Veteran Investment Manager Daniel Braun Joins Wisconsin Bank & Trust as Wealth Advisor

Madison, Wisconsin, March 6, 2017 — Wisconsin Bank & Trust is pleased to welcome Daniel Braun as Vice President, Wealth Advisor. Dan is an experienced portfolio manager, trader, and wealth management professional. He is based from the bank’s Main Banking Center in Madison.

Braun’s primary focus is on assisting individuals, families, and non-profit clients with comprehensive financial solutions, including counseling clients on wealth management issues such as investment planning, retirement spending, tax savings, risk management, and estate planning.

“Dan Braun is a standout among financial advisors for his deep experience in multiple aspects of capital markets,” said Jasper Vaccaro, Senior Vice President and Market Leader for Private Client Services for Wisconsin Bank & Trust. “His expertise and commitment to outstanding client service is a tremendous addition to our team as our Wealth Management group continues to grow.”

Prior to joining Wisconsin Bank & Trust, Braun most recently held financial advisory and portfolio management roles at two national banks. In these roles, he served high net worth individuals and families, as well as corporations, with investment selection and planning. Braun applied his deep experience with financial modeling to help clients optimize risk-adjusted returns on capital and reduce the negative cognitive biases inherent in the capital allocation process.

Braun holds an MBA from the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business, where his concentration was in Finance & Accounting. Previously, Braun earned a Master of Science in Applied Mathematics & Statistics from DePaul University and a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the University of Wisconsin – Madison.

Braun can be reached at (608) 203-1217 or dbraun@wisconsinbankandtrust.com. Wisconsin Bank & Trust’s Main Banking Center is located at 119 Junction Road in Madison.

About Wisconsin Bank & Trust

Wisconsin Bank & Trust (WBT) is a community bank with assets of more than $1 billion serving customers in the Madison, Milwaukee, Green Bay, Sheboygan, Monroe and southwest areas of Wisconsin. From 18 banking centers and a mortgage loan production office, WBT offers a wide range of commercial, personal and small business banking, wealth management, and mortgage lending services. The bank is a subsidiary of Heartland Financial USA, Inc. (NASDAQ: HTLF), which has assets of more than $8 billion. WBT is a member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and an Equal Housing Lender. Learn more at www.wisconsinbankandtrust.com.

About Heartland Financial USA, Inc.

Heartland Financial USA, Inc. is a diversified financial services company with assets exceeding $8 billion. The company provides banking, mortgage, private client, investment, insurance and consumer finance services to individuals and businesses. Heartland currently has 108 banking locations serving 85 communities in Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, New Mexico, Arizona, Montana, Colorado, Minnesota, Kansas, Missouri, Texas and California. Additional information about Heartland Financial USA, Inc. is available at www.htlf.com.

 ###

Overture Presents Jazz Greats’ 100th Birthday Tour

For immediate release: Friday, March 3, 2017
Contact: Sarah Knab, 608.258.4438 / sknab@overture.org

Interview opportunities available – advance phoners and in-town on March 16. Contact Sarah for details.

Celebrating 100 Years: Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, Mongo Santamaria, Thelonious Monk

Featuring an all-star lineup led by Musical Director, former Gillespie pianist Danilo Pérez

Madison, Wis. – Overture Center is proud to welcome Jazz 100, the centennial celebration for four visionary icons of music all born in 1917: Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, Mongo Santamaria and Thelonious Monk. The performance in Overture Hall on Thursday, March 16, 2017, at 7:30 p.m., showcases both the dynamic individual artistry of each icon and the powerful unifying threads between them which helped shape and inform not only the evolution of jazz but modern music as we now recognize it.

Musical Director and former Gillespie pianist Danilo Pérez has carefully assembled a world-class ensemble of virtuosos, bandleaders and composers including Chris Potter (saxophone, woodwinds), Avishai Cohen (trumpet), Wycliffe Gordon (trombone, vocals), Lizz Wright (vocals), Roman Diaz (percussion, vocals), Ben Street (bass) and Adam Cruz (drums) to reflect and pay homage to some of history’s most important and timeless musical voices.

