TruStage celebrates 90 years of service

MADISON, Wis. — Born out of the credit union movement, TruStage, a financially strong insurance and financial services provider, is celebrating 90 years of helping more people make confident financial decisions at every stage of their financial journey.

“Ninety years ago, we were built on the simple, yet powerful philosophy of people helping people,” said Terrance Williams, president and chief executive officer of TruStage. “While much has changed since 1935, our values, innovative spirit and noble purpose of making a brighter financial future accessible to everyone will guide us for the next 90 years and beyond.”

TruStage was founded in Madison, Wis., as the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) Mutual Society, providing insurance to protect credit unions and their members during the great depression. Recognizing the growing importance of our mission, President Harry Truman laid the cornerstone at our expanding headquarters in 1950. Today, TruStage continues that pursuit, now protecting 39 million consumers across the nation.

In addition to traditional insurance, TruStage also has a diverse portfolio of technology-enabled lending and business protections, annuity offerings, wealth management and workplace solutions, that help make financial stability accessible and affordable for middle market consumers.

Additional highlights over our history include:

• Contributing $59.9M to our communities through the TruStage™ Foundation since 1967
• Investing more than $400M into more than 65 startups through TruStage™ Ventures since its 2016 launch
• Supporting the credit union industry through advocacy, league membership and more than $159M over the past five years
• A strong and ongoing commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, including scoring 100% on both the Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRC) Corporate Equality Index and Disability Equality Index for workplace inclusion
• Unifying all solutions and product brands under the TruStage brand in 2023

Our mission-driven and innovative spirit remains unchanged and has laid the foundation for us to continue serving a variety of partners in today’s evolving marketplace. We celebrate our history and look ahead, leveraging the same values that made our company great from the beginning to support financial opportunities for future generations of middle market consumers.

About TruStage

TruStage is a financially strong insurance, investment and technology provider, built on the philosophy of people helping people. We believe a brighter financial future should be accessible to everyone, and our products and solutions help people confidently make financial decisions that work for them at every stage of life. With a culture rooted and focused on creating a more equitable society and financial system, we are deeply committed to giving back to our communities to improve the lives of those we serve. For more information, visit trustage.com.

TruStage Foundation

The TruStage Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) that serves as the philanthropic arm of TruStage. Efforts of the TruStage Foundation center on building equity in the communities where we live and serve. TruStage is a financially strong insurance, investment and technology provider, built on the philosophy of people helping people. We believe a brighter financial future should be accessible to everyone, and our products and solutions help people confidently make financial decisions that work for them at every stage of life. With a culture rooted and focused on creating a more equitable society and financial system, we are deeply committed to giving back to our communities to improve the lives of those we serve.

Lunch Time LIVE! Concert Series Returns to Capitol Square

Madison’s Central Business Improvement District (BID) is proud to present a perennial summertime favorite: Lunch Time LIVE! On Tuesdays — June through August — this free outdoor concert series will take place from 12:00-1:00 p.m. on the King Street walkway of the Wisconsin State Capitol. Chairs will be available, and blankets and lawn chairs are welcome on the lawn nearby. Bring a friend or a colleague, and don’t forget to ‘grab-and-go’ lunch at dozens of downtown restaurants. Join us downtown to enjoy the lunch hour during the beautiful Wisconsin summer!

Lunch Time LIVE! 2025 Lineup

• June 3: Highway 151 — fun acoustic covers across genres and generations
• June 10: Gin, Chocolate and Bottle Rockets — indie pop, singer-songwriters
• June17: Wildered — indie folk and acoustic
• June 24: Just Merl and a Girl — singer-songwriter, acoustic Americana
• NO CONCERT 7/1
• July 8: Old Oaks — folk singer-songwriters
• July 15: Los Chechos — Latin American fusion with influences from cumbia, ska, reggae and rock
• July 22: Maddie Batzli — indie pop
• July 29: The Night Painters — indie rock
• August 5: Sunspot — rock
• August 12: Stan and Friends — drums, keyboards, beats
• August 19: Bigtooth — traditional bluegrass
• August 26: Noah James Hittner — acoustic-tronic

Follow BID events and join our Facebook and Instagram communities! Stay up to date on ALL downtown events here.

