Chamber VP Named to DCI’s “40 Under 40” List Recognizing Economic Development Success

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Feb. 1, 2017)

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

MADISON – The Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce announced today that Chamber Vice President Kevin Little has been named as one of the Development Counsellors International (DCI) “40 Under 40” for 2017. The list is comprised of 40 people from across North America who have achieved success in economic development before turning 40 years old.

Little is the third person from Wisconsin to make the biennial list, following then-City of Madison Alder Scott Resnick in 2013 for spearheading just the second open data ordinance in the nation and Kenosha Area Business Alliance President Todd Battle in 2015 for his role in bringing in 4,000 jobs, $800 million in capital investment, and seven million square feet of development to the Kenosha area within the prior two years.

“The people chosen by the selection committee represent a bright future for the economic development world,” said DCI President Andy Levine. “They are a new breed of results-driven place makers. We’re very pleased to see Kevin Little among the winners.”

“This honor shows the depth of talent we have in our organization and validates the work the Chamber is doing to drive economic growth in Greater Madison,” said Chamber President Zach Brandon. “From initiatives like Accelerate Madison and HealthTech Capitol to programming our annual Pressure Chamber pitch competition, Kevin has been a vital asset to the Chamber’s efforts to accelerate business growth for our members, attract world-class talent to our community and position Greater Madison for sustained success.”

In his role as Chamber Vice President, Little leads the Chamber’s external relations, including its political advocacy, economic development, communications, programming and events. He has also served as the Chamber’s Director of Public Policy and Managing Director of Economic Development.

“It is an honor to be named to this list, but the work being recognized is really a tribute to a lot of people – from our incredible Chamber staff to our leadership and community partners,” Little said. “There is an overused expression that economic development is a team sport, but it’s true. We have a lot of collaboration and momentum going on right now in our community, and I am proud to be a part of it.”

DCI officially announced the winners Monday night at an awards ceremony during the International Economic Development Council Leadership Summit in Jacksonville and will feature an in-depth profile of each on its website during 2017.

Considered the leader in marketing places, DCI specializes in economic development and tourism marketing.  The agency has worked for more than 400 cities, regions, states and countries since it was established in New York City in 1960. www.aboutdci.com

For more information on DCI’s 40 Under 40 winners, visit www.aboutdci.com/40under40.

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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LeewardBA Helps to Revitalize and Bring New Opportunities to Madison

Cassandra Lee
Leeward Business Advisors
262.358.4116 x 204
cpolzin@leewardba.com

LeewardBA Helps to Revitalize and Bring New Opportunities to Madison
Private Company Expands into Madison Data Center Market, Brings Business Framework Expertise

MADISON, WI: On February 8th, Leeward Business Advisors is hosting a ribbon cutting event which will include data center tours, a musical performance by The Kissers, happy hour, and a keynote speech from Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch.

After the Quality Inn at 4916 E Broadway was abandoned, the area was left to struggle and become a home for crime. Around five years later, Facility Gateway Corporation took over and gave the space new purpose as a modern data center. Leeward Business Advisors ‘checked in’ to the new facility on November 4th as part of their westward expansion plan.

LeewardBA will use the facility to host the newest node of their Stratus Data Center cloud offering. Additionally, they are offering co-location services for other companies to benefit from housing their computer systems in a secure, resilient, and professionally managed data center.

Expanding business means a lot more than hanging a sign on the wall to LeewardBA’s CEO.

“You have to understand we are a new kind of technology service provider and a different kind of company. We put our company resources to work creating new learning opportunities for civic organizations, as well as for-profit businesses. When we show up, we show up to make a difference and create value for the communities that support us.”

Leeward Business Advisors has done a lot to engage with the community in Kenosha, like running coding clubs and business programs for local schools, donating services to local non-profit organizations, and hosting an annual event to drive engagement for nonprofit organizations. Plans are already being made to set up a hackathon, arcade night, STEM competitions, and more in the new space. The goal is to engage the community, start involving young professionals, and offering enhanced education opportunities to youth in the area.

The ribbon cutting on February 8th is open to the public and press coverage of the event is invited. Speakers include Matthew B. Mikolajewski, Director Economic Development Division City of Madison, James McPhaul, Director, WI Small Business Development Center, and Warren Laube, President Greenwoods State Bank. LeewardBA employees will be giving tours of the facility and make introductions to the community. Pre-registration is requested by visiting LeewardBA.EventBrite.com

About Leeward Business Advisors
Recent winners of the Fast Five 2016 Ovation awards, 2016 Lake County Community Impact Award, and KTEC 2016 Partner of the Year – Leeward Business Advisors is a Wisconsin based corporation that provides business strategy planning, business improvement implementation, and full IT operational support. They offer world class Cloud Computing services, Cloud brokerage, Managed IT services, and a full US based Support Service Desk (called Quick Answers). Michael Polzin, CEO has 20+ years of enterprise business and
technology experience gained while working at Allstate Insurance and Microsoft Corporation. Jason Klein, CTO has 15+ years delivering effective and efficient technology to Midwest companies.

