After 82 years of bringing Milwaukeeans the most current novels, the world's literature, nonfiction bestsellers and thousands of well-known authors, the four Harry W. Schwartz Bookshops will be shuttered after March 31.
The landmark company has been a family-owned and operated business since its founding in 1927, two years before the onset of the Great Depression.
Although the business not only survived that economic downturn but went on to thrive by adapting to countless changes in readers' styles and tastes, it could not weather the current economic turmoil nor the dramatic changes in how people shop in the new century, according to the company's president, Carol Grossmeyer.
Grossmeyer took over managing the business in 2007, three years after the death of her husband, A. David Schwartz, son of founder Harry W. Schwartz and his wife, Reva Previant Schwartz.
After growing up in the family business, David formally joined the company in 1963 and assumed ownership in 1972.
"The successful business model of multiple bookshop locations that saw tremendous growth in the '80s and '90s was no longer effective in the 21st century," Grossmeyer said.  "Profound shifts in how people shop and equally great changes in the book industry left many well-established bookshops with dwindling sales.  David successfully led us into the new century fighting for our ground. But the winds of change were gales, and at the time of David's passing in 2004, we were a wounded business.  The most recent economic crisis was, for us, the final blow."
The four Harry W. Schwartz Bookshops are located at: 17145 W. Bluemound Road in the V. Richards Plaza in Brookfield; 2559 N. Downer Ave. in Milwaukee; 10976 N. Port Washington Road in the Pavilions in Mequon; and 4093 N. Oakland Ave. in Shorewood.
A total of 65 part- and full-time employees work at the four retail locations and at the Schwartz corporate office in Milwaukee's Historic Third Ward.
In 1927, after working in a Los Angeles bookstore for several years after high school, Harry W. Schwartz moved back to Milwaukee and opened his own bookshop on Downer Avenue on Milwaukee's east side.
He began selling and occasionally publishing works by some of the most notable, and often controversial, American authors of the 20th century, including William Faulkner and Ernest Hemingway. He defied attempts at censorship by selling literary erotica, including James Joyce's "Ulysses" and Henry Miller's "Tropic of Cancer."
"We are profoundly saddened by this difficult situation," Grossmeyer said. "We all take great pride in the belief that the shops brought our customers the very best books the world has to offer. I like to think that the bookshops have played a vital role in the intellectual life of our city by bringing hundreds of authors to read and share ideas, and I hope that we can take some small credit for introducing new writers to our city's readers."
Rebecca Schwartz, David's daughter and chairman of the board, added, "The Harry W. Schwartz booksellers have been a vital part of the Schwartz experience. Over the years, we've been fortunate to have hundreds of smart, passionate and inspiring booksellers who enthusiastically conveyed the dedication to reading that Schwartz represents. We consider many of our long-time employees part of the Schwartz book-selling family."
Following the closing of Harry W. Schwartz Bookshops, the Downer Avenue location will re-open as Boswell Book Company in April. The new bookshop will be solely owned and operated by Daniel Goldin. Goldin has been with Harry W. Schwartz Bookshops since 1986, most recently serving as the company's general manager.
"I'm excited about opening my own bookstore, but it's still difficult to say goodbye to Schwartz," Goldin said. "Although it's a bittersweet time for all of us associated with the company, I'm looking forward to using my Schwartz experience and continuing to provide Milwaukeeans - especially our many customers from Milwaukee and Shorewood - with the books and periodicals they treasure."
In addition, the company is in discussions with Lanora Hurley to open her own bookstore, Next Chapter Bookshop, in Schwartz's Mequon location.  Hurley is manager of the Schwartz Bookshop in Mequon and has been with the company since 2002.
800-CEO-READ, Schwartz's sister company, is continuing to operate and plans to release its first book on Feb. 5, "The 100 Best Business Books of All Time," written by Jack Covert, the founder of 800-CEO-READ, and Todd Sattersten, the company's president.  800-CEO-READ is an Internet-based business that sells directly to thousands of businesses and organizations throughout the country.

