Kraus-Anderson completes car dealerships in Mount Pleasant and Bristol, Wis.

RACINE, Wis. (February 2021) – The Madison office of Kraus-Anderson Construction has completed the construction of Racine Honda in Mount Pleasant, Wis., and Kenosha Subaru in Bristol, Wis. Both car dealerships are owned by Home Run Auto Group.

Racine Honda, a new $9.1 million dealership, located at 1701 E Frontage Rd. in Mount Pleasant, was developed by Janesville, Wis.-based M&J Real Estate. The new two-story building replaces the existing dealership at 9501 Washington Ave. The 45,000-square-foot building features a new showroom and a full-service department with 34 bays, including two detail bays and a car wash. The dealership also includes new sales and finance offices and a storage mezzanine.

Kenosha Subaru, located at 7900 120th Ave. in Bristol, features a $1.9 million, 7,300-square-foot expansion that added 11 service bays to the service department and renovated the offices and restrooms.

Both dealerships were designed by Johnsburg, Ill.-based architect R.B. Custom Designs, Inc.

COVID-19: KRAUS-ANDERSON’S COMMITMENT TO JOB SAFETY
As the world continues to deal with and adapt to the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kraus-Anderson’s top priority remains safety. The company has implemented stringent social distancing practices and other elevated safety protocol on construction job sites, details of which can be found at https://www.krausanderson.com/about/kraus-anderson-responds-to-covid-19/.

About Kraus-Anderson
Established in 1897, Kraus-Anderson (www.krausanderson.com) is an integrated construction management and real estate enterprise working independently and in collaboration with a family of companies including insurance and financing operations. Kraus-Anderson, an Equal Opportunity & Affirmative Action employer, is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn. and has regional offices in Madison, Wis., Bismarck, N.D., and Duluth, Bemidji and Rochester Minn.

Goodwill SCWI celebrates 50 years in South Central Wisconsin

NEWS ALERT
January 21, 2021

David Johnson
Communications Coordinator
djohnson@goodwillscwi.org
608-438-7775

Goodwill SCWI celebrates 50 years in South Central Wisconsin

Madison, WI – Goodwill of South Central Wisconsin is celebrating 50 years of serving our neighbors in South Central Wisconsin, helping people gain independence through the power of work.

Since 1971, Goodwill SCWI has provided a hand up for anyone, throughout the 14-county region we serve, who wants to achieve independence through jobs, education, and skills training.

50 years of strengthening the community by helping staff members realize their potential, achieve goals in the career pathways they set, while providing support along the way.

50 years of service to the community by offering job and training programs to assist those with obstacles to employment, help develop marketable skills, and find meaningful work.

And during those 50 years, our 3 group homes have provided a safe, supportive way for hundreds of adults with mental illness regain their independence.

But our impact in the community doesn’t stop there. Goodwill SCWI is also a green business, keeping 16 million of pounds of goods each year out of local landfills through resale and responsible recycling.

This is who we’ve been for 50 years. Goodwill SCWI is excited to continue our mission of providing services for people with obstacles to employment for another half century and beyond.

About Goodwill of South Central Wisconsin

Goodwill SCWI is a local nonprofit operating 13 stores in the South Central region. The stores exist as the economic engine for Goodwill’s mission services, providing career guidance, supported employment and residential services to people with disabilities, mental health concerns and other obstacles to employment and independent living.

Communications Engineering Company (CEC) Celebrates 75-Year Milestone

Company positions itself to remain sustainable and relevant for the next 75 years

Hiawatha, IA (Jan. 26, 2021) – CEC (Communications Engineering Company), a nationally recognized technology solutions provider and systems integrator in the Midwest, announces today a year-long celebration of its 75^th anniversary.

CEC was established in 1946 by founder Paul Parmer to support the growing need for communication via radio transmission. From post-WWII to a worldwide pandemic, CEC evolved as communication systems became increasingly sophisticated and pervasive. Jim and Lisa Smith, CEC owners, share, “When we purchased CEC 30 years ago, we acquired a company steeped in 45 years of technology history, and, most importantly, an amazing team of people focused on solving customers’ complex needs. We are here today because of our employees’ passion for bringing tools that help our customers face organizational challenges.”

A year-long series of celebrations will be held across Iowa and Wisconsin to honor the company’s history, showcase emerging technologies, and put a spotlight on the talented people creating premier customer experiences. This includes re-launching the popular Business Technology Conference (BTC) in October 2021. With a historic and timely focus – 75 Years of Technology & Innovation: Past, Present, and Future – the conference will be an opportunity for organizations to assess their technology foundation, learn about trends, and work on their technology vision and roadmap.

“CEC is a trusted partner of hospitals, manufacturers, educators, governments, and financial institutions because we deliver great technology experiences,” states Kim Lehrman, CEO. “Technology is in a constant state of change and evolution. To position ourselves for the next 75 years, we will continue to invest in building the talent that customers want beside them as they choose, engineer, implement, and integrate their mission-critical systems. That has been the foundation for CEC’s success in the last 75 years and will continue to be for the next 75 years.”

