— The new leader of the Wisconsin Realtors Association, Tom Larson, says the group aims to help address the state’s housing inventory shortage and improve coordination with local groups.
WRA today is announcing Larson — who has spent 27 years with the organization — as president and CEO. He’s taking over for Michael Theo, who retired from the association at the end of 2023.
In an interview yesterday, Larson said the group has only had four CEOs since being created in 1967, including him. For the past 13 years, he was the association’s executive vice president, handling lobbying, political efforts and legal services.
“It’s a unique opportunity,” he told WisBusiness.com. “For me, it’s an organization that I’ve essentially grown up with … spent most of my professional life associated with the organization, working in various roles in legal and advocacy. To be given the opportunity to lead the organization is truly an honor and a dream come true.”
Larson highlighted Wisconsin’s statewide housing inventory shortage, noting it affects urban and rural parts of the state alike. He said that addressing that challenge with more housing will be a primary focus for WRA, along with forging stronger partnerships with local realtor organizations around Wisconsin.
“How do we do things better, how do we do things more efficiently?” he said. “How do we partner with our various local associations around the state, and figure out how we share services to reallocate resources to better service the members. That’s going to be a top priority going forward.”
The housing shortage results from a “perfect storm” of supply and demand problems, according to Larson, who noted the Baby Boomer generation and younger Millennials are competing for housing. He argues new home construction over the past decade hasn’t kept up with demand, and rising interest rates have discouraged many potential homebuyers from leaving their current residence.
“People who’ve locked in the interest rates below 3.5% are not able or interested to sell their homes at this time, because interest rates now are 6.5%, so housing would be much less affordable for them if they did try to sell,” he said.
Still, he added interest rates have seen some recent declines and is hoping that trend continues.
“The further they go down, the more inventory we expect to be on the market,” he said.
Larson also praised the work and legacy of Theo, his immediate predecessor, as well as the group’s prior leader, Bill Malkasian.
“I have learned from two of the best, and I’m going to continue a lot of the great things that they’ve put in place in the WRA, and also bring my own strengths,” he said.
See more from the association here: https://www.wra.org/
See the announcement: https://www.wisbusiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/WRA-Larson-Release.pdf
Read a farewell message from Theo: https://www.wra.org/WREM/Nov23/PresidentMessage/
— Dem Gov. Tony Evers slammed GOP senators for rejecting his appointment of Tyler Huebner to the Public Service Commission, saying it is part of an ongoing effort by Republicans to baselessly fire his nominees.
Evers also appointed Kristy Nieto, a division administrator for energy regulation and analysis at the agency, to Huebner’s spot on the commission.
“Republicans’ ongoing efforts to harass, disparage, and fire dedicated public servants is a serious threat to the basic functions of our government and democracy in our state,” Evers said. “Wisconsinites are sick of Republicans’ nonsense, and I don’t blame them.”
Nieto has worked for the state since 2013, starting at DATCP. She’s been at the PSC for a decade.
The GOP-controlled state Senate yesterday rejected the nomination of Tyler Huebner to the Public Service Commission, the 10th executive branch appointment Republicans have shot down since Evers took office five years ago.
In the three decades prior to that, the Senate had only rejected four such appointments.
State Sen. Julian Bradley, R-Franklin, defended Huebner’s rejection on a 21-11 vote as Sen. Rob Cowles, R-Green Bay, joined Dems in voting no.
The chair of the Senate Utilities and Technology Committee said Huebner had failed to take a stance on the commission’s decision to move forward with income-based rates, which Bradley argued the agency doesn’t have the authority to do.
Bradley also noted Republicans had confirmed more than 480 of Evers’ appointments.
“If this were purely political, I suspect those numbers would be significantly lower,” Bradley said.
The Senate then confirmed Summer Strand to the PSC, 27-5. Cowles and Sens. Tim Carpenter, D-Milwaukee; Chris Larson, D-Milwaukee; Duey Stroebel, R-Saukville; and Cory Tomczyk, R-Mosinee; voted no.
Evers last week announced Strand, who joined the commission in March, would become chair after Rebecca Cameron Valcq leaves the post Feb. 2.
See more at WisPolitics: https://www.wispolitics.com/2024/senate-rejects-huebners-appointment-to-psc-approves-strand/
— Marshfield Clinic Health System is furloughing about 3% of its workforce as it navigates rising costs for supplies and labor.
That’s according to a statement provided by a health system spokesperson, who noted MCHS is the leading care provider in many of the rural communities in which it operates.
“That makes it vital that we use our staffing resources as efficiently and effectively as possible to make sure resources are used where they are needed most and where they can have the greatest impact on patients,” the spokesperson said.
The furloughs will largely be focused on non-patient-facing departments including leadership roles, according to the statement. The health system did not respond to questions on the specific number of employees to be affected and the timing of the furloughs.
MCHS has more than 12,000 employees including 1,600 health care providers, according to its website.
