police response times as problems. I often go out in Walker's Point to enjoy the great Mexican food and dancing in the gay entertainment district.

Yet, I too have been a victim to random theft and car break-ins. This more recent incident is giving me pause to reconsider whether these evenings of fun are worth the risk.

The Walker's Point area near South Second Street is often lauded by gay guides and travel resources as an emerging gay neighborhood in Milwaukee. Cities that have gay friendly neighborhoods are often rated as good places for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people to live.

I wonder if this was a consideration when Milford decided to relocate for his job from South Africa to Milwaukee? I know when I took a job here in Milwaukee, I considered whether the community had an active LGBT presence when making my decision to move.

Crime in any fashion hurts a city like ours, but hate crime has a particularly devastating effect on a vulnerable minority population like the LGBT community.

Gay hate crimes and anti-gay legislation hurt our city's ability to attract the best talent.
Milwaukee has a lot to offer the world in terms of business and industry, and it would be a shame to lose out on business opportunities because we don't protect the rights of all of our citizens.

 

Alan Wells, Ph.D., resides in Milwaukee.

Welcome to your performance review, Mark and Charley. Gentlemen come in, have a seat and oh by the way, please close the door.

We are going to take the rather unusual step of giving you a joint performance review. On top of that, you haven't had one so it is about time.

To be honest with you, we have to be somewhat critical about your lack of contribution to our organization, in this case being the Milwaukee metro area. Maybe that was misstated. Make that no contribution.

As you know, or maybe you don't, for any organization to succeed it has to work together as team. Metro Milwaukee has a lot going for it; a hard working and smart labor force, a great place to raise a family, a collection of leading universities, great cultural and entertainment attractions, and bunch of other attributes. Yeah things are not perfect. Poverty is a big problem, so is crime and we need more people to move here.

But one reason why we cannot get traction on any of these challenges is the team is not pulling together the way it should. You two guys have seemingly done all you can to create derision between our stakeholders.

A level of disagreement is essential to the dynamic of any organization and is healthy but there reaches a point where it is not. You have taken it way over the top and fanned rancor within our team. Like any business, while incompetence can get you dismissed, so can a profound inability to work well with others.

That includes an excessively high level of disrespect to our leadership team past and present including Dick Abdoo, Don Richards, Mike Cudahy, Tom Barrett, Marcus White and most recently Small Business Times executive editor Steve Jagler. Basically the position of management is when you have serious people doing serious things you don't get in their way with petulant diatribes.

As well as throwing body blocks in the path of members of the organization trying to positive things, you lack an appreciation for forward-thinking ideas, such as from light rail and diversity programs. You fail to consider to consider alternatives to the health care crisis that has been detrimental to our organization. You have never offered up positive ideas for attacking our local problems.

In business, a sense of proportion is important, and here you display extreme deficiency. Instances where you have wildly overstated the issues include alleging widespread voter fraud, the need for conceal and carry, Wisconsin as a tax hell and internationally advocating the invasion of Iraq and in so wasting valuable resources for no apparent reason. Your perception of situations is clouded by a wall of preconceived notions higher than the Hoover Dam.

In short, gentlemen you have failed to provide value to the organization.

On the positive side, you exhibit good personal grooming habits.

Though our policy precludes dismissal, a copy of this review will be in your file. We hope this evaluation leads to some improvements in your performance.

Please close the door on the way out.

Keith Schmitz provides business-to-business public relations in Milwaukee and is chairman of Grassroots Northshore, a progressive political group.

We certainly agree with President George W. Bush that Congress needs to move quickly to pass an economic stimulus package. The proposal the House and administration agreed to contains much-welcomed provisions that will keep small businesses represented Monday night in the First Lady’s box by NFIB member Jim Barnard of Barnard Manufacturing in St. John’s, Mich., creating new jobs and driving the economy.

Jim, who’s his company’s chief financial officer, can testify to the effectiveness of past increases in Sec. 179 expensing, which has allowed him to grow his business to about 125 employees. Doubling that amount to $250,000 will give him the means to invest in more equipment and more employees right away, and Congress should provide small businesses like Jim’s that opportunity without delay.