Tickets start at $30 and are available in person at the Overture Center Ticket Office (201 State Street), online at overture.org or by phone at 608.258.4141.

Jazz 100 is presented by Overture Center as part of the Bell Laboratories Music Series.

DANILO PÉREZ

Pianist, composer, educator and social activist, Danilo Pérez is among the most influential and dynamic musicians of our time. Born in Panama in 1965, Pérez started his musical studies when he was three years old with his father, a bandleader and singer. By age 10, he was studying the European classical piano repertoire at the National Conservatory in Panama. After receiving his bachelor’s degree in electronics in Panama, he studied jazz composition at the prestigious Berklee College of Music. While still a student, he performed with Jon Hendricks, Terence Blanchard, and Paquito D’Rivera and soon began touring and/or recording with artists such as Dizzy Gillespie United Nations Orchestra from (1989-1992), Jack DeJohnette, Tito Puente, Charlie Haden, Michael Brecker, Joe Lovano, Wynton Marsalis, and Roy Haynes. In 2000, Danilo joined Wayne Shorter, to form Shorter’s great quartet with John Patitucci and Brian Blade. Since 2003 he has been touring with regular trio featuring Ben Street and Adam Cruz. Children of The Light, a collaboration with fellow Wayne Shorter Quartet members John Patitucci and Brian Blade released their debut album of the same name on Mack Avenue in September of 2015 to critical acclaim.

In 1993, Pérez turned his focus to his own ensembles and recording projects, releasing eight albums as a leader, earning Grammy and Latin Grammy nominations for Central Avenue (1989), Motherland (2000), and Across The Crystal Sea (2008). In 1996 he was signed by producer- Tommy Lipuma to join the Impulse label and recorded Panamonk , a tribute to Thelonious Monk which DownBeat claimed to be “one of the most important jazz piano albums”. Pérez released Providencia, his debut for Mack Avenue Records, in August of 2010 which was nominated for a 2011 Grammy® Award in the category of “Best Instrumental Jazz Album.” As a composer he has been commissioned by Lincoln Center, The Banff Center, Chicago Jazz Festival and Imani Winds Quintet among others. In 2015, Pérez premiered two brand new commissions “Expeditions- Panamania 2015” at the Panamerican games in Toronto and “Detroit World Suite- La leyenda de Bayano “ at the Detroit Jazz Festival.

Pérez, who served as Goodwill Ambassador to UNICEF, has received a variety of awards for his musical achievements, activism and social work efforts. He currently serves as UNESCO Artist for Peace, Cultural Ambassador to the Republic of Panama, Founder and Artistic Director of the Panama Jazz Festival, and Artistic Director of the Berklee Global Jazz Institute in Boston’s Berklee College of Music.

CHRIS POTTER

A world-class soloist, accomplished composer, and formidable bandleader, Grammy Award nominated saxophonist Chris Potter has emerged as a leading light of his generation. Potter’s music shows limitless creativity and a vibrant sense of swing, prompting critics, musicians, and fans alike to cite him as the one of the finest saxophonists today. Throughout his career, Potter has performed and recorded with artists as diverse as Steely Dan and Herbie Hancock, and has toured the world over with the Dave Holland Quintet, the Overtone Quartet, and his own projects like the jazz-funk group, Chris Potter’s Underground.

AVISHAI COHEN

Voted a Rising Star three years running in the DownBeat Critics Poll — Trumpeter Avishai Cohen has become globally recognized as a musician with an individual sound and a questing spirit, an ever-creative player-composer open to multiple strains of jazz and active as a leader, co-leader and sideman. Aside from the acclaimed trio work under the moniker Triveni, the trumpeter also records and tours the world as part of the Mark Turner Quartet, and with the 3 Cohens Sextet —with his sister, clarinetist-saxophonist Anat, and brother, saxophonist Yuval. Cohen was also a member of the prestigious SFJazz Collective for several years until 2015. Cohen was named as the Artistic Director of the International Jerusalem Festival in 2015. In February 2016, Cohen released and began touring behind his highly anticipated ECM debut, Manfred Eicher produced, Into the Silence to unanimous critical praise.