ADVERSE WEATHER

In the event of inclement weather, a rain call will be made by 9:30 a.m. based on radar and a cancellation notice posted to Downtown Madison social channels and website.

ABOUT MADISON’S CENTRAL BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT (BID)

The BID represents more than 370 businesses and 250 property owners. It is dedicated to supporting the economic vitality, safety and vibrancy of downtown Madison. We serve the greater State Street, Capitol Square and First Settlement district, working collaboratively with property owners, small businesses and city stakeholders to make downtown Madison the best place to shop, dine, work, live and explore. As a special assessment district, we provide important services, including marketing, public programming, small business support and storefront advocacy to ensure a thriving downtown.

Ready, set, save! Registration now open for Dupaco’s 21-day Sprint to Savings Challenge

Dupaco Credit Union invites individuals of all financial fitness levels to join its Sprint to Savings Challenge, a 21-day journey that will help participants build stronger saving habits. Credit union membership is not required to participate.  

The three-week challenge will help participants take control of their finances, build momentum toward their savings goals and have a chance to win cash prizes along the way.  

During the challenge, participants will: 

• Build learning habits with simple strategies to grow their savings.  
• Stay motivated with regular check-ins to help stay on track and celebrate progress. 
• Get rewarded with weekly cash prize opportunities and the chance to win the $500 grand prize.  

“While this challenge is a sprint, it’s really about preparing for the bigger picture — each participant’s savings marathon,” said Tara McDermott, Senior Marketing Communication Specialist at Dupaco. “The goal is to help build confidence through small, repeatable actions that lead to long-term financial changes. Whether you’re just starting out or refining your strategy, this challenge offers a supportive way to move closer to reaching your savings goals and dreams.” 

Registration is open now through May 30. The challenge officially kicks off June 2.  

Those interested in registering for Dupaco’s 21-day Sprint to Savings Challenge and learning about all the contest details can visit dupaco.com/sprint-to-savings-challenge.  

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ABOUT DUPACO COMMUNITY CREDIT UNION  

Dupaco Community Credit Union is a not-for-profit, member-owned financial cooperative headquartered in Dubuque, Iowa. It is dedicated to the financial well-being of its members, and specializes in personalized financial counseling, money advice and education. It offers savings, loans, investments, insurance and wealth management products for individuals and businesses. Dupaco serves residents in 118 counties throughout Iowa, northwest Illinois and southwest Wisconsin. Founded in 1948 by ten Dubuque Packing Company employees, membership has grown to more than 173,000 with assets exceeding $3.5 billion. It has over 600 employees and 23 branch office locations. It is a Forbes Best-in-State Credit Union, Forbes America’s Best Small Employer, and a Des Moines Register Top Workplace. Learn more at www.dupaco.com

Security Dealer Magazine Recognizes Per Mar Security as #14 on Top 100 Report

DAVENPORT, Iowa – Per Mar Security, a leading provider of total security solutions, is proud to announce its ranking of #14 on SDM’s prestigious SDM Top 100 list for 2025. This recognition signifies Per Mar’s continued commitment to excellence in the security industry.

For over 30 years, Per Mar has consistently earned its place among the top security dealers in the United States. Ranking #14 reflects Per Mar’s sustained financial strength and growth, built upon a long-standing dedication to evolving security solutions and a focus on customer partnerships across their footprint.

Chris Edwards, president of Per Mar Security’s Electronic Security Division, said, “Per Mar Security is proud and honored to receive our highest ranking to date on the SDM 100 list. Being ranked 14th, as well as now being in the top 20 for the sixth consecutive year is a tremendous achievement for all our teammates who work day and night to protect our customers. I’m particularly proud of the way our team has embraced and utilized emerging technology such as video AI to provide the very latest and most sophisticated alarm technology in the industry.”

