From WisBusiness.com …
— UW-Milwaukee Chancellor Carlos Santiago told the Greater Milwaukee Committee about the school’s plans for expanding its water research facilities and opening the nation’s first graduate school of freshwater science, but he tempered his outlook with a bit of restraint.
“I do have to caution myself because sometimes my optimism goes a little further than it should,” he said Monday.
In addition to the new graduate school, plans to support the water industry include building a new $15 million modular water research vessel, expanding the current Water Institute and marine operations facility and building a new building on the lakefront to house the administrative functions of the school’s freshwater programs and serve as a place to showcase the water industry.
Santiago’s discussion of the university’s water research plans came during GMC’s annual meeting at the University Club in Milwaukee. Santiago also touched on plans to build an academic health center and a biomedical engineering campus in addition to the freshwater initiatives.
Badger Meter CEO Rich Meeusen also discussed efforts underway to advance the water technology industry in Milwaukee, noting that the water technology sector got its start in the area in the 1800s to support water-intensive industries like brewing and tanneries.
Today, Meeusen said, the Milwaukee area is home to 120 water technology companies, including five of the 11 largest globally with major operations in the region. The sector employs 20,000 people in the area and is responsible for producing about 4 percent of the world’s water technology, he said.
Read more about the meeting and listen to audio from Santiago and Meeusen: http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Article=148560
— The meeting also saw Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation President Michael Grebe officially take the helm of the Greater Milwaukee Committee as its new chairman.
Former Chairman Ed Zore, president and chief executive of Northwestern Mutual, remarked at the luncheon that he was pleased with the work the GMC has accomplished under his last two years leading the group. Zore highlighted the group’s work in the areas of public transit, public education, the Milwaukee 7 regional economic development initiative and community cultural assets.
Grebe, who Zore referred to as “Mr. Milwaukee,” shared few comments upon officially being installed, except to make a few administrative announcements and adjourn the meeting after joking that he gave “a fair amount of thought” as to what to say, but would adjourn “in an effort to get off to an upbeat and perhaps uplifting start.”
— Emerson Network Power has notified the state about a plant closing in Madison that will result in 62 layoffs in April.
See the notice filed with the state: http://www.wisbusiness.com/1008/090209emerson.pdf
— The Wisconsin Hospital Association Information Center has added two new reports on its PricePoint Web site that expand the amount of information that consumers can now access about hospital charges.
The new reports include a summary of the charges for the 25 most common reasons for hospitalization in Wisconsin. The hospital-specific “Top 25” report provides the median charge for maternity stays, appendectomies, and knee or hip replacements, to name just a few.
The second report shows hospital-specific charges for selected non-life-threatening diagnoses that are commonly treated in a hospital emergency department, but might also be handled in an urgent care setting. If the hospital has urgent care services available, charges for the same diagnosis treated in the urgent care are also displayed.
See the site: http://www.WIPricePoint.org
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REGISTER BY WED. FOR EARLY DISCOUNT: FOCUS ON MIDWEST ENERGY CONFERENCE II
Feb. 23, 2009 at Monona Terrace in Madison
Conference includes: U.S. Rep. Baldwin; Obama environmental adviser Learner; Gary Mar, Alberta’s official representative to the United States; and David K. Owens, executive vice president of business operations at the Edison Electric Institute. For more information, see a recent press release: http://www.wispolitics.com/index.iml?Article=147100
Sponsors for this event include Xcel Energy, American Transmission Company, Virchow, Krause & Company, the Wisconsin Petroleum Council, Alliant Energy and Dominion. The government of Canada and Wisconsin Environmental Initiative are event partners.
The event is open to the public. Individual tickets cost $50 if purchased by WEDNESDAY Feb. 11; tickets after that cost $75 each. Tables are available for purchase on a first-come, first-served basis at a cost of $600. Student discounts also will be available. The ticket price includes food.
For more information or to register, contact Jim Greer at 608-237-6296 or greer@wispolitics.com.
