Wisconsin's plastics manufacturers have been especially hard-hit by the recession. However, some of them are recalibrating their businesses for growth. Read more in the cover story of the new edition of BizTimes Milwaukee. The new edition also includes, the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce's latest Economic Outlook, and a look at what Milwaukee can learn from New York as it relates to a mayoral takeover of its schools.

The Zilber Neighborhood Initiative, a $50 million project by Zilber Ltd. founder Joseph Zilber to improve neighborhoods in the city of Milwaukee, today announced its quality-of-life plans for the first two neighborhoods in the project: Lindsay Heights and Clarke Square.
"Joe really sees the possibility for the future, which holds very prosperous neighborhoods for the city of Milwaukee," said Susan Lloyd, executive director of the Zilber Family Foundation Inc.

The projects planned for Clarke Square (bounded by Pierce Street, South 16th Street, Forest Home Avenue and Layton Boulevard) include:

• A $6 million addition to Longfellow School to provide education and recreation services to residents. The project will be done in conjunction with Journey House, a community organization, which has raised $2.75 million in private funding for the project.
• Several improvements to Mitchell Park, including the installation of the former Nitschke Field synthetic turf donated by the Green Bay Packers to create a full-size football field at the park. Journey House will raise $450,000 to install and maintain the field. In addition a multipurpose sports complex (including a large gymnasium) and a skateboard park are planned for the park. Also, a comprehensive study will be done on how to design the park.
• Bicycle lanes and walking paths will be created in the neighborhood.
• Clarke Square Park will be revitalized.
• Milwaukee Christian Center plans to build a 48-unit senior housing complex. In addition, the Milwaukee Christian Center Youth Build program will build three new Energy Star homes to provide affordable housing opportunities for residents.
• Hmong American Peace Academy plans to expand its campus from K-6 to K-12.
• Neighborhood gateway markers will be installed.
• The creation of a business improvement district along Cesar Chavez Drive.
   

The projects planned for Lindsay Heights (bounded by I-43, Center Street, North 20th Street and Walnut Street) include:

• A mixed-use development planned for the former Alsco commercial laundry service site at 1003 W. North Ave.
• Conversion of 24 of the 48 rental units owned by the Inner City Redevelopment Corp. near the former Lee School to owner occupied units.
• Expansion of the Bread of Health Free Health Clinic.
• A new Center of Neighborhood Innovation building that will house a business incubator, after school programs and adult training.
• Addition of a commercial kitchen to Coffee Makes You Black.
• Redevelopment of the Bloomberg Ice Cream building.
• Expansion of the open air Fondy Market.
• Mixed-use development at Center and 16th streets with 37 apartments.
• A new restaurant that will provide culinary training.
• Redevelopment of Johnsons Park.
• Renovation of the Running Rebels building, a century-old former residence.
• A senior co-operative housing development.
• Home renovations.

Zilber is hoping that his contributions for the neighborhood improvement initiative will attract contributions from others.
"To have everything, one must give everything," Zilber said in a pre-recorded video filmed at his Hawaii home. "That's what I'm doing, and I hope others will join me."

Generac Power Systems Inc., a manufacturer of standby and portable power generators, has been named the 2009 Waukesha County Business of the Year Executive Award Winner by Waukesha County.
An independent panel of judges, which included business executives, community leaders and past award winners selected Waukesha-based Generac for the award.
"We are extremely honored to receive this award," said Aaron Jagdfeld, chief executive officer of Generac. "What started with modest beginnings 50 years ago in a local Waukesha garage has grown to be one of the largest names in standby power generation as well as one of the largest employers in southeastern Wisconsin."
"We received many outstanding nominees for the County Executive Awards this year," said Waukesha County Executive Dan Vrakas. "The number of exceptional business, government and nonprofit agencies available to residents in Waukesha County make all of us very proud."
As a company that reinvents itself every three to five years with new technologies, products and manufacturing advancements, Generac is a true U.S. manufacturer - not just an assembler of products, which is a distinction among its competitors, Jagdfeld said.
Generac has 1,500 employees and continues to grow.
To view a short video about Generac's role in the community, click here.

Milwaukee-based MGIC Investment Corp. today reported a third quarter net loss of $517.8 million, or $4.17 per share, which was worse than a net loss of $115.4 million, or 93 cents per share, for the same period a year ago.
Curt Culver, chairman and chief executive officer of MGIC and Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Corp., said the weak economy, higher unemployment and lower home prices continue to keep cure rates low, which resulted in an increase in the delinquent inventory and consequently higher losses incurred for the quarter.
Culver said that while there has been minimal financial benefit to date, for the first time the company is seeing signs that the various loan modification programs of the U.S. Treasury Department and the private sector that are designed to help responsible homeowners avoid foreclosure are being implemented.
Culver reported that Fannie Mae has approved MGIC Indemnity Corp. as an approved mortgage insurer in selected jurisdictions. MGIC is working closely with Freddie Mac and hopes to have its approval soon, Culver said. Once Freddie Mac's approval is finalized, Culver said he is optimistic that the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance for the State of Wisconsin will issue a decision allowing the reactivation of MIC in the very near future.
MGIC's total revenues for the third quarter were $413.3 million, down from $461.6 million in the same period a year ago.

