The Milwaukee metro area was the only large metro area to see an increase, rather than a migration, of jobs within its urban center, according to a Brookings Institute Study released today.
The report, titled, "Job Sprawl Revisited - The Changing Geography of Metropolitan Employment," reviewed job migration in 98 major metro areas, noting a drop in the share of jobs located within 3 miles and 10 miles of metro downtowns, during an eight-year period between1998-2006.
Detroit, Chicago and Dallas saw the greatest shift of jobs away from the city center (10 miles or more.) More than half of the major metro areas experienced rapid job sprawl. Detroit saw 77 percent of its jobs migrate out of the city, Chicago 68 percent and Dallas 66 percent.
The Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis metro area had a .03-percent gain of jobs within its three-mile ring of downtown between 1998-2006; one of only three metro areas to do so and the only metro area in the "large" category of the study.
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett credited the accessibility and affordability of doing business in the metro area, along with opportunities to grow existing businesses in such places as the Menomonee Valley.
The study noted that financial, insurance and utility industries locate almost one-third of their jobs in the inner three-mile ring of metro centers, and those three industries are strong in the Milwaukee area. Information Technology and health care industries also are concentrated in the metro area and according to the study, one fourth of the jobs in this sector are usually located in the urban center.
The Brookings Institute study concluded that the distribution of jobs geographically should be taken into consideration in policy and economic recovery issues, especially as metro areas work toward sustainable growth.
To read the study, visit www.brookings.edu/reports/2009/~/media/Files/rc/reports/2009/0406_job_sprawl_kneebone/20090406_jobsprawl_kneebone.pdf.

Two more southeastern Wisconsin companies notified the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development Monday that they will close their Wisconsin plants, eliminating more than 250 jobs combined.
Dove Health Care said it will permanently close its plant in Glendale at 1633 West Bender Road on or after July 14. Separations from employment will begin on or after June 7. A total of 144 Dove Health Care employees will lose their jobs.
International Paper Company said it will close its plant in Cedarburg at N143 W6048 Pioneer Road. The closing is expected to take place between June 2 and June 16. A total of
117 International Paper employees will lose their jobs.

The Milwaukee Brewers are scheduled to open their season today against the Giants in San Francisco, but a line of thunderstorms taking aim at the Bay may stand in the way.
The game is scheduled to start at 3:25 p.m. Central Time. However, forecasters are calling for steady rains along the coast this afternoon.
If today's game is postponed, the San Francisco Chronicle is reporting that Major League Baseball will consider opening the season with a rare doubleheader on Wednesday, because the Brewers are not scheduled to return to San Francisco again this season. A doubleheader so early in the season would place a severe burden on the teams' pitching staffs.
The Brewers will close out their series in San Francisco on Thursday and will fly back to play their home opener - rain or shine - under Miller Park's roof on Friday against the Chicago Cubs.
In New York 2K Sports, the sports publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc., today announced that Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder will be featured as the cover athlete and spokesman for this season's arcade-style baseball video game, The BIGS 2.
"I've been playing baseball video games for as long as I can remember. All of my idols have appeared on a video game cover, and now to have that same opportunity is truly an unbelievable feeling," Fielder said. "I can't wait to see myself in The BIGS 2. I'll be the guy crushing mammoth home runs into the stands."
"Prince is a rare and tremendous talent that comes around only once in a generation, and we're absolutely thrilled to be working together with him on The BIGS 2," said Greg Thomas, senior vice president of sports development for 2K. "After reading through all the different community message boards and forums, we're excited to deliver a variety of new features that our fans have long been clamoring for, as they'll surely notice the big leagues just got bigger this season."
Meanwhile, readers of the BizTimes Daily can take today's BizTimes Poll about the Brewers' chances of returning to the playoffs this year at www.biztimes.com.

Cleaver-Brooks, a Milwaukee-based manufacturer of boilers and boiler room equipment, announced the opening of a new assembly plant in Shenzhen, China.
The new facility will enable Cleaver-Brooks' product group, C-B Package Boiler, to expand its sales in the Chinese market by offering environmentally-friendly boiler technologies.
Effective immediately Cleaver-Brooks Boilers (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd. will be offering the Model 4WI, firetube boiler, which is designed for industrial applications.
"This new facility presents a great opportunity for C-B Package Boiler to share our advanced technologies in a country that is beginning to address an array of environmental issues," said Earle Pfefferkorn, president of C-B Package Boiler. "Our eco-friendly boilers will help Chinese manufacturers reduce emissions, helping to decrease air pollution, while promoting energy efficiency. We are extremely excited about the Chinese market and the opportunities for this new venture."
Cleaver-Brooks has been selling boilers in China since the early 1980s through its global distribution network. The new location will operate from an 8,500-square-foot facility which will enable Cleaver-Brooks to offer its customers a more competitively priced product with reduced lead times.

HumanaOne is introducing new Short Term Medical health insurance to help unemployed people fill the gap until they find another job.
The Short Term Medical health insurance is initially being rolled out in Wisconsin, Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska and Ohio. Plan design varies somewhat by state.
The product is designed for the unemployed; students who are about to graduate; people who are between jobs; part-time, temporary or seasonal employees; recent retirees waiting for Medicare; and new employees waiting for benefits.
"It can be very tempting to forgo insurance when you're between jobs or waiting for your benefits to kick in, particularly when you're young and healthy," said Steven DeRaleau, chief operating officer of Louisville, Ky.-based HumanaOne. "But that's a gamble you could lose, leaving you saddled with medical debt for the next decade or longer."
Applicants can choose the length of their policy (from 30 days up to one year), the deductible ($500 to $5,000 for individuals or $1,000 to $10,000 for families) and the payment method. A discount of up to 20 percent is offered to those who pay the full amount up front.
The plans have a $2 million maximum benefit and include prescription drug coverage. They do not cover preexisting conditions.
"These plans are meant primarily as a bridge to protect people against sudden illness or accident until they can get to another plan," DeRaleau said.

Proven Direct has launched a free resume printing program to assist Milwaukee-area residents without jobs.
The company will print 25 single-sided black-and-white resume copies per person on resume-quality paper. Twenty-five blank pages of matching cover letter paper and mailing envelopes also will be provided. Jobseekers in need of printed resumes are encouraged to log onto www.provendirect.com to participate.
The free service is being offered on an ongoing basis to the first 1,000 participants.
"If response to the program is strong, we may consider expanding beyond the first 1,000," said company president Mike Limbach. "We wanted to do something to help out the local community during these challenging economic times. Proven Direct is part of the Milwaukee area business community, the majority of our customers are Milwaukee companies and certainly all of our employees are Milwaukee area residents. We all know someone, and probably several people, who have lost their jobs. Ink on paper is one of our core production services so we felt this would be one small way to give back to the community and try to assist those in need of employment."
The resume program is being carried out in collaboration with two other Milwaukee area companies; Lindenmeyr Munroe and Western States Envelope and Label. Lindenmeyr Munroe is providing paper, Western States Envelope and Label is supplying envelopes, and MindFire, located in California, is assisting with the technology used for order submission. Proven Direct is providing printing services, pickup and program coordination.

Milwaukee-based Gonzalez Saggio & Harlan LLP, one of the nation's largest minority-owned law firms, continues to expand its nationwide presence with the opening of new offices in Phoenix, Ariz., and Los Angeles, Calif.
In Phoenix, Charles Hamilton Houston III joins Gonzalez Saggio & Harlan as head of the firm's 10 office. Houston is the grandson of Charles Hamilton Houston, the attorney known for crafting the legal strategy that resulted in the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Brown v. Board of Education that ended legalized racial segregation of schools in the United States.
"I am delighted to join Gonzalez Saggio & Harlan," Houston said. "We share common ideals and I am pleased to be able to bring the considerable resources of this nationally-known firm of knowledgeable and seasoned lawyers to Phoenix."
In Los Angeles, Nelson Atkins, Irwin Evans and seven other attorneys formerly of Atkins & Evans LLP join Gonzalez Saggio & Harlan as the firm opens its 11 office. Founded in 1978, the Atkins & Evans firm is well-known for its effective representation of clients in state and federal courts.
The Los Angeles office of Gonzalez Saggio & Harlan represents large private and public sector clients, as well as individuals, in practice areas that include employment, civil rights, product liability, insurance law and entertainment.
"We couldn't be happier to welcome these outstanding attorneys into our organization as we continue to expand our reach as a truly nationwide law firm," said Jerry Gonzalez, managing partner of Gonzalez Saggio & Harlan.

Journal Sentinel Inc. said Monday it has eliminated 26 full-time and five part-time employees, all in the business operations of the newspaper.
The job reductions follow a plan announced last week by the newspaper publisher's parent company, Journal Communications Inc., to cut pay by 6 percent for the remainder of the year for most employees, and in return, give those employees 10 additional days off from work.
Last week, the company also offered a voluntary separation agreement to newsroom employees represented by Newspaper Guild Local 51.

Goodwill Industries will open a "Retique" store in Milwaukee's Historic Third Ward in May.
Goodwill will open a 5,343-square-foot retail outlet 190 N. Broadway, the site of former high-end florist, Private Gardner. Goodwill recently opened a similar concept store in Carol Stream, Ill.
For more information, visit OnMilwaukee.com, a media partner of BizTimes Milwaukee.

Brookfield-based North Shore Bank today announced it will open its Grafton branch on Friday at 2301 Wisconsin Ave., across from a Sendik's store.
The new bank branch incorporates a historic stone farmhouse that has stood on the site since 1869.
"The opening of this bank is important to both North Shore Bank and this community because of the collaborative effort that was made to preserve a historic piece of Grafton and incorporate it into our new branch," said Dane Didier, manager of the Grafton branch. "We're excited to be a part of the Grafton/Cedarburg community and serve as a business partner in this area."
The new full-service Grafton branch temporarily operated in the shopping center at 2293 Wisconsin Ave.

