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.

Wisconsin Grown: Celebrating 68 Years of QTI

Founded in 1957 in Madison, Joe and Jeanne Silverberg began a legacy of staffing and HR excellence that still serves organizations and job seekers across the state of Wisconsin today. In 2025, we are celebrating 68 years of QTI!

For 68 years, QTI has evolved alongside Wisconsin industries, providing our community members and local businesses with top talent, secure jobs, and the HR Consulting support needed to succeed.

In addition to our Madison location, QTI has opened a branch in Baraboo in 1982 and branches in Portage, Milwaukee, and Beaver Dam from 1994-1996. From our foundation in Madison, to our locations across Southcentral Wisconsin, and now clients across the nation, QTI has been a proud partner to Wisconsin manufacturers, nonprofits, educational systems, businesses, and everything in between.

We asked our employees what being a “Wisconsin Grown Business” meant to them.

“Wisconsin has a reputation for a strong work ethic, for a genuine care to make the communities we serve to grow and thrive, and I am proud to say that’s true,” said Charyl Uptegraw, Senior Consultant with QTI’s HR Consulting team.

Casey Liakos, QTI’s VP of Executive and Professional Search, said QTI’s tenure within the state of Wisconsin originally drew him to join our organization.

“After almost 70 years in the business, QTI is really part of the fabric of our community. I really wanted to be a part of that,” said Liakos.

“Above all, we owe our success to our people. At QTI, our slogan is, “our work is people, because people are at the heart of what we do.” We work hard to understand what our customers and job seekers need from us, and are extraordinarily proud that for nearly seven decades, we have delivered,” said QTI’s CEO and President, Londa Dewey, who has led The QTI Group since 2007.

We are proud to be a Wisconsin-grown, family-owned business.  Dave Silverberg, son of QTI’s founders, serves as Chairman of the Board, Jay Loewi, who joined QTI in 1989, serves on the Board, while his son, Jason Loewi, serves as QTI’s Vice President of Staffing today.

As we look ahead, we want to say thank you to the people in this great state who have trusted us to find exceptional talent, find stable jobs, and make certain their compensation and benefits are competitive. In true Wisconsin fashion, we are looking “forward” to many more years of business here at QTI!

New UW-Madison research reveals a genetic influence on quitting smoking

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
April 17, 2025
CONTACT: Lauren Schmitz, llschmitz@wisc.edu

MADISON, Wis., – In a novel study that is among the first in economics to combine genetic information and data from a randomized controlled study, a team of researchers led by Associate Professor Lauren Schmitz of the La Follette School of Public Affairs identified that smoking cessation efforts may be less effective for individuals with a high genetic risk for smoking.

The National Bureau of Economic Research working paper, which also includes La Follette Professor Jason Fletcher as a co-author, finds that participants in the landmark Lung Health Study with more genetic variants that predisposed them to smoking addiction were less likely to  benefit from a five-year smoking cessation intervention program.

“While we have intuitively understood for some time that genes likely play a factor in making it easy for some to quit smoking while difficult for others, we didn’t have the capabilities to test this until quite recently,” Schmitz says. “This study leverages advances in statistical genetics to better understand the interplay between genes and behavior and hopefully improve treatment options.”

This study uses the polygenic index from 4,145 participants in the Lung Health Study, a randomized controlled trial conducted from 1989 to 1994 with heavy smokers between 35 and 60 who were diagnosed with early stages of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and were motivated to quit smoking.

A polygenic index is a weighted average of an individual’s genetic predisposition for a given trait, such as smoking addiction, based on the cumulative effects of measured genetic variants. Polygenic index measures have become an important tool for connecting genetic data with social outcomes in social science research.

Although both treatment groups in the Lung Health Study were 23% more likely to quit smoking on average, the success of the intervention declined by approximately 2.5% for every standard deviation increase in the polygenic index associated with the likelihood of beginning to smoke.