About Per Mar
Established in 1953, Per Mar Security is the largest, family-owned, full-service security company in the Midwest with more than 3,000 team members operating in 28 branch locations. The company provides full-service security solutions for homes and businesses including live video monitoring, security officer services, smart home automation, burglar and fire alarms, access control, security cameras, alarm monitoring, investigative services, and background checks. For more information about Per Mar Security Services, please visit permarsecurity.com.

New “Climate Action Playbook” Offers Groundbreaking Framework for Nurturing Climate-Resilient Children

(Madison, Wis.) —In an era marked by a rapidly changing climate, the newly published Climate Action Playbook is a vital resource for museum professionals, educators, caregivers, and others who work with children from birth to age eight.

The Climate Action Playbook addresses a critical gap in existing climate resources by focusing on the developmental needs of early learners.

Caretakers of Wonder, a consortium of children’s museums led by Madison Children’s Museum in partnership with Environment & Culture Partners, the Association of Children’s Museums, and Verdis Group, developed this innovative, holistic approach to preparing young children for a changing world while fostering compassion, excitement about the natural world, agency, and hope for a bright climate future.

Children’s museums are leading on the issue because the well-being and healthy development of children are their top concern.

“Our approach to early learning climate education is to center our work on cultivating curiosity, agency, empathy, hope, and deep connections with nature, rather than burdening young children with problems they are too young to solve,” says Brenda Baker, the Caretakers of Wonder project manager and vice president of exhibits, facilities & strategic initiatives at Madison Children’s Museum. “We’re equipping adults to be effective role models who can help grow resilient children capable of flourishing in a warming world.”

David Sobel, children’s environmental education expert and advisor to the Playbook, sums up the approach succinctly. “If we want children to flourish… then let us allow them to love the earth before we ask them to save it.”

Developed through a collaborative effort between nine children’s museums and science centers, along with experts in neuroscience, climate psychology, early childhood education, climate science, and equity, the Playbook offers practical tools to improve the lives of young children and families:

• Creating norms of self-care and connection
• Cultivating children’s well-being and capacity to flourish
• Establishing enduring relationships with Earth’s living beings and systems
• Building capacity for hope through action 

The Playbook is divided into two sections: one for Museum Visitors and one for Museum Professionals. Each section divides the content into age bands: birth to 3, 3 to 6, and 6 to 8 years old. Content is subdivided into three areas of emphasis: Nature & Well-being; Empathy & Resilience, and Hope & Collective Action. The Playbook also includes a comprehensive literature review of published pieces at the intersection of children and climate change.

The timing of this resource is particularly significant, as data from the World Health Organization shows that children are especially vulnerable to climate change impacts. An overwhelming 88% of the disease burden attributable to climate change afflicts children under five years of age, and studies show these impacts are felt the hardest by Black and brown children. In addition, recent research shows that over half of children feel “eco-anxiety” and many “feel sadness, anxiety, anger, helplessness, and guilt all at once.”

Consequently, adults who care for young children need guidance on what to do and say so their kids feel safe and hopeful. The Playbook provides the practical guidance these concerned adults need.

“Continue to foster a love of nature with young children,” advises the Playbook. “Catch fireflies, collect dandelions, and ford streams. You’re sowing the seeds of good stewardship and future action.”

The Climate Action Playbook is available now for museums, educators, and caregivers committed to nurturing the next generation of environmentally conscious citizens. Visit www.caretakersofwonder.org to learn more.

Caretakers of Wonder, a consortium of children’s museums led by Madison Children’s Museum in partnership with Environment & Culture Partners, the Association of Children’s Museums, and Verdis Group, was launched in 2022 with a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services MG 252083-OMS-22. Nine museums participated in the project’s first two years. That grant has been terminated by the federal government, though all promised funds have been received and the grant work is mostly complete. 

Phase II of Caretakers of Wonder was awarded a National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Climate Smart grant. That grant has also since been terminated—with no money disbursed. Madison Children’s Museum and partners remain committed to the coalition and the work.