The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) of Southeastern Wisconsin today announced its 2009 board of directors.
The board includes: president Crystal McNeal, BloodCenter of Wisconsin; president-elect Mary Scheibel, Scheibel Halaska Inc.; treasurer Karren Jeske, Primum Marketing Communications; secretary Erica Zipp, Bader Rutter & Associates; immediate past president Dave Fantle, Visit Milwaukee; ethics officer Maureen  McNally, Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital; and membership officer Helaine Johnson, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
In addition to the new officers, the directors at large include: Stephen Johnstone, The Falk Group; Don Klein, Seroka & Associates; Janay Wittek-Balke; and Ann Peru Knabe, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Assembly delegates include: Samantha Andrews, Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital; Jerry Topczewski, Archdiocese of Milwaukee; and Brenna Kriviskey Sadler, Zeppos & Associates, Inc.

Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c. is announced today that its former president and chief executive officer, Richard Graber, who recently completed his tenure as U.S. Ambassador to the Czech Republic, is returning to the Milwaukee law firm.
Graber served as president and CEO of Reinhart from 2004 until 2006, when he accepted his appointment from former President George W. Bush to the post in Prague.
"We are pleased that Rick is rejoining Reinhart, where he had been for 25 years prior to serving our country as ambassador," said Jerome Janzer, Reinhart's current CEO and chairman. "Rick's extensive legal and government experience, combined with the many relationships he developed while in the Czech Republic provide a unique perspective, and one that not many others can offer, and his insights on global affairs and the market economics in Central Europe are a major asset to the firm and its clients."
As a member of Reinhart's Business Law and International Practices, Graber will assist U.S. clients who wish to do business in Europe as well as foreign companies who wish to expand their trade with the United States. He will handle cross-border transactions, address regulatory and political requirements, advise on tax matters, assist in due diligence and advise in cross-border risk analysis and capturing investment opportunities.
"While it was difficult to say farewell to the Czech Republic, I can say that I am happy to be home - both in the U.S. and with Reinhart," Graber said. "I am honored to have served our country and look forward to continue doing so in other ways in the future. I also am honored to be able to again serve clients of the firm."
Graber's other experience includes serving as chairman of the Republican Party of Wisconsin from 1999 to 2006, and sitting on the Republican National Committee.

William Bestor, president and chief executive officer of Community Memorial Hospital in Menomonee Falls, announced this morning that he will retire after 32 years of service.
"During my career at Community Memorial, I have attained my goal of providing leadership in support of the hospital’s mission to provide high quality patient care in a first-class facility," Bestor said. "I am proud of the many accomplishments of our current and former staff, medical staff, volunteers and boards to improve the quality of life for the communities we serve. Community Memorial is a very special organization with individuals who practice 'relationship-centered care' every day with great empathy and teamwork."
"Bill Bestor embodies servant leadership," said William Petasnick, Froedtert & Community Health president and chief executive officer. "He created an environment in which others were given opportunities to grow professionally and excel in their roles."
Bestor’s retirement will take effect July 1. Petasnick and Froedtert and Community Health will announce a succession plan in the near future.

The State of Wisconsin has created a new web site to help commuters and businesses monitor the progress and the hassles involved with the project to widen and redirect traffic on the north-south corridor of Interstate 94 between Milwaukee and the Illinois state line.
Interested parties can receive updated information and sign up for e-mail notifications about the project at http://www.plan94.org, which includes maps, news and a web video about the plan by Transportation Secretary Frank Busalacchi.

Milwaukee-based Spire Capital Advisors LLC, a mergers and acquisitions advisory firm, continues to expand with the hiring of Kristine Iwinski as vice president. Iwinski previously worked in commercial lending with Community Bank & Trust. Read more in this week's BizTimes Money bulletin.

The stock market stumbled again this morning after the Business Roundtable reported that chief executives of major U.S. corporations are more pessimistic today than they were three months ago about their business and the economy over the next six months. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down more than 163 points this morning
Locally, stocks in the BizTimes Stock Index could not escape the carnage. The largest local decliners this morning were Kohl's Corp. (down $1.54 to $44.26) and Joy Global Inc. (down $1.25 to $22.76). The largest local gainers this morning were Metavante Technologies Inc. (up 57 cents to $24.94) and Wisconsin Energy Corp. (up 43 cents to $41.46).

A new food processing plant in the village of Plover, located near Stevens Point, is expected to create about 40 jobs by October. Construction has begun for the 100,000-square-foot facility. The company, Jaytina LLC, plans to expand to 100 jobs within three years. Read more in BizTimes Milwaukee's daily roundup of headlines from newspapers across the state at www.biztimes.com/#news.

Public relations expert Bill Zaferos says a recession can be an ideal time to start a small business. Read more about this undaunted entrepreneur in today's Milwaukee Biz Blog.