Nominations now being accepted for Wisconsin Family Business of the Year

The seventh annual Wisconsin Family Business of the Year Award program is accepting nominations from businesses throughout the state. The award celebrates companies that exemplify the family spirit of doing business together for everyone’s success.

Since the beginning of the program, 44 family-owned companies have been recognized for their contributions to their communities, their industries and the economy. The winners have come from all parts of the state, from La Crosse to Green Bay, and from Madison to Peshtigo.

One family business will be selected for Grand Awards in each category of small (under 50 employees), medium (50-99), and large (100 or more) companies. Special awards will also be given to companies excelling in a particular area. Self-nominations are encouraged, or nominations can be made on behalf of the company by consultants, vendors, clients or friends.  An independent panel of judges will select the award recipients. The deadline for nominations is March 26, 2010. Awards will be presented at a banquet to be held in Madison on May 13, 2010.

Smith & Gesteland, Associated Bank and DeWitt Ross & Stevens, co-sponsor the statewide program. The three firms are also founding sponsors of the UW-Madison Family Business Center.  Additional information about the program and nomination forms can be found at www.familybusinessaward.com, or by calling (608) 836-7500. 

MOVERS

>> Timothy L. Christen, CEO of Baker Tilly Virchow Krause LLP, has been appointed to serve a three-year term as Chair of the Major Firms Group of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

>> U.S. Cellular has promoted Jim Walker-Pontius to director of network operations for the Central Region, which includes Wisconsin. Walker-Pontius is based in Madison. >> Wayne Salverda, R.Ph. has joined WisconsinRx as senior director of Clinical Services.

>> Paul D. Ericksen has been named manager of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Supply Chain Advantage program.

>> The Midwest Business Brokers & Intermediaries Wisconsin Chapter has announced the appointment of its new officers for the year: President Scott Bushkie, CBI, M&AMI, President / CEO, Cornerstone Business Services of Green Bay; Executive Vice President Tom Kintis, president, CGK Investment Banking of Waukesha; and Secretary/Treasurer Bill Hucovski, owner of William D. Hucovski, CPA in Milwaukee.

BUSINESS BRIEFS

STATEWIDE: The Wisconsin Department of Administration is set to receive nearly $23 million in federal funding to match $5.7 million from the state to help provide broadband internet access to hundreds of sites in all 72 counties. Among the locations receiving funding are 74 schools, 8 post-secondary schools — including two tribal colleges — and 385 libraries statewide. In addition to the sites gaining access to broadband, the project also opens the door for additional broadband expansion. Over 125,000 households are within the market area of the sites receiving funding, according to Wired Wisconsin.

CRANDON: Northern Lake Service Inc. has recently acquired Water Quality Testing Services Inc., a former division of Milwaukee Cooperative Milk Producers. Water Quality Testing Service has since opened a new office in Waukesha.

MADISON: Tri-North Builders, a nationwide general construction/construction management firm, has opened a new California office as part of a growth strategy of increasing and adding services in new territories. The California office will be in charge of managing projects that take place along the West Coast.

MILWAUKEE: Stork Cellramic has finalized a long-term partnership with Tiruna America of Green Bay. Stork entered into a five-year exclusive agreement with Tiruna to provide tungsten coating services for its corrugating rolls intended for the American market. Tiruna corrugating rolls, which are sold in more than 40 countries, are enhanced by a tungsten coating process the company developed at their parent company’s research facility in Spain. Stork Cellramic provides a variety of ceramic coating applications for numerous industries.

WAUSAUKEE: Wausaukee Composites Inc. has been awarded a $930,810 Advanced Energy Manufacturing Tax Credit (AEMTC) from the United States Department of Energy and the Internal Revenue Service. The goal of the AEMTC is to grow the domestic manufacturing industry for clean energy, providing up to a 30-percent tax credit for investments in new, expanded or re-equipped advanced energy manufacturing projects. Recipients of the AEMTC have three years from the date of issuance of the certification to complete the nominated projects in order to receive the credit. The proposed expansion of Wausaukee Composites’ dedicated wind turbine components facility in Cuba City would roughly double production capacity at that site at a cost of $4.9 million, and could add up to 150 manufacturing jobs. The project will be dependent upon market recovery and renewed order activity for wind turbine components from the major U. S.-based turbine manufacturers.