Long term, though, small businesses look forward to permanent tax relief, both for their planning purposes and for the economic advantages the president’s earlier tax cuts provided. We urge Congress to recognize the importance of this relief to small-business owners, and to move expeditiously to make tax cuts permanent. Reports tell us that in 11 of the past 12 months, small businesses added more jobs than medium- and large-size businesses combined, and that’s a trend we want to maintain.

The president’s address recognizes many important changes that need to be made to our health care system to provide access to affordable health care for all. Many of the points he made in Monday night's address are embodied in NFIB’s 10 Principles for Small Business Health Care Reform, including:

• Increasing transparency in costs and quality to enable consumers to make better health care choices.
• Improving health care information technology to provide more transparent information more efficiently.
• Allowing members of groups such as NFIB to band together to negotiate prices for health insurance, and including the ability to purchase health insurance plans across state lines rather being limited to only the policies available in their state.
• Providing equitable tax treatments to help all Americans afford health insurance.

 

We look forward to working with policymakers on both sides of the aisle to turn these ideas into reality and providing a much-needed boost to small businesses that want to provide health plans to their employees, but just can’t afford it.

Dan Danner is the executive vice president, public policy and political, the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the nation's largest small business advocacy organiztion in Washington, D.C.

If Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers can battle their way through the playoffs and advance to Super Bowl XLII in Glendale, Ariz., a very capable cheesehead will be eagerly waiting there to greet them.

Bob Sullivan, a native of Waukesha and a graduate of Carroll College, is the president of the Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee, the private, nonprofit Arizona corporation that serves as the liaison between the National Football League and the people of Arizona.

The NFL throws the annual mother of all parties, but Sullivan's committee is the host.

I tracked Sullivan down on his cell phone recently between plane flights as he enters the home stretch of a professional assignment that began in October 2006.

My first question for him was, "Did you grow up a Packer fan, and do you still consider yourself to be a Packer fan?"

His response came quickly: "I did. I do. That would be the ultimate icing on the cake if they get in the year I'm running the Super Bowl!"

Sullivan's parents, the late Cyril and Eleanor Sullivan, cranked out a very productive flock. Bob's brother, Tim, is the chief executive officer of South Milwaukee-based Bucyrus International Inc. Their sister, Patty Santiago, is a junior high school principal in Santa Barbara, Calif., and their sister, Susie Krummel, went to nursing school and is raising her children in Los Altos Hills, Calif.

Bob, Tim and Patty each graduated from Carroll College, where their mother was a librarian.

Bob Sullivan hit the streets in 1980 with a bachelor's degree in communications and a minor in business.

Carroll College doesn't have the name recognition that many universities have, but Sullivan said he was ready for action in his chosen field when he graduated. Most of his teachers were not pure academics, but most had real-world experience to share with their students.

"They emphasized a lot of hands-on education and training, very much so," Sullivan said.
With diploma in hand, Sullivan set out on a career in broadcast journalism. He became the assistant news director at WISN-Channel 12 in Milwaukee. He left that position for bigger markets and bigger ventures in 1987.

He eventually formed his own company, Sullivan & Associates Consulting, in Paradise Valley, a suburb of Phoenix, Ariz., where he lives with his wife, Meri (an Oconomowoc native), and their two children, Ryan and Delaney.

Along the way, Sullivan met Arizona Cardinals vice president Michael Bidwell. Bidwell was so impressed with Sullivan, that he called him a few months later and asked him to lead the Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee.

Sullivan accepted the assignment, which was not for the faint of heart. He was first asked to raise $15 million. As he closed in on reaching that target, the committee raised the ante to $17 million. Sullivan is confident he'll get there.

When the final seconds tick off of the Super Bowl clock on Feb. 3, Sullivan will have one bright, gaudy bauble on his resume - one that he believes will help his company grow significantly.

"It's a nice contract to have, and it's high-profile for the company," Sullivan said.

