Category: Accolades
Photo by Richard Hurd
AM Best affirms National Guardian Life Insurance Company A (Excellent) Rating
Madison, Wis. (May 27, 2022) – National Guardian Life Insurance Company (NGL) is pleased to announce AM Best has affirmed its A (Excellent) rating effective May 6, 2022. This rating reflects the excellent ability of NGL to meet its ongoing insurance policy and contract obligations and further attests to its financial strength.
“2021 was a pivotal year in NGL’s history. Throughout the year, NGL sold past acquisitions, as well as a variety of older blocks of acquired life insurance policies. These sales raised meaningful capital and helped NGL reach levels of capital that give it unprecedented strength in its 113-year history,” said Knut Olson, President and CEO at NGL.
“Significantly de-risking the liability profile of the company over the last two years and having the highest level of capital measured by AM Best will further allow NGL to make good on policyholder commitments and weather potential economic headwinds that might arise over time. Additionally, we can now selectively explore potential opportunities that add more functionality, product and scale to our core lines of business,” said John Horbal, Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer.
According to a news release from AM Best, NGL continues to maintain the strongest level of risk-adjusted capitalization, as measured by Best’s Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR), which has been bolstered by the sale of several legacy blocks of business. NGL enjoys a market leading position in the preneed life insurance space and continues to look for opportunities to expand sales through alternative channels and new product offerings.
Olson continued, “As we look ahead, NGL is poised to expand its preneed business and make an even greater difference in the death care industry.”
AM Best is the world’s oldest and most authoritative insurance rating information source. The financial strength rating is based on a comprehensive quantitative and qualitative evaluation of a company’s balance sheet strength, operating performance and business profile.
As a longtime leader in the insurance industry, NGL is dedicated to serving policyholders and partners by offering high-quality products that are among the safest and most stable in the industry.
To learn more about NGL’s financial strength and stability visit our website, www.nglic.com. For the latest rating, access www.ambest.com.
About NGL
Established in 1909 National Guardian Life Insurance Company (NGL) is an insurance company headquartered in Madison, Wis. Licensed to do business in 49 states and the District of Columbia, NGL markets preneed and individual life and annuities, as well as group markets products. Information about NGL can be found at www.nglic.com; Facebook: Facebook.com/NGLIC and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-guardian-life-insurance-company.
Ratings current as of 05/06/22. National Guardian Life Insurance Company is not affiliated with The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America a/k/a The Guardian or Guardian Life.
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Photo by Richard Hurd
Endres Manufacturing Recognized for Project of the Year
Endres Manufacturing Company, a steel fabricator in Waunakee, WI was recognized for their steel fabrication work on The University of Wisconsin, Natatorium Project in Madison, Wisconsin. The UW Natatorium Project was selected as a project of the year and one of the most complicated and largest projects ever taken on by Endres Manufacturing Company. The recognition was given by the Steel Plus Network, a business network of structural steel fabricators and suppliers from across North America. Endres is one of Wisconsin’s largest and most highly respected structural steel fabricators.
Photo by Richard Hurd
Spherion Staffing and Recruiting in Madison and DeForest Presented President’s, Bronze Circle, On-Premise Office of the Year, and Top Sales Growth Awards
CONTACT:
Alex Hopkins
All Points Public Relations
(847) 897-7469
ahopkins@allpointspr.com
Spherion Staffing and Recruiting in Madison and DeForest Presented President’s, Bronze Circle, On-Premise Office of the Year, and Top Sales Growth Awards
Local Staffing and Recruiting Company Recognized with Prestigious National Honors
MADISON, Wisc. – Spherion Staffing and Recruiting (Spherion) in Madison and DeForest announced today that it was recently presented with the President’s, Bronze Circle, On-Premise Office of the Year and Top Sales Growth Awards during the company’s annual national meeting.
Despite continuing to face pandemic-related workforce challenges, Diana Schafer and Margaret Leitinger, Spherion franchise owners in Madison and DeForest, were recognized for their monumental growth in 2021.
“Margaret and I couldn’t be more grateful for the recognition from the Spherion team,” said Schafer. “Our goal is to support both job seekers and businesses in Madison, DeForest and surrounding communities. We work incredibly hard alongside our teams to ensure we provide optimal service to both clients and candidates. We couldn’t have done this without our incredible staff who work hard with us every day to ensure that we find great fits for job-seekers and employers alike, and live up to the Spherion name and mission. We’re appreciative to have been presented these awards and hope to continue that growth in the year to come.”
The 2022 Spherion National Meeting was held at the ARIA Resort & Casino in Las Vegas March 24-26 and was themed How Sweet It Is! At Spherion’s first in-person meeting since the pandemic, franchisees had the chance to reconnect with each other and with members of the corporate team face-to-face while gaining insights on the status of the brand as well as the staffing industry. Throughout the three-day meeting, franchisees attended general sessions, keynote speeches, and also participated in breakout sessions. The meeting concluded with an awards reception where Schafer, Leitinger and several other franchisees were recognized and celebrated for their accomplishments.
“Our 2022 national meeting provided a fantastic opportunity to once again gather as a community and reflect on our growth while learning and preparing for the year to come,” said Rebecca Rogers Tijerino, president of Spherion. “We certainly had a lot to celebrate, including dedicated franchisees like Diana and Margaret who continue to make Spherion the incredible organization it is today. Congratulations once again to the entire team in Madison and DeForest!”
Spherion brandishes the power of local through a network of independent and empowered franchisees like Schafer, Leitinger. Each Spherion franchisee enriches their community by connecting and facilitating employment opportunities every day. When businesses and job seekers are successful together, their investments in each other flow back into the neighborhoods where they live and work.
