(WisBusiness) FRI News Summary — 12 Sept. 2008

From WisBusiness.com …

— Gov. Jim Doyle is leading a state delegation to Detroit today to meet with GM and argue for the continued operation of the automaker’s Janesville plant.

Doyle is also appearing on a pair of TV shows this weekend to discuss the Detroit trip and the November election.

He’s due to be on Wisconsin Public Television’s “Here and Now” at 7 p.m. today, then he’ll appear on “UpFront with Mike Gousha,” airing this weekend across the state. See the UpFront Web site for local air times: http://www.wisn.com/upfront/index.html

— Manitowoc Cranes is getting $1.02 million in state Enterprise Development Zone tax credits to assist with a $25 million expansion that will create 157 jobs.

See the press release: http://www.wispolitics.com/index.Iml?Article=135726

— Citizens Republic BankCorp of Appleton has provided notice to the state detailing the permanent layoff of 11 workers at that location effective Sept. 9.

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WisPolitics.com/WisBusiness.com: “Diagnosing a Policy Fix to U.S. Health Care”

WisPolitics.com/WisBusiness.com is convening a half-day conference Friday, Sept. 19 at the Alliant Energy Center Exhibition Hall in Madison to bring together national, state and Canadian experts to discuss how health care providers, insurance companies and policy makers are addressing proposed health care changes this election year.

Highlighting the “Diagnosing a Policy Fix to U.S. Health Care” conference are: Dr. Ken Thorpe, executive director of the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease and the former Deputy Assistant Secretary for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Greg Scandlen, a senior fellow of the Heartland Institute with deep experience in the insurance industry; and Antonia Maioni, director of the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada who’s an expert on the U.S. and Canadian health care systems.

Other conference participants include: Dr. Doug Reding, vice president of the Marshfield Clinic and chair of the Clinic’s Government Relations Committee; Debra Whitman, staff director of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging; former State Department of Administration Secretary George Lightbourn, now with the Wisconsin Policy Research Institute; and state Sen. Jon Erpenbach, D-Middleton, author of the “Healthy Wisconsin” universal health care plan.

The event is open to the public. Individual tickets cost $60 each. Tables are available for purchase on a first-come, first-served basis at a cost of $450. Student discounts also are available. The ticket price includes two meals.

For ticket information, contact Jim Greer at 608-237-6296 and greer@wispolitics.com

Initial sponsors for this event include the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD), Marshfield Clinic/Security Health Plan, Dean/St. Mary’s and Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, Inc. The government of Canada is an event partner.

See more: http://www.wispolitics.com/index.iml?Article=135065

 

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Press Releases
· Alliant Energy Foundation provides $5,000 flood assistance grant to the Janesville Performing Arts Center
· Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield: Staff to participate in WTMJ-TV health insurance phone bank
· Dept. of Commerce: Emergency rule requiring carbon monoxide alarms to take effect October 1, 2008
· Dept. of Revenue: New Wisconsin liquor tax laws to take effect
· Dept. of Workforce Development: Secretary Gassman convenes WIRED Leadership Caucus, boosts regional effort to prepare skilled workforce for jobs of future
· Dunkin’ Donuts: Opens Madison, WI for franchise sales
· Gov. Doyle: Announces $1.02 million for Manitowoc Cranes expansion
· Gov. Doyle: Announces $247,400 grant to City of Brillion
· Joy Global Inc.: Expands stock buyback program to $2 billion
· MillerCoors: Miller Lite raises more than $500,000 for Muscular Dystrophy Association
· Miron Construction Co., Inc.: Completes new office building in Middleton
· SEIU: Nation’s largest union calls on pension boards to stop risking retiree pension money, launch effort at Wisconsin pension board meeting
· Teamsters: Statement after receiving Waste Management’s ‘last, best and final offer’
· U.S. Sen. Feingold: Bill helps new energy technologies get off the ground
· UW-Madison: ‘Digital Commons’ proposal aims for major increase in library access
· UW-Madison: UW-Madison’s entrepreneurship program rated among nation’s best
· Waste Management: Employees gain benefits, wages in Waste Management plan
· Wilderness Hotel & Golf Resort: To honor our service men and women this fall
· Wisconsin Farmers Union: WFU members meet with lawmakers in Washington, D.C.
· ZD Studios: Completes environmental branding project for Wisconsin Historical Society headquarters and 10 historic sites

For these and more releases visit http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Content=82


TOP STORIES
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Wis. governor headed to Detroit to talk with GM: Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle will lead a delegation to Detroit on Friday to talk with General Motors officials about the planned closing of its Janesville plant. The meeting is the first Doyle has had with GM officials in Detroit since the company announced it planned to close the Janesville plant by 2010. The state is trying to work with the company to see what can be done in Janesville, said Wisconsin Department of Commerce spokesman Tony Hozeny. “We want to continue to work constructively with the company,” Hozeny said. “That’s why we’re going over there.”
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/W/WI_GM_JANESVILLE_WIOL-?SITE=WIMAD&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

State stock prices take large tumble: A weak economy hitting all sectors has caused the stocks of most publicly traded companies in Wisconsin to dip — in some cases dramatically — over the past year. Nearly half of the Wisconsin public companies on The Business Journal’s list of 25 best-performing stocks for the period Sept. 4, 2007, to Sept. 4, 2008, actually recorded a dip in share price for the 52-week period. Companies appearing on the worst-performing stocks list saw dramatic drops in share price, as much as 70 percent and more.
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2008/09/15/story1.html?b=1221451200^1699334

