BizTimes MKE: Milwaukee Business Insights

This week’s episode features a recent Rotary Club of Milwaukee presentation by Brian Adam, president of the Olympus Group, a Milwaukee-based manufacturer of mascots, including the Brewers Racing Sausages and Bucky badger, flags, banners and larger-than-life graphics seen on arenas like the Fiserv Forum. In addition to sharing some fun insights from the world of mascots, Brian discusses his approac...

Lauren Anderson, Andrew Weiland and Arthur Thomas from BizTimes Media get together to discuss the news, including why Versiti's plans to grow its research of blood is important for the region, the substantial potential impact of the Greater Milwaukee Foundation's $700 million fundraising campaign and the continued reinvention of the Marquette University campus.  Insider Spotlight Stories...

On this week’s BizTimes MKE Podcast, Beth Weirick, CEO of Milwaukee Downtown BID 21, and Tanya Fonseca, long range planning manager at Milwaukee’s Department of City Development, discuss the process for updating the downtown area plan during a recent Rotary Club of Milwaukee presentation. In addition to taking questions, they involved their audience in providing feedback about the current and futu...

This episode features two conversations. First, BizTimes Media co-owners Dan and Kate Meyer discuss our Business Cares sections and why it was important to put an emphasis on education in Milwaukee in the latest issue of our magazine. Second, BizTimes associate editor Lauren Anderson discusses her approach to covering education for a business audience and goes deeper on some of her magazine covera...

Lauren Anderson, Arthur Thomas and Andrew Weiland of BizTimes Media get together to discuss the news of the week, including the possibility of sports betting coming to Potawatomi Hotel & Casino later this year, Strauss Brands opting to sell land in Franklin where it had planned to build a new meat processing facility, and the possibility that Milwaukee has jumped to the top of the list for pot...

This week’s episode of the BizTimes MKE Podcast features remarks from Kimberly Kane, president and CEO of Kane Communications. Kimberly spoke recently at the Rotary Club of Milwaukee, a podcast partner of BizTimes. Her presentation focused on research by her firm that found half of working women in Wisconsin are considering quitting their jobs. In this episode, she talks about why Kane Communicati...

BizTimes Media reporter Maredithe Meyer joins Andrew Weiland and Arthur Thomas to talk about the steady stream of new coming from Menomonee Falls-based Kohl's Corp. and the activist investor pushing for the company to shake things up. Maredithe breaks down how we got here, the new slate of board members nominated by the investor and how things could play out in the coming months. Insider Spot...

This episode features remarks by Tim Gokhman of New Land Enterprises to the Rotary Club of Milwaukee, a podcast partner of BizTimes Media. Tim’s presentation focused on his firm’s development of Ascent, a 25-story mass timber apartment project in downtown Milwaukee. He describes some of the inspirations for the project, why he thinks mass timber should be the dominant construction technology for 8...

Lauren Anderson, Andrew Weiland and Arthur Thomas from BizTimes Media get together to discuss the week's news, including a plan to develop a center for for African American art and culture at the corner of King Drive and North Avenue in Milwaukee. The site was previously the southeast region headquarters for the state Department of Natural Resources. The state listed the property for sale in...

This week's episode of the BizTimes MKE Podcast features conversation with Jonas Prising, chairman and CEO of ManpowerGroup, during the annual BizTimes Economic Trends Event. Jonas' job gives him insight into the trends shaping the labor force and job markets at a time when many companies are finding it increasingly difficult to find the talent they need to grow. The conversation touches...

Lauren Anderson, Andrew Weiland and Arthur Thomas of BizTimes Media get together to discuss the news of the week, including the latest offers from those interested in buying Menomonee Falls-based Kohl's Corp. The group also discusses their takeaways from the annual BizTimes Economic Trends event, which was held Thursday.  Insider Spotlight Stories: What's next for FPC's Third Ward v...

Lauren Anderson, Andrew Weiland and Arthur Thomas of BizTimes Media get together to discuss how economic development officials in southeastern Wisconsin came up short in their bid to attract an Intel semiconductor factory to Mount Pleasant. Pitched to be on land just north of the Foxconn project, the factory would have included a $20 billion initial investment and 3,000 jobs. Instead, the factory...