The Business Council Inc. (TBC), a group of ethnically diverse business people, has joined the fight against the City Milwaukee's paid sick leave mandate.
TBC and its board of directors have contributed $2,500 to the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce (MMAC) fund to challenge the mandate in court.
TBC is an affiliate organization of the MMAC.
"The proposed sick leave mandate will have significant negative impact on Milwaukee's ability to attract and retain the businesses that fuel our economy. It will especially impact on small and ethnically diverse businesses. We at The Business Council Inc. stand with the MMAC and other entities in vehemently opposing this mandate," said Carl Brown, chairman of TBC board and president of Red Brown Kle' Marketing. "While we believe that all individuals should be paid a living wage, we find this ordinance to be a little over-reaching and one that sends an anti-business message to all of us at a time when we can least afford it."
The mandate, which was approved by a majority of city voters in a Nov. 4 referendum, is scheduled to go into effect Tuesday, Feb. 10.
The MMAC is asking Milwaukee County Circuit Judge John DiMotto for an injunction against the mandate. DiMotto has postponed his hearing on the lawsuit until Friday, Feb. 6.

Oconomowoc-based Paragon Development Systems Inc. (PDS) announced today it has acquired Provident Technologies Inc. of Sheboygan.
Provident Technologies is a Novell Platinum partner specializing in identity management and Linux-based solutions with engineering and sales divisions in Sheboygan, Madison and Milwaukee. Provident also is an authorized sales and service repair facility for Hewlett Packard and Samsung printers, HP workstations, laptops and tablet PCs.
All Provident staff will be joining PDS as part of the acquisition, including chief operating officer Angela Daniels, who will lead PDS's provisioning and platform management software services as a director in the computing architecture group. As part of the transition, PDS will maintain an office in the Sheboygan area indefinitely.
"Provident Technologies boasts rich IT infrastructure expertise, and we are pleased to welcome them to the team," said PDS chief technical officer Austin Park. "The skills added by the incoming group of consultants in open source, Novell Zenworks and Novell identity management solutions will complement our already strong consulting capabilities in configuration management with Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager and LANDesk.
"PDS continues to strengthen the Microsoft platform business, which we are well known for," Park added. "But we can now offer our customers more choice with expertise in open source software as well."
Provident's long-term clients include Sheboygan Falls-based Johnsonville Sausage, for which Provident implemented comprehensive Novell identity and systems management solutions to achieve a single point of control for thousands of employee and digital partner identities.
"The merger of PDS and Provident Technologies will enable the company to offer its customers high-value IT solutions, which gives them the flexibility and agility to deliver on their organization's IT objectives," said Joe McLaughlin, vice president of partner and channel sales for Novell.
In response to the growing number of travelers using mobile devices and smart phones, Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker introduced a new mobile friendly enhancement to General Mitchell International Airport's Web site.
The new mobile site, www.mitchellairport.com/mobile, gives travelers a streamlined version of the airport's Web site, providing quick and easy information on the move.
"With today's busy schedules, more and more people are turning to their smart phones to get up-to-the-minute information on the airport," Walker said. "This new enhancement makes it easy for travelers on the go to check on their flight, get real-time parking information and much more."
Using the industry's best practices, the GMIA mobile site creates a bandwidth-friendly experience formatted to fit on the smaller screens of mobile devices.
The Web site contains information found to be the most important to travelers, including arrivals and departures status, real-time parking information, directions to the airport and an airport guide. The site also includes a listing of airlines that serve GMIA complete with Web links and contact phone numbers that can be dialed by a cell phone with one simple click.

