One of World’s Most Powerful Women Announced as Chamber’s 66th Annual Dinner Speaker

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Aug. 16, 2018)

Contact: Erik Greenfield, Communications Manager, 608-443-1952 (office), 608-669-7884 (cell)

MADISON – Beth Comstock, driver of innovation for one of the world’s largest companies, top-10 LinkedIn influencer and twice one of Forbes’ most powerful women in the world, was announced today as the keynote speaker for the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce’s 66^th Annual Dinner on Oct. 11 at the Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center. Her new book, Imagine It Forward, about summoning courage and creativity in the face of change, will be published Sept. 18.

“Beth Comstock is a change-maker who knows how to drive the innovation that comes with the kind of economic momentum we are seeing in Greater Madison,” said Chamber President Zach Brandon. “Beth’s career and life are filled with stories of helping to transform and reinvent established brands and fearlessly seeking new ideas, and we are thrilled to welcome her to Annual Dinner to help us Imagine Forward.”

In nearly three decades at GE, including as Vice Chair, Comstock led efforts to accelerate new growth and innovation, initiated GE’s digital and clean-energy transformation, seeded new businesses and enhanced GE’s brand value and inventive culture. As President of Integrated Media at NBC Universal, she oversaw TV ad revenue and new digital efforts, including being one of the founders of Hulu. Comstock is also a director at Nike, trustee of The National Geographic Society and former board president of the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian National Design Museum.

Presented by BMO Harris Bank, the Chamber’s 66^th Annual Dinner will bring together more than 1,000 business and community leaders for an engaging program featuring speakers, networking, music and more. To register, visit here: http://greatermadisonchamber.com/annual-dinner

About the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce:
The Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce is the voice of business with nearly 1,300 organizations – ranging from one-person shops to corporations with more than 10,000 employees – working to bring the Greater Madison area to its full potential. The Greater Madison region is a leader in innovation. From cutting-edge technologies to distinctive retail shops to inventive services and products, our members vary greatly but are united by the region’s entrepreneurial spirit. More information can be found at greatermadisonchamber.com.

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Tong Family Makes Million-Dollar Gift Towards Realization of Hoofer Marina Project

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact Information:

Shauna Breneman, Communications Director

Office: (608) 262-8862

Email: sbreneman@wisc.edu

TONG FAMILY MAKES MILLION-DOLLAR GIFT TOWARDS REALIZATION OF HOOFER MARINA PROJECT

Project improvements to continue 90-year tradition of helping students and community enjoy Lake Mendota

MADISON – Peter and Janet Tong, through the Tong Family Foundation, have given a million-dollar gift towards the realization of the Hoofer Marina Project, a new pier system that will replace the current piers along the Memorial Union lakefront.

The Project will transform the lakefront with improvements in safety, accessibility and sustainability and will benefit thousands of Hoofer Sailing Club members each year.

The Wisconsin Union will name the marina the “Tong Family Marina” in honor of the family’s generosity and the Tong family’s love of spending time on the water.

Peter Tong graduated from UW-Madison in 1965 with a master’s degree in electrical engineering. Peter was an avid sailor with the Hoofer Sailing Club. Janet also attended UW-Madison, earning a master’s degree in family and consumer education, then known as home economics education, from the School of Human Ecology and also graduated in 1965.

The Tong family’s generous gift will help ensure generations of future Hoofer Sailing Club members will have experiences for a lifetime at the Memorial Union lakefront.

“The lakefront is a vital part of the campus, both physically and visually,” Janet Tong said.

The Union expects construction on the project to begin with the removal of the existing piers in fall 2018. The marina is expected to reopen in summer 2019.

The project will including the following efforts:

Replace decades-old Hoofer pier structures and restore the adjacent shoreline
Create eight new pier elements, including a state-of-the-art floating t-pier to house the Sailing Team’s fleet of 420s and the inimitable Badger Techs
Create better storage for boats and piers, on and off season, which will lessen traffic congestion along the Lakeshore Path
Create a 330 foot long by 24 foot wide greenspace and promenade along the Lakeshore Path
Install a new davit crane that will facilitate safer, more efficient transport of boats to and from the water
Allow for greater accessibility to piers and boats for members with disabilities
Provide space for a growing fleet of instructional safety boats
“The new marina will represent a major step forward in our ability to provide safe, enjoyable and educational access to Lake Mendota,” Wisconsin Union Director Mark Guthier said. “Badgers’ memories of the lakefront are some of their most cherished at the Union – and the Tong Family Marina will now provide a beautiful access point for those memories. We are extremely fortunate to work with the Tong family to bring the new marina to life.”

The Tong family and those who have given to the Marina Project are helping continue the Hoofer Sailing Club’s decades-long tradition of helping students and community members enjoy Lake Mendota.

“We hope that a well-appointed, safe and beautiful marina will entice more people to try sailing and other water sports, discovering the joys of being out on the water,” Janet Tong said.

The Wisconsin Union’s Hoofer Sailing Club promotes sailing at UW-Madison by providing sailing equipment and instruction to its 1,000 members. Since 1939, the Club has provided affordable, accessible sailing programs to campus and community. The Club offers lessons in everything from wind surfing to scow and keelboat sailing.

“We can trace our family’s love of water and boating and the camaraderie found among our boat crews and guests back to Lake Mendota and the Hoofer Club sailing,” Janet Tong said.