Sullivan is sharing his experience with his alma mater. He worked with Carroll College to create a class in which students competed to be among the nine chosen to go to Arizona to help the committee conduct studies on the economic impact and media coverage of the Super Bowl.

You'd think Sullivan would be looking forward to putting this Super task behind him.

"Actually, it's kind of melancholy. It's been a great run," he said. "It's kind of like a political campaign. Relief isn't the right word. It's a sense of accomplishment."

 

Steve Jagler is the executive editor of Small Business Times.

Editor's note: The following blog was written by Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett in response to comments made by five local chief executive officers during a Public Policy Forum last Thursday. The comments, which criticized Milwaukee as a place to do business, were summarized in a Milwaukee Biz Blog written by Small Business Times executive editor Steve Jagler last Friday.

 

I don't believe we are "own worst enemy." We have leaders in business, higher education and government who not only call Milwaukee home but who work tirelessly to move Milwaukee forward.

In the last three-and-a-half years, we have seen, first-hand, the results of true partnerships.

Despite the City's limited capital and operating funds, I have been aggressive in the use of Tax Incremental Financing, New Market Tax Credits and Renewal Community Grants. We have made substantial investments in retaining and attracting companies that add value to our community. Companies like Manpower, Direct Supply, and DRS. We have turned around the Menomonee Valley, and we have a large investment in the revitalization of the old Pabst Brewery site. As I write this, the City is preparing an investment strategy for the 30th Street Industrial Corridor (see this week's cover story in Small Business Times).

We are on the move with a new School of Public Health, the Harley Museum and millions of dollars being invested in the Fifth Ward, Mitchell Street and Bronzeville.

None of the above would have happened without a firm belief that Milwaukee is a good place to invest, a place to call home.

I have sought to increase the pool of qualified workers by investing in programs that improve workforce development. In 2006, I utilized the City's Development Fund to make a grant to Bucyrus International to fund job training for welders. 

Last year, I requested the City of Milwaukee be designated the lead on Workforce Development for our region and am working hard to link employers to area residents in need of family supporting jobs.

I too believe that we need to invest in regional transportation. Milwaukee and the region would benefit from commuter rail, fast trains and an overhaul of local transit systems.

But Milwaukee is not in China, where the national government not only holds the power of the purse but also the power of the infrastructure investment decisions.

For Milwaukee and our region to move forward on a multi-modal investment strategy, we're going to have to follow the lead of Atlanta, Phoenix and a host of other metro-regions where business leaders and elected officials invested time, money and talent in a concentrated effort to move multi-modal, regional  transportation from the idea stage to reality.

Our regional economy does not operate according to municipal boundaries. That's why I've invested greatly in building a regional approach. The Milwaukee 7 is a comprehensive approach to integrating public and private economic development tools that will aid the region in recruitment, retention, attraction and expansion of business.

 

The City and region have multiple challenges and issues that we must continue to address. We will move forward. We have the resources and the will to do so. And, despite a few comments made at a luncheon, we are poised for a greater and better future.

 

To those who want to accept that challenge, my door is open.  I would welcome the help in fighting for an improved business climate for our city where we could more easily attract, retain and expand job opportunities.

 

Tom Barrett is the Mayor of the City of Milwaukee.

The Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce is working hard to convince Miller Brewing Co. and Molson Coors Brewing Co. executives to locate their combined headquarters in Colorado, rather than Milwaukee.

Denver's effort received a huge a boost from a rather strange place Thursday: from Milwaukee's business community.

 

Five of the Milwaukee area's most prominent chief executive officers were featured in a panel discussion on "Global Wooing" Thursday by the Public Policy Forum. The five CEOs took turns ripping Milwaukee as a terrible place to do business.

The CEOs jointly described Milwaukee as a region with a broken public education system, runaway health care costs and an anti-capitalistic mindset. They said Milwaukee's taxes are too high, and the region doesn't know how to market itself, suffers from a lack of leadership, has wasteful government spending and doesn't provide enough tax incentives to attract and keep businesses and create jobs.