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TOP STORIES
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Obama Says Economic Crisis Comes First: President Obama declared last night in his first prime-time news conference that the task of saving and creating jobs is more important than cultivating the bipartisan cooperation he promised to bring to Washington, and he pressed his case for the massive economic stimulus plan working its way through Congress.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/09/AR2009020903430.html?hpid=topnews
Stoughton Trailers lays off 150 : Stoughton Trailers is reporting additional job cuts. One of three production lines at the factory has been halted, ending work for about 150 employees, said Patrice Gillespie, vice president of human resources. That shrinks the staff to 350, the lowest since 2001, and it’s down 68 percent from June 2007, when the company had 1,100 employees. “It was our hope that we would avoid any further layoffs, but we must continue to respond to the realities of the economy and our industry,” Ken Wahlin, Stoughton Trailers president, said Monday.
http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/biz/437567
Columbia St. Mary’s cutting 54 more jobs: Columbia St. Mary’s Inc. will eliminate 54 positions over the next three months within its Patient Financial Services division, the hospital system announced Monday. This is the second round of layoffs for the Milwaukee system, which laid-off 74 employees in November as part of a systemwide initiative to reduce costs because of the economic downturn.
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/02/09/daily5.html
Spuncast lays off 30 in Watertown: Spuncast Inc. has informed state officials that it has laid off 30 workers from the company’s Watertown plant because of a “sudden and unexpected termination of contracts” from principal clients. Spuncast supplies steel, iron and stainless steel centrifugal castings to original equipment manufacturers, including Caterpillar Inc., LaBounty and Hader. Spuncast’s markets include the mining, steel, electric power, defense and oil and gas industries.
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/02/09/daily1.html
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TECHNOLOGY (back to top)
– Updates add to hospital costs Web site
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/02/09/daily6.html
ECONOMY (back to top)
– Allouez Business Association aims to boost village’s economy
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20090210/GPG03/902100430/1247
MANUFACTURING (back to top)
– Wausau Paper reports net loss
http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20090210/APC03/902100471/1028
– Spectrum Brands reports $112.7 million loss
http://www.madison.com/tct/business/437521
LABOR (back to top)
– Board approves plans to cut 29 teachers in Kaukauna Area School District
http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20090210/APC0101/902100486/1979
SMALL BUSINESS (back to top)
– New equipment, training helps Mary Morgan improve sales
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20090210/GPG03/902100429/1247
– New restaurant adds to downtown Omro businesses
http://www.thenorthwestern.com/article/20090208/OSH03/90207052/1167
– Advice for businesses to avoid recession pitfalls
http://www.marshfieldnewsherald.com/article/20090207/MNH03/902070642/1768
– Succession plan takes hold at Anguil
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/02/09/smallb1.html?b=1234155600^1774530
REAL ESTATE (back to top)
– Metrostudy: Home starts to fall 47% in 2009
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/02/09/daily11.html
AGRIBUSINESS (back to top)
– More women in Winnebago County choose working on farms
http://www.thenorthwestern.com/article/20090210/OSH0101/902100420&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL
TRANSPORTATION (back to top)
– State’s average gas price up 5 cents
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20090210/GPG03/902100432/1247
– AirTran to disclose 11 new departures on Tuesday
http://www.jsonline.com/business/39315572.html
RETAIL (back to top)
– Westgate Hy-Vee gets go-ahead from Plan Commission
http://www.madison.com/tct/business/437614
– Menards recognized for positive economic impact
http://www.leadertelegram.com/story-news.asp?id=BJ59B8JKIAC
– Shopko redesign wins magazine’s top honor
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/02/09/daily8.html
– Kohl’s closes on Mervyns store acquisitions
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/02/09/daily4.html
REGULATION (back to top)
– Legislators want restrictions on rescinding insurance policies
http://www.jsonline.com/business/39345072.html
UTILITIES (back to top)
– $10 billion transmission lines for wind power proposed
http://www.jsonline.com/business/39346527.html
– Wisconsin part of $10B-$12B transmission line plan
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/02/09/daily2.html
HEALTH CARE (back to top)
– More Fox Cities businesses take lead in helping employees have healthier lives
http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20090210/APC03/902100462/1028
– Patients pay when doctors switch health systems
http://www.jsonline.com/business/39292942.html
– Froedtert opens West Bend specialty clinic
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/02/09/daily10.html
FINANCIAL SERVICES (back to top)
– Bank locations to remain open despite Cub Foods closings
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20090210/GPG03/902100431/1247
– National banking mess means image problem for state’s lenders
http://www.thenorthwestern.com/article/20090209/OSH03/302090041/1167
– U.S. Bank aims to cut costs 5%
http://www.jsonline.com/business/39345082.html
MANAGEMENT (back to top)
– Anchor chairman to step down; new lead director is named
http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/biz/437528
– Bradley Foundation’s Grebe to become GMC chairman
http://www.jsonline.com/business/39316182.html
– Anchor BanCorp leader Timmerman to retire
http://www.jsonline.com/business/39328732.html
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