Midland Video Productions Inc. in Milwaukee opened its doors in 1980. In commemoration of the company’s 30-year history, Midland Video has launched a company blog that features a series of videos and outtakes from the production company’s archives.
“At the end of every year, we go back through our archives and choose around five or six clips to add to our ‘what have we done’ history site,” said Neil Jaehnert, who co-founded the company with George Liberatore.“This year, we decided we would do a little something extra to celebrate our 30-year anniversary.”
The company plans to launch a new blog post with a video component from its archives every Monday for the rest of 2010, Jaehnert said.
This week’s video features an outtake from Christopher Reeve’s 1996 video shoot just after his tragic accident. According to Jaehnert, Reeve was insistent on doing additional takes even after the company had a good one. In the featured outtake, he apologizes for not having enough strength to deliver the message like he wanted.
The shoot was done at Reeve’s home in New York and was being shot for a school in Illinois that had developed a program for students with spinal cord injuries.
“We’ve created thousands of videos over the past few decades,” Jaehnert said. “But we wanted to highlight a select few that have unique stories behind them or are particularly meaningful for different reasons.”
Upcoming videos will feature Mother Theresa, a Ronald McDonald training session, footage shot for some local Milwaukee companies, and the eternal jokester Leslie Nielsen, Jaehnert said. Most of the blog posts will include a video, but some will include only still shots, he said.
“Video production is an important part of the Milwaukee community,” Jaehnert said. “We have been around and doing it for longer than almost anyone else I think, and so we wanted to share some of our memories with the public because a lot of it is thier history too.”
Check out the Christopher Reeve out take at the Midland Video blog, and check back next week for a new update from the archives: www.midlandvideo.com/blog

Meg McKenna is the new executive director of the Wauwatosa West Suburban Association of Commerce (WWSAC).
“We are very excited to have an individual with Meg’s background and talents join the association,” said Tim Casey, principal of Equity Commercial Real Estate, and president of the WWSAC board of directors. “Meg knows what it takes to start and operate a business, and she is active in the Wauwatosa community. She is the right person to work with the board in moving our association forward in 2010 and beyond.”
McKenna was the co-founder and online editor of MilwaukeeMoms.com prior to selling that entity to Journal Communications in 2006. She stayed on for two years as manager of Community Relations for MilwaukeeMoms at Journal Communications. She has been a member of the Wauwatosa Public School District Marketing Advisory Committee since 2006, and was a co-founder of Friends of Hoyt Park & Pool in 2005. McKenna earned her bachelor’s and juris doctor degrees from Marquette University, and served in private law practice for seven years prior to starting MilwaukeeMoms.com.
“This association has a long and proud history in the community, and I look forward to building on that base,” McKenna said. “We intend to offer fresh, dynamic networking opportunities, business development programs and issues forums to augment the many successful programs of the association,” she said.
McKenna said she looks forward to helping expand the chamber’s presence and its role in business growth. Members of the association and others in the Wauwatosa business community also can expect to see enhanced use of social media tools by the WWSAC, “We can offer an incredible combination of personal networking and business programs along with online opportunities for communications and awareness,” she said.
The WWSAC recently moved its offices to the Technology Innovation Center at the Milwaukee County Research Park to better coordinate its activities with other business related entities at the Research Park, and to better serve its members.

Melissa Mautz of Hartford was recently awarded a $5,000 grand prize in the national True Value DIY Drama Contest, which allowed homeowners to share their home improvement projects gone awry for a chance to fix up their mix ups. Mautz won with her Showered with Duct Tape story. “Our family feels so fortunate and blessed to have won this prize,” Mautz said.  “While we certainly appreciate the multitude of votes that came pouring in from family, friends, neighbors, and kind strangers – thanks to modern-day technology such as Facebook; I am most pleased that an essay written from my heart - about my dad - was chosen as a finalist.”  The blunder included applying duct tape as a temporary solution to a leady shower faucet; a project started and never finished by her father. Visit www.StartRightStartHere.com to see her winning entry.

