(WisBusiness) TUES News Summary — 16 Sept. 2008

From WisBusiness.com …

— MillerCoors has donated brewing equipment worth $100,000 to UW-Madison’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences as the centerpiece of a new course offering on the science of brewing and fermentation, scheduled to begin in spring semester. Details about the curriculum, designed with input from brewing experts at the MillerCoors Milwaukee brewery, will be discussed at a UW-Madison press conference tomorrow.

— Gov. Jim Doyle is announcing a major investment in clean energy industries today at 2 p.m. in Madison.  The investments will benefit eight Madison-area companies developing clean energy projects. 

— Journal Communications, Inc. announced that Andre J. Fernandez will become executive vice president of finance and strategy on Oct. 20. Currently chief financial officer for NBC Universal’s Telemundo Communications Group, Fernandez will also assume the chief financial officer responsibilities from Paul M. Bonaiuto, who in May announced his intention to retire.

— Key Engineering Group Ltd. of Milwaukee and its business partners have been awarded a five-year contract valued at nearly $150 million from the U.S. National Guard.

Key Engineering and its three small-business partners (in Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Ga., and Raleigh, N.C.) received the announcement from the National Guard this month.

The companies will provide the CBRNE (chemical, biological, radioactive, nuclear and explosive) training and emergency response assessments and evaluations at National Guard bases throughout the United States.

See more from the Small Business Times:

http://www.biztimes.com/daily/2008/9/15/#milwaukee-company-lands-150-million-federal-contract

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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.

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: To host economic development workshops
· Dept. of Revenue: Wisconsin economy more stable than region, nation
· Gov. Doyle: Statement on meeting with GM officials
· Top DDN execs play key roles at LogiPharma event
· Transportation Development Association: House and Senate pass legislation to transfer $8 billion to Highway Trust Fund
· UW-Whitewater: Business education professor receives Russell J. Hosler Award in Business
· UW-Whitewater: Wisconsin innovation leaders to be honored at Ideas to Profits conference
· Wisconsin Forward Award: Wisconsin state quality award 2009 applications now available
· Wisconsin Green Building Alliance: Healthcare is leading the way with promoting green building
· Xiocom Wireless acquires Mad City Broadband

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


TOP STORIES
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180 AT&T workers scheduled to lose jobs by end of the year: he union representing AT&T Wisconsin workers in Milwaukee said Monday that about 180 people are scheduled to lose their jobs by the end of the year. George Walls, president of Local 4603 of the Communications Workers of America, said 118 of the job cuts will come from the closing of a network support center on N. 26th St. Walls said other reductions involve technicians who have been working on setting up AT&T’s U-verse services, which include television and high-speed Internet.
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=794890

Retirement accounts pounded as stocks sink: The fall of two New York-based financial giants generated shockwaves that sent stocks tumbling Monday. For consumers, especially those with 401(k) retirement accounts, the effect of plummeting indexes meant investors also lost billions. However, in the long run, experts say investments will bounce back, which will help the masses quickly forget about a single day’s losses.
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080916/APC0101/809160458/1979/MAN03

Wisconsin may see 37,000 new green jobs in two years: One Fox Cities-based green building pioneer said a report projecting nearly $2 billion in green investments the next two years for Wisconsin may, if anything, underestimates the impact of the market.
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080916/APC03/809160443/1028

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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)
– Inventors’ network meeting Monday
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080916/APC03/809160437/1028

ECONOMY (back to top)
– Effects from Hurricane Ike felt at local gas pumps
http://www.htrnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080916/MAN0101/809160524/1358&located=RSS

– Gas price rise won’t last, experts say
http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/biz/305027

MANUFACTURING (back to top)
– Plexus wins Kirby Lester contract
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080915/APC03/80915145/1028

– State’s generator sales crank up
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=794888

LABOR (back to top)
– NewPage jobs available
http://www.stevenspointjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080916/SPJ0101/809160587/1657&located=RSS

SMALL BUSINESS (back to top)
– Holiday Auto buys Stark
http://www.fdlreporter.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080916/FON0101/809160641/1289&located=RSS

INVESTING (back to top)
– Utility completes $40M debt sale
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2008/09/15/daily11.html

– Shakeout pounds market
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=794976

REAL ESTATE (back to top)
– Weston trailer park faces license revocation
http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080916/WDH0101/809160509/1581&located=RSS

– Selling a new lifestyle: Even in downturn, condo developer sells units
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2008/09/15/smallb1.html?b=1221451200^1699579

– Metavante inks lease at new Orlando building
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2008/09/15/daily3.html

– City panels back condo plan, despite objections
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=794887

AGRIBUSINESS (back to top)
– Maatz to Head Wisconsin Potato & Veggie Association
http://www.wisconsinagconnection.com/story-state.php?Id=1119&yr=2008

– Dry August Causes Changes to State Crop Yield Predictions
http://www.wisconsinagconnection.com/story-state.php?Id=1122&yr=2008

TRANSPORTATION (back to top)
– United doubles fee for second checked bag
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2008/09/15/daily9.html

– Air Wisconsin August traffic slips
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2008/09/15/daily6.html

RETAIL (back to top)
– DigiCOPY opens UWGB location
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080916/GPG03/809160490/1247

– Best Buy to acquire music-sharer Napster
http://customwire.ap.org/dynamic/stories/B/BEST_BUY_NAPSTER?SITE=WIMAD&SECTION=HOME

REGULATION (back to top)
– Kagen calls for ‘balanced trade’
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080916/GPG03/809160495/1247

TOURISM (back to top)
– ‘Discover Wisconsin’ to reveal Wausau as winter wonderland
http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080916/WDH0101/809160511/1581&located=RSS

UTILITIES (back to top)
– Power outages set for parts of Door County
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080916/GPG03/809160494/1247

– Heating expected to cost more this winter
http://www.rivervalleynewspapers.com/articles/2008/09/16/business/00heating.txt

HEALTH CARE (back to top)
– Columbia St. Mary’s founding chief Schuler dies at 61
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2008/09/15/daily8.html

FINANCIAL SERVICES (back to top)
– Sit tight with your 401(k)
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=794900

MANAGEMENT (back to top)
– Journal hiring Telemundo finance chief
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2008/09/15/daily10.html

– Welch Hired as New CEO of AMPI
http://www.wisconsinagconnection.com/story-state.php?Id=1120&yr=2008

Media Partners
Channel3000
Small Business Times
Madison Magazine
BusinessWeek

National Business Roundups ( back to top)
–YAHOO FINANCE: http://finance.yahoo.com/
–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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