The Milwaukee Post

Banks to merge MILWAUKEE – Waukesha's First Federal Bank of Wisconsin and Milwaukee's Bay View Federal Savings and Loan Association announced on March 18 that they have an agreement to merge. The merger, which is subject to regula- tory approval, is expected to be completed by mid-2014 and will result in a combined federal savings association that will have approximately $255 million in total assets. The new association will retain the First Federal Bank of Wisconsin name as well as its home offices, at 1617 E. Racine Ave. in Waukesha. Both banks have a rich history in Wisconsin. First Federal Bank was creat- ed in 1922 and now has three offices in Waukesha, while Bay View Federal began in 1915 and has one office in Milwaukee, which will become a branch of First Federal after the merger. www.firstfederalwisconsin.com We Energies launches campaign MILWAUKEE – We Energies is launch- ing a campaign urging its customers who are behind on their bills to pay up before the end of the winter heating moratorium on April 16 or face disconnection. The company, which serves over 1.1 million electric customers across Wisconsin and Michigan and provides 1.1 million in Wisconsin with natural gas, is launching its "Stay Connected" campaign early this year due to the winter's extreme weather. Many We Energies consumers have seen their heating bills rise sharply this year due to a spike in natural gas usage. The program uses phone calls, bill inserts and other messaging to alert customers who have fallen behind on their payments. We Energies also warns that scammers have been known to prey on customers at this time of year, and that anyone receiv- ing suspicious phone calls or emails should immediately contact the company. www.we-energies.com Meijer, Brewers partner MILWAUKEE – The Milwaukee Brewers have signed a multi-year partner- ship deal with retailer chain Meijer. The partnership between the Major League Baseball team and the Grand Rapids, Mich.-based company will include branding on both the right-center and left- center field walls at Miller Park. Additional advertising will also be fea- tured on the official website of the Brewers, Brewers.com. This is the first sports partnership in Wisconsin for Meijer as the store plans on opening its first Wisconsin stores next year, according to the announcement. Meijer has more than 200 locations in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky. Meijer is a family-owned company led by brothers and co-chairmen Hank and Doug Meijer. www.meijer.com http://milwaukee.brewers.mlb.com Tech colleges to receive grant MILWAUKEE – Wisconsin's skilled workforce will benefit from a $14.9 million federal grant awarded to the state's 16 technical colleges, including Milwaukee Area Technical College. The award is for the four-year "Making the Future" project to develop, expand and improve advanced manufacturing career pathways. The federal grant was awarded through the U.S. Department of Labor as part of the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training grants and include rigorous outcome eval- uation requirements. All education mate- rials developed through the grants will be available for use by the public and other education providers. www.dol.gov Elie Tahari to design collection MENOMONEE FALLS – Luxury fash- ion designer Elie Tahari has partnered with Kohl's Department Stores to create the retailer's fifth DesigNation limited- edition collection. Tahari's collection will draw creative inspiration from New York City, the designer's home for more than 40 years, according to the company announcement. The capsule collection will be available exclusively at Kohl's and Kohls.com beginning fall 2014. Tahari is noted for using delicate, luxu- rious fabrics, subtle textures and intricate detailing in his clothing. His DesigNation collection will feature this same aesthetic and will include dresses, sweaters, knit tops and bottoms in shades of blue, black and ivory, all at an incredible value. Retail prices for the collection will range from $40 to $175. www.elietahari.com www.kohls.com Committee recommends approval MILWAUKEE – Exact Sciences Corp. announced last week that a U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory committee voted to approve the company's Cologuard, a stool-based DNA, non-inva- sive colorectal cancer screening test. The Molecular and Clinical Genetics Panel of the Medical Devices Advisory Committee determined by a unanimous vote of 10 to zero that Exact Sciences has demonstrated safety, effectiveness and a favorable risk benefit profile of Cologuard, according to the announce- ment. The FDA is not bound by the recom- mendation of its advisory committee, but will consider the committee's guidance as it evaluates the Cologuard premarket approval. Exact Sciences Corp. is a molecular diagnostics company focused on colorec- tal cancer based in Madison. www.exactsciences.com Telkonet's revenue up 9% MILWAUKEE – Telkonet, Inc. announced Monday that its fiscal 2013 rev- enues were $13.89 million, an increase of 9 percent from fiscal 2012 and fiscal 2013 product revenue increased by 19 percent compared to the year prior. Telkonet Inc. complementary business divisions include EcoSmart, an energy management technology platform featur- ing Recovery Time technology and EthoStream, one of the largest hospitality high-speed Internet access providers in the world. New product installations accounted for 73 percent of total revenues in fiscal 2013 and increased 19 percent compared to 2012, according to Telkonet. Fiscal 2013 operating expenses increased by 61 per- cent when compared to fiscal 2012. www.telkonet.com Verizon to create 23 jobs MILWAUKEE – Verizon Wireless announced Monday it will be creating 23 full-time positions by the end of June in Wisconsin. The positions will be spread out across the state. Verizon, which employs more than 480 across Wisconsin, offers tuition reim- bursement, adoption assistance and bonuses, according to the announcement. Verizon Wireless is the largest wireless company in the U.S. and serves 102.8 mil- lion retail customers, including 96.8 mil- lion retail postpaid customers. www.vzwcareers.com 14 • Milwaukee County Post • April 4, 2014 BUSINESS BRIEFS Post Staff MILWAUKEE – The Marcus Center for the Performing Arts announced that the Griffin Theatre Company's hit touring production of "Letters Home" will be per- formed May 16 through May 18 at the Marcus Center's Vogel Hall as part of the Off Broadway at the Marcus Center series. The production, adapted by artistic director William Massolia and directed by ensemble member Kevin Kingston, puts the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan front and center by bringing to life actual letters written by troops serving in the Middle East. Since its original run at the Chicago Cultural Center in January 2007, the pro- duction has become one of the most sought-after national touring shows and has received critical acclaim throughout the U.S. The production has been seen by more than 50,000 people in 35 major U.S. cities. "Letters Home" is inspired by the New York Times op-ed article "The Things They Wrote," and the subsequent HBO docu- mentary, "Last Letters Home" and addi- tionally uses letters and correspondences from Frank Schaeffer's books, "Voices From the Front, Letters Home From America's Military Family," "Faith of Our Sons" and "Keeping Faith." The play gives audiences a powerful portrait of the sol- dier experience in the ongoing wars. Although the title of the play implies that all the letters are from soldiers, the production chooses to include a small number of correspondences from parents – their words being no less important. The letters were written under the most diffi- cult of circumstances: the disorientation of training, deployment, separation from family and loved ones and combat, and occupation duties in Afghanistan and Iraq. Collectively, the production gives a voice to a generation that went to war against terror in Afghanistan and to war in Iraq. "Letters Home" will be presented at 8 p.m. May 16, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. May 17 and 2 p.m. May 18. Tickets are $35 and are on sale at the Marcus Center box office, 929 N. Water St., by phone at 414-273-7206 or online at www.ticketmaster.com or MarcusCenter.org. A veterans discount for $25 tickets is available through the Marcus Center box office. Also, a limited number of compli- mentary tickets are available for active and retired veterans. Contact the box office for restrictions and more informa- tion. www.marcuscenter.org 'Letters Home' coming to Marcus Center in May

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