To learn more about Spherion Staffing Madison and DeForest, visit www.spherion.com/Madison-WI.
About Spherion
With more than 75 years of staffing and recruiting experience, Spherion stands out as a leader in the industry, leveraging the power of local to support its vast network of independent franchisees. True to its tagline, Let’s Get to Work, Spherion provides workforce solutions to more than 4,000 businesses nationwide across its more than 200 offices. With recent awards including recognition on Entrepreneur magazine’s Franchise 500 list and being named a top recruiting firm by Forbes, Spherion has a proven ability to cater to the ever-changing demands of America’s workforce. Backed by the global leader in human resources, Spherion is prepared to provide workforce solutions through its General Staffing franchise model and newly launched Professional IT model to even more job seekers and organizations.
To learn more about Spherion’s services, visit https://www.spherion.com.
For information about the Spherion franchising opportunity, visit https://www.spherion.com/franchise/.
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Wisconsin Small Business Administration Honors Oak Bank With Volume Lender Award
For Immediate Release
Contact: Karen Virnoche, 608.441.6000
kvirnoche@oakbankonline.com
Wisconsin Small Business Administration Honors Oak Bank With Volume Lender Award
Oak Bank ranks at the top among Wisconsin banks of its size in the number of primary loans approved for small businesses in 2021.
Fitchburg, WI – Oak Bank announced they are the recipient of the 2021 Wisconsin Small Business Administration (SBA) Volume Lender Award for banks with an asset size between $400 and $500 million.
Oak Bank received the honor for having the most approved 7(a) loans in the state among similar-sized banks. The 7(a) Loan Program is the SBA’s most common small business loan program that helps businesses cover a variety of needs, including working capital, purchasing new equipment and new building construction.
“The last couple of years have been a challenge, especially for small businesses,” said Terry Taylor, Oak Bank President. “We are proud to have partnered with our local businesses for the last 22 years, but especially as they’ve weathered the uncertainty of the pandemic. We strongly believe in building long-lasting relationships and are committed to helping all our businesses not only survive but thrive for years to come.”
“SBA programs help fuel economic growth and build strong communities,” said Linda Zimdars, Oak Bank Senior Vice President of Business Banking. “It gives me a great amount of pride to see our ‘Financing provided by Oak Bank’ signs on construction sites when I drive around the Madison area. That represents one of the ways businesses utilize SBA financing. I know that Oak Bank has made a difference to so many businesses in our community. We work hard for them, working side by side with business owners, and in the end, their success is our success.”
Another example of that commitment was evident during the pandemic when Oak Bank joined other financial institutions across Wisconsin in processing a collective total of 33,000 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans worth a cumulative $2.2 billion.
“When the pandemic started, we wanted to help small businesses stay open. We worked many late nights to ensure funding of the PPP and other government programs,” said Zimdars. “We knew we needed to be there when our business clients needed us the most.”
In May, Oak Bank will receive the 2021 Wisconsin Small Business Administration (SBA) Volume Lender Award at the 32nd Annual Wisconsin Lenders Conference.
About Oak Bank
Founded in 2000, Oak Bank celebrates 22 years of deep roots in the Fitchburg community and Madison area. The community bank meets the financial needs of homeowners and businesses by offering top-notch service, quick answers, and unique solutions, all while supporting over 125 local nonprofits each year. Visit oakbankonline.com to learn more.
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Photo by Richard Hurd
Wisconsin State Journal Names Iconica a Winner of Madison, WI Top Workplaces 2022 Award
Media Contact:
Blake Sabatke
Digital Marketing Manager
blake.sabatke@iconicacreates.com
608.664.3533
For Immediate Release:
Wisconsin State Journal Names Iconica a Winner of Madison, WI Top Workplaces 2022 Award
Madison, Wisconsin, March 29, 2022 – Iconica has been awarded a Top Workplaces 2022 honor by the Wisconsin State Journal. The list is based solely on employee feedback gathered through an anonymous survey administered by employee engagement technology partner Energage LLC. The survey measures 15 culture drivers that are critical to the success of any organization including alignment, execution, and connection.
“This is a great accomplishment for Iconica,” said Jim Pientka, President and CEO of Iconica. “We have created a culture that people want to be a part of. To me, that is what this business is all about. It’s about connecting people with similar values and doing the right thing for our customers.”
With over 60 professionals (and growing), what makes Iconica stand out that each person on the team plays a critical role in the way the company moves forward. Iconica is a full service, integrated team where architecture, engineering, and construction professionals work together under one roof. Collaborative teams are empowered to make decisions, have their voices heard, and hold each other accountable for the work that needs to be done. Iconica provides employees the opportunity to excel in a challenging, yet fun work environment.
“Iconica is committed to continuing to focus on building a culture where employees are excited to come to work every day, feel valued and supported, and have opportunities to learn, grow, and make a difference,” said Mike Walters, Executive Vice President.
About Iconica:
Located in Madison, Wisconsin, Iconica provides full-service architecture, engineering, and general contracting in a fully integrated solution or as separate services. Iconica has worked to perfect a process that takes the uncertainty and headaches out of commercial building: the delays, the finger-pointing, and the cost overruns. Whether tasked with a small remodel or a large commercial complex, Iconica works closely with clients, subcontractors, and vendors to provide results to support project goals. We take every lesson learned on the job and apply it to the next, providing a real impact on each client’s business, one revolution at a time.
To learn more about Iconica head to www.iconicacreates.com.