WYCLIFFE GORDON

Trombonist and educator Wycliffe Gordon experiences an impressive career touring the world performing hard-swinging, straight-ahead jazz receiving great acclaim from audiences and critics alike. His unmatched modern mastery of the plunger mute, exceptional technique and signature sound has solidified Gordon a place in musical history as one of the top trombonists of his generation. Gordon is a three-time recipient of The Downbeat Critics Poll “Best in Trombone” while Jazz Journalists Association named him “Trombonist of the Year” eight times since 2001. He recently received the Louis Armstrong Memorial Prize presented by the Swing Jazz Culture Foundation, and was named Artist of the Year by the Augusta Arts Council. Gordon has released eighteen solo CDs and seven coleader CDs, as well as on countless projects with other artists including Wynton Marsalis, Paul Simon, Natalie Merchant, Dianne Reeves, Anat Cohen, Ricky Skaggs, Arturo Sandoval and Doc Severinsen to name a few.

LIZZ WRIGHT

Lizz Wright has been charming music fans worldwide ever since she appeared on the late pianist and composer Joe Sample’s 2002 disc, The Pecan Tree (Verve). The following year, she gained even wider recognition for her critically acclaimed debut record, Salt (Verve). Produced by the legendary Tommy LiPuma – best known for his award-winning work with George Benson, Diana Krall, and Natalie Cole – the album helped introduce one of the most captivating female vocalists of her generation as it raced to number two on Billboard’s “Top Contemporary Jazz” chart. After releasing four acclaimed records for Verve, Wright moved to Concord Records to release her fifth disc, Freedom & Surrender. With Freedom & Surrender, her most personal and genre-defying album yet, Wright achieved her career first Billboard #1 Contemporary Jazz record. In addition to the incredible chart position, critics have unanimously applauded the release as the career defining work in her cannon.

BEN STREET

New York-area jazz double bassist Ben Street is one of the most sought after bassists in Jazz. After studying at The New England Conservatory of Music in Boston with Miroslav Vitous and Dave Holland, Street went on to perform and record with many great jazz artists, notably Kurt Rosenwinkel on the Album “Next Step,” Ben Monder on the Album “Dust” and the legendary Sam Rivers on the Album “Violet Violets.” Street has performed and toured with Danilo Perez, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Roswell Rudd, Lee Konitz, John Scofield, David Sanchez, Terence Blanchard, and many others. Street is the son of Saxophonist and Saxophone mouthpiece maker Bill Street and is a native of Maine.

ADAM CRUZ

Drummer, composer, and educator Adam Cruz was born in New York City and has been a vital creative force on the international jazz scene for the last two decades. He leads his own group, is an integral part of renowned pianist Danilo Pérez’s trio, and regularly works with artists such as Tom Harrell, The Mingus Big Band, Joey Calderazzo, Chris Potter, Steve Wilson and Edward Simon. Adam currently teaches at CCNY and the Berklee Global Jazz Institute. As a drummer, Adam represents a unique place in the American jazz lineage. His mixed ethnic background informs his playing in ways that transcend easy stylistic categorization. The wealth of his rhythmic knowledge, his deep sense of jazz swing and his knowledge of Latin American rhythms, all coalesce into his personal sound, giving his playing a powerful depth and a rare and distinctive musicality.

ROMAN DÍAZ

Venerated elder statesman Román Díaz, a master percussionist from Havana, Cuba, an important Olú Aña or “keeper of the sacred drum” – is considered a pillar of the New York City jazz avant-garde and one of Afro Cuban music’s great innovators. As a member of Cuba’s groundbreaking Rumba group Yoruba Andabo, Díaz aided in the creation of the sound that has defined rumba since the 1980s and performed and/or recorded with legends including Merceditas Valdes. Díaz has participated in notable projects by Jane Bunnett, Michele Rosewoman, Danilo Pérez, Omar Sosa, David Virelles and Henry Threadgill among others. Díaz has been featured on compilations including the Calle 54 soundtrack and the Grammy-nominated Raíces Habaneras project.