Smoking has declined in popularity in the US over the last several decades, with 2024 matching a historical low as only 11% of adults reported smoking cigarettes in the previous week. Despite the decrease in prevalence, smoking remains a significant public health concern.

“Tobacco use is still the leading cause of preventable disease, disability, and death in the US. Precision medicine approaches that tailor smoking cessation efforts to individuals’ genes could help improve cessation outcomes in high-risk smokers,” Schmitz says.

Schmitz and Fletcher are leading scholars in the emerging field of social genomics, and core faculty members for the Initiative in Social Genomics at the La Follette School of Public Affairs.

The Initiative in Social Genomics integrates social science and genetic research to study how genes are linked with human behavior and socio-economic outcomes, how genes and environments interact, and how social conditions can influence humans all the way down to the molecular level.

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Capitol Bank Announces Two Promotions, Strengthening for Future Success

Madison, WI (March 26, 2025): Capitol Bank is pleased to announce promotions for Nick Inman and Paige Janquart, which will further enhance the Bank’s leadership team and position the Bank for future growth.

Nick Inman has been named SVP, Chief Credit Officer. Inman brings over 19 years of lending and credit experience to Capitol Bank as he assumes leadership of the Bank’s credit function. In his two years with Capitol Bank, Nick has led several transition efforts to position the Bank for scalable growth while adding efficiencies. This change will allow for continued enhancement of the Bank’s credit operations.

“Nick’s expertise and dedication to the Bank have been evident since his arrival, and I’m pleased to have Nick at the helm of our credit department,” said Justin Hart, CEO.

Paige Janquart has been named VP of Finance. Janquart, with 14 years of accounting and banking experience, has played an integral role in the Bank’s accounting department prior to and since exceeding $500 million. In Janquart’s new role, she will assume additional responsibilities overseeing the Accounting and Financing department.

“Paige has been an instrumental part of the Bank’s accounting & finance functions. She exemplifies the Bank’s mission and values and will continue to position the Bank for future success,” said Ami Myrland, President and CFO.

Benjamin F. Edwards & Co: Celebrating 15 Years in the Madison Community!

Benjamin F. Edwards & Co. is thrilled to celebrate a significant milestone: 15 years of serving the Madison community and beyond!

Our Madison branch officially opened its doors on December 4, 2009, under the leadership of Paul Olsen. Soon after, Matt Clooten and Carrie Dorman joined him, forming the foundation of a branch that has since grown significantly, providing trusted financial guidance to individuals and families across the region.

In recent years, our office has continued to expand, welcoming new employees Ty Nafziger, Nic Adamany, and Faith Diamond. Each brings experience, dedication, and a commitment to helping our clients achieve their financial goals.

Founded in 2008, Benjamin F. Edwards & Co. carries forward a proud legacy of client-first service spanning five generations. With roots tracing back to A.G. Edwards, the company was established to deliver a boutique-style approach to wealth management. This combines personalized service with a wide array of financial solutions tailored to meet the unique needs of individuals, families, and businesses nationwide.

Our Madison branch embodies this legacy, guided by the core principles of Trust, Integrity, and Mutual Respect. We proudly serve Madison and its surrounding communities, including Fitchburg, Waukesha, Middleton, Milwaukee, and more. Whether assisting clients with retirement planning, investment management, or navigating unique financial challenges, our employees work with passion and precision to help clients succeed.

To celebrate this milestone, we’re excited to host an event in Madison with our clients, featuring special guests from our Home Office in St. Louis, MO.

Thank you for letting us be a part of this amazing community. We look forward to serving you for many more years to come!

Securities and Advisory Services offered through Benjamin F. Edwards & Co., member FINRA and SIPC. Investing involves risk including the potential loss of principal. No investment strategy, including asset allocation and diversification, can guarantee a profit or protect against loss in periods of declining values. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Benjamin F. Edwards & Co. does not provide legal or tax advice, therefore it is also important to consult with your legal and tax professionals for additional guidance tailored to your specific situation.