A.O. Smith Corp. today reported third quarter net earnings of $34.6 million, or $1.14 per share, which was up from $20.4 million, or 61 cents per share, exceeding analyst expectations.
The Milwaukee-based manufacturer's quarterly net sales dipped to $501.5 million from $602.7 million.
Included in the most recent quarter's earnings was a $3 million non-taxable net gain associated with the sale of a motor manufacturing plant in Shenzhen, China, and a $1.5 million tax benefit resulting from the closure of the 2005 and 2006 federal income tax returns. Collectively, the adjustments added 15 cents per share to third quarter results.
Strong growth in China, aggressive cost reduction throughout the organization, and a temporary decline in raw material costs contributed to the improved earnings.
"Our expense reduction programs are having the desired impact on our financial performance," said Paul Jones, chairman and chief executive officer of A.O. Smith. "Our company has performed well despite tough economic conditions, and I am pleased to report we expect to generate between $190 and $200 million in operating cash flow this year compared to $107 million last year."
A.O. Smith recently announced it had signed an agreement to purchase a majority interest in the water treatment business of Tianlong Holding Co. Ltd. of Hong Kong. A newly formed company, A.O. Smith (Shanghai) Water Treatment Products Co. Ltd., will hold the assets of the business and supply reverse osmosis water filtration products to the China residential and commercial markets as well as export markets throughout the world. The two companies anticipate closing the transaction in the fourth quarter.
"Entering the global water treatment industry is an important strategic initiative for A.O. Smith, and, in Tianlong, we are acquiring the market leader in China reverse osmosis residential water purification," Jones said. Within 12 months of the close of the transaction, A.O. Smith plans to introduce a line of water treatment products in China to be sold under the A.O. Smith brand name.
"The high quality products made by Tianlong are a perfect match for our well-known A.O. Smith branded products, which are currently sold in over 2,000 retail stores in China," Jones said. "We expect the new venture will earn in excess of its cost of capital in its first full year of operation under A.O. Smith ownership."

Sensient Technologies Corp. today reported third quarter net earnings $22.8 million, or 47 cents per share, which was down from $24.1 million, or 50 cents per share, in the same period a year ago.
The Milwaukee-based company's consolidated revenue for the quarter was $303.2 million, down from $318.6 million a year earlier.
"We saw strength this quarter in a number of markets, but overall results continue to be impacted by soft economic conditions," said Kenneth Manning, chairman and chief executive officer of Sensient. "Our strategy of reducing debt and investing in our business has allowed the company to deliver stable results during this challenging period. I remain optimistic about Sensient's prospects in the future."
Soft consumer demand and continued inventory de-stocking resulted in lower sales of Sensient's non-food colors in the quarter.
Sensient now expects 2009 diluted earnings per share to be within a range of $1.85 and $1.90.

Palermo Villa Inc. has reached an agreement on a multi-year partnership with the Milwaukee Bucks in which the company will have the naming rights to Palermo's Courtside Club in the Bradley Center.
The club, which is located on the Bradley Center's west side, is a popular lounge and dining facility open to courtside and side-court premium Bucks ticket subscribers at all games and events.
The club opened in 2006 and offers pre-game, in-game and post-game dining and beverage service.
The agreement includes the addition of Palermo's Primo Thin pizzas, calzones, stromboli and Bella Pane flatbread appetizers to the extensive food menu prepared by Levy Restaurants.
Palermo's Pizza will continue to be served at concession stands throughout the Bradley Center at all public events.
"We are excited to further our partnership with the Milwaukee Bucks and show our support of this iconic sports team," said Giacomo Fallucca, president and chief executive officer of Palermo's Pizza. "Fans can continue to enjoy two Milwaukee favorites in the years ahead– the Bucks and Palermo's Pizza."
"We are proud to have Palermo's, a Milwaukee-based company, and the Fallucca family as the naming sponsors of the Palermo's Courtside Club at the Bradley Center," said Ron Walter, vice president of the Bucks. "This new agreement continues the Bucks-Palermo's relationship that began in 1997 and will grow in the coming years with the Palermo's Courtside Club's success."
The Bucks will open their 2009-10 season on Friday, Oct. 30, in Philadelphia and plays their first first regular season home game at the Bradley Center on Saturday, Oct. 31, against Detroit.

EMSystems LLC, a Milwaukee-based software and technology company that serves emergency medical, fire and police agencies, has acquired Med Media of Harrisburg, Pa.
Med Media has become a wholly owned subsidiary of EMSystems, said Andy Nunemaker, chief executive of EMSystems.
EMSystems will retain most of Med Media's 20 employees and management team, he said.
"The complimentary product lines and strong EMS focus that Med Media brings to our combined company will drive significant advantages for our customers," Nunemaker said. "This acquisition enables EMSystems to offer a fully integrated suite of EMS and emergency preparedness solutions that spans across the emergency response and preparedness continuum."
With the acquisition, more than 15,000 health care providers in 43 states now use EMSystems software or technology, covering more than 75 percent of the U.S. population.
The acquisition of Med Media is EMSystems' third in the past 18 months, Nunemaker said, and the company continues to look for other buyout opportunities.
"We're looking for companies with complementary product lines that sell into the same space we do, so we can sell to the same distribution channels," he said.

General Electric Co. said today its third-quarter earnings dropped 44 percent as its finance division continued to flounder.
The Fairfield, Conn.-based conglomerate said quarterly its net earnings were $2.5 billion, or 23 cents per share, down from with $4.3 billion, or 43 cents per share, in the same period a year ago.
GE Healthcare, which operates its U.S. headquarters in Waukesha, contributed $3.8 billion in quarterly net earnings, down from $4.2 billion a year ago.
GE said its industrial segment profit grew 4 percent, helped by a 13-percent rise in NBC Universal's profit and an 11-percent upturn in energy infrastructure earnings.
On the positive side, GE's industrial cash flow is ahead of reaching its full-year target, which is important for the company to cover growing losses on its financial side. Industrial cash flow is $11.5 billion, year to date, the company said.
"This is another quarter where the company executed on our commitments," said Jeff Immelt, GE's chairman and chief executive officer. "Our Industrial segment earnings growth was positive, while we built backlog. We are well-positioned in the markets and geographies that will grow in the future. We have successfully navigated through the financial crisis and are preparing GE Capital to be a smaller, more focused franchise. GE is well-positioned in this reset economy."

The University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh today broke ground on its new academic building, a $37 million construction project.
The building is the first new academic construction project at the university in more than 35 years.
The project is estimated to create more than 2,000 jobs over the next three years. The new building also takes strides toward achieving Gov. Jim Doyle's goals for energy efficiency in state-owned buildings.
"The UW-Oshkosh project will support our efforts to grow northeastern Wisconsin and ensure we can meet the growing demand for higher education," Doyle said today. "Our world-class universities have always been the engines that drive Wisconsin. Even in tough times, we must invest in the institutions that will make us stronger in the years ahead. Today, I'm proud we're moving forward on a project that creates thousands of jobs and leads the way toward energy independence."
UW-Oshkosh's new academic building will provide additional classrooms and facilities to serve its record-breaking enrollment increase.
The 191,000-square-foot building will house 14 academic departments and will incorporate clean energy sources and gold LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) energy efficiency standards. The efficiency measures are estimated to reduce energy use by 45 percent, saving the UW-Oshkosh more than $182,000 annually. The building design also uses recycled and renewable materials and incorporates water efficiency and solar collector technologies.
In 2006, Doyle issued an executive order that requires all existing and new state buildings to conform to high environmental and energy efficiency standards.
Doyle also announced today that as a result of the competitive bidding process, the building came in more than $10 million under budget. The state will invest some of the savings in additional renewable energy projects, including a rooftop photovoltaic system, ground-mounted photovoltaic collectors and wind turbine generators. In total, 14 percent of the building's energy will from renewable sources.

Wisconsin and Texas lawmakers appear to be on the brink of a feud over the U.S. Army's recent award of a $3 billion contract to Oshkosh Corp. to produce a new line of military vehicles. The decision drew protests from BAE Systems Inc., a Sealy, Texas-based company that had produced the trucks for the past 17 years, and Navistar, an unsuccessful bidder. Both have asked the Government Accountability Office to look into the bid process. Read more in BizTimes Milwaukee's daily roundup of headlines from newspapers across the state at www.biztimes.com/#news.

The inaugural BizTimes Money Directory features local organizations with products and services to help the busy professional plan for retirement, transfer wealth and establish trusts, as well as corporate offerings for retirement plans, insurance offerings and other financial vehicles. Featured organizations include wealth managers, financial planners, retirement plan providers, financial consultants, charitable planning organizations and insurance providers.

The People's Republic of China turns 60 with a flamboyant display of patriotism, according to the latest edition of Dispatches From China by BizTimes correspondent Einar Tangen.

A Link/Tweet/Blog Marketing Seminar was held recently at the Citizens Bank of Mukwonago branch in Waukesha. To view photographs of the event, visit the latest edition of BizTimes Around Town.

The Roundy's Foundation recently donated food an money to food pantries in Milwaukee and Waukesha counties, while the Briggs & Al's Run & Walk raised more than $1 million for Children's Hospital of Wisconsin. Read more in the latest edition of the BizTimes Nonprofit Weekly bulletin.

Busy readers of the BizTimes Daily can get a jumpstart on the weekend ahead by reading the OnMilwaukee.com Weekend Preview. OnMilwaukee.com is a media partner of BizTimes Milwaukee.

Milwaukee Public Television (MPTV) is at a critical crossroads. Viewership has significantly declined. Either the station embraces a new vision to become a more valuable part of the community or it risks irrelevancy if it simply continues to show mostly national PBS programs, according to John Bernaden, author of today's Milwaukee Biz Blog.