Simulation Technology and Applied Research Inc. (STAAR), a Mequon-based developer of 3D tools for electromagnetic simulation used in subsystems that operate at radio and microwave frequencies, has been acquired by AWR, an El Segundo, Calif.-based firm that specializes in electronic design automation software.
All of STAAR's six employees, including founder John DeFord, will remain with the company, which has retained its name and Mequon location at 11520 N. Port Washington Road. STAAR is now an affiliate company within AWR.
"AWR has acquired the technology we developed and its people - both were important in the acquisition," DeFord said. "Our expertise is in 3D electromagnetic modeling, something their customers were asking for."
The acquisition will enable STAAR's employees to concentrate on electromagnetic modeling, DeFord said, and AWR’s established sales force creates significant growth potential for STAAR.
"As a stand-alone company, we had a product but no sales channels," he said. "Now we can run the company more or less as we did before, but we don’t have to worry about the sales side. We’re able to focus on the technology."
Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

The South Suburban Chamber of Commerce, representing Oak Creek and Franklin, and Transit NOW will co-sponsor a presentation on "Building Wealth - Creating and Capturing the Benefits of Investing in Transit in Southeastern Wisconsin," on Friday, Jan. 30.
The event will take place from 7:30 to 9 a.m. at MATC South in Oak Creek.
Nationally recognized speaker Scott Bernstein, founder and president of the Center for Neighborhood Technology, Chicago, will address how transit investments build wealth, support thriving neighborhoods and create jobs and economic prosperity.
Ken Yunker, director of the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission, will also give brief overview of the status and the next steps of current transit proposals.
The Greater Milwaukee Association of Realtors and the Associated General Contractors of Greater Milwaukee also are sponsors of the event.
The cost to attend the breakfast is $10. For more information, visit www.southsuburbanchamber.com.

Mark Moody has been named president of the WEA Insurance Corp., commonly known as the WEA Trust, as part of a planned transition of company leadership.
Moody, who joined the WEA Trust as vice president of field operations, had most recently been serving as executive vice president.
The WEA Trust is a nonprofit Madison-based insurer that provides health and other insurance programs to Wisconsin public school employees. It currently has more than 130,000 health plan members and 150,000 dental plan members.
Moody was appointed president by the board of trustees to succeed Fred Evert, who had been president since 2005 and chief executive officer since 2006. Evert will continue as CEO of the corporation and executive director of the WEA Insurance Trust.
" look forward to serving the needs of Wisconsin educators," Moody said. "I am honored to be leading the Trust and the people who work here. It is a special organization that puts the health and well-being of its members first."

Milwaukee-based Rexnord LLC announced that Zurn Industries LLC, its wholly owned water management subsidiary, has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the stock of Fontaine-Alliance Inc. and affiliates.
The acquisition is expected to close in the first calendar quarter.
Fontaine manufactures sluice gates and other engineered flow control products for the municipal water and wastewater markets. Fontaine is based in Magog, Quebec, Canada. Fontaine employs approximately 185 employees.
Rexnord anticipates funding the acquisition from existing cash balances and/or its existing credit facilities.
Fontaine will expand Rexnord's strategic water management platform, which was created with the company's acquisition of Zurn in February 2007. The acquisition further expands Zurn's presence in the municipal water and wastewater markets, both domestically and internationally, along with providing a product offering that is complementary with Zurn's recent acquisition of GA Industries Inc, which closed in January 2008.
Alex Marini, president and chief executive officer of Rexnord's Water Management Group, said, "We are extremely pleased with the acquisition of Fontaine. Fontaine is a well-managed company with a strong brand name."
Andre Fontaine, CEO of Fontaine-Alliance Inc. said, "The merger provides Fontaine the opportunity to grow in our markets even further by leveraging the size and performance of Rexnord and Zurn. We are excited to be part of Rexnord's Water Management business, which will greatly enhance the scope of products available to our customers."
Bob Hitt, president and CEO of Rexnord, said, "The addition of Fontaine serves as a complement to our existing water management business, and also strengthens our dedication to expanding valuable components of our water management platform."