OVERTURE CENTER FOR THE ARTS in Madison, Wisconsin features seven state-of-the-art performance spaces and five galleries where national and international touring artists, ten resident companies and hundreds of local artists engage people in over half a million educational and artistic experiences each year. Overture.org

###

Nadler Promoted to Account Executive at M3, Stuntebeck Hired as Wellness Consultant

Abigail Nadler was recently promoted to an Account Executive position at M3 Insurance. She comes to this role from her previous internal position as M3’s Health Promotions Advisor. Tyler Stuntebeck has been hired as a Wellness Consultant to assume Abigail’s previous focus of assisting M3 clients with the implementation and development of their corporate wellness initiatives.

In her new role at M3, Abigail will be specializing in employee benefits insurance plan design and placement for mid-market to large-market employer groups. Her 11 years of experience with employer-based wellness programs will benefit her clients as she partners with them to create customized, well-rounded solutions to encourage healthier employee populations, reduce claims activity, and mitigate risk.

Tyler comes to M3 with a Bachelor of Science (Double Major) in Health Promotion & Wellness and Spanish. He began his career in Corporate Wellness at Lands’ End and was previously employed with the UW Medical Foundation, YMCA of Dane County, and Dean Health Plan.

______________________

About M3

M3 Insurance offers insight, advice and strategies to help clients manage risk, purchase insurance and provide employee benefits. We are committed to being experts in both the products we represent and the industries we serve. Our people advance M3’s competitive advantage in the marketplace, and our focus on community builds better places to live and work. M3 is consistently ranked a top 100 broker in America. To learn more, visit www.m3ins.com.

Jen Pino-Gallagher Hired as M3’s Food & Agribusiness Director

Jen Pino-Gallagher recently joined M3 Insurance as the director of M3’s Food & Agribusiness practice group. Jen brings 11 years of experience working with food processors, agribusinesses and international trade to this role.

According to M3’s Dale Van Dam, Executive Vice President of Sales, Property & Casualty, “Jen’s deep knowledge of agricultural supply chains and the risks and opportunities inherent in producing food and agricultural products make her an ideal fit to lead this practice group for M3.”

Prior to joining M3, Jen served as Director of the International Agribusiness Center at the WI Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection, where she was responsible for leading the strategy and executing programs to grow Wisconsin’s diverse agricultural sector locally, regionally and internationally. She also worked with Wisconsin’s seven commodity boards through the market orders program as well as the county and district fairs. All of her work centered on supporting Wisconsin’s agribusiness.

According to the University of Wisconsin-Extension, food and agribusiness accounts for $88 billion in economic activity in Wisconsin. “Agriculture is a powerful economic force in our state,” said Van Dam. “It’s exciting to have someone with Jen’s background join our team to support M3’s existing and potential food and agribusiness clients.”

Regarding her new role, Pino-Gallagher said, “One of my greatest motivations is to help Wisconsin’s food and agricultural companies grow and remain competitive, world-class providers of quality products. I’m delighted to continue to work with processors and agribusinesses around the state in my new role at M3 Insurance.”

_________________

About M3

M3 Insurance offers insight, advice and strategies to help clients manage risk, purchase insurance and provide employee benefits. We are committed to being experts in both the products we represent and the industries we serve. Our people advance M3’s competitive advantage in the marketplace, and our focus on community builds better places to live and work. M3 is consistently ranked a top 100 broker in America.

