From WisBusiness.com …
— U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, fresh from a 12-hour subcommittee mark-up session on energy, telecommunications and broadband issues, said she’s heard both conservative and liberal economic advisers warning of a slow recovery that could get worse before it gets better.
“We brought in McCain’s advisors and those who worked on the Obama campaign during the year,” Baldwin said. “Almost to a one the predictions were dire and incredibly serious. It’s an ugly situation, when you’re going to pass a bill that has how many zeroes … nine. $825 billion is what we’re looking at.”
“We’re hopefully shortening the time that the recession will [last],” Baldwin told the crowd at the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce event, adding that Congress will try to get a bill to the President Obama’s desk by President’s Day in February.
Baldwin also discussed an amendment she authored with Iowa’s Bruce Braley to dedicate up to $500 million in loan guarantees for cutting-edge biofuel projects.
“Now there’s a transportation sector in the loan guarantees, something that will have a huge impact in Wisconsin, in our own region, because we have an institute here at the University of Wisconsin focused squarely on advanced biofuel research.”
Read more from Baldwin’s appearance: http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Article=146701
— A new report from the U.S. Small Business Administration says Wisconsin’s economic recovery will depend on small business. The most recent data show that the state has 115,541 small employers, and they employ 98 percent of the state’s workforce.
“Wisconsin depends on small business for jobs and economic growth,” said Shawne McGibbon, Acting Chief Counsel for Advocacy. “During this time of financial stress and economic instability, policymakers need to remember that the state’s small businesses provide the economic base for its families and communities.”
See more from the SBA: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20090123005811/en
— The state has created a new office to help the state manage and quickly distribute federal cash expected to come from the $825 billion federal recovery act.
The Office of Recovery and Reinvestment will be headed by Madison Gas and Electric CEO Gary Wolter, who will take on the job on a volunteer basis while retaining his position with the company. Alan Fish, UW-Madison’s associate vice chancellor of facilities, planning and management, will serve as Wolter’s deputy. He will not draw an additional state salary in the position, Gov. Jim Doyle said. The budget for the office will come from existing agency budgets, he said.
The combination of Wolter’s private sector experience and Fish’s knowledge of state building and transportation programs made them a good team for the effort, Doyle said.
See more on the new office: http://blogs.wispolitics.com/2009/01/doyle-announces-office-of-recovery-and.html
— The Wisconsin Governor’s Business Plan Contest is accepting entries online for the 2008 competition through the end of this week. To enter, contestants can submit 250 Word IDEA Abstract now through 5 p.m. Jan. 31, 2009. The contest’s Grand Prize is worth $50,000 in cash and services.
The contest is free to enter at http://www.govsbizplancontest.com.
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Press Releases
· Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield: Associates pledge more than $900,000 to community organizations
· Batzner Pest Management: Batzner to donate food and duffel bags to Waukesha Salvation Army snack pack program
· BkBid.Com: Launches new free website 01/26/2009; college students save on text books
· Citizen Action of Wisconsin: WPRI releases junk science attack on health care reform
· DATCP: Second Wisconsin stallion Is C.E.M.-positive; found in trace from previous case
· Dept. of Commerce: ALC invests in American workers
· Gov. Doyle: Creates Office of Recovery and Reinvestment
· KL Engineering: Schanhofer joins firm as construction manager
· MMAC: Business Outlook Survey, first quarter 2009
· Promega: Promega, UW Screening Facility and NIH Chemical Genomics Center bring Chemical Genomics Symposium to University of Wisconsin-Madison
· Prudential Absolute Realtors, North Shore Bank: To host free home buying and selling seminar in Brookfield
· RENEW Wisconsin: Manitowoc County says “no can do” to windpower project
· St. Croix EDC: Commerce Secretary Leinenkugel announced as keynote speaker at EDC banquet Feb. 19
· St. Norbert College: CEO breakfast & strategy series plans two events for February
· Summit Credit Union: Shannon Griswold joins Summit Credit Union as president of STAR Credit Union
· U.S. Sen. Feingold: Clean air push could mean more green jobs in Wisconsin
· UW-Stevens Point: “Educating a tech-savvy workforce” discussed at UW-Stevens Point on Jan. 29
· UWM: To offer executive summit on sustainability
· Wilson Law Group: Attorneys join founder Wayne Wilson as equity partners at Wilson Law Group
· Wipfil: To help companies navigate economic crisis, Wipfli launches task force: ‘Troubled Economy – Surviving and Thriving’
· Wisconsin Stem Cell Now: FDA approves first human embryonic stem cell trial
· WPRI: Healthy Wisconsin would cause chronically ill to migrate to Wisconsin
For these and more releases visit http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Content=82
TOP STORIES
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Official: Stimulus won’t remedy state’s funding problem: Any money in President Barack Obama’s anticipated stimulus package to fix bridges and roads won’t solve a chronic funding shortage for such projects, an industry official says. “There’s a convergence of a lot of different factors … in Wisconsin, which if we don’t do something to change is going to spell some real serious problems,” said Craig Thompson, executive director of the Transportation Development Association, a nonprofit trade group with some 400 members representing transportation interests.
http://www.leadertelegram.com/story-news.asp?id=BIVTJTDRHUT
Polaris cuts 460 jobs, some in Wisconsin: Polaris Industries Inc. has cut 160 salaried jobs and about 300 contract part-time and temporary positions. The cuts were spread across all product lines and multiple facilities, including a location in Osceola in Polk County.
