Nominations for Manufacturing Awards of Distinction now being accepted

Advance, the economic development arm of the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, is seeking nominations for the 10th annual Manufacturing Awards of Distinction. The awards are to be given to select Northeast Wisconsin manufacturing firms that have made a substantial impact on the community and experienced significant accomplishments.

Three of the five awards are based on company size: Small (fewer than 100 employees), medium (100-300 employees), large (more than 300 employees). The other two categories are use of technology and exporting.

Nominees will be judged based on stability within the marketplace and/or long-term business history; demonstration of continued growth, in job creation and/or capital investment; innovations in technology and/or business processes; visionary leadership within the industry and business community; and corporate citizenship, including involvement in community affairs and development.

Self-nominations and nominations for more than one firm are encouraged. Nominees must be headquartered in one of the eight Northeast Wisconsin counties (Brown, Door, Florence, Kewaunee, Marinette, Oconto and Shawano) or have significant operations located in one of the counties. Nominations are due no later than Aug. 17 and can be sent to Jessica Beckendorf, Advance, 2701 Larsen Road, Green Bay, WI 54303.

“With 24 percent of employment in our region attributed to the manufacturing sector, this segment is one of the primary drivers of our overall economy,” says Fred Monique, vice president of Advance.

Nomination forms can be found at this link on the Chamber Web site: programs.titletown.org/gbchamber1/economic+development/awardsevents/manufacturing+awards/default.asp.

Fond du Lac County Economic Development Corporation receives $437,899 grant

Fond du Lac County Economic Development Corporation and Center for Enterprise Development have received a $437,899 grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration. The grant will be used to fund the implementation and three years of services that will expand and enhance FCEDC’s current existing business development services in the form of an economic gardening program called “Impact!”. The nearly half-million dollar grant is the first to be awarded by EDA in Wisconsin and in the Chicago district region.

A kick-off event to implement the program in the county will be held later this fall.

MOVERS

>> Wausau-based Ruder Ware has promoted Jeremy Welch to shareholder.

>> The Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce has announced the appointment of Robert P. Herre, president and CEO of Fincantieri Marine Group (successor of the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co.) to its board of directors.

>> Hermes Law Ltd. of Green Bay has added Anthony Steffek to its legal team.

>> Imaginasium President Patrick Hopkins has been named Business Person of the Year by the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce.

BUSINESS BRIEFS

EAGLE RIVER: Hahn Printing has earned chain-of-custody certifications under Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) standards. Certifications were issued after the completion of a rigorous third-party audit of the company’s facilities, purchasing practices and control systems. FSC and SFI standards create a proven chain of custody to track wood from certified forests to timber harvesters, to paper manufacturers, to paper wholesalers, to printers and the finished product. FSC and SFI are independent, non-profit, non-government organizations devoted to the responsible management of the world’s forests.

OSHKOSH: Clifton Gunderson’s Oshkosh office was selected as the sole recipient of the 2009 Northeastern Wisconsin Employers of Choice Award. Northeastern Wisconsin Employers of Choice was created by HR1 in 2008. HR1 is a partnership created by local human resource professionals to provide employee opinion data and recognize quality employers in the Fox Valley and surrounding areas.

WAUSAU: Aspirus Wausau Hospital has been identified as a 2009-10 Women’s Health Excellence Award recipient and rated five-star for maternity care in a study released in June by HealthGrades. Aspirus is the only hospital in Wisconsin to receive the five-star rating for maternity care and the Excellence Award, which recognizes the top five percent of all hospitals in the United States.