The news comes in the wake of MCHS and Essentia Health in Minnesota calling off a planned merger earlier this year, saying that combining “is not the right path forward” for the two health systems.
See that announcement: https://www.wisbusiness.com/2024/marshfield-clinic-health-system-essentia-health-talks-end-between-marshfield-clinic-health-system-and-essentia-health/
See more on the furloughs in Top Stories below.
<br><b><i>Top headlines from the Health Care Report…</b></i>
— The state Office of the Commissioner of Insurance has announced Rebecca Easland as the agency’s deputy commissioner.
<i>For more of the most relevant news on COVID-19, reports on groundbreaking health research in Wisconsin, links to top stories and more, sign up today for the free daily Health Care Report from WisPolitics.com and WisBusiness.com.</i>
Sign up here: http://forms.gle/o8FtqTLviGJPja8C9
— A Milwaukee-based personalized nutrition business called GenoPalate has announced a new partnership with grocery store chain Earth Fare.
This is GenoPalate’s first grocer retail partner, according to yesterday’s announcement. The company provides its customers with nutrition reports based on analysis of their genetic and behavioral information, which it says helps them eat the “optimal” healthy diet.
Shoppers at Earth Fare’s 18 locations this month will be able to order one of GenoPalate’s nutrition reports in the wellness section by sharing their genetic data. That information can be provided to the company directly or gathered through GenoPalate’s at-home DNA collection kit.
“The more people learn about the science behind their individual wellness journey, the more informed choices they can make, and the more we learn about the crucial intersection between a person’s unique genetic makeup and their optimal food choices,” GenoPalate CEO Asif Naseem said in a statement.
The companies also said “plans are underway” to sell GenoPalate’s nutritional supplements in development and personalized meal kits through Earth Fare. Henry Kugler, COO for the North Carolina-based grocery chain, calls the new partnership a “groundbreaking” move.
“Just a quick, in-aisle scan puts our shoppers on the path to unlocking priceless information about how their genetic makeup affects their nutritional needs, which is a complete mystery for far too many people,” he said in the release.
Listen to an earlier podcast on GenoPalate: https://www.wisbusiness.com/2018/wisbusiness-the-podcast-with-sherry-zhang-ceo-and-founder-of-genopalate/
— Alliant Energy has completed its latest solar array, the Beaver Dam Solar Project.
The Madison-based utility yesterday announced the 350-acre project in Dodge County is finished. With nearly 120,000 solar panels, the system can power up to 13,000 homes annually, according to the release.
Construction on the project started in September 2022, the company says. Alliant Energy has now completed 11 of its 12 Wisconsin-based utility scale solar installations. The last of these, the Grant County Solar Project, will have 200 megawatts of capacity compared to 50 MW for the Beaver Dam Solar Project. It’s expected to be completed this year.
See more project details: https://www.wisbusiness.com/2024/alliant-energy-beaver-dam-solar-project-now-complete/
#TOP STORIES#
# Marshfield Clinic system to furlough some 360 workers
# Republicans reject another Evers appointee, a utility commissioner
# Robin Vos says he doesn’t plan to compromise on medical marijuana bill to appease Senate
#TOPICS#
# AGRIBUSINESS
– World dairy expo announces top cattle judges for 2024 show
http://wisconsinagconnection.com/story-state.php?Id=45&yr=2024
# CONSTRUCTION
– Top bidders: The biggest recent winning bids around the state
– New Land Enterprises plans luxury housing project in Green Bay
# ECONOMY
– New bipartisan bill proposes increase in child tax credit, higher business deductions
# ENTERTAINMENT
– Here’s what we know about the Kenosha Hard Rock Casino
# ENVIRONMENT
– Staying safe on the farm during cold weather
http://wisconsinagconnection.com/story-state.php?Id=43&yr=2024
# FINANCIAL SERVICES
– Educators Credit Union plans new HQ in Mount Pleasant
# FOOD AND BEVERAGE
– These Madison area restaurants just opened, and 8 coming soon
# HEALTH CARE
– COVID-19, flu and RSV on the rise in Wisconsin
– Marshfield Clinic Health System furloughs employees across its network
# INVESTING
– Chicago AI startup raises money from venture fund launched by southeast Wisconsin employers
– Whitewater-based RoofMarketplace opens $2 million funding round
# MANAGEMENT
– Johnson Controls names new CFO
– Franciscan Peacemakers’ executive director to retire this year
# MEDIA
– For Green Bay flower shop owner, surprise chance to film ‘Fox NFL Sunday’ Packers spot with Jordan Love was ‘just wonderful’
# REAL ESTATE
– Madison to review plans for transitional home, 553 new apartments
# SPORTS
– Marquette alum and NBA Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade donates $3 million to university
– Chippewa County postpones votes on CF athletic center
# TOURISM
– Jelly Roll, HARDY, Red Hot Chili Peppers to headline 2024 Harley-Davidson Homecoming in Milwaukee
# PRESS RELEASES
<i>See these and other press releases:
https://www.wisbusiness.com/press-releases/ </i>