And when they were done criticizing the region as a terrible place to do business, they piled on and did it again. And again.

Paul Purcell, CEO of Robert W. Baird & Co. Inc., criticized Milwaukee Public Schools and called for more charter schools and choice schools. "We need to fix MPS," he said.

Purcell also denounced Wisconsin's "bureaucracy and tax structure."

John Shiely, CEO of Briggs & Stratton Inc., was asked if he would consider building a new manufacturing plant here.
"We probably wouldn't, to tell you the truth," Shiely said.

Shiely criticized the collective mindset of Milwaukee, saying the region is more likely to have a great-grandson of "one of Milwaukee's socialist mayors" denounce the gap in salaries between CEOs and front-line workers than it is to encourage the creation of wealth.

"That shouldn't be … You just don't hear the 'two Americas' rhetoric (down South)," Shiely said.
Rick Armbrust, CEO of Oilgear Co., said he is warmly welcomed and embraced by Chinese government officials when he visits that country.

"Come to Milwaukee … And you don't find that," Armbrust said.

Likewise, Tim Sullivan, CEO of Bucyrus International Inc., said he was courted by local governmental officials when he visited Idaho and Texas to consider plant expansions there. By contrast, in Milwaukee, "It was like bouncing off the walls trying to get someone to talk to … We don't do anything other states do. We have to emulate these other states to try to attract and keep companies."

Jeff Joerres, CEO of Manpower Inc., said, "We're not breaking rules to say, 'Come here.'"

Purcell said his company has difficulty persuading top young talent to come to Milwaukee, where employers increasingly are facing the additional challenge of finding employment for the spouses of job candidates.
"In Chicago, they have 15 opportunities, and in Milwaukee, they have one," Purcell said.

Purcell said Milwaukee should stop trying to compete with Chicago and should instead collaborate more with the Windy City and Madison.

Purcell drew applause from the crowd of more than 200 business and civic leaders when he said southeastern Wisconsin needs high-speed rail to be more competitive.

Joerres said the region needs to do a more effective job of promoting its image to the" 25-year-olds" in other markets.

"In many ways, we're not known for much … What if you put in light rail?" Joerres said. "I think as a city, we've got to get out in front."

Joerres read aloud a national news story about a company that moved its headquarters to North Carolina.

Shiely, who said Milwaukee has a bad "tone," told a story about the cheaper labor his company finds for its plant in Kentucky.

When asked about the need for taxes to support quality-of-life initiatives, such as public parks, Sullivan said local governments were inefficient and duplicative.

"We are squandering millions of (dollars) of federal money," Sullivan said.

Meanwhile, the folks at the Milwaukee 7, the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce and the Spirit of Milwaukee are doing all they can to try convince companies such as Miller/Molson Coors to put their headquarters in Milwaukee.

Good luck with that, now.

Dean Amhaus, president of Spirit Milwaukee, attended the Public Policy Luncheon and listened to the CEOs' comments.

"Do we have things we need to address and grow and change? Absolutely. That's why Milwaukee 7 was created, to address that. One of the first things was to get us all on the same page, so when someone did call us, they didn't have 35 phone numbers to call. Milwaukee 7 has only been around two years. Places like North Carolina have been doing this for decades. The other thing is places like North Carolina use a huge amount of government dollars to do that. Ours is mostly privately driven," Amhaus told SBT after the forum. "We are our own worst enemy. We have to move past the glass is half empty to the glass is half full, and I think we've made significant progress. We will continue to keep championing the positives. Time in and time out, we have people come to the Milwaukee region, and they are amazed to see what we have got going on here, and they are quick to sing our praises."

The forum also was attended by Jeff Sherman, president of OnMilwaukee.com, which is one of the strongest voices of advocacy for the region. After the event, Sherman called for a more positive dialog among its corporate leaders.

"We heard many valid 'criticisms' today, but we are tired of hearing CEOs complain about the 'bad tone' in Milwaukee," Sherman said. "Let's tell the positive Milwaukee stories and dive in to address the negatives."

Steve Jagler is executive editor of Small Business Times.