(WisBusiness) TUES News Summary — 27 Oct. 2009

TUE WisBusiness News Summary
27 October 2009
Exclusively for WisBusiness Subscribers


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From WisBusiness.com …

— Assembly Speaker Mike Sheridan joined fellow Democrats, union officials and business leaders in unveiling the Partnership for a Stronger Economy task force Monday.

Reps. Peter Barca, D-Kenosha, and Louis Molepske, D-Stevens Point, will co-chair the effort, which will hold hearings around state in the hopes of, Sheridan said, soliciting ideas to spur economic recovery. Assembly Dems touted 47 companies already signed onto the effort and said they’ll work to bring more on board.

In addition, James Buchen of Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce and Phil Neuenfeldt of the state AFL-CIO addressed the Capitol press conference and will participate in the task force’s efforts. Sheridan also said he had reached out to Assembly GOP leader Jeff Fitzgerald of Horicon, and hoped to include a Republican and possibly members of the Senate in the group.

See details: http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Article=174790

— Two major state banking organizations say the regulatory system worked as designed with the recent closure of a Racine bank.

The Wisconsin Bankers Association and the Community Bankers of Wisconsin praised the seamless transition of the bank’s deposits and assets to a new owner.

Until this closure, they said Wisconsin had been one of only 16 states to go without a bank closure since January of 2008.

The groups said the conservative lending culture of Wisconsin banks has served the state well, but added that economic conditions across Wisconsin are weak and banks will continue to face challenging times.

See the joint statement from the groups: http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Article=174774

— Gov. Jim Doyle and the mayors of Madison and Milwaukee held a press conference to announce Wisconsin is receiving $4.3 million from the U.S. Department of Energy to support solar energy.

Milwaukee will receive $650,000 and Madison will receive $370,000. The Midwest Renewable Energy Association is receiving $3.3 million for solar installation training.

*See the press release: http://wispolitics.com/index.iml?Article=174748

*Listen to the press conference: http://wispolitics.com/1006/091026Solar_presser_Doyle_Cieslewicz_Barrett.mp3

— The Wisconsin Technology Council and Forward Wisconsin have announced a partnership to raise the state’s profile as a good place to do business.

The two groups will cooperate on boosting the state at targeted conventions, trade shows and exhibitions. The partnership includes Forward Wisconsin’s major support for the MidAmerica Healthcare Venture Forum, to be held Nov. 11-12 in Madison.

It also covers support at key trade shows in five industry sectors – biotechnology, nanotechnology, “cleantech,” medical device manufacturing and stem cells.

See details: http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Article=174616

TOP STORIES
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Blood tracking project wins $1.4M federal grant: SysLogic Inc., the BloodCenter of Wisconsin and University of Wisconsin-Madison have received a federal grant of $1.4 million to advance a patient safety project using radio-frequency identification to manage collection, production and transfusion of blood products.
http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/10/26/daily9.html

Lomira firm completes military contract : Patriot Taxiway Industries Inc., a Lomira-based aerospace and aircraft parts manufacturer, has completed a $7.6 million contract to deliver 2,000 lighting systems to 28 U.S. Air Force bases worldwide.
http://www.jsonline.com/business/65986832.html

Madison: Developer scales back plans for Edgewater Hotel: The developer seeking to remake the historic Edgewater Hotel is scaling back plans for the project, reducing the height of a new hotel tower and cutting the cost of the redevelopment. The changes will reduce the cost of the project from $109 million to $90 million. Developer Robert Dunn said he still intends to seek $16 million in tax incremental financing, slightly less than the $16.8 million in public assistance originally requested.
http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt_and_politics/article_ba289830-c284-11de-8db1-001cc4c03286.html

Stimulus shines on southern Wisconsin : Milwaukee will receive $650,000 and Madison will receive $370,000 from the federal stimulus package to advance their programs to develop solar energy. The $1 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for the two cities comes as $3.3 million in recovery act funding has been allocated for a Midwest regional solar training initiative.
http://www.jsonline.com/business/66238682.html

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VISIT BIZOPINION FOR BUSINESS-RELATED COMMENTARY

See commentary from around the state and columns from WisBusiness contributors Jennifer Sereno, Kevin McKinley, Tom Burzinski, Gregg Hoffmann, Tom Still and Steve Jagler:
http://blogs.wisbusiness.com/bizopinion

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ECONOMY (back to top)
– New economic partnership will promote Wisconsin business
http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20091027/APC03/910270505

– Circulation down for Journal Sentinel, other papers
http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/10/26/daily4.html

LABOR (back to top)
– Madison: For local jobs, rat control trumps biotech
http://host.madison.com/ct/business/biz_beat/article_d14de95d-cb5f-5609-bb7b-c37d67e5d289.html

– Women CEOs lag in compensation study
http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/10/26/daily13.html

SMALL BUSINESS (back to top)
– Milwaukee: Playbill printer takes on more space as arts groups cut back
http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/10/26/smallb1.html?b=1256529600^2321121

– Intuit survey: Small businesses ready to hire
http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/10/26/daily14.html

INVESTING (back to top)
– Tufco Technologies to trade on Nasdaq Capital
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20091027/GPG03/910270529

– Bon-Ton sees 2009 at high end of outlook
http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/10/26/daily17.html

REAL ESTATE (back to top)
– Receiver appointed for troubled project
http://www.jsonline.com/business/66240647.html

– Comptroller questions Moderne risk
http://www.jsonline.com/business/66238637.html

AGRIBUSINESS (back to top)
– Wisconsin FSA Recognizes Its Top Lenders In 2009
http://www.wisconsinagconnection.com/story-state.php?Id=1290&yr=2009

RETAIL (back to top)
– Green Bay: Downtown location, recession hurt Shopko Express
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20091027/GPG03/910270527

– Madison: Zimbrick Saturn closing by March
http://host.madison.com/ct/business/article_bc151bea-c2ee-11de-950b-001cc4c03286.html

UTILITIES (back to top)
– Wisconsin solar grants total $4.3 million
http://host.madison.com/wsj/business/article_bfc4ed48-c270-11de-a69b-001cc4c03286.html

FINANCIAL SERVICES (back to top)
– Baylake Corp. reports $800,000 profit
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20091027/GPG03/910270528

– FDIC warns of fraudulent e-mail saying one’s bank failed
http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2009/10/26/daily16.html

– PrivateBancorp names new COO
http://www.jsonline.com/business/65976692.html

PRESS RELEASES (back to top)
· Clean Wisconsin: Wisconsin: The next Yucca Mountain?
· Dept. of Commerce: Gov. Doyle announces Interfacial Solutions, LLC expansion
· Dept. of Revenue: July-Sept FY2010 Collections
· Gov. Doyle: Announces $4.3 million to support solar energy technologies
· Midwest Renewable Energy Association: Governor, mayors to highlight solar — two events scheduled
· Rep. Sheridan: Announces creation of Wisconsin’s partnership for a stronger economy
· UW-Stevens Point: The Center for Land Use Education issues Megatrends publication on climate change
· Wisconsin Bankers Association, Community Bankers of Wisconsin: Statement on bank closure
· Wisconsin Credit Union League: Credit unions stand ready to rescue businesses imperiled by credit crunch

For these and more releases visit http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Content=82

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