Your Caring Network, a division of Clear Medical Solutions in Milwaukee, will offer a free two hour promotion to anyone in need of the firm’s services.
Your Caring Network provides non-medical supportive care services to individuals and families throughout southeastern Wisconsin.
“We can help anyone from an expecting mother who may need a little extra help around the house, cooking cleaning or child care; all the way to elderly individuals or individuals with disabilities who may need help from a certified nursing assistant,” said Nathaniel Reid, caring coordinator at the network. “We want people to be able to take advantage of our care for free to see that they will love our service.”
In addition to providing standard care services for individuals and particular the elderly, Your Caring Network also provides Senior Social Networking assistance for those seniors interested in setting up Facebook and Twitter profiles as a way to stay connected to family.
“Our main goal is keeping families connected,” Reid said. “We saw a need for home care early on. Most people who are aging want to do it at home, they shouldn’t have to pack up their things and move to a nursing home. Our services will allow them to stay at home, and the technology assistance we can provide in addition to basic home care will only help them stay connected to their families better.”
Those interested in receiving two free hours of home assistance from Your Caring Network can visit the Your Caring Network website at www.yourcaringnetwork.com or contact Reid directly at Nathaniel@yourcaringnetwork.com

The Milwaukee Press Club will celebrate its 125th anniversary at this year’s annual City Birthday Party. In celebration of Milwaukee’s birthday, The Press Club will unveil an online trivia contest on Monday, Jan. 11, that will include questions regarding historical milestones, events and personalities that have shaped the Milwaukee media industry, the city and the world’s view of it.
“Amid all the recent changes to the media industry, we feel this is an important opportunity to look back at the events and media milestones that have shaped the history of Milwaukee and to celebrate the history of journalism in our city,” said Jim Nelson, president of The Milwaukee Press Club and deputy business editor of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
The winner of the online trivia contest will be announced by Mayor Tom Barrett at the City of Milwaukee Birthday Party on Tuesday, Jan. 26 at the Milwaukee Art Museum, 700 N. Art Museum Drive. Admission is $25.
Those interested in attending or learning more about the Press Club can register immediately and view official contest rules and entry instructions after January 11 on the Milwaukee Press Club Web site: www.milwaukeepressclub.org.
The online trivia contest was developed by Milwaukee historian John Gurda and members of the Milwaukee Press Club board. Gurda will also give a presentation at the Birthday party event.

Name:  Karen Kostrewa
Title:  CEO
Company:  MLT/Instructing Technologies
Address:  20633 Watertown Court, Waukesha, WI 53186
Web site:  www.masterlinktraining.com; www.instructingtechnologies.com
Industry:  Education
Education: “ I believe that education is key to growth in any profession.  I have several associates degrees and certifications from Bryant and Stratton, UW-Oshkosh, Gateway Tech and Security Schools of Chicago”
Family:  “I have been married for over 30 years to my husband Bob.  We have three children; Leanne, Michael and Christopher”
Hobbies and Interests:  “I am a big fan of golfing!  You can also find me doing different crafts; especially needlework and cooking and entertaining on the weekends.”
Favorite Movie: West Side Story
Favorite Musician/Band:  Fleetwood Mac
Favorite place to Visit/Vacation: “Hawaii or our summer home at Lake Arrowhead”
Favorite Local Restaurant: Mr B's
Words to Live By: “At the end of the day, if I can stop and say, ‘Did I help someone grow--yes, did I intentionally harm anyone--no,  and did I accomplish what I set out to do today—yes’, I know I'm on the path to achieving my own definition of success.”
Core Philosophy: “Place the Client at the Center of all we do. Be experts at what we do. Respect your team and your client. Demonstrate innovation, profitability, and flexibility. Invest attention, respect, and dignity. Keep growth consistent with core capabilities and beliefs. Support team development and excellence and bring value.
Who is your role model and why?:  “Jackie Kennedy Onassis - Because of her grace, courage, and sophistication.  She rekindled the nation's pride in our cultural heritage and I admire her business acumen and elegance.”
What is the funniest thing that ever happened to you? “We moved to the "country" (Sussex) 20 years ago and there was a dairy farm along our regular route.  One day, as my husband and I were driving by, city born and raised as I was, I commented, "I can't believe they still haven't sold that bale of hay.  It's been out there for over a year!" My husband (country boy from way back) thought I was being particularly amusing until he realized that I was serious…..it's a story he tells over and over again, that one and the one about the day I almost poisoned him making him a drink out of the lamp oil that one of our friends had been storing in the Jack Daniels bottle on their refrigerator!  In fact, my family has a whole series of "Karen Stories" they drag out on the holidays.”

“Like all matters important to society, congress must recuse itself and turn this over to an unbiased panel of independent scientists, paid for by the taxpayers and working for the taxpayers.”
-  Jack Lohman, retired business owner from Colgate, Wis., and author of "Politicians - Owned and Operated by Corporate America.”

Check out the week ahead surrounding Milwaukee's performing arts and music scene by visiting Third Coast Digest, a media partner of BizTimes Milwaukee.