In anticipation of renewed growth, CEC has developed industry-leading training and mentoring initiatives, including: Department of Labor-sanctioned apprenticeships, Building Industry Consulting Services International (BICSI)-certified training, and manufacturer certifications. In addition, planned summer internships will focus on developing knowledge of technology and associated career paths within CEC. Discovering the potential in each individual and growing and nurturing that passion is what leads the company to success. These premier programs promote a deep understanding of the specific skills needed to impact the next generation of technology masters – and CEC is leading the way.

About CEC

CEC employs more than 300 professional and technical staff in eight locations in Iowa and Wisconsin. The company offers solution design, integration, and technical services specializing in audio/video, fire and security, healthcare communications, IT, and two-way communications. Focused on creating world class technology experiences, the CEC team partners with clients to understand their businesses, tailor solutions, and plan for future technology needs. Visit www.cecinfo.com.

Media Contact: Angie Worrell, aworrell@cecinfo.com, 319.731.1245

Photos available upon request.

American Provenance Chosen By Nation’s 1st Consumer Products Accelerator for 9th Austin Cohort

Founder of egg giant Vital Farms will kick off the 12-week program

AUSTIN (Jan. 6, 2021) – SKU, the nation’s first accelerator for consumer packaged goods (CPGs), has selected the seven companies that will participate in the ninth track of the Austin program. The companies represent a wide range of categories, including allergy-free ice cream sandwiches, Ayurvedic hair care and better-for-you agua fresca. They each were selected based on the innovation of their products, their traction in the market and the passion of their founders.

The Track 9 companies are Agua Bonita,  American Provenance, Bee Free, Green Girl Bakeshop, Macro Snacks, Shaz & Kiks and Waka Coffee.

“We had one of the most competitive applicant pools ever with brands from around the country, and these seven companies and their founders really stood out,” says SKU Managing Director Kirstin Ross. “It continues to amaze me the level of creativity and commitment these founders have. They draw on their own personal experiences to create products that bring something really new and special to the market.”

SKU Track 9 kicks off Jan. 29 and runs through mid-May. Over the course of 12 weeks, the founders will participate in a proven program that combines best-in-class CPG curriculum with mentoring. The program culminates in a showcase virtual pitch event on May 18, which provides founders with a chance to present their brands to a national audience of CPG leaders and investors.

SKU’s blue chip mentors are at the core of the program. The mentor community includes CPG founders, industry executives and investors from some of the nation’s most successful consumer-product companies, including Deep Eddy Vodka, Amplify Snack Brands (Skinny Pop, Pirate’s Booty) and Vital Farms. The SKU founders are guided through the intense program by a hand-picked team of mentors, all focused on helping them scale their businesses.

Vital Farms founder and longtime SKU mentor Matt O’Hayer will kick off Track 9, sharing his own entrepreneurial journey and tips for success. He started the egg company in 2007 with a quest to prove it is possible to produce high-quality food in an environmentally responsible manner. With his wife, Catherine, and 20 Rhode Island Red hens on 27 acres in Austin, O’Hayer built Vital Farms into the #1 pasture-raised egg and butter brand in the United States and the #2 egg brand in retail dollar sales with products in 13,000 stores. Vital Farms went public in summer 2020. “The SKU Consumer Products Accelerator is an invaluable resource to founders of emerging CPG brands,” says O’Hayer. “The program is thorough and comprehensive, guiding emerging business leaders on the many aspects of building and scaling a CPG company through a dynamic mentorship network.”                                                           

Friends of Governor Dodge Receive $50,000 Matching Gift

The season of giving just got a little brighter for the Friends of Governor Dodge State Park with an anonymous $50,000 donation from an area park lover. This amazing gift comes in the form of matching funds to the Friends equestrian campground project. For 5-plus years the Friends have been working to plan and fundraise for the equestrian campground called for in the park’s 1984 Master Plan. With this generous gift, and over $20,000 in match eligible donations already received, the Friends are very close to having the funds needed to break ground this spring. The 2021 construction plan is to complete the campground road and 12 of an eventual 20 campsites, most with electric service and all with beautiful views of the park’s bluffs and forests.

The project enhances outdoor recreation opportunities at Governor Dodge State Park and is expected to draw more campers who will stay longer and explore more of the park and the surrounding Driftless region. Recognizing the importance of outdoor recreational spending for local economies, the Friends especially hope that area businesses will support the park and this project by making a donation NOW, when all gifts will be doubled by the match.

Givers at the $1,000 level and above will be permanently recognized at the new facility.  Through the 100 Extraordinary Friends campaign, individuals donating $1,000 will receive a personalized brick in their own name or in honor of a friend, family member or special animal companion. 100 EF gifts can be made on a one-time basis, or in 10 monthly installments.  Best of all, gifts in any amount are match-eligible through December 31. Details about the project and giving options are at www.GovDodgeEquestrians.com.