About Facility Gateway Corporation
Facility Gateway Corporation, with home offices in Madison, WI, has over 80 years of combined industry experience. They provide professional data center services in all 50 U.S. states. Composed of 4 specialty divisions including Data Center Real Estate, Data Center Design, Critical Power Equipment Sales and Critical Facility Management, FGC is moving towards its goal of being the number one data center management company in the U.S.

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Goodwill Offers FREE Tax Prep Help

See attached news release.

Best of Madison Business: Six leaders who are building up this city

We are watching Madison mature as a city right in front of our eyes. In our case, it’s taken a while—a hundred years or so. What can we say? We’re late bloomers. But we can see it happening. It is, in part, growth. Madison is unlikely to ever be a big city; you see, there’s that whole isthmus thing we’ve got going. But density is no longer a dirty word, and we’re filling out at the edges. And a quarter of a million in population is no small potatoes. But maturity also encompasses our ability to embrace change, take risks and write our own story. In 2017, Madison’s business community and its leaders are doing just that.

What we’re seeing is not just the old transforming into the new, but rather, the two being fused together. And thus, this year’s Best of Madison Business honorees are emblematic of that transformation. Development and construction, retail and recreation, brewing and food-related businesses are all part of Madison’s bedrock. And to our great fortune, players in those fields have deep roots in our region—but are also contributing to its future. It’s not a stretch to suggest that a walk of a mile or so down East Washington Avenue would unveil at least a hint of the influence of the six people we are recognizing this year.

Otto Gebhardt III’s influence is more than a hint. It’s a gigantic skyscape-defining, ever-growing footprint that is, among other things, home for so many of the millennial entrepreneurs, makers, chefs and artists who are creating the Madison of the 21st century. Gebhardt is part of a legacy; his father ran Gebhardt Realty. In 1991 Otto started his own company, Gebhardt Development. So, real estate and development is in his blood. His holdings are spread throughout the city and county, but it’s his work along East Washington Avenue that signifies Madison is a city that’s come of age. He might not have been the first to see the potential in the newly conceived Capitol East District, but when the concept needed someone to step up and invest, Gebhardt was all in. Gebhardt’s investment was crucial and the necessary catalyst to kick-start the East Washington Avenue renaissance. His Constellation and Galaxie developments are the pillars on which the Capitol East District is being built, as well as the Cosmos project, a mixed-use development that will include an entertainment venue and will house the entrepreneurial hub StartingBlock when it’s completed (slated for later this year).

Read more at Madison Magazine

Suttle-Straus Publishes Book Recapping Over 100 Years in Business

Waunakee, WI – Suttle-Straus, a marketing solutions provider, is excited to announce that it has published a book, which highlights the long history of the company from 1910 to today. “The Suttle-Straus Story” was written primarily by former Suttle-Straus president John Berthelsen and features over 30 contributors.

The idea for the book came to Berthelsen in early 2014 as he was beginning to plan his retirement, after 35 years of leading the company. Many friends and colleagues encouraged him to turn his vision into a reality, including the late Roy Carlson, owner of Suttle Press in the 1950’s and former president of TDS, Suttle-Straus’ parent company. Berthelsen states, “One of the great voids that I felt in my years of operating the company was the almost total lack of information about the first sixty years of its operation. When I left Suttle-Straus, I had run it for nearly a third of its existence, but that was basically the only part for which there are any real records.” With this in mind, Berthelsen set out to preserve the history of Suttle-Straus, and work on the book began in 2015.

The book was designed and printed entirely by Suttle-Straus. Content was compiled from a number of sources, including over 30 years of board meeting notes, past calendars, company newsletters and numerous photos from old scrapbooks. Additionally remembrances and stories from employees, board members, customers and vendors give the story a unique perspective – and is Berthelsen’s favorite part of the piece.

Ted Straus, Berthelsen’s successor and current president of Suttle-Straus, adds, “It was an honor to participate in the development process of the “Suttle-Straus Story.” The organization has been blessed with so many incredible team members throughout its existence and this book is an ideal way to showcase the countless contributions from those individuals. Providing exceptional products and services for over 100 years is no accident, and this book provides an in-depth look at why Suttle-Straus has been successful for so long.”

“The Suttle-Straus Story” is an ideal read for anyone interested in learning more about the print industry or Suttle-Straus and its rise to one of the top 100 print providers in the United States. It also serves as a valuable resource for new employees to better understand the company, the people, the vision and the culture.

Hard copies of “The Suttle-Straus Story” are $25 and can be obtained by contacting Suttle-Straus at 608.849.1000 or completing a request form here.

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About Suttle-Straus

Suttle-Straus provides comprehensive marketing solutions that incorporate creative, print, wide format, direct mail, transactional mail, kitting and fulfillment services. Their S4 Marketing Resource Center combines these services with cutting-edge technology to advance their clients’ marketing abilities and speed to market. Through long-term, collaborative partnerships, Suttle-Straus continues to provide quality products, exceed expectations, and offer innovative solutions. Learn more at suttle-straus.com.

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