The Wisconsin Union team is grateful to Janet, Peter and their children Sarah Sangmeister, Jennifer Tong Carlisle ’94, Jessica Tong Baron and David Tong ’05 for their continued support of the Wisconsin Union, the Wisconsin Hoofers and outdoor recreation.

Those interested in learning more about or donating to the Marina Project may visit union.wisc.edu/get-involved/donate.

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About the Wisconsin Union

The Wisconsin Union enhances the lives of members and visitors through recreational, cultural, educational and social opportunities. Formed in 1907, the Wisconsin Union is a membership organization that blends study and leisure to create unique out-of-classroom opportunities. Learn more about the Union and its tradition of providing experiences for a lifetime: union.wisc.edu.

[Note to the editor: Click here to download a rendering of the Tong Family Marina.]

Greater Insurance Service and EPIC Specialty Benefits partner on food drive for Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

Prue Lotharius

Director, Business Development & Marketing

608-977-6627

prue.lotharius@epiclife.com

Greater Insurance Service and EPIC Specialty Benefits partner on
food drive for Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin

MADISON, Wis.—August 7, 2018—EPIC Specialty Benefits is partnering with local insurance agencies around Wisconsin this summer to help Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin.

Greater Insurance Service Corp. will host a food drive August 15-30 at its home office at 414 Atlas Ave. in Madison. The public is invited to stop by with donations of non-perishable food items (no glass containers) or donations of cash/checks.

“We wanted a fun way to engage with valued agency partners this summer while supporting the broader community. Putting together a food drive tour with Second Harvest made sense, and partnering with Greater Insurance Service was an easy decision because they have been strong partners of ours for a long time,” said Prue Lotharius, Director of Business Development and Marketing.

“At Second Harvest, we know that we cannot end hunger alone,” said Dan Stein, Second Harvest President and CEO. “Through collaboration with amazing organizations like Greater Insurance Service and EPIC Specialty Benefits, together we can change the lives of those facing hunger in our community.”

About Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin

Second Harvest is a hunger-relief charity organization whose goal is to make sure everyone in southwestern Wisconsin has enough of the right kinds of food to live a happy and healthy life. Second Harvest distributes millions of pounds of food each year through a network of partner agencies and programs. For every $1 donated, Second Harvest can provide three meals. For every 1.2 pounds of food donated, Second Harvest can provide one meal. Check out this list of most-needed non-perishable food items.

About EPIC Specialty Benefits

EPIC Specialty Benefits is a choice provider of group insurance products to cover life, disability, dental, vision, and voluntary benefits for businesses. Based in Madison, Wis., EPIC is a wholly owned subsidiary of WPS Health Solutions, a nationally regarded government contractor and a leading Wisconsin not-for-profit health insurer. For more information, please visit epiclife.com.

Hoofer Sailing Club Will Host Screening of ‘Coyote: The Mike Plant Story’ Aug. 18

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact Information:

Shauna Breneman, Communications Director

Office: (608) 262-8862

Email: sbreneman@wisc.edu

HOOFER SAILING CLUB WILL HOST SCREENING OF ‘COYOTE: THE MIKE PLANT STORY’ AUG. 18

Hoofer Sailing development event to support realization of the Hoofer Marina Project

MADISON – The Hoofer Sailing Club will host a screening of “Coyote: The Mike Plant Story” at 7 p.m. Aug. 18 at Shannon Hall in Memorial Union, with ticket sales supporting the building of a new Hoofer marina.

“Coyote: The Mike Plant Story” tells the incredible story of legendary Midwestern sailor Mike Plant and his ambition for adventure as he journeys on a solo trip around the world. Screening attendees will see Plant overcome numerous obstacles, including time in a Portuguese prison, in his pursuit of making his dreams come true.

This screening’s proceeds will help another dream come true: the building of a new marina near Memorial Union.

One-thousand tickets are available for purchase. Following the screening, the Club will host a reception, which will include a gallery featuring renderings of the marina.

In fall 2018, the Wisconsin Union team, including the Wisconsin Hoofers, will break ground on the new pier system near Memorial Union. The new system will enhance lakefront safety and efficiency, create a new greenspace along the lakeshore, and help the Hoofers continue their legacy of providing outdoor recreation opportunities and instruction.

Hoofers is made up of six outdoor-related clubs, including the Hoofer Sailing Club, which frequently uses the current 40-year-old marina. Through almost four decades of use by thousands of Hoofers, the marina’s infrastructure has experienced wear and tear.

The Hoofer Sailing Club provides affordable, accessible sailing equipment and instruction to more than 1,000 members. The Club offers lessons in everything from wind surfing to scow and keelboat sailing.

The Hoofer Marina Project will replace the existing marina and include accessibility enhancements, shoreline restoration, expanded green space, improved docks, a new crane to facilitate more efficient transport of boats, and more.

“We are looking forward to the ways in which this project will help us better serve the community in the future,” Sailing Club Commodore and UW-Madison senior Alise Mintz said. “We are grateful to everyone who has given to the marina fund and supported our ability to continue to serve the community.”

Click here for more information regarding the “Coyote: The Mike Plant Story” screening, including how to purchase tickets. Those interested in supporting this project can also donate here: union.wisc.edu/get-involved/donate/give-to-hoofers.

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About the Hoofer Sailing Club

The Hoofer Sailing Club promotes sailing at UW-Madison by providing recreational and competitive sailing instruction and equipment. Since 1939, the Club has operated under the Wisconsin Union to provide affordable, accessible sailing programs to the campus and community. Learn more about the Club: hoofersailing.org.

[Note to the editor: Click here to download a rendering of the new marina.]