Johnson Controls Inc. will receive the 2008 Corporation of the Year Award from the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin (HCCW) at the organization's 19th annual banquet on Saturday, Jan. 24.
Johnson Controls will be honored for "repeated acts of solid commitment, vision and for placing high value on supplier diversity."
The HCCW also will salute the following Hispanic-owned businesses: Café El Sol at the United Community Center (Arturo Napoles, head chef; Ricardo Diaz, UCC executive director; and Juan Ruiz, UCC deputy director); and the Santiago Insurance Agency (Harry Santiago, principal agent).
In addition, the chamber will present its "Mi Comunidad" award to Cristy Garcia-Thomas, president of the United Performing Arts Fund (UPAF).
The following have been duly elected to serve three-year terms on the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin (HCCW) board of directors: Ruta Bastos, senior vice president, Associated Bank; Frank Becerra, president, BITS & Associates; Nancy Hernandez, president, Abrazo Multicultural Marketing & Communications; Marcos Ramos, president, Corporate Health Consultants; David Ruiz, vice president of the Wisconsin district, United Parcel Service (UPS); and Eric Serrano, Strategic Employee Benefit Services, Northwestern Mutual Financial Network.
The HCCW's 2009 executive board will include: Perfecto Rivera, chairman, Harris Bank; David Aragon, vice chair, SITE Personnel; Don Cohen, treasurer, Landmark Credit Union; and Serrano.
The theme of the banquet will be "Manana Comienza Hoy!" or "Tomorrow Begins Today!"
The event will take place at the Midwest Airlines Center.

Tailored Label Products Inc. is the recipient of the Menomonee Falls Community Chamber's Business of the Year Award.
The organization also gave its President's Award to Chad Johnson of Johnson's Nursery Inc., its Community Betterment Award to the Village Centre of Menomonee Falls and its Chairperson of the Year Award to E. Erik Gauger of UBS Financial Services Inc.
The awards were presented at the chamber's annual banquet at Davians Banquet & Conference Center.
Patrick Yates, owner of Fastsigns, has been named the new president of the Menomonee Falls Community Chamber. Yates has been an active member of the chamber, serving on many committees and most recently serving as president-elect during 2008.
Joining Yates on the executive committee of the chamber for 2009 are: president-elect Sal Zizzo, owner of Trysting Place Pub; vice president Mary Metzger of Cornerstone Community Bank; treasurer Scott Farrow, owner of Farrow & Associates; and immediate past president Bill Nordstrom, owner of William Nordstrom Jewelers.
 

The Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohican Indians recently unveiled the first phase of what will be a $100 million gaming facility and hotel about 40 miles east of Wausau on Highway A. The new, 66,000-square-foot gaming area is now open, with 1,225 slot machines, 14 table games, two restaurants and two bar areas. The second phase, which will include a 150-room hotel, a 13,000-square-foot convention center, a steakhouse and a luxury spa, is scheduled for completion in 2010 and is expected to add about 200 jobs. Read more in BizTimes Milwaukee's daily roundup of headlines from newspapers across the state at http://www.biztimes.com/#news. The stock market was closed today in observance of Dr. Martin Luther King Day.

For millions of Americans, the inauguration of Barack Obama as president of the United States is a transformational moment in history that transcends politics as usual. Read more in BizTimes Milwaukee executive editor Steve Jagler's Milwaukee Biz Blog today.

Modine Manufacturing Co. announced today it will reduce its workforce in its Racine headquarters by approximately 25 percent, resulting in the elimination of about 170 jobs lost.
The layoffs are across all levels of the organization, the company said.
Modine sells much of its thermal management technology to the automotive market. The company's statement about the cuts said it has been severely impacted by the current global economic slowdown.
As part of its ongoing restructuring, Modine also is making significant job cuts to its European headquarters and TechCenter in Bonlanden, Germany.
"The decision to further reduce our workforce was extremely difficult, but it is one that is essential in these unprecedented times," said Thomas Burke, president and chief executive officer. "We are extremely grateful to these employees for their service to Modine and completely committed to provide resources and support to help them transition to other opportunities."