Applied Tech: Clean Wisconsin announced as the Green IT Makeover Contest winner

Applied Tech Contact: Julie Vike

608.257.6051 x23 or vike@appliedtech.us                                                               

MADISON – At an open house event on July 29, 2008, Applied Tech and sponsors announced a Green IT Makeover contest for Wisconsin-based businesses.   Businesses were encouraged to apply for a chance to win environmentally-friendly products and services from Applied Tech, Focus on Energy, Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard, WatchGuard and others.  The Grand Prize Package is valued at over $25,000.

Clean Wisconsin was informed on November 24, 2008 that they were the Grand Prize Winner. All of the applications went through a scoring process based on need, impact, and commitment to environmentally responsiveness.  Scores were tallied together and Clean Wisconsin was identified as the winner of the Green IT Makeover Contest.

Clean Wisconsin, an environmental advocacy organization, protects Wisconsin’s clean water and air and advocates for clean energy by being an effective voice in the state legislature and by holding elected officials and corporations accountable.  On behalf of its members and its coalition partners, Clean Wisconsin protects the special places that make Wisconsin such a wonderful place to live, work and play.

“Clean Wisconsin is proud to be selected as the winner of Applied Tech’s Green IT Makeover Contest!” said Mark Redsten, Executive Director of Clean Wisconsin.  “This makeover will allow our staff to be able to better communicate with and respond to the needs of our members, our donors and our community in an effective and efficient manner.  We look forward to maintaining this professional relationship as we work together to solve energy issues facing the state of Wisconsin.”

Kurt Sippel, President of Applied Tech said “Applied Tech is honored to help lead the Green IT initiative and pleased to know that so many companies, like Clean Wisconsin, are moving toward greening their workplace.”  Mr. Sippel continues, “Clean Wisconsin’s pro-environmental actions represent a great example to all businesses and we look forward to working with them”.

The top Five Finalists included (in no particular order):  Design Concepts (Madison, WI), Clean Wisconsin (Madison, WI), PDC Midwest (Hartland, WI), All-Color Powder Coating (Oregon, WI) and the Association of State Floodplain Managers (Madison, WI). 

Judges:

Terry Shelton – Member of Applied Tech’s Board of Directors since 1999 and Outreach Director for the La Follette School of Public Affairs at the UW-Madison.  Terry was a journalist for 20 years before joining the UW, working as a city editor of the State Journal and the La Crosse Tribune and teaching at Viterbo College.    Terry is a past and current judge of the Wisconsin Governors Business Plan Contest and a Harvard graduate.

Gary Steuck – Member of Applied Tech’s Board of Directors since 2004.  Gary, a judge for the Wisconsin Governor’s Business Plan Contest since its inception in 2004, has also been a judge for the G. Steven Burill Business Plan Competition.  Gary has successfully overseen seven businesses, including two start-ups, as either President or CEO. 

John Surdyk – Member of Applied Tech’s Board of Directors and Director of the Initiative for Studies in Technology Entrepreneurship at UW-Madison. Before joining UW-Madison in 2005, Surdyk spent more than a decade consulting with high-technology start- ups, Fortune 500 firms and nonprofit organizations at SRI International in Menlo Park and, later, Navigant Consulting (NYSE:  NCI) in Chicago and his own firm, Re-Envision Consulting, LLC in Madison.  John received in B.S. in Earth Systems Science from Stanford University.

Kurt Sippel – President and Owner of Applied Tech.  Prior to starting Applied Tech, Kurt was the IT Director at the UW-Madison for eight years.  Kurt obtained his B.S in Economics from the UW-Madison in 1989.  Today, Kurt leads a 19-person staff with 2 locations in Wisconsin.  Applied Tech has been ranked as one of the top IT providers and IT training companies by In Business magazine and was a winner of the Dane County Small Business Award in 2008.

For further information, please contact Julie Vike at 608-257-6051 ext 23 or vike@appliedtech.us.