Year: 2019
Photo by Richard Hurd
Endres Mfg. Company Foundation Spring 2019 Grants
There are great stories and valuable work being done by nonprofits that have a positive impact on building better communities. There are about 3,000 non-profit public agencies in Dane County, and about 270 private foundations. There are so many paths for doing good! The Endres Foundation received 36 grant requests, and have 5 agencies that are funded annually. Two of those are an annual BIG sponsorship for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Dane County, and a long-standing partnership with Dane County Cultural Affairs Commission. After discussion and review, the EMC Foundation is giving approximately $177,420.00 to 28 agencies in May.
Grants given during this spring cycle include:
The Beacon Homeless Shelter – Catholic Charities $5,400
Big Brothers Big Sisters – annual BIG sponsorship $1,000
Waunakee Boy Scout Troop 46 Eagle Projects $2,500
Capital City Theater – On the Town production $5,000
Centro Hispano Sostenme program – Hold Me Up $10,000
DAIS Shelter $5,000
Dane County Cultural Affairs Commission $15,000
Girl Scouts CampBUILD – building trade skills $10,000
Goodman Center – youth art classes $2,000
Ice Age Trail Alliance Sauntering program $3,500
Independent Living – partnership program $5,000
Lakeview Lutheran Church – Phase 2 upgrades $3,000
Madison Reading Project – books for kids $5,000
Madison Youth Arts Center – $100,000 pledge $33,000
Music Makers – music ed through Wi Youth Symphony $15,000
PEBOGA – workshop and keynote series $2,500
RENEW Wisconsin – energy video/website $5,200
RSVP of Dane County $1,200
Simpson Street Free Press – Wi history research $5,000
Tri 4 Schools – for 4 Waunakee elementary schools $5,000
Unity Point Health – youth mental health facility $5,000
Vera Court Neighborhood – final pledge payment $5,000
Waunakee “Mutts on Main” – artist stipend $1,350
Waunakee EMS – recognition monument $1,000
Waunakee Fire Department – search & rescue equip $7,220*
Waunakee Police Department – vest & helmet equip $3,850*
Waunakee Senior Center – elderly cooking classes $2,200
Waunakee Warrior team center for soccer stadium $12,500*
* half of requested amount, given to promote a match from other donors.
New Waunakee Library total pledge was $150,000. $90,000 has been paid and balance of $60,000 will be given later this year upon completion.
The valuable impact of these gifts will multiply and have a positive ripple effect. This year, three of the Foundation’s largest gifts went to the new Waunakee Library opening this fall, the new Madison Youth Arts Center opening in 2020, and the Waunakee Soccer Team Center Stadium. Each of these projects will touch a large population and be used by a broad scope of people.
The work nonprofits do to improve lives is critical. The work they do to create better neighborhoods is important. The work they do to build strong communities is impressive.
Chopra said, “Everything that is of value in life only multiplies when it is given.” Everyone should seek to give back to their community with their time, talent or treasure. If you want to give but don’t know how, the EMC Foundation accepts donations of any size, and all money is channeled wisely to positive community projects. Check our website online.
Photo by Richard Hurd
City of Madison Launches Three Solar Programs for 2019
Photo by Richard Hurd
Four DeWitt Intellectual Property Attorneys Included in Managing Intellectual Property Magazine’s 2019 List of IP Stars
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 21, 2019
FOR INFORMATION CONTACT:
Michelle M. Friedman
262-754-2877 / mmf@dewittllp.com
Four DeWitt Intellectual Property Attorneys Included in Managing Intellectual Property Magazine’s 2019 List of IP Stars
MADISON | MILWAUKEE | MINNEAPOLIS – The law firm of DeWitt LLP, today announced the inclusion of four of its attorneys in the 2019 Intellectual Property (IP) Stars list of highly recommended IP practitioners, as released by Managing Intellectual Property IP Stars. The IP Stars are private practice IP professionals who have been highly recommended by their peers and clients.
The IP Stars list, which was recently released, recommends DeWitt and its attorneys David Biek, Joseph Miotke, Charles Sara and Christopher Scherer as top patent and trademark practitioners in Wisconsin and Minnesota.
About the attorneys:
Biek practices from the firm’s Minneapolis office and specializes in Business Transactions, Intellectual Property, International Law, Non-Infringement and Patentability Opinions, Due Diligence, and Patent Litigation.
Miotke practices from the firm’s Metro-Milwaukee office and specializes in Intellectual Property Law, International Law, Litigation and Patent Litigation.
Sara practices from DeWitt’s Madison office and specializes in Intellectual Property and International Law.
Scherer is the co-chair of DeWitt’s Intellectual Property Group and practices from DeWitt’s Metro-Milwaukee office, specializing in Intellectual Property and International Law.
Managing Intellectual Property IP STARS, is the leading specialist guide to IP firms and practitioners worldwide. Managing IP has been researching and ranking firms since 1996. This research has expanded over the years, with more than 80 jurisdictions now covered, making it the most comprehensive and authoritative analysis of the industry.
About DeWitt
DeWitt LLP is one of the ten largest law firms based in Wisconsin, with an additional presence in Minnesota. It has nearly 140 attorneys practicing in Madison and Metropolitan Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Minneapolis, Minnesota, in a variety of legal areas and has the experience to service clients of all scopes and sizes. The firm is known for its work in several areas, including intellectual property, patents, trademarks and copyright law, civil rights litigation, construction litigation, corporate law, employment, environmental, employee benefits, estate planning, family law, government relations, health care, litigation, real estate, and tax law. More information is available at dewittllp.com.
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Photo by Richard Hurd
CEC announces acquisition of Select Sound Service
Hiawatha, IA, May 16, 2019 – Communications Engineering Company (CEC), a nationally recognized technology systems integrator, today announced the acquisition of Select Sound Service Inc.
