WPS Health Solutions: Navy Petty Officer First Class Matthew Kuzicki saluted for Operation Fan Mail

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
DeAnne Boegli
Vice President of Communications
608-512-5754
deanne.boegli@wpsic.com

Navy Petty Officer First Class Matthew Kuzicki saluted for Operation Fan Mail
Program is sponsored by WPS Health Solutions and the Green Bay Packers

MADISON, Wis.—Nov. 15, 2022—The Green Bay Packers and WPS Health Solutions paid special tribute this week to Navy Petty Officer First Class Matthew Kuzicki and his family in conjunction with the Nov. 13 game against the Dallas Cowboys. Operation Fan Mail, the program that recognizes military families and veterans at each Packers home game, marks its 16th season in 2022.

Kuzicki grew up in Sobieski, Wis., about 20 miles from Lambeau Field. The green-and-gold gene has been passed down for generations in his family. He grew up a Packers fan, with early cherished memories of his family gathering at his Grandpa Ed’s house to watch the games together. When the Packers went to Super Bowl XXXI in 1997, Kuzicki collected every newspaper clipping possible and got a Packers Super Bowl Champion hat, which he still has all these years later.

Kuzicki joined the U.S. Navy at age 17 in 2005, making 2023 his 18th year of service to the country. During his service, he has completed five tours that have taken him to several countries including Cameroon, Ukraine, Germany, Spain, Sicily, Guam, and more. He will begin his sixth tour in February. He has earned four Navy and Marine Corps Achievement medals and the Afghanistan Campaign medal. He has also been awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation medal. Currently, he is stationed in Gulfport, Miss., and is serving with the Navy Cargo Handling Battalion 13.

Kuzicki attended Sunday’s game with his wife, Danielle, his parents, Mike and Marie Kuzicki, as well as his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Joyce and Mike Maszka, who nominated him for Operation Fan Mail. As the honoree for Operation Fan Mail this week, Kuzicki received four tickets to the game and a $150 Packers Pro Shop gift card, courtesy of WPS.

The program, which debuted in 2007, is designed to honor families with a member who is on active duty or a member who is a veteran. The Packers and WPS Health Solutions will host a family at each 2022 season home game and recognize the members on the video boards during pregame activities. A total of 153 individuals, families, or groups have been recognized through the program since it began.

The Packers and WPS Health Solutions invite interested families, or friends of eligible families, to submit an essay, 500 words or less, on why a particular family should be saluted this year. Families intended for recognition are those that have a member serving on active duty, or a member who is a veteran. The family member can be a spouse, mother, father, son, daughter, or sibling.

Essays can be sent to Operation Fan Mail, P.O. Box 10628, Green Bay, WI, 54307-0628 or online at operationfanmail.com.

About WPS Health Solutions^®

Wisconsin Physicians Service Insurance Corporation (WPS Health Solutions), founded in 1946, is a nationally regarded benefits administrator for a variety of U.S. government programs and a leading not-for-profit health insurer in Wisconsin. WPS Health Solutions serves active-duty and retired military personnel, seniors, individuals, and families in Wisconsin, across the U.S., and around the world. WPS Health Solutions, headquartered in Madison, Wis., has more than 3,100 employees. Within the enterprise, there are three divisions: WPS Government Health Administrators, WPS Military and Veterans Health, and WPS Health Insurance/WPS Health Plan/EPIC Specialty Benefits. For more information, please visit wpshealthsolutions.com.

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Apparel Company Iron Joc and Wisconsin Union Launch a Clothing Line Collaboration

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nov. 15, 2022

Contact Information:
Shauna Breneman, Communications Director
Email: sbreneman@wisc.edu
Phone: (608) 262-8862

READ RELEASE ONLINE: union.wisc.edu/about/news/iron-joc-wisconsin-union

APPAREL COMPANY IRON JOC AND WISCONSIN UNION LAUNCH A CLOTHING LINE COLLABORATION

MADISON – The Wisconsin Union team and University of Wisconsin–Madison alumnus-owned and Wisconsin-based Iron Joc Performance Gear and Apparel have launched a line of Iron Joc’s performance clothing with the Union’s iconic, trademarked Terrace chair sunburst image exclusively online and at the Badger Market at Memorial Union in Madison, Wis.

The Iron Joc and Wisconsin Union collaboration includes seven clothing selections with the trademarked Terrace sunburst chairback image on the left sleeve or back, including hoodies, t-shirts, a polo shirt, and a racerback tank top. The Iron Joc and Wisconsin Union teams anticipate changing the available types of performance apparel throughout the year.

