Wisconsin Bank & Trust Recognized as a Forbes Best Bank in America For 2017

Wisconsin Bank & Trust Recognized as a Forbes Best Bank in America For 2017

Wisconsin Bank & Trust’s Parent Company, Heartland Financial USA, Inc., Recognized Among America’s Leading Financial Institutions                                                                                  

Madison, WI, May 9, 2017 — Wisconsin Bank & Trust, a subsidiary of Heartland Financial USA, Inc. (NASDAQ:HTLF), has been named a “Forbes Best Bank 2017.”

In its annual review of the largest publicly traded banks and thrifts, Forbes ranked Heartland Financial USA, Inc. 44^th among a nationwide group of 100 leading banking organizations with assets ranging from under $8 billion to over $2.5 trillion.

“We are proud to be named among the best banks in America for 2017,” said Kevin Tenpas, Chairman and CEO of Wisconsin Bank & Trust. “As a community bank, what sets us apart is our strong commitment to our customers, combined with access to ‘big-bank’ products and services as part of Heartland. The Forbes ranking underscores the benefits of our unique structure—the strength and capabilities of a big bank, combined with the personal touch and local decision-making of a community bank.”

To compile the rankings, Forbes used data collected by S&P Global Market Intelligence through the third quarter of 2016 on the country’s largest publicly traded banks and thrifts. The data covered 10 metrics related to growth, profitability, capital adequacy and asset quality. Metrics included return on average tangible equity, return on average assets, net interest margin, efficiency ratio and net charge-offs as a percent of total loans. Nonperforming assets as a percent of assets, risk-based capital ratio and reserves as a percent of nonperforming assets were also factored in.

“We attribute our strong performance to both our loyal and satisfied customers and our disciplined financial management,” said Tenpas.

In 2016, Heartland’s net income increased by 35 percent over 2015, with earnings per share growing by 14 percent. That strong shared success provides Wisconsin Bank & Trust with an outstanding platform for continued growth.

About Wisconsin Bank & Trust
Wisconsin Bank & Trust (WBT), a subsidiary of Heartland Financial USA, Inc., (NASDAQ: HTLF), is a business-focused community bank with assets of more than $1 billion. With eighteen banking centers and two mortgage origination offices, Wisconsin Bank & Trust serves customers in the Madison, Milwaukee, Green Bay, Sheboygan, Monroe and southwest areas of Wisconsin. WBT offers a wide range of personal and business banking, private client and mortgage lending services. For more information, visit www.wisconsinbankandtrust.com or call 608.203.1214. Wisconsin Bank & Trust is a member of the FDIC and an Equal Housing Lender.

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CEC receives BICSI Presidential Eagle Award

Hiawatha, IA (April 28, 2017) – CEC, a nationally recognized systems and technology integrator, received BISCI’s annual Presidential Eagle Award for its BICSI Authorized Training Facility (ATF).

Accredited since 2015, CEC’s Authorized Training Facility offers training on the proper methods for installing data, voice, and video cabling in commercial buildings to CEC staff as well as customers and other industry professionals.

“Two years ago, CEC envisioned a program that allowed people to develop in their career through levels of certification,” said Brian Morrow, director of PMO and BICSI certified trainer. “We now have a program that not only trains on best practices, it empowers participants with the resources to find answers for the rest of their career.”

“The BISCI Authorized Training Facilities embody the criteria of the Presidential Eagle Award ensuring the highest degree of excellence for BICSI training,” said BICSI President Brian Ensign, RCDD, NTS, OSP, RTPM, CSI. “It is important to recognize all they have done for BICSI and the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) cabling installation industry.”

The Presidential Eagle Award is presented to individuals who have exhibited leadership, sacrifice, faith in the BICSI association, and dedication to the industry.

For more information about BICSI training contact CEC training at 319-731-4811.

About CEC

With offices in the Midwest serving local and national customers, CEC offers solution design, integration, and technical services specializing in audio/video, safety and security, IT, structured cabling, and two-way communications. Focused on the customer experience, the CEC teams partner with clients to understand their business, tailor solutions, and plan for future technology needs. To learn more, visit www.cecinfo.com or contact CEC at 800.377.0721.

About BISCI

BICSI is the worldwide association for cabling design and installation professionals. BISCI strives to provide information, education, and knowledge assessment for individuals in the information and communications technology (ICT) community. For more information visit www.bicsi.org

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For more information:

Melissa Henderson, Director, Marketing & Business Development

mhenderson@cecinfo.com or 319-294-9000

Brad Duffy Receives Prestigious NCISS Award & Elected 1st VP of NCISS

Contact: Jennifer VanGenderen, Per Mar Security Services, 563-344-7313

Des Moines, Iowa — Brad Duffy, President of the Security Officer Division for Per Mar Security Services, was the recipient of the 2017 Wayne J. Wunder Memorial Award from the National Council of Investigation & Security Services. This award is voted on by NCISS members and presented to a member annually to recognize exceptional contributions to NCISS.  The primary purpose of the NCISS is to monitor and direct federal legislation that affects the security and investigation industry.

Duffy was presented with this award while attending the annual Hit the Hill conference in Washington D.C. where he joined other NCISS members to talk with members of Congress about national legislative and regulatory policies affecting the industry.  “The Wunder Award is named after a family who has been devoted to the mission of NCISS for decades. It represents integrity and dedication to the industry and it is an honor to receive the award,” said Duffy. Duffy has been a member of NCISS for five years, and currently serves as 2^nd Vice President of NCISS. Michael Duffy, his father and CEO of Per Mar Security Services, previously won this prestigious award for his contributions to NCISS.

Also, while attending the Hit the Hill conference, Brad Duffy was elected 1^st Vice President for the National Council of Investigations & Security Services for the 2017/2018 year. “NCISS is the leading voice in Washington D.C. for the security and investigations industry. It is humbling to be elected 1st Vice President and I look forward to continuing to help lead NCISS and serve our industry,” said Duffy.

About Per Mar Security Services

Established in 1953, Per Mar Security Services is the largest, family owned, full-service security company in the Midwest with more than 2,400 team members, operating in 23 locations throughout Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Nebraska.

The company provides full-service security solutions for homes and businesses including guard services, mobile patrol, electronic security, smart home automation, fire alarms, monitoring services, investigative services and pre-employment services. For more information about Per Mar Security Services, please visit permarsecurity.com.

Suttle-Straus Wins Five Best of Category Awards in 2017 Graphics Excellence Competition

Waunakee, WI – Suttle-Straus is excited to announce that the Great Lakes Graphics Association (GLGA) has recognized them for printing excellence. Earlier this year, Suttle-Straus submitted several print samples for consideration in GLGA’s annual Graphics Excellence Awards (GEA) competition, one of the largest printing competitions in the nation. Winners were recently notified of their achievements and Suttle-Straus is proud to be the recipient of five Best of Category awards.

Judging for the GEAs was completed in early March by a panel of experts in the print and production industry. Each entry was judged on its own merit in a category with similar printed pieces. The judging criteria included clarity and neatness, richness and tonal qualities of color, paper and ink selection, ink coverage, difficulty of printing, effective contrast or softness, finishing, bindery and overall visual impact. 

In addition to the Best of Category awards, numerous Awards of Excellence and Certificates of Merit were given to other projects. The Best of Category award-winning entries will automatically advance to the Premier Print Awards competition, a nation-wide competition hosted by Printing Industries of America, where each entry has a chance to win the coveted “Benny” award.

Ted Straus, President of Suttle-Straus, states, “We are extremely proud of our dedicated team and the work they put into producing beautiful print pieces. It is a real achievement to continually be recognized as a company that produces top quality, award-winning materials.”

An awards ceremony to celebrate all the winning entries will be held May 24 at the Wisconsin Club in Milwaukee. Additional awards for Best of Show, Best of State and People’s Choice will be announced that evening.

The five Best of Category winners are as follows:

• Sub-Zero Wolf M Series Cookbook
• Sub-Zero Wolf Westye F Bakke Center Book
• United Soybean Board 2015 National Environmental Audit of Animal Agriculture
• Middleton High School 2015-2016 Yearbook
• Gressco GV Pro Self Mailer

Learn more about these projects at suttle-straus.com or by clicking here.

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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Sergenian’s Wins Gold Standard Award

Media Contact: Jim Geisking, Kennedy Communications, 608-558-0693, jgeisking@kennedyc.com

SERGENIAN’S WINS GOLD STANDARD AWARD

Top honor from World Floor Covering Association

Sergenian’s Floor Coverings, founded in Madison in 1930, was recently honored with the 2017 Gold Standard Award from the World Floor Covering Association (WFCA).

The WFCA recognized Sergenian’s as an “instant standout” for this national award because of their “second-to-none” customer service and “aggressive” sustainability efforts. The WFCA gave Sergenian’s the first place award after evaluating eligible businesses on their knowledge, customer service, quality of store image and code of conduct.

Ten years ago Sergenian’s started the first and only comprehensive carpet reclamation program in the state of Wisconsin. Called Sergenian’s Landfill Free Guarantee, the program has resulted in more than 12 million pounds of carpet recycled.

“We are honored to receive this award, which is really a reflection of how much we value our customers and the greater Madison community,” said Jim Garner, president/CEO of Sergenian’s. “We take great pride in our sustainability efforts, which will benefit generations to come.”

The 2017 Gold Standard Award is not the first recognition received by Sergenian’s.  Other recent awards and honors include CEO Jim Garner’s 2016 Ground Floor Award from the Greater Madison Chamber and 2012 induction into InBusiness Magazine’s Hall of Fame; InBusiness Magazine’s Sustainability Award in 2010, Mohawk Greenworks Dealer of the Year in 2009, Starnet Design’s Best Overall Project in 2005, America’s Rug Retailer of the Year in 2003.

For more information regarding Sergenian’s Floor Coverings, please visit sergenians.com. For more information about the WFCA, visit WFCA.org and WFCA-PRO.org.

About Sergenian’s Floor Coverings

Founded in 1930, Sergenian’s aims to provide local and sustainable flooring products of the highest quality and value, with professional service and installation. The company offers wall-to-wall carpet and a wide variety of other floor coverings. The award-winning company and its sustainability efforts are recognized both nationally and locally.