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/01/19/daily74.html
Hospital tax could benefit Milwaukee : Gov. Jim Doyle’s proposal to tax hospital revenue in Wisconsin would attract nearly a billion dollars in federal matching funds in its first three years, including nearly $300 million for hospitals in the Milwaukee area alone, according to state projections. Every health care system with hospitals in Milwaukee County would come out ahead, the projections show.
http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/38310214.html
Geron gets FDA OK for embryonic stem-cell-based therapy: The Food and Drug Administration has granted clearance of an investigational new drug application that lets Geron Corp. move forward with the world’s first study of a human embryonic stem-cell-based therapy in humans. Menlo Park, Calif.-based Geron (NASDAQ: GERN) said it plans to initiate a Phase I multicenter trial that is designed to establish the safety of the drug GRNOPC1 in patients with spinal cord injuries. The stem cells are licensed from the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, the patent and technology licensing arm of the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/01/19/daily68.html
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WISBUSINESS FEATURED COLUMNISTS
– GREGG HOFFMANN: Contributor, WisBusiness.com
– TOM STILL: President, Wisconsin Technology Council
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– TOM BURZINSKI: IT executive and consultant
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TECHNOLOGY (back to top)
– Internet audience tops 1 billion
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/01/19/daily70.html
– E-filing touted as fast, accurate
http://www.jsonline.com/business/38255924.html
– Students to power Milwaukee marketing agency’s work on social media
http://www.jsonline.com/business/38259589.html
ECONOMY (back to top)
– Leaders eye Sherwood downtown business district revitalization
http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20090126/APC0101/901260382&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL
– Forecasters: U.S. business outlook bleak for next six months
http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20090126/APC0101/901260391/1979
– Downtown Stevens Point sees growth despite economic challenges
http://www.stevenspointjournal.com/article/20090126/SPJ0101/901260457/1983/SHE03
– IBM center in Iowa will benefit Wisconsin
http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/biz/434502
– Pace of business openings in Wisconsin lags nation
http://www.jsonline.com/business/38259214.html
MANUFACTURING (back to top)
– Saris Cycling recalls 2,000 bicycle trainers
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/01/19/daily75.html
LABOR (back to top)
– Survey: Sick workers as common as the cold
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/01/19/daily72.html
SMALL BUSINESS (back to top)
– Some Oshkosh taverns hurt by flagging economy
http://www.thenorthwestern.com/article/20090124/OSH03/901240364/1167
AGRIBUSINESS (back to top)
– Unfazed, farmers fend off seasonal freeze
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20090125/GPG03/901250749/1247
TRANSPORTATION (back to top)
– Sturgeon Bay bridge project wins a WisDOT Construction award
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20090125/GPG03/901250754/1247
– Northwest brand to disappear from Mitchell in mid-July
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/01/19/daily73.html
RETAIL (back to top)
– Inc. Innovator update: Consignment shop sees banner year
http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20090126/APC03/901260385/1028
– Cold heats up sales
http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/article/20090125/WDH03/901250402/1618
– Sonic boom expected Monday in Middleton
http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/biz/434487
– Zilber to favor local retailers for The Brewery
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/01/19/daily64.html
– Salamander adapts to change
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/01/26/smallb1.html?b=1232946000^1766863
TOURISM (back to top)
– Great Wolf gets loan respite
http://www.madison.com/tct/business/434606
UTILITIES (back to top)
– Utility says regulators requiring it to lobby Legislature
http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/38310264.html
FINANCIAL SERVICES (back to top)
– More people getting low rates with refinancing
http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/biz/434532
– Furlong confident M&I can recover from loan problems
http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/01/26/story5.html?b=1232946000^1766394
– State’s banks face severe 2009
http://www.jsonline.com/business/38255909.html
MANAGEMENT (back to top)
– Seven new directors join WMC board
http://www.madison.com/tct/business/434368
BUSINESS COLUMNS (back to top)
– Tom Saler: Financial expectations must change
http://www.jsonline.com/business/38304619.html
– John Torinus: Obama should note reforms of health care in Wisconsin
http://www.jsonline.com/business/38255779.html
Media Partners
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National Business Roundups ( back to top)
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