Milwaukee-based Robert W. Baird & Co. and Smith Travel Research Inc. (STR) have launched the Baird/STR Hotel Stock Index, the first widely available U.S. hotel stock index in the financial industry. The index combines Baird’s knowledge of the financial markets with STR’s data processing.

“We believe this index can help hotel industry professionals monitor investment values and gauge interest in hotel investment broadly,” said David Loeb, managing director of Baird’s hotel research platform.

The newly launched Baird/STR Hotel Stock Index ended May at 1619.749, an 11.3-percent decrease for the month and a 17.4-percent increase for year-to-date 2010.

“It is surprising how frequently we in the industry have one view of the outlook while investors have an entirely different view,” said Randy Smith, CEO at STR. “For example, industry stocks began rebounding long before improvements in RevPAR became the norm. This index will provide one more variable in developing an improved model to better understand where the industry is going and how we get there.”

Oconomowoc-based First Bank Financial Centre plans to open a full service branch at N56 W14044 Silver Spring Drive in Menomonee Falls by October.

The new branch will be the eighth location for the bank, and will occupy more than 4,200 square feet. When open, it will have six full time employees.

The branch will be located in a small commercial development that has several other small commercial tenants, said Becky Miller, marketing communications specialist with the bank. It will feature commercial, mortgage and consumer lending services. The bank’s wealth management customers will be able to meet with the bank’s traveling wealth management personnel in the location as well.

The location on Silver Spring Drive in Menomonee Falls is a natural link between First Bank Financial Centre’s branches in Waukesha and Washington counties, Miller said.

“We’re trying to create convenient locations for our customers who might be traveling between (Waukesha and Washington counties),” she said. “And we’re hoping to build more in the future.”

River Valley Bank, a privately held bank based in Wausau, has received permission from the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions to open a loan production office at 728 Pennsylvania Ave., Sheboygan.

A loan production office is typically opened before a full service branch when a bank is considering expanding into a new market. River Valley Bank currently has 16 branch locations in north central Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Its Sheboygan loan production office would be the bank’s southernmost location.

River Valley Bank officials were not available for comment before deadline.

M&I Bank receives SBA lending award

For the fifth consecutive year, M&I Bank was recognized by the Wisconsin Small Business Administration (SBA) as the 504 Loan Program Lender of the Year.

The SBA 504 loan program is a long-term financing tool for economic development within a community. This economic development program has a primary focus on job creation. The 504 Program provides growing businesses with long-term, fixed-rate financing for major fixed assets, such as land, buildings and equipment.

“This recognition is a direct result of the work by many M&I bankers throughout the state who offer SBA loans to our customers as an alternative way of financing small business growth," said Dick Becker, regional group president of M&I Bank, Wisconsin Region. "Through the SBA 504 Program, our customers benefit from longer term financing than what banks can provide on a conventional basis, many times making the payments and terms more affordable for the small business."

"M&I Bank recognizes the importance of small businesses in our economy," said Nate Cunniff, senior vice president, business banking, M&I Bank. "The bank's use of programs such as the SBA 504 program has benefited many Wisconsin companies who have subsequently added jobs and increased economic development in their communities.”

Clifton Gunderson completes four acquisitions in one week

Milwaukee-based Clifton Gunderson closed four acquisitions last week – when it announced its purchase of Humes & Barrington LLP, U.S. Tax Advantage, Stockton Bates and BKD.

The acquisitions gave Clifton Gunderson additional offices in St. Louis, New York, Boston, Chicago and Houston.

Humes & Barrington joins Clifton Gunderson under the regional leadership of managing partner Steve DeBruyn.

"We are excited for the many growth opportunities the merger with Humes & Barrington will provide for our firm, our clients and our future clients," said DeBruyn. "Humes & Barrington is a major player within the St. Louis business community and has earned a solid reputation with its clients for quality and expertise. We are eager to combine these strengths with ours and build for our firm’s future and the future for our clients. This is a great fit for both firms."

All of the 60 partners and employees of Humes & Barrington will remain in the company’s St. Louis offices.

Through the acquisition of U.S. Tax Advantage, Clifton Gunderson will add 14 tax professionals to the firm, including partners Mark Gasbarra and Lester Fuwa.

 “Mark has had significant success in building USTA and has a history of insightful international tax strategies and solutions using methods that complement and translate to our other tax consulting services," said McMasters. "We are eager to leverage his leadership and experience to further strengthen the breadth of tax services we provide to our clients."

Zizzo acquires Excite New Media

Zizzo Group Advertising and PR (ZGA+PR) today announced the acquisition of Excite New Media, a Milwaukee-based strategic web, social media and digital marketing agency.

To reflect the full-service integrated capabilities, the merged company is changing its name to Zizzo Group Marketing + PR + New Media (ZGM+PR+NM). The company’s expertise includes strategic marketing, public relations, media buying, creative services and new media development.

Anne Zizzo will continue as president and chief executive officer of the company. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

“Today’s marketing climate demands total online and offline integration,” Zizzo said. “This acquisition brings together the best, most seasoned and proven talent in the region and a portfolio of services that are unmatched.”

The combined company has 36 staff members. The Excite New Media staff has moved from their previous offices at 1101 N. Old World Third St. to the Zizzo Group offices at 648 N. Plankinton Ave., Suite 270, in downtown Milwaukee.

“With the breadth of services that we can now provide to our clients, we will be better positioned to ensure our client’s campaigns are cohesive and deliver the greatest results,” said Thomas Chung, senior vice president of interactive and former partner of Excite New Media. “Our clients will continue to benefit from the commitment to excellence and client focus we have always offered.”

Illinois firm acquires Sussex mortgage office

Bloomington, Ill.-based Mortgage Services III, LLC (MSI) is expanding its Home Loan Division into the greater Milwaukee area by acquiring Complete Mortgage Inc. of Sussex. The newly acquired team will be located at 20510 Watertown Court, Waukesha. The Waukesha office will focus on home purchases as well as refinancing current mortgages using conventional, FHA, VA and USDA programs.

Mark Young, president and chief executive officer of Mortgage Services III, said, "I am extremely pleased that John Scaffidi and his staff have joined the MSI team. Complete Mortgage has been a valued Wholesale Lending partner for years and will be a valued asset to the Mortgage Services Home Loan Team."

Visteon rejects Johnson Controls’ offer

Visteon Corp. has announced that its board of directors has rejected an unsolicited offer by Glendale-based Johnson Controls Inc. to acquire Visteon’s key assets in its interiors and electronics businesses.

“Without risk-adjusting your proposal, our careful analysis demonstrates that your acquisition of selected assets, while excluding certain liabilities, would accelerate other costs and would not significantly enhance recoveries to our creditors or provide recovery for our equity holders,” Visteon said in a letter to Johnson Controls.

Visteon, which is based in Van Buren Township, Mich., also expressed concerns about Johnson Controls’ recent contacts with Visteon’s customers and “aggressive characterizations” of its proposal could damage Visteon’s business and relationships with key customers.

Johnson Controls said that it still hopes to acquire Visteon, following the Michigan company’s announcement.

Highly levered balance sheets caused a near death experience for the U.S. economy as the housing bubble burst and the value of derivative securities tied to the housing market plummeted.

In the wake of the crisis, a new debate emerged. Will the U.S. economy find itself suffering through deflation because of continued deleveraging? Or, will the massive amount of liquidity and easy monetary policy implemented by the government in response to the crisis result in rapidly rising inflation?

Economists siding with deflation argue that deleveraging, minimal wage growth, a weak housing market, excess capacity and high unemployment will result in falling prices. Falling prices cause consumers to postpone purchases, which cause prices to fall even further. Businesses then suffer from a decline in sales and smaller profit margins, which incentivize them to cut production and layoff employees. This vicious deflationary cycle is difficult to recover from.

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Madison-based AnchorBank has promoted Martha M. Hayes to executive vice president, chief risk officer, subject to regulatory approval. She joined the company in August, 2009.

"Martha's leadership and her tireless focus on improving the management, analysis and monitoring of AnchorBank's loan portfolio has led to substantial improvement in our ability to manage credit risk and address our troubled asset portfolio," said AnchorBank CEO Chris Bauer.

In addition to credit risk management, Hayes will oversee AnchorBank's entire risk management process. Hayes worked previously at Merrill Lynch Business Financial Services in Chicago, where she served as President and Managing Director. While there, she was recognized for leading the turnaround of a $250 million revenue line of business for the company.

Commerce State Bank recently named Dave Stroik, President  & CEO of Zimmerman Architectural Studios, to its board of directors. 

“We are excited to have such a strong leader from a major, Milwaukee-based architectural firm with extensive knowledge of design, construction and project management join our board of directors.  Dave Stroik strengthens our board and our company,” said Joe Fazio, Chairman and CEO. 

“I have worked with Commerce State Bank executives since the bank opened and enjoyed watching it grow to over $300 million in total assets,” Stroik said. “They have a focused business plan and are achieving success by serving their clients. I am thrilled to become a member of the board of directors of such a successful company.” 

MetLife’s Milwaukee office has hired Scott Miller as a financial services representative.

Miller worked previously for Waukesha-based BKT Sentry Foods.

Sheboygan-based Commerce State Bank & Trust has hired Xiong Lee as an investment specialist in its CB Investment Services subisidiary.

Xiong worked previously as a client service consultant with Wells Fargo Advantage Funds, and as an investment review representative at SII Investments.

Baird expands financial advisory team in Milwaukee

Robert W. Baird & Co. Inc. today announced it has added a veteran financial advisor team, The WE Group, with a total of five wealth management professionals, to its Milwaukee office.

The new talent brings the number of financial advisors in Baird’s largest wealth management office to 60. Previously with UBS, The WE Group brings 50 years of combined industry experience to Baird.

The following financial advisors have joined Baird: Paul Westphal, CIMA, director; John Ethington, CFP, CPA, senior vice president; Dan Gilipsky, financial advisor; and Tyler Briggs, financial advisor. They are joined by client relationship assistant Paula Scherbarth.

Westphal previously managed UBS’ Milwaukee office. Prior to that, he was a complex manager at UBS and Piper Jaffray.

“These well-respected and talented financial professionals are a strong addition to Baird’s home team,” said Pat Powell, managing director and branch manager of Baird’s Milwaukee wealth management office. “We are very pleased that Baird’s strong culture and our people, combined with a broad platform of services and capabilities, made us the best place for them to continue serving their clients and building their business. This talent addition demonstrates Baird’s continued strength and ability to attract top-tier senior talent in Milwaukee and beyond who share our values and client focus.”

Baird added more than 100 financial advisors to its Private Wealth Management group in 2009 and has added 34 financial advisors and branch managers since the beginning of 2010.

The Wisconsin Entrepreneurs Conference will be held June 8-9 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel Milwaukee Airport, 6401 S. 13th St., Milwaukee. This year’s conference will include presentations from Dave Berkus, past chairman of Tech Coast Angels, the nation’s largest angel network, and twice an Inc. 500 CEO; Sue Marks, founder and CEO of Pinstripe Inc., a national leader in recruitment process outsourcing; Robert Okabe, managing director of RPX Group and a pioneer in Chicago angel network; and Eric Apfelbach, CEO of ZBB Energy, and a serial entrepreneur who has raised more than $100 million for his companies.

For more information and to register, visit http://guest.cvent.com/EVENTS/Info/Summary.aspx?e=f5740449-fe87-4de2-bdf5-ef734186359c.

Banking

• Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions 
• Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.
• Wisconsin Bankers Association 
• Community Bankers of Wisconsin
• Wisconsin Mortgage Bankers Association
• American Bankers Association
• Bankers Association for Finance and Trade
• Commercial Finance Association 
• Risk Management Association

Mergers & Acquisitions

• Association for Corporate Growth 
• International Business Brokers Association 
• Mergers.com

Wealth Management/Financial/Retirement Planning

• Financial Planning Association
• Financial Planning Association of Southern Wisconsin
• Investment Management Consultants Association
• National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA)

Other 

• Society of Financial Service Providers
• Small Business Administration
• State public awareness campaign
• Wisconsin Credit Union League
• CFA Institute
• CFA Society of Milwaukee
• Wisconsin Angel Network