 

March of Dimes Elects Four New Board Members

Release Date:  Wednesday, March 1, 2017

Contact:          Jodi Legge, (608) 729-7796, jlegge@marchofdimes.org

MARCH OF DIMES WELCOMES FOUR NEW BOARD MEMBERS
Michael Arbet, Mark Binkowski, Phil Hausmann and Jason Nordby bring business experience to March of Dimes

MADISON, WI – MARCH 1, 2017 — Four prominent business leaders – Michael Arbet, Milestone Investment Advisors; Mark Binkowski, Urban Land Interests; Phil Hausmann, Hausmann- Johnson Insurance; and Jason Nordby, M3 – have been recently elected to the March of Dimes Board of Directors. March of Dimes board members provide strategic direction, fundraising support and business expertise to the Western Wisconsin Market.

“Michael, Mark, Phil and Jason all bring March of Dimes various expertise to help us grow our Western Wisconsin Market,” said Damond Boatwright, Regional President of Hospital Operations – SSM Health – WI  – and March of Dimes Board Chair. “We have a big challenge in front of us – to continue our fundraising efforts so that all babies are given a fighting chance at birth. We’re thankful to have these business leaders’ help as we strive to give every baby a fair chance to be born full-term and healthy.”

Michael Arbet, Milestone Investment Advisors:

Michael Arbet comes to March of Dimes with a varied background. Raised on a dairy farm in Kenosha County, he did his BBA at UW Whitewater. He has been an investment professional since 1986 and completed his MBA at Marquette University in 2001. Formerly with Johnson Bank, Arbet’s business (Milestone Investment Advisors) is located in Middleton. Arbet enjoys international travel, having visited more than a dozen countries. He enjoys meeting new people and learning new things.  Arbet and his wife, Anne, a pediatrician, have two sons, ages four and five, and they currently reside in Sun Prairie. The Arbets are drawn to the March of Dimes for both personal and professional reasons.

Mark Binkowski, Urban Land Interests

As a Madison native, Mark Binkowski has witnessed firsthand the transformation of Madison from a sleepy college town into a thriving small city. After graduating from the University of Denver and working for Jones Lang LaSalle in Chicago, he ultimately decided to come back to Madison to play a role in the city’s makeover. As a Development Associate with Urban Land Interests, Binkowski is actively working on development projects to further enhance the Downtown he now calls home. From the conversion of a former office building into a bustling bar and restaurant known as Lucille, to the major redevelopment of the former Anchor Properties, Binkowski is committed to improving Madison. In joining the March of Dimes Board, he is excited to bring his business acumen to help grow the organization.

Phil Hausmann, Hausmann-Johnson Insurance

Phil Hausmann is Partner and Property and Casualty Consultant at Hausmann-Johnson Insurance (HJI). HJI is committed to the Madison community and focuses on providing high-quality client-tailored risk management services. Phil earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Finance and Commercial Real Estate from Marquette University. He recently married, and he and his wife, Ellie, reside in Madison. In joining the March of Dimes Board, Hausmann hopes to bring his strategic business expertise and commitment to helping others to continue to expand the impact March of Dimes has on our community

Jason Nordby, M3

Jason Nordby is a Partner and Director of Employee Benefits Captive Practice at M3 Insurance. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse, and went on to earn a Master of Science degree in Health Care Management from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Nordby did provider contracting and management for United HealthCare in Milwaukee and North Central Health Protection Plan (NCHPP) in Wausau. After moving to Madison, he worked for the Employer Health Care Alliance Cooperative (The Alliance) before joining M3 in 2003. Nordby and his wife, Jody, live in Lake Mills with their two children. He came to the organization with a mission connection and wants to help the organization expand.

About March of Dimes

March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. For more than 75 years, moms and babies have benefited from March of Dimes research, education, vaccines, and breakthroughs.

For the latest resources and health information, visit our websites marchofdimes.org and nacersano.org. To participate in our annual fundraising event, visit marchforbabies.org. If you have been affected by prematurity or birth defects, visit our shareyourstory.org community to find comfort and support. For detailed national, state and local perinatal statistics, visit persistats.org. You can also find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter, and check out our new video at: http://bit.ly/2MarchofDimesBabyZoe.

#          #          #