In this episode from the Rotary Club of Milwaukee, a podcast partner of BizTimes Media, Matthew Wolak of GSC Engineering discusses some of the business challenges 3D printing can solve, including supply chain issues, waste, lost time, fixtures and tooling, and reduced risk. Wolak also describes some of the different 3D printing systems and covers price ranges as well. In partnership with the Rotar...

John Borgen took over as CEO of Milwaukee-based Catholic Financial Life at the start of the year. It was a planned transition announced a little more than a year ago as he was promoted to president of the company. On the latest BizTimes MKE Podcast, Borgen talks with associate editor Arthur Thomas about how he used the time to prepare for the top job. They also discuss Catholic Financial Life&apos...

Lauren Anderson, Andrew Weiland and Arthur Thomas of BizTimes Media get together to discuss the stories they will be following in 2022. In late December, Andrew wrote his annual list ranking the biggest local business stories of the year. The group looked to the list for stories that will continue to shape the southeastern Wisconsin economy in the coming year, including the continued challenges of...

This week's BizTimes MKE Podcast features part of the 2021 Innovation + Entrepreneurship Forum, including remarks from Lifetime Achievement Award winner Jon Hammes, founder and managing partner of Hammes Company, and a panel discussion with Kyle Weatherly, co-founder and CEO of Frontdesk, Roy Dietsch, co-founder and CEO of PartsBadger, and Jackie Hermes, founder and CEO of Accelity. BizTimes...

BizTimes Media reporter Maredithe Meyer joins associate editor Arthur Thomas and editor Andrew Weiland to discuss BizTimes Media's 2021 Best in Business recognition. This annual magazine feature, published Dec. 13 this year, highlights the biggest newsmakers of the year. Honorees this year included the Milwaukee Bucks, Kohler Co. Generac CEO Aaron Jagdfeld, Dana Guthrie and New Land Enterpris...

Julie Tolan, co-owner of Lauber Business Partners, joins BizTimes associate editors Lauren Anderson and Arthur Thomas to discuss her work in the nonprofit sector. Tolan discusses the challenges nonprofits have in honestly evaluating their programs, the ways in which nonprofits should or shouldn't be more like a business, and the need for having a communication plan that cuts through all of th...

Lauren Anderson, Andrew Weiland and Arthur Thomas from BizTimes Media get together to discuss the news of the week, including a survey from Kane Communications that found half of working women in Wisconsin are considering leaving their job. The group discusses why women are considering leaving, how it matters for the business community and how employers might turn it into a competitive advantage i...

Lauren Anderson, Andrew Weiland and Arthur Thomas from BizTimes Media get together to talk about the news of the week, including an update on MMAC's Region of Choice initiative. The chamber's effort aims to close gaps in prosperity and employment between white, Black and Hispanic residents in metro Milwaukee. In connection with its all-member meeting, MMAC released survey data that showe...

Andrew Weiland and Alex Zank join Arthur Thomas to discuss a busy news in metro Milwaukee commercial real estate. There was John “Johnny V” Vassallo’s proposed mixed-use tower in Wauwatosa, the third iteration of a project that has drawn the ire of some local residents. Alex also broke the news that the Chase Tower in downtown Milwaukee is being sold to a New York investment firm that made another...

George Cullen, co-president of general contracting firm JP Cullen, joins BizTimes associate editor Arthur Thomas to discuss inflation and supply chain challenges in the construction industry.  In addition to sharing examples of specific items that are rising in cost or hard to get, Cullen also described how the company is working with owners considering projects. "There's a reason why yo...

Andrew Weiland and Arthur Thomas of BizTimes Media discuss the news of the week, including tariff relief for Harley-Davidson, which will avoid a 56% tariff on motorcycles headed to Europe following a deal between the U.S. and EU. 

Buckley Brinkman of the Wisconsin Center for Manufacturing & Productivity joins Arthur Thomas of BizTimes Media to discuss WCMP's recent survey of Wisconsin manufacturers.  The report revealed differing priorities amongst small and larger manufacturers, mixed views on the state's economy, relative confidence in cybersecurity measures and concerns about what vaccine mandates will mean...

Andrew Weiland and Arthur Thomas from BizTimes Media discuss how southeastern Wisconsin manufacturers have been navigating supply chain issues, including comments from leaders at companies like Snap-on, Harley-Davidson, Zurn, Badger Meter, Strattec and Milwaukee Tool. Check out upcoming BizTimes events: Nonprofit Excellence Awards on Nov. 5 Commercial Real Estate and Development Conference on Nov....