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.

Foundation for Madison’s Public Schools Selected as Hometown Charity for the Subaru Share the Love Event

We are thrilled to announce Don Miller Subaru of Madison has chosen the Foundation for Madison’s Public Schools as their hometown charity for this year’s Subaru Share the Love Event. For every new car sold or leased between Nov. 19, 2020 and Jan. 4, 2021, Subaru will donate $250 and Don Miller Subaru of Madison will donate an additional $50 to the buyer’s choice of one of four national charities or YOUR hometown charity – the Foundation for Madison’s Public Schools! In addition, Don Miller will donate $5 for any routine service visit during that time period.

Schedule a safe visit to either the East or West Don Miller Subaru dealership today and stop by the Foundation’s booth. All proceeds will benefit our school supply fund, which since September, has raised $220,000 supporting over 3,500 students in need of resources to properly engage in virtual learning. Donations purchased comprehensive school supply kits for students at every one of our 50 Madison public schools.

Please share this great news with your friends, family and colleagues! Learn more about how you can make a safe trip to either dealership by visiting their websites linked below.

Don Miller Subaru East
Don Miller Subaru West

Capitol Bank Celebrates 25th Anniversary by Donating $25,000

Capitol Bank celebrated 25 years in business on October 9, 2020. With an in-person event not possible, they came up with a unique and impactful way to celebrate the milestone instead. The 25 longest-tenured employees of Capitol Bank each selected a non-profit to receive a $1,000 donation. This “$25,000 for 25 Years” campaign was promoted virtually by the Bank and its employees through Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

“All that has happened in 2020 really put this milestone in perspective for us. Giving $25,000 was our way of recognizing our employees, customers and community, and it’s been a rewarding experience all around,” said Ken Thompson, President and CEO of Capitol Bank.

While all the donations were special and rewarding in their own way, of notable significance was the $1,000 Thompson chose to have donated to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society – Wisconsin Chapter. Capitol Bank’s former founder and president, Jim Dolister, passed away in 2017 from leukemia. Jim’s wife, Sandy, was in attendance when the donation was presented to LLS in his honor.

In addition to the donations, Capitol Bank asked a few customers, employees and community members to participate in a video to commemorate the month-long celebration.

For a list of the 25 organizations that received the $1,000 donations, and to view the 25^th anniversary videos, click here: https://www.capitolbank.com/25years/

About Capitol Bank: