RedPrairie Corp. announced today that Norm Balthasar, chief operating officer of Fiserv Inc., has been named to RedPrairie's board of directors. RedPrairie is a Waukesha-based provider of global supply chain technology solutions, such as radio frequency identification (RFID). Balthasar has 30 years of experience in the financial industry. "Norm Balthasar is a very important addition to RedPrairie's board at this critical stage in our history. His experience in the financial industry and with acquisitions in the global information systems industry will provide us important guidance as we expand our global presence through internal growth and acquisitions," said John Jazweic, RedPrairie's "company leader."

The Small Business Administration's 19th annual Small Business Awards presentation breakfast will take place Friday, May 21, at the Milwaukee Marriott West in Waukesha. The SBA will give awards in the following categories: small business person of the year; runner-up small business person of the year; young entrepreneur of the year; emerging small business person; minority small business person of the year; minority small business advocate; financial services advocate; veteran small business advocate; small business legal assistance; women in business advocate; small business journalist; family-owned small business; and small business exporter. Terry Anderson, chief executive officer of Omni Tech Corp., will be the keynote speaker at the event, which will take place from 7:30 to 9 a.m. Reservations must be made by Friday, May 14, by contacting Sandra Grinker at 414-298-8437.

Wisconsin has experienced the largest employment growth of any state in the upper Midwest over the past 12 months, according to new statistics from the U.S. Department of Labor. Since March 2003, Wisconsin has added 34,800 jobs  a modest 1.3% increase, but it was the highest numerical and percentage increase in the Midwest. Comparatively, Minnesota added 18,100 jobs (a .7% increase), and Indiana added 23,100 jobs (a .8% increase). Illinois lost 11,300 jobs (a .2% decrease), and Michigan lost 42,200 jobs (a 1% decrease). "I'm pleased that Wisconsin is leading the way in employment growth," said Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle. "Our strategy of focusing on upgrading our industries and competing at the high end is making an impact. We still have more to do, and there are still troubling signs in the national economy, but it is clear we are making progress." The full report from the Department of Labor is available at http://stats.bls.gov/news.release/metro.t02.htm.

The YWCA of Waukesha County will allow men to join as full members for the first time in the organization's 84-year-old history. The YWCA's board of directors has voted to change its bylaws, which had previously only allowed men and children under 12 years of age as associate members with no voting rights. "We believe that as an organization which prides itself on serving all members of our community, regardless of race, religion, ability and sex, we were in direct contradiction to our mission by discriminating against men and not allowing them to enjoy the benefits of full membership," said Laraine O'Brien, chairwoman of the Waukesha YWCA's board of directors.

The BizTimes Stock Index, which measures the stock values of companies based in southeastern Wisconsin, recovered .44 points to close at 139.01 Tuesday, and local stocks continued to surge in early morning trading today. The largest local advancers this morning were MGIC Investment Corp. (up $1.12 to $73.97) and Marshall & Ilsley Corp. (down 80 cents to $38.64). The largest local decliners this morning were Strattec Security Corp. (down 33 cents to $64.17) and Joy Global Inc. (down 30 cents to $27.18). The BizTimes Stock Index was created by Small Business Times and is monitored by North Shore Bank. The index can be found at www.biztimes.com.

The clock is ticking for 4,000 union employees of SBC Communications Inc. in Wisconsin, as they approach the Friday midnight strike deadline for labor contract negotiations. The Wisconsin workers include about 2,500 members of the Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 4603 in Wauwatosa. The CWA reported that 90% of its 102,000 members employed at SBC in 13 states voted April 29 to authorize a strike if the union's leadership deemed it is necessary. Union members have been "cleaning off their desks and packing up their personal belongings" to send a message to the company, according to a statement by the national CWA office. SBC spokesman Walt Sharp said the company is prepared to continue to deliver its telephone and Internet services if a strike is called. "But we're very optimistic that we're going to reach an agreement with no work stoppage," Sharp told Small Business Times by telephone while taking a break from the national negotiations between the union and the company today in Washington, D.C. "Customer service is always our top priority." The Wisconsin union members at SBC include clerical staff, technicians and telephone service personnel, according to Chris Stapelfeldt, vice president of Local 4603. Stapelfeldt said the phone lines in southeastern Wisconsin likely won't go silent at midnight Friday, but customers over time will be affected by a strike. "They (company officials) have been bringing managers and outside people who supposedly will be able to keep things running. But they really don't know. These aren't jobs you can just train for two weeks and just plug in and do," Stapelfeldt said. Severe spring weather could further amplify service problems during a strike, Stapelfeldt said. The union is asking the company for commitments to employment security and access to new jobs. The union has criticized the company for eliminating more than 20,000 jobs in recent years. According to the union, the company has created many new jobs in its growing Internet support and business data services, but those are nonunion jobs. The company has outsourced thousands of other jobs overseas to nations with cheaper labor, the union said.