— The Wisconsin Technology Council, WisBusiness.com and The Luminis Group Ltd. are today announcing the WisBusiness.com Tech Leaders Survey, a quarterly survey to gauge perceptions of executives in four technology industries. Executives in the information technology, biotechnology and medical device, advanced manufacturing, and clean technology and agricultural biotechnology industries will be surveyed quarterly on five key business indicators. The survey will measure the executives’ perceptions of the condition of the state’s economy, their industry, their company, the capital markets and the labor market. The first survey results are expected to be released the week of July 6. See details: http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Article=161060 — Public TV executives are grappling with an explosion in competition from old and new media and with demographic and cultural shifts in viewing and donation habits. Add the strains of a contracting economy and the result is probably the most testing era in public broadcasting’s history. So public TV is shoring up its fiscal foundation while looking for ways to innovate. At WPT, five positions have been cut — two unfilled vacancies, a third unfilled retirement, and two staffers whose contracts aren’t being renewed, says James Steinbach, WPT director of television. “I fervently hope there will be no more,” he says of the non-renewals. “But I can’t predict what the Legislature and governor will do, or what the economy will bring.” See more on WPT in a new WisBusiness MediaWatch column: http://wisbusiness.com/index.Iml?Article=161010 — U.S. employers plan to keep their staffing levels relatively stable during the third quarter of 2009, according to the seasonally adjusted results of the latest Manpower Employment Outlook Survey. More than 28,000 employers were surveyed about their hiring plans for the quarter. Fifteen percent anticipate an increase in their staff levels, while 13 percent expect a decrease in their payrolls. Sixty-seven percent of employers surveyed expect no change in their July – September hiring plans, and 5 percent of employers indicated they were undecided about their hiring intentions. See the Manpower release: http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Article=161058 See local results from Wisconsin metro areas: http://manpower-employmentreports.mediaroom.com/?s=news_releases&category=48MP — Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, the state’s business lobby, today announced it has gathered signatures from more than 2,100 business executives opposing the proposed state budget. “The business community is united in urging the Legislature to reject the $3 billion in higher taxes and joint and several liability,” said James S. Haney, WMC president. “The budget under consideration will hamper job creation in our state and prolong the recession.” See the WMC release, which includes a list of “anti-growth” measures WMC sees in the budget: http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Article=161062 See the list of signers: http://www.wmc.org/PDFfiles/Petition_List-of-Signers_6-8-09.pdf — WMC is criticizing a new law that allows punitive damage awards of up to $300,000 for workplace discrimination lawsuits, along with actual damage awards. Gov. Jim Doyle’s office says the law enhances discrimination protections for workers in the state, but WMC says the new approach, allowing a jury trial, replaces a system that currently allows sole review and rulings by the Department of Workforce Development. “This new law will make Wisconsin less competitive as employers are confronted by increased workplace litigation,” said James A. Buchen, WMC vice president of government relations. “We wish the Governor had listened to the broad array of the business community, and vetoed this bill in order to allow the current state discrimination remedies to remain in place, and allow workers with larger claims to continue taking their disputes to the federal system, as they have done in the past.” See the WMC release: http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Article=161063 — Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen announced that his office has resolved a civil case it brought against FiberPro, Inc., a La Crosse, Wisconsin company which manufactures structural fiberglass components. Under the terms of the settlement agreement, which now has been approved by La Crosse County Circuit Court Judge Elliott Levine, FiberPro has agreed to pay penalties totaling $35,000. See details: http://wispolitics.com/index.iml?Article=160992 ************************* TOMORROW: FUTURE OF SE WISCONSIN. TRANSPO FORUM IN MILWAUKEE — Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (and Ships): Shaping Southeastern Wisconsin’s Transportation Future — WEDNESDAY, June 10, 7:15 AM at Discovery World at Pier Wisconsin, Milwaukee Hear major decision-makers debate the future of passenger rail, highway expansion, the port of Milwaukee and Mitchell Field in light of stressed state and local budgets and commuters’ continuing search for the best way to get to work. Confirmed panelists include Milwaukee County Exec. Scott Walker, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett; Rep. Cory Mason, D-Racine and a member of the Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee; and Rep. Jeff Stone, R-Greendale and a member of the Assembly Transportation Committee. Initial sponsors for the event include UW-Milwaukee, Wisconsin Urban & Rural Transit Association and HNTB. The event is open to the public, and the price is $30 per person. But WisPolitics.com and WisBusiness.com subscribers, the UW-Milwaukee community, and members of MMAC and Discovery World will be able to attend for $20 per person. The price includes the breakfast buffet but not parking. Call Debra Jordan (414) 287-4127 or e-mail djordan@mmac.org to register. Online registration is also available: http://mmac.org/display/router.asp?docid=488&event=1227&startDate=06/10/09 Additional sponsorships are available as well. For sponsorship information, contact Jim Greer at 608-237-6296 or webmaster@wisbusiness.com ************************* TOP STORIES State schools to get tech vouchers from Microsoft: State education officials say more than 850 schools are in line for up to $80 million in technology reimbursements from Microsoft Corp. Shipping season has slow opening: The 2009 shipping season is shaping up as expected — slowly. On June 1, 40 U.S.-flagged vessels were in service on the Great Lakes, compared with 75 the year before, according to the Ohio-based Lake Carriers Association. Yacht-makers hit rough seas : They were making waves in the global economy, but now Wisconsin’s yacht-makers are stuck on a sandbar. Last week, the corporate parent of Pulaski-based Carver and Marquis yachts filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
************************************************************ See commentary from around the state and columns from WisBusiness contributors Jennifer Sereno, Kevin McKinley, Tom Burzinski, Gregg Hoffmann, Tom Still and Steve Jagler: ************************************************************
ECONOMY (back to top) – Long road to economic recovery, economist predicts – Journal Sentinel increasing price of newspaper
MANUFACTURING (back to top) – Federal loan gives boost to new processing plant
LABOR (back to top) – Hiring remains mostly flat – Continue to recruit talent during downturn, local business leaders say – Manpower: Milwaukee-area hiring to pick up slightly – MCW to recruit more minorities for health careers
REAL ESTATE (back to top) – Foreclosure crisis bleeds into prime territory – Buyer’s remorse suits mount at Park Lafayette; dismissals sought
AGRIBUSINESS (back to top) TRANSPORTATION (back to top) – Midwest’s future tied to cutting CO2, report says
RETAIL (back to top)
REGULATION (back to top)
HEALTH CARE (back to top)
FINANCIAL SERVICES (back to top) – Harris Bank agrees to Marcus Center sponsorship PRESS RELEASES (back to top) For these and more releases visit http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Content=82 |
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