Packers worth more than $1 billion, Forbes says: The Green Bay Packers are worth $1.02 billion, 16th among the National Football League’s 32 teams, despite being in the league’s smallest market, Forbes magazine said in its annual rankings. Last year, Forbes pegged the Packers’ value at $927 million, 17th in the NFL. The magazine ties the value of the Packers to the $295 million refurbishing of Lambeau Field in 2003 and a number of key sponsorships, including MillerCoors.
http://www.madison.com/tct/sports/304426

Manitowoc Cranes to add 157 positions: Gov. Jim Doyle on Thursday awarded Manitowoc Cranes $1 million in state tax credits for a $25 million expansion the company said would create 157 new jobs in Manitowoc and Port Washington. The new employees will earn annual salaries of $45,000 or more after gaining a few years of experience, said Steve Brahm, vice president of operations for Manitowoc Cranes. The 157 new jobs are in addition to 1,200 employees already working in Manitowoc and Port Washington, up about 300 from two years ago.
http://www.sheboyganpress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080912/SHE0101/809120558/1062&located=RSS

NewPage names new financial officer: NewPage Corp., the company that shut down the historic Kimberly paper mill early Monday, announced the appointment of a former Ford Motor Co. executive to its executive team. NewPage said that David J. Prystash will join the firm Sept. 22 as chief financial officer. He will succeed Jason Bixby, who will rejoin the operations team at Cerberus Capital Management, New York. Cerberus, a private equity company, is the parent of NewPage.
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080912/APC03/809120571/1028

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WISBUSINESS FEATURED COLUMNISTS

GREGG HOFFMANN: Contributor, WisBusiness.com

TOM STILL: President, Wisconsin Technology Council

JENNIFER SERENO: Senior manager, Wood Communications Group

STEVE JAGLER: Executive editor, Small Business Times

TOM BURZINSKI: IT executive and consultant
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TECHNOLOGY (back to top)
– Mad City Broadband acquired by Atlanta firm
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2008/09/08/daily40.html

ECONOMY (back to top)
– Lawrence University receives $2.5M bequest
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2008/09/08/daily36.html

MANUFACTURING (back to top)
– Brillion gets $247,400 grant
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080912/APC03/809120584/1028

– Expanding companies create 300 manufacturing jobs
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=793895

LABOR (back to top)
– Worker: Domtar needed pressure
http://www.thenorthwestern.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080912/MNH0101/809120663/1732&located=RSS

– Midwest Airlines workers protest leasing plan
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=793897

– Trash haulers’ union chilly toward 401(k) plan
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=793901

SMALL BUSINESS (back to top)
– Allouez: Area natives give new bar the ‘Sconnie’ feel
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080912/GPG03/809120665/1247

– New doggie day care opening
http://www.madison.com/tct/business/304448

INVESTING (back to top)
– Joy Global adds $1B to share repurchases
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2008/09/08/daily33.html

REAL ESTATE (back to top)
– Town of Neenah eyes land purchase
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080912/APC0101/809120567/1004&located=RSS

– Appleton explores purchase of part of Houdini Plaza
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080912/APC0101/809120577/1004&located=RSS

– BC Pabst Holdings acquires second Brewery building
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2008/09/08/daily41.html

– Large Fitchburg rental complex goes from bad to good
http://www.madison.com/wsj/topstories/304545

– Economic downturn dooms Park East development
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=793900

AGRIBUSINESS (back to top)
– Wisconsin wineries using co-ops to avoid wholesalers
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=793876

TRANSPORTATION (back to top)
– Railroad work to affect College
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080912/APC0101/809120579/1979/OSH03

RETAIL (back to top)
– Milwaukee: Grand letdown: Downtown retail decline hampers area businesses
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2008/09/15/story2.html?b=1221451200^1699343

– Grand letdown: Mall’s retailers ponder: Stay or go?
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2008/09/15/story10.html?b=1221451200^1699464

– Grand letdown: 3rd Ward is ‘where it’s happening’
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2008/09/15/story11.html?b=1221451200^1699473

– Grand letdown: Downtown mall still trying to attract new tenants
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2008/09/15/story12.html?b=1221451200^1699483

REGULATION (back to top)
– Feds set fish shipment rules for the Great Lakes
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080912/GPG0101/809120675/1207&located=RSS

UTILITIES (back to top)
– DNR extends review of Neenah firm’s plan to burn tires as fuel
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080912/APC0101/809120564/1004&located=RSS

– We Energies hires firm for Oak Creek plant emissions controls
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2008/09/08/daily35.html

HEALTH CARE (back to top)
– Center seeks to fix care system
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080912/APC03/809120575/1028

– Health costs rise at slower pace
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=793936

FINANCIAL SERVICES (back to top)
– Study: Most U.S. banks not yet compliant with identity theft rules
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2008/09/08/daily38.html

– Dropping Anchor: Bank’s stock plummets, but officials optimistic about recovery
http://www.madison.com/tct/business/304157

MANAGEMENT (back to top)
– Aurora names UWM dean to lead research
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2008/09/08/daily37.html

– Morgridge Institute for Research executive director named
http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/local/304469

BUSINESS COLUMNS (back to top)
– John Oncken: Too bad if you didn’t go to a county fair this year
http://www.madison.com/tct/business/304481

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National Business Roundups ( back to top)
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–CNBC BUSINESS NEWS: http://www.cnbc.com
–ABC BUSINESS NEWS: http://abcnews.go.com/sections/business/
–GOOGLE NEWS: http://news.google.com/news/en/us/business.html

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