1. “Seven Lessons for Leading in Crisis” by Bill George and Warren Bennis
2. “Crush It!” by Gary Vaynerchuk
3. “I Love You More Than My Dog” by Jeanne Bliss
4. “Rich Dad's Increase Your Financial IQ” by Robert T Kiyosaki and Jake Johnson
5. “Behind the Cloud” by Marc Benioff and Carlye Adler

Courtesy of 800 CEO Read

• Thursday, Jan. 7 The International Association of Administrative Professionals-Waukesha Chapter will host its next meeting at the Venice Club, 1905 N. Calhoun Road, beginning at 5:30 p.m. The meeting will feature a presentation on office ergonomics by Sara Mittelsteadt called “Maximize Employee Productivity While Reducing Injuries.” She has been selling and representing office products for more than 30 years.
• Monday, Jan. 11 LinkedIn-Milwaukee will host its monthly event on the topic of how businesses can reap the benefits of social media, presented by the business people that use this valuable tool. It will feature a panel discussion made up of local business people that are using social media to promote their products and services. These professionals will provide real-time examples and be able to explain how they use social media in a very practical way. The event will be held at the Crown Plaza Hotel, 10499 Innovation Drive, Wauwatosa from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. To register visit http://www.mkelive.com/calendar/
• Wednesday, Jan. 13 Waukesha County Chamber of Commerce will host “Capturing the Mind of Your Customers: How to Win More Business in a Challenging Economy” from 7 to 10 a.m. at the Hilton Garden Inn Oconomowoc, 1433 Pabst Farms Circle. Event will include a presentation by best selling author and speaker Tony Rubleski of the Mind Capture Group. Attendees must pre-register, cost to attend is $50 for chamber members and $65 for future chamber members. To register visit www.waukesha.org
• Friday, Jan. 22 BizTimes Media presents the Northern Trust Economic Trends Event at the Italian Community Center, 631 E. Chicago St., from 7:30 until 10 a.m. The 2010 panel includes Michael Knetter, Ph.D, U.S. representative Paul Ryan (R-Janesville), Bob Arzbaecher, chief executive officer of Generac Power Systems Inc., and Andy Nunemaker, president of EMSystems LLC. Cost to attend is $55 per individual or $550 for a corporate table of ten. Registration for Economic Trends is now open, visit www.biztimes.com/trends
• Tuesday, Jan. 26 The Milwaukee Press Club will celebrate its 125th anniversary and host the 164th City of Milwaukee Birthday Party at the Milwaukee Art Museum, 700 N. Art Museum Drive, from 5:30 until 8 p.m. Cost to attend is $25 per person. For more information or to register visit the Milwaukee Press Club website: www.milwaukeepressclub.org/events.
• Thursday, Jan. 28 The Milwaukee Inventors’ Forum will hold its January meeting at Marquette University High School, 3306 W. Michigan St., starting at 5:30 p.m.  Topics to be covered include: “Angels, Bootstrappers and Capital Contributions.”  For more information visit www.abtechlaw.com

Respond to the BizTimes Poll Question: Will your company hire more temporary help in 2010?

• Friday, Jan. 8 Milwaukee Bucks face off against the Chicago Bulls at the Bradley Center. Tip off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
• Thursday, Jan. 7 through Sunday, Jan. 10 Metropolitan Builders Association will host its annual Home Builder’s Expo at the Midwest Airlines Center, 400 W. Wisconsin Ave. Cost to attend is $10 or $8 with a non-perishable food item.
• Saturday, Jan. 9 and Sunday, Jan. 10 the Wonderful World of Weddings exposition at the Wisconsin Exposition Center, 8200 W. Greenfield Ave., cost to attend is $8.50.

• African American Chamber of Commerce Milwaukee
• American Marketing Association-Milwaukee Chapter
• Business Marketing Association-Milwaukee
• Conservative Young Professionals of Milwaukee
• Executive Women International-Milwaukee Chapter
• FUEL Milwaukee
• Grandville-Brown Deer Chamber of Commerce
• Greater Brookfield Chamber of Commerce
• Mequon-Thiensville Chamber of Commerce
• Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce (MMAC)
• National Association of Women Business Owners
• Professional Dimensions
• Public Relations Society of America - Wisconsin Chapter,
• South Suburban Chamber of Commerce
• Sheboygan County Chamber of Commerce
• Tempo Waukesha
• Tempo Milwaukee
• Waukesha County Chamber of Commerce
• Waukesha Young Professionals
• YP Impact