Iron Joc’s apparel includes exclusive fabric, called Enduretech, which features woven-in nano-silver technology that aims to eliminate odor-causing bacteria. The Iron Joc team weaves in the nano-silver technology to prevent the technology from washing or fading and uses lightweight, four-way spandex material designed for fast drying as well as sweat and water-wicking.

Iron Joc Founder and CEO Paul Hanson shared his thoughts on the new venture saying, “We are very excited to be working with the Union team and to be offering customers our gear with the special sunburst image. The University of Wisconsin–Madison is important to us, and we are thrilled to work with our brand ambassador, Braelon Allen, to promote this relationship.”

Sales from this new clothing line, in part, help support the Wisconsin Union’s ability to host more than 1,000 events each year, offer activities, maintain its buildings Memorial Union and Union South, provide dining options in downtown Madison, and provide student leadership opportunities for hundreds of students annually.

UW–Madison students in the Wisconsin Union’s clubs and committees that make up the Wisconsin Union Directorate plan most of the Union’s events, providing the students with hands-on leadership and professional development opportunities as well as academic stipends of up to 80% of in-state tuition for some student leaders. The Wisconsin Union is a non-profit organization.

“The purchase of apparel in the Wisconsin Union and Iron Joc collaborative clothing line makes a difference in the lives of UW–Madison students,” Wisconsin Union Deputy Director Susan Dibbell said.

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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.  

About Iron Joc Performance Gear and Apparel 

University of Wisconsin–Madison alumnus Paul Hanson created Iron Joc because he believed in the ability to create performance apparel that offers permanent odor protection, lasts, is moisture-wicking, and is comfortable. To combat odor-causing bacteria, the company uses Enduretech technology inside every piece of Iron Joc clothing, which is a fabric designed with bacteria-fighting nano-silver technology and is exclusive to Iron Joc. To learn more about Iron Joc, visit ironjoc.com.

Shine United Named Best Place to Work in 2022 by Outside Magazine

Location: Madison, Wisconsin
Focus: Advertising, public relations, and marketing
Number of employees: 47
Average salary: Unspecified
Vacation time: Ten days of PTO to start

Perks: Half-day summer Fridays, free lunches, a full bar for “beer-30s,” flexible work hours and hybrid work-from home schedule, annual all-expenses-paid company gatherings, 100 percent of health insurance covered, an outdoor adventure incentive program, unlimited sick time, and a paid weeklong-plus sabbatical after 10 years that covers up to $10,000

What makes it great: “We live what we work. Anything that feeds that passion is encouraged, celebrated, revered. Need a coffee shop hangout to change up the scenery? Done. Need an afternoon hike in the big outdoors to get those creative juices flowing? See you later. Need an offsite collaborative get-together with your team? Make it happen. Shiners not only get paid to work on awesome outdoor brands but get paid to go be in the outdoors! You truly can’t beat that.”

Read the full article here

Ascendium: $100K Grant to Boys & Girls Clubs of Dane County to Support Local Students’ College, Career Success

A local program with a proven track record of helping area youth develop the skills, habits and experiences to be successful in their college and career journeys is getting an extra boost from a $100,000 grant. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Dane County has been awarded one of Ascendium’s Good Neighbor Grants and is using the funds to support the operating costs of its Advancement via Individual Determination/Teens of Promise Program (AVID/TOPS).

AVID/TOPS, a partnership between the Boys & Girls Clubs of Dane County and the Madison Metropolitan School District (MMSD), is a rigorous college and career preparatory program primarily serving students from low-income backgrounds, students of color and aspiring first-generation college students. Some of its offerings include academic support, college field trips, career exploration activities and internship opportunities. Almost 1,000 MMSD students participate in AVID/TOPS.

Ascendium’s grant will benefit students like Benjamin Davis, who participated in AVID/TOPS during his four years at Madison East High School. Through the program, Davis received tutoring services, visited organizations across Madison to learn more about the jobs they offer, participated in paid summer internships and toured college campuses. Davis is now a sophomore business major at Bryant & Stratton College with plans to transfer to Marquette University or the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee next year to pursue a career as a financial advisor.

“Receiving guidance on critical thinking, study methods and professional language really put me ahead of my peers. The college field trips were especially beneficial since, as a first-generation college student, you don’t know what you don’t know,” Davis said. “There were many people who helped me and with whom I connected as part of AVID/TOPS. For me, AVID/TOPS is more than just a program — it’s a family.”

“AVID/TOPS is making a difference in the lives of students by putting them on a path to realize their greatest potential,” Michael Johnson, president and CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Dane County, said. “We are able to do this through a robust program and dedicated staff who build impactful relationships with members to help position so many of them for success. This funding will allow us to maintain and grow the remarkable successes of AVID/TOPS. We are grateful to Ascendium for their support.” 