Headquartered in Milwaukee, WI, Select Sound Service has over 60 years of experience in deploying and integrating technology and sound solutions for hospitals, long-term care facilities, and education systems.
With the two organizations having tightly aligned product portfolios and company visions, in addition to a combined 130+ years of experience, this strategic investment will position CEC to offer a wider selection of technology solutions and enhanced customer service experiences to its clients in Iowa and the southern half of Wisconsin.
“Bringing CEC and Select Sound Service together made sense, and the positive impact on our employees and our customers is extremely exciting,” says Matt Dlouhy, CEO at CEC. “Both companies value the quality of employees we have and focus on delivering the very best to our customers. Together, our force has increased in size and quality, as well as in the technology tools we leverage in achieving our customers’ business objectives.”
Dennis Sanford, CEO at Select Sound Service, says, “The impact that our customers and employees will realize from this merger is phenomenal. The vision that both companies have for our customers, employees, and the future of the industry will now be tremendously enhanced.”
Both organizations are authorized Rauland (a division of Ametek) resellers. Combining their manpower brings the healthcare market’s industry-leading Responder nurse call system to hospitals throughout this multi-state territory. Standardized care continues to be a key focus for healthcare’s integrated delivery networks, and the ability to provide a consistent experience for staff and patients across multiple facilities via the technologies utilized will be vastly improved with both companies operating as one.
About CEC
Established in 1946, CEC has evolved from a small two-way radio shop into a nationally recognized technology integrator with eight offices across Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. Its success is driven by its mission: to make technology simple for its customers. It combines alignment with manufacturers that offer the best solutions in the industry along with in-house experts on staff who effectively lead technical and custom integrations. CEC specializes in finding creative solutions to meet its customers’ business objectives through solution design, integration, installation, and preventative maintenance. The company has five core areas of focus: audio/video, fire & security, healthcare communications, information technology, and two-way radio communications. To learn more, visit www.cecinfo.com.
About Select Sound Service
Select Sound Service Inc. was founded by Robert Paquette Sr. in 1958 in the basement of his Milwaukee, WI, home prior to moving all operations to its current Milwaukee and Madison offices. After many years of successfully providing and managing sound and audio equipment for musical acts throughout the Milwaukee area as the lifeblood of this family-owned and family-operated company, leadership saw a unique opportunity in the evolving healthcare market. Select Sound became a Rauland distributor in 1984. For the last 35 years, its team hasn’t looked back. While audio and sound are still areas of expertise and a significant revenue stream, the backbone of the company is installing and supporting Rauland nurse call systems throughout the lower half of Wisconsin. To learn more, visit www.selectsoundservice.com.
Photo by Richard Hurd
MGE Announces Goal of Net-Zero Carbon Electricity by 2050
“We believe it is important to articulate a long-term goal that is both visionary and based on the
best climate science available,” CEO says.
Madison, Wis., May 14, 2019—Madison Gas and Electric (MGE) today set a new goal of net-zero carbon electricity for its customers by 2050, said Jeff Keebler, MGE Chairman, President and CEO.
“In creating an energy future for our customers and shareholders, we need ambitious and crucial reductions in carbon emissions that align with the work of the scientific community, specifically the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and its assessment of limiting global temperature increases to 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2050,” Keebler said.
MGE already has been on a path to reduce carbon, having reduced carbon dioxide emissions 23% since 2005 and targeting carbon reductions of at least 80% by 2050 from 2005 levels.
“Since introducing our carbon reduction targets, we have always said that if we can go further faster by working with our customers, we will. We believe it is important to articulate a long-term goal that is both visionary and based on the best climate science available. Our net-zero carbon goal is aggressive, and it will require technologies not yet commercially available or cost-effective, but it is where we need to be,” Keebler said.
MGE’s mission continues to be safe, reliable, affordable and sustainable electricity for all customers. Through the application of science and investment in the technologies of today and tomorrow, the company will continue to fulfill its mission.
Climate Science Partnership
MGE also announced it will be working with scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies and the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences to help evaluate the company’s net-zero carbon goal in the context of the analyses done by the IPCC. The university will provide expert input and perspective to ensure MGE’s goal is consistent with the IPCC assessment.
In 2015, the company announced its Energy 2030 framework, which was informed by community input and laid out its foundational objectives for building your community energy company for the future:
• Provide customers with options they want today and in the future,
• Help customers use energy efficiently and control future costs for all customers,
• Transition MGE to a more environmentally sustainable energy supply,
• Provide a dynamic electric grid that can integrate all energy technologies to serve customers, and
• Ensure that new and changing technology serves all customers equitably.
“These remain our objectives as we continue to build customer and shareholder value on our path to deep decarbonization,” Keebler said. “As your community energy company, MGE has a history of engaging our customers and communities. We actively continue work to deepen that engagement to achieve our goals. Our net-zero carbon goal is a reflection of our commitment not only to long-term sustainability, rooted in the latest climate science, but also a reflection of our commitment to our customers and communities.”
Key strategies for deep decarbonization include reducing the carbon intensity in electricity generation through adding significant new renewable energy resources and reducing the use of fossil fuels; continued work to help customers with energy efficiency; and electrification, including transportation.
“We are excited about our path, our progress and our ultimate vision. To us, this is what it means to lead and to serve,” said Keebler.
About MGE
MGE generates and distributes electricity to 153,000 customers in Dane County, Wis., and purchases and distributes natural gas to 161,000 customers in seven south-central and western Wisconsin counties. MGE’s parent company is MGE Energy, Inc. The company’s roots in the Madison area date back more than 150 years.
Contact
Steve Schultz
Corporate Communications Manager
608-252-7219 | sbschultz@mge.com