Milwaukee Post
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/100931
14 ��� Milwaukee Post ��� December 28, 2012 County BUSINESS companies BRIEFS activates apply to Kohl���ssolar project new join Green Tier program Post Staff MADISON ��� Four more companies are slated to join the state���s innovative Green Tier program, including two Milwaukee County companies. The Milwaukee Brewing Co. and Precision Color Graphics Ltd. have applied for tier 1 of the program, which is designed to encourage innovation, collaboration and new environmental goal setting. The other companies are Eden Stone Company from Eden, Valders, Chilton and Oakfield and Empire Screen Printing Inc. from Onalska. Public comments on the Green Tier applicants will be taken through Jan. 16 by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. To join Green Tier, an applicant must have a good environmental record, a willingness to exceed regulatory requirements and a commitment to a formal environmental management system or plans to adopt one. At the Milwaukee Brewing Company in Milwaukee, the boiler system is partially fueled by biodiesel that is made from waste vegetable oil from local restaurants. It allows the company to directly offset its carbon from traditional fuel sources. It���s also installing an array of solar panels to pre-heat brewing water, which is a renewable source instead of carbonbased fuels. Precision Color Graphics in Franklin is the first company to bring the fully compostable Ecoterah branded multi-wall bag to the market. In Ecoterah products, petroleum-based plastics are replaced with plant-based biopolymers, making the material safe for recycling, composting and landfills. Comments may be directed to the DNR environmental assistance coordinator listed for each applicant, or to Mark McDermid, Wisconsin DNR, CO/5, P.O. Box 7921, Madison WI 53707-7921 or by email to mark.mcdermid@wisconsin.gov or phone at 608-267-3125. MENOMONEE FALLS ��� Kohl���s Department Stores announced recently the activation of the company���s largest solar project at its new e-commerce fulfillment center in Edgewood, Md. The million-square-foot center opened in 2011 and recently earned Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification from the U.S. Green Building Council at the gold level, according to a news release. The location is Kohl���s sixth solar site in Maryland. It is also the company���s first LEED-certified logistics facility . The Edgewood center���s 2.4 MW, 8,360panel rooftop solar array will generate more than 3 million kWh of electricity annually and provide more than 40 percent of the facility���s energy, according to the news release. Beginning with the gold LEED certification of its Milwaukee photo studio in 2008, Kohl���s set a goal to LEED-certify all new corporate buildings and all newly constructed stores. Concordia partners with Sendik���s on grocery management program MEQUON ��� Concordia University is partnering with Sendik���s Food Markets to offer The Sendik���s Food Markets Scholars Retail Management Program within the School of Business Administration. The four-year undergraduate program will prepare students for an executive career in the retail grocery industry . ���Executives within this modern age need to be customer-focused tech-savvy leaders,��� said David Borst, dean of CUW���s School of Business Administration, in a news release. ���Students in this new program will learn strong, critical thinking skills and be able to manage budgets and inventory successfully .��� Students chosen for the program will get an annual $5,000 scholarship and internship placement within the Sendik���s organization. ���This program will focus on developing future leaders for our family business,��� said Ted Balistreri, one of the family coowners of Sendik���s. Northwestern Mutual honored by website as top-50 workplace MILWAUKEE ��� Northwestern Mutual was recognized as one of the best places to work in 2013 and a recipient of the Employees Choice Award by Glassdoor.com, an online career and workplace community. The Milwaukee-based financial security company ranked 41st in Glassdoor���s top 50 ���Best Places to Work in 2013.��� It was the only insurance company ranked in the top 50. Additionally, Northwestern Mutual Chairman and CEO John Schlifske was chosen as the most popular insurance company CEO in America, receiving a 96percent approval rating from Northwestern Mutual employees and independently contracted financial representatives. The Glassdoor award criteria is feedback from employees and financial representatives. Close to 500,000 company reviews were submitted by employees to Glassdoor over the past year to identify the top 50 employers receiving the honor. Key workplace factors included work-life balance, career opportunities, communication, compensation and benefits, employee morale, recognition and feedback and senior leadership. Briggs & Stratton dividends to be paid Wednesday MILWAUKEE ��� Briggs & Stratton joined many other area companies recently when it announced an earlier payment date for its regular quarterly dividend. The board of directors of Briggs & Stratton Corp. approved the change of the payment, which was previously approved Oct. 17. The payment day for the dividend of $0.12 cents per share has been changed to Monday from Jan. 2. ���Due to the current dividend tax rate���s scheduled expiration on Dec. 31, 2012, the company is accelerating the payment date of the dividend by two days to provide shareholders certainty on tax treatment for dividends received,��� David Rodgers, senior vice president and chief financial officer, said in a news release. Stillwaters Cancer Support combines with city nonprofit WAUKESHA ��� Stillwaters Cancer Support Services and Cancer Support Community Greater Milwaukee, the area���s two leading providers of support services for people living with cancer, are in the process of combining their organizations. Effective Jan. 1, 2013, Stillwaters will expand its services to cancer patients and their families by assuming responsibility for key programs now offered by Cancer Support Community Greater Milwaukee. Waukesha-based Stillwaters will take over The Wellness Group, a professionally facilitated support group for those who are recently diagnosed or are in treatment for cancer, and Cancer Transitions, an evidence-based six-week program for cancer survivors that is held in conjunction with area health care systems starting Jan. 1. Stillwaters also will offer its professional counseling services to individuals and families formerly served by the Cancer Support Community Other pro. grams offered by the Cancer Support Community will be discontinued. Johnson Controls Inc. earns ���Green Master��� honor MILWAUKEE ��� Johnson Controls, Inc. has been named one of a select group of companies to earn the ���Green Master��� distinction in the Green Masters Program established by the Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council. As a Green Master, Johnson Controls, Inc. has performed actions in nine sustainability areas and scored in the top 20 percent of all participating companies. Applicants to the Green Masters Program are judged on a comprehensive range of sustainability issues, including energy, water use, educational outreach and governance. For more information or a complete list of Green Masters Program participants, visit www.greenmastersprogram.com. BloodCenter of Wisconsin forms alliance with Heartland MILWAUKEE ��� BloodCenter of Wisconsin and Heartland Blood Centers, of Aurora, Ill., have announced they will form a strategic alliance that will offer a more comprehensive range of transfusion medicine services to hospitals. The alliance will be final at the end of 2012 and will help improve patient outcomes, as well as create operational efficiencies. The organizations will focus on identifying cooperative efforts to provide new and better ways to save patient���s lives, increase the quality of service to hospitals and reduce the cost of health care. Wisconsin Arts Board announces new leadership MADISON ��� The Wisconsin Arts Board announced new board officers and executive committee members. They are Bruce Bernberg, Racine, chairperson; Robert A. Wagner, Milwaukee, vice chairperson; Sharon Stewart, Washburn, member at large; Glenda Noel-Ney, Madison, member at large; and Paul Meinke, Green Bay, continues to serve as board secretary . The WAB also announced that Barbara Lawton resigned from the board Dec. 7. For more information on the Wisconsin Arts Board, visit artsboard.wisconsin.gov.