This grant is just one of 10 Good Neighbor Grants Ascendium awarded in the fall of 2022 for a total award amount of $1 million. The grants are unique in that they are entirely employee-driven. Ascendium employees nominate and vote for nonprofits that positively impact the communities where they live and work. The recipients use the funding to increase education and workforce training outcomes for learners from low-income backgrounds.

“We’re thrilled with our employees’ decision to support the Boys & Girls Clubs of Dane County and students like Benjamin with a Good Neighbor Grant,” Brett Lindquist, Ascendium’s vice president – strategic communications, said. “Being able to continue our partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Dane County and play a small part in helping these students realize their dreams is incredibly rewarding.”

About Boys & Girls Clubs of Dane County

Boys & Girls Clubs of Dane County is a leader in youth development programs, working with local businesses, foundations and community programs to produce positive outcomes for more than 7,500 young people and their families. Our core program areas include character and leadership, health and wellness, education and career development, sports and recreation and the arts. To learn more, visit bgcdc.org.

About Ascendium

Ascendium Education Group is committed to making education and training beyond high school a reality for more people. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, we fund initiatives across the U.S. that help learners from low-income backgrounds achieve upward mobility; provide student and employee success solutions to colleges and businesses; invest in education-focused innovations to improve learner outcomes; and provide information, tools and counseling to help millions of borrowers successfully repay their federal student loans. While we have many roles, we have one goal — elevating opportunity by creating a world where everyone can rise to their highest potential. To learn more, visit ascendiumeducation.org.

Summit Credit Union Pays $2.5 Million in Member Dividends

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact:
Stephanie Tervort
(608) 243-5000
publicrelations@summitcreditunion.com

Summit Credit Union Pays $2.5 Million in Member Dividends
Cooperative’s Cash Boomerang program puts money in members’ pockets

MADISON, Wis. (Nov. 10, 2022)—Summit Credit Union has announced a patronage dividend of $2.5 million for its members. Called Cash Boomerang¹, the member give-back is based on Summit Credit Union’s financial success and on an individual’s use of Summit checking, savings, and borrowing services between Oct. 1, 2021, and Sept. 30, 2022.

The annual program will send cash payouts to more than 72,800 members, an increase of 3,800 from last year. In the nine years since Cash Boomerang started, Summit has distributed $19.6 million in cash payouts.

Banks only offer dividends to stockholders, but Summit, a financial cooperative, offers the patronage dividend to members as reminder of the value of doing business with Summit Credit Union, said Kim Sponem, CEO & President.

 “We share our success with members who help build our cooperative. This dividend puts money in the pockets of members. In addition to Cash Boomerang, we work every day to offer members significant savings and financial education,” Sponem said.

“The more business you do at Summit, the more potential dividend you will get because our members are the reason for our success,” she added. “This is one of many ways Summit Credit Union values our members.”

With the October acquisition of Commerce State Bank in West Bend, Wis., Summit Credit Union has more than 50 locations and 235,000 members in south-central and southeastern Wisconsin. For more information about Cash Boomerang, visit www.SummitCreditUnion.com/cash-boomerang.

Summit Credit Union is Wisconsin’s No. 1 Mortgage Lender and has been the largest credit union lender of SBA loans to small businesses in Wisconsin for over a decade. ²

¹No minimum balances are required to be eligible for the program. Any fees/charges applied to an account will reduce the account balance and result in fewer dividends earned. A checking account must be open as of 9/30 of the year of payment to be eligible for the program. Only members in good standing at the date of the payout will receive it if the Cash Boomerang computes to $10 or more, with a maximum of $1,000. Cash Boomerang is not guaranteed. Cash Boomerang is a dividend and subject to tax reporting.

² The Wisconsin #1 Mortgage Lender designation is based on the number of loans originated in 2021, gathered from the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data compiled annually by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The results of the data were obtained through the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s website.

About Summit Credit Union:
Established in 1935, Summit Credit Union is a member-owned financial cooperative. Summit holds $6.2 billion in assets and has more than 233,000 members and 882 employees across more than 50 locations throughout south-central and southeastern Wisconsin. Since 2002, Kim Sponem has been CEO & President of Summit Credit Union, formerly known as CUNA Credit Union/Great Wisconsin Credit Union. Recognized for its excellence in employee engagement, Summit was named a Top Workplace in the USA in 2021 and 2022 by Top Workplaces USA and a Top Workplace in the Madison area for 2022 and 2021 by the Wisconsin State Journal. For more information, visit www.summitcreditunion.com or call 608-243-5000 or 800-236-5560. For additional media information, visit https://www.summitcreditunion.com/about-summit/press-room or follow Summit on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter