• Tuesday, May 22: The Heart of the Valley Chamber of Commerce of Kaukauna will present the “Strategies to Grow Your Business Roundtable from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. at Bergstrom of Kaukauna, 2929 Lawe Street. The event includes discussions, networking, and a continental breakfast.  Roundtable guests will discuss finance and lending for small businesses, best practices for writing a business plan and ways to grow using a limited budget. The public is invited. Cost is $5 for Heart of the Valley Chamber Members, and $10 for non-members. For more information, call (920)-766-1616 or visit www.heartofthevalleychamber.com.
•  Wednesday, May 23: Current, the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce young professionals network, is presenting speaker Patrick Hopkins at its Lunch n’ Learn event at Graystone Ale House in De Pere. Patrick Hopkins, president of Imaginasium Inc., will present “A Winning Experience: Creating ‘Wow’ at Every Touchpoint, Every Time.” The event begins at 11 a.m. with registration and networking. Lunch is served at 11:30 a.m. and the presentation starts at noon. The event is $15 for members and $20 for non-members. To register, call (920) 593-3408 or email Brian Johnson at bjohnson@titletown.org.
• Thursday, May 24: The Chamber of Manitowoc County is presenting a Chamber Café topic, “Social Media Tools for Business and Professional Growth,” featuring speaker Paul Hoffman, Information Technology instructor at Lakeshore Technical College. The program is at noon at The Chamber of Manitowoc County, 1515 Memorial Dr., Manitowoc. There is no cost for Chamber or Sail members, and a $25 cost for non-members.  To register call (920) 684-5575 or email info@chambermanitowoccounty.org. This Chamber Café is sponsored by Wilfert Farms.
• Thursday, May 24: The Appleton Yacht Club will celebrate its recent renovation with a ribbon cutting and open house from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at 1200 S. Lutz Drive, Appleton. The estimated $600,000 project finished under-budget at $493,000, according to Tim Potter, Yacht Club Commodore. The renovation included building a 1,400-square-foot addition to the front of the clubhouse, with a partial second floor for an office, storage and meeting room. One of the most prominent features of the newly-remodeled building includes a decorative lighthouse that serves as a landmark for boaters traveling through the locks in Appleton. For more information, contact Tim Potter at (920) 739-3482 or www.appletonyachtclub.com.
• Thursday, May 31: The Wolf River Area Healthcare Foundation will hold its sixth annual community breakfast from 7:30 to 9 a.m. at the Crystal Falls Banquet Facility in New London. The event is open to the public and includes a complimentary breakfast at 7:15 a.m. New London Family Center (NLFMC) President and CEO Bill Schmidt and ThedaCare President and CEO Dean Gruner, MD, will lead the discussion and community conversation. Register by May 21. Contact Kelly Beyer at (920) 531-2066 or kelly.beyer@thedacare.org.

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• Appleton Medical Center
• Copps Food Store
• Encircle Health
• Valley Packaging
• ThedaCare Physicians-Pediatrics

Family physician Dave Anderla approached the city of Appleton with the idea for expanding the route to help riders reach their medical providers, according to a ThedaCare press release.

“Access to health care for all people is an important mission of our community and affordable transportation is a key part of that process,” Dr. Anderla says. “We look forward to years of future partnership with Valley Transit and appreciate their efforts in helping make this a reality.”

This is the first new route added by the bus service in more than 10 years. The Fox Cities LIFE Study, released in 2011, identified the important role that public transportation plays in public health.

“Public transit plays an important role in ensuring access to health care services and adds to a community’s quality of life by ensuring citizens receive appropriate medical attention,” says Valley Transit General Manager Deborah Wetter. “Studies show that without access to the reliable, affordable transportation option public transit provides, many people would forgo preventative health care visits which can have a detrimental effect on a patient’s care.”

To celebrate the new route, ThedaCare is planning several special activities this week for Route 16 riders, including discounted food and beverages at Copper Rock inside Encircle Health, prize drawings for cookbooks and bus passes, and special guest riders who will answer health related questions from about 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. each day this week.

Before the new route was added, Wetter said riders faced up to a mile walk from a bus stop to their health care providers. “For our riders with disabilities, this was impossible and led to increased use of our more expensive demand-response services. Fixed-route bus service – like the new route – can provide transportation to these destinations on a regular basis at a fraction of the cost for riders and taxpayers,” she said.

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• Wednesday, May 16: The Chamber of Manitowoc County invites all Leadership Manitowoc County alumni to attend the 5^th Annual Leadership Manitowoc County Alumni Golf Outing to be held at Seven Lakes Golf Course in Cato. The cost of golf and a cart is $20, or a package of golf, cart, and dinner is $40. The 2011-2012 class will have its graduation program immediately following the dinner. Visit the chamber’s website at www.chambermanitowoccounty.org or call the chamber at (920) 684-5575.
• Thursday, May 17: The Inventor Boot Camp will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the meeting room at First National Bank, 153 West Franklin Street, Berlin. Learn about opportunities to help bring your product or service to market and compete for prizes. Bob O’Donnell, director of the UW-Extension Small Business Development Center, will teach participants how to describe their new product or service. Participants will be able to learn how to create a prototype of their new product or service from Herbert Goetz.  Goetz is the Inventor Services Program Manager of the Fab Lab at Fox Valley Technical College. For more information, contact Patrick Nehring at UW-Extension Waushara County (920) 787-0416 or patrick.nehring@ces.uwex.edu
• Tuesday, May 22: The Heart of the Valley Chamber of Commerce will hold the Strategies To Grow Your Business Roundtable, which will include discussions, networking, and a continental breakfast.  The event is from 7:30 to  9:30 a.m. at Bergstrom of Kaukauna, 2929 Lawe Street. Cost is $5 for Heart of the Valley Chamber Members, and $10 for non-members. For more information about this event and others sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce, call (920) 766-1616 or visit www.heartofthevalleychamber.com.
• Tuesday, May 22: The free event Building & Transferring Value in Your Business Now and in the Future, sponsored by Strategic Solutions Consulting, Inc. & Cornerstone Business Services, Ince. Will be held from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at Globe University in Appleton, 5045 W. Grande Market Drive, Room 206. First names only will be used to help maintain confidentiality. To register, call Shelley at (920) 436-9890 or e-mail AdminGB@cornerstone-business.com.
• Thursday, May 24: The Thinc! Innovation conference will be held at the EAA in Oshkosh. THINC! Innovation includes two back-to-back events designed to nurture the exchange of innovative ideas and bring entrepreneurs and investors together. Part one, from 7:30 to 10 a.m., features the Technology & Human Innovation Networking Conference, presented by Insight Publications. Part two, from 10:30 to 4 p.m., features “Innovation to Capitalization,” presented by First Business Bank. Tickets for the event are $30. For more information or to register visit: www.thincinnovationevent.com.

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Wisconsin law gives greater access to family leave than federal laws, applying to employees who have worked at least 1,000 hours during the previous year and defines families to include domestic partners. But state law offers less time off than the federal law, giving workers a maximum of six weeks of leave for a new child, or up to two weeks to care for a spouse or domestic partner with a serious health condition. Private-sector employees at companies with 50 or more workers who earn paid leave can use it when a child is born or adopted, or to care for a sick child, spouse, domestic partner or parent. State workers who are permanent classified employees can take up to six months of unpaid leave for birth, adoption or foster-care placement.

Eighteen failing states include Nevada, Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Michigan, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, West Virginia and Delaware. The states were given failing grades for not providing any benefit or program to help support parents before and after they have a baby or adopt a child, according to the report, Expecting Better: A State-by-State Analysis of Laws That Help New Parents. Only California and Connecticut received “A” ratings.

The organization points out that new parents are more likely to keep working when they have access to paid leave, contributing to the tax base and boosting their personal economic security. Mothers giving birth to their first child are more likely to work into their final month of pregnancy when they know they can use paid leave after the child is born. They’re also more likely to be working nine to 12 months after the child is born and make higher wages in the year following their child’s birth.

– Nikki Kallio

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Register online at www.cffoxvalley.org/2012CE. Continuing education credits will be available for certain professions. The day includes breakfast. The lunch buffet and keynote cost $25. A round of golf at standard course rates is available following the keynote.

Since its founding in 1986, Community Foundation donors have enabled it to award more than $150 million in grants to nonprofit organizations from more than 1,100 charitable funds under its administration. Affiliated community foundations are located in Chilton, Clintonville, Shawano and Waupaca.

• Wednesday, May 9: Nationally syndicated talk show host Clark Howard will speak at 7 p.m. at the Appleton West High School Auditorium. Howard is the author of several books on consumer tips and bargains, including his most recent book, Living Large in Lean Times. You can listen to Clark Howard Monday-Friday from 1pm-3pm on 1150 AM WHBY Radio, which is sponsoring the event.  Tickets are $10 and are on sale at the Fox Communities Credit Union or online at foxcu.org. A portion of ticket proceeds will go to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Fox Valley Region. Visit Howard’s website at www.clarkhoward.com.
• Wednesday, May 9: The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation’s Trade Directors Visit will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Orion Energy Systems, Manitowoc. Representatives of Wisconsin’s international trade offices will give presentations to local exporters on export opportunities in their respective markets. Limited one-on-one, 20-minute consulting appointments will be available with the trade directors. Attendees may request a consultation when registering. Other presentations will cover the ports of Milwaukee and Green Bay; the newly created free trade zone; the WEDC’s overview of import/export opportunities; and ExporTech, a program that assists companies in international export. Registration is $45 for LINKe members and $55 for non-members. To register or for more information, contact LTC’s Global Education Dept. at 920-693-1708 or global.education@gotoltc.edu.
• Thursday, May 10: A public information meeting will be held on the Highway 441 Tri-County Project from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Butte des Morts Elementary School Commons, 510 Tayco Street in Menasha. The meeting will provide information on the latest design plans and project schedule. For more information, visit www.us41wisconsin.gov/wis441
• Tuesday, May 15: The Pulse – Future 15 Awards will be held from 5 to 8:30 p.m. at the UW-Fox Valley Communication Arts Center. Pulse, the young professionals network, and the Appleton Post-Crescent are sponsoring the second annual awards program to recognize young professionals who excel in the community. Cost is $30. Register by May 11. Visit www.pulseyoungprofessionals.com.
• Thursday, May 24: The Thinc! Innovation conference will be held at the EAA in Oshkosh. THINC! Innovation includes two back-to-back events designed to nurture the exchange of innovative ideas and bring entrepreneurs and investors together. Part one, from 7:30 to 10 a.m., features the Technology & Human Innovation Networking Conference, presented by Insight Publications. Part two, from 10:30 to 4 p.m., features “Innovation to Capitalization,” presented by First Business Bank. Tickets for the event are $30. For more information or to register visit: www.thincinnovationevent.com.

If you have an item you would like to be listed in this weekly blog posting or in the Connections feature in Insight, please send it to edit@insightonbusiness.com.

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• Wednesday, May 9: WMEP’s Manufacturing Matters will be held from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Frontier Airlines Center, Milwaukee. The day-long event sponsored by the Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership (WMEP) will feature morning keynote speaker Tim Sullivan, former president and CEO of Bucyrus International, Inc., who is now a special consultant for business and workforce development for the state of Wisconsin. The day will also include a wide array of breakout sessions. Visit: www.manufacturingmatters.org.
• Tuesday, May 15: The Pulse – Future 15 Awards will be held from 5 to 8:30 p.m. at the UW-Fox Valley Communication Arts Center. Pulse, the young professionals network, and the Appleton Post-Crescent are sponsoring the second annual awards program to recognize young professionals who excel in the community. Cost is $30. Register by May 11. Visit www.pulseyoungprofessionals.com.
• Wednesday, May 16: The Chamber of Manitowoc County invites all Leadership Manitowoc County alumni to attend the 5^th Annual Leadership Manitowoc County Alumni Golf Outing to be held at Seven Lakes Golf Course in Cato. The cost of golf and a cart will be $20, or a package of golf, cart, and dinner is $40. The 2011-2012 class will have its graduation program immediately following the dinner. Visit the Chamber’s website at www.chambermanitowoccounty.org or call the Chamber at (920) 684-5575.
• Thursday, May 24: The Thinc! Innovation conference will be held at the EAA in Oshkosh. THINC! Innovation includes two back-to-back events designed to nurture the exchange of innovative ideas and bring entrepreneurs and investors together. Part one, from 7:30 to 10 a.m., features the Technology & Human Innovation Networking Conference, presented by Insight Publications. Part two, from 10:30 to 4 p.m., features “Innovation to Capitalization,” presented by First Business Bank. Tickets for the event are $30. For more information or to register visit: www.thincinnovationevent.com.

If you have an item you would like to be listed in this weekly blog posting or in the Connections feature in Insight, please send it to edit@insightonbusiness.com.

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The commission said it will allow the current Focus on Energy program administrator to follow through on $8 million worth of 2012 commitments that were approved by the previous program administrator. About $2.7 million of those funds have already been paid out in the first quarter.

The PSC’s decision came after Focus on Energy’s business incentive program was temporarily suspended last year because spending on the program had exceeded allocated budgets.

“Focus has succeeded in building an in-state marketplace for renewable resources over the last decade,” said Robert Norcross, Gas and Energy Division Administrator for the PSC, in a response to an open letter from the nonprofit RENEW Wisconsin, which has criticized the changes. “Now that the market exists, it is necessary to examine the amount of Focus’s budget that is dedicated to renewables to prevent incentives from artificially inflating the costs of these technologies.”

The nonprofit RENEW Wisconsin has been critical of the suspension and of the new focus, which it says has “consigned solar and small wind to a minor role for the next couple of years.”

“We are strong supporters of biogas and biomass energy systems, but this allocation goes too far in that direction,” said Michael Vickerman, RENEW’s director of programs and policy. “Even under the best-case scenario, solar and small wind will see a significant reduction of incentive support.”

The PSC set an annual budget of up to $10 million for spending on renewable resources, provided that the renewable components help maintain the program’s benefit/cost ratio in 2013/2014 ($2.30 saved for every $1 spent).

“The new mix in the Focus on Energy program recognizes where our state’s strengths in renewables are,” says Commission Chairperson Phil Montgomery. “The agricultural and forest products industries are two of the largest and most important industries in the state. Weighting the renewables component of Focus on Energy towards biomass and biogas technologies, which have higher overall benefits, makes sense for Wisconsin.”

For more information on the program, visit www.focusonenergy.com/Business/.

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Tickets for the event are $30 and include the two-part event, networking, lunch and the pitch and mingle event. For more information or to register visit: www.thincinnovationevent.com.

Here are some other events going on:

• Tuesday: A presentation on doing business with the federal government and HUBZONE certification and general government contracting will be held from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the Advance Business & Manufacturing Center in Green Bay. Bob Giesfeldt of Small Business Administration’s Wisconsin District Office will be the presenter. For more information or to register, call (920) 496-9010.
• Thursday, May 3 to Friday, May 4: The annual conference for managers of volunteers will be held at the Blue Harbor Resort and Conference Center in Sheboygan. The conference is organized by Wisconsin Volunteer Coordinators Association, a membership organization representing volunteer centers, local volunteer coordinator associations and volunteer coordinators in Wisconsin. For more information or to register, visit www.wvcasite.com.
• Wednesday, May 9: WMEP’s Manufacturing Matters will be held from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Frontier Airlines Center, Milwaukee. The day-long event sponsored by the Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership (WMEP) will feature morning keynote speaker Tim Sullivan, former president and CEO of Bucyrus International, Inc., who is now a special consultant for business and workforce development for the state of Wisconsin. The day will also include a wide array of breakout sessions. Visit: www.manufacturingmatters.org.
• Wednesday, May 9: St. Norbert College and the Estate Planning Council of Northeast Wisconsin will be holding estate planning and a financial workshop from 6 to 8 p.m. The cost is $10. Visit: www.snc.edu/president/estateplanning.

If you have an item you would like to be listed in this weekly blog posting or in the Connections feature in Insight, please send it to edit@insightonbusiness.com.

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The annual conference hosted by the Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership (WMEP) is designed to provide immediate and tangible benefits to busy manufacturing executives and operations staff. “We’ve been talking to manufacturers all year to make sure that this content is relevant, timely, and worth the investment of one day away from the plant,” said Buckley Brinkman, CEO of WMEP. “We know that manufacturers are extremely busy, so we’ve targeted one-hour sessions for executives and operations staff that are highly interactive and provide information they can take back and immediately use to improve their operations.”

The day-long event will be held at the Frontier Airlines Center, 400 W. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee. For more information or to register visit www.manufacturingmatters.org.

“We’ve gathered an incredible array of resources, along with a range of networking venues to increase the benefit to manufacturers,” says WMEP’s Executive Director Buckley Brinkman.

Here’s a look at some of the event highlights:

• Finding talented workers is the hottest topic for manufacturers today. Morning keynote, Tim Sullivan, former president and CEO of Bucyrus International Inc. and now special consultant for business and workforce development for the state of Wisconsin, will share his insight into the skills gap from two perspectives – as a manufacturing executive and as a key leader in the State’s approach to addressing the issue.
• The challenge of managing a business through a period of rapid growth, especially in a struggling industry, is the focus on the Afternoon Keynote address. Aaron Jagdfeld, president and CEO of Waukesha-based Generac Power Systems and winner of the 2011 Manufacturer of the Year award, will share his story of managing growth, promoting innovation and the role that all manufacturers have to play in promoting the industry within their own communities.
• Featured speakers include Adam Hartung and Sarah Miller Caldicott, kicking off the new Innovation Track. The author of ‘Create Marketplace Disruption: How to stay ahead of the competition’, Hartung will distill the knowledge gained from 20 years of practical experience in driving change and profit. Caldicott, author of ‘Innovate Like Edison,’ and the great grandniece of Thomas Edison, will share her unique insights into the methods necessary to create an innovative organization based on collaborative teams.
• Prominent industry thought leaders and senior executives from award-winning Wisconsin manufacturing firms will share best practices and insights. Panelists include manufacturing leaders from Phoenix Products Company, Milwaukee; TCI (Trans Coil, Inc), Milwaukee; Plastic Components, Inc., Germantown; MetalTek, Waukesha; Didion Milling, Cambria; Quick Cable, Franksville; Molded Dimensions, Inc., Port Washington; Allen Edmonds Shoe Corp., Port Washington; Rockline Industries, Sheboygan; and Galloway Company, Neenah.
• New this year are “WEDC Idea Exchange Rooms” that will connect presenters with manufacturers in order to share ideas, information and solutions to issues related to Talent Management and Innovation. The rooms will be open all day and attendees are invited meet with presenters and their peers.
• Got a question for a state agency or a banking expert? The conference offers two new ways to get the info you need.
  • State Agency Listening Posts Agency personnel will be available throughout the day to answer manufacturers’ questions. Participating state departments include: the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC); Transportation (DOT); Natural Resources (DNR); Safety and Professional Services (DSPS); Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP); Workforce Development (DWD); and Veterans Affairs (DVA).
  • Experts are available all day in the Ask an Expert area. Specialists are taking 20 minute appointments throughout the day. Appointments can be booked at www.manufacturingmatters.org.
• Also new this year is the Food & Feed Track, which will review the steps manufacturers can take to become compliant with safety regulations as well as how to avoid common pitfalls during safety audits.
• Multiple break-out sessions are divided into two channels this year: Executive and Operations. The Executive channel will focus on advanced talent management, workforce development, innovation, E-business solutions, and capital/finance; and the Operations channel will focus on continuous improvement, food & feed, and quality/regulatory/legal awareness.

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Trout Springs Winery owner Steve DeBaker of Greenleaf led the effort supported by a group of planners, conservationists, grape growers and wine producers to pursue an American Viticultural Area (AVA) designation from the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. After a review process that took several years, the bureau announced its decision in March and the official designation launches April 23.

The AVA designated region includes Door County, areas east of Lake Winnebago and south to the West Bend/Port Washington area. The region includes several New North counties, including Door, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Calumet, Sheboygan and parts of Brown and Fond du Lac counties.

The Wisconsin Ledge covers an area that geologists call the Niagara escarpment corridor, which contains soils and climate conditions that are particularly well-suited to grape-growing and wine production.

“I’ve heard it summed up best as ‘grapes don’t like wet feet,’” said Eric Fowle, executive director of the East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission and founding co-chair of the Niagara Escarpment Resource Network. “The plant/root structure doesn’t like to be inundated with water, so the geology of the Niagara Dolomite is such that it is heavily fractured and moves surface water to the groundwater system very quickly and allows the roots to dry out periodically between wet weather events.”

The AVA region includes about 320 acres of vineyards and another 70 acres projected to be in development within two years. In 2009, the Wisconsin Ledge AVA had 12 operating wineries and at least one more has opened since and another is in the works, Fowle said.

The only other Wisconsin AVA is in the southwestern part of the state including Sauk City and Lodi, according to the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau.

The commission says the AVA designation can help promote the sustainable development of more vineyards and increase tourism to the area.

A special celebration of the Wisconsin Ledge AVA designation is planned for August 19 at St. Martin’s Heritage Park outside of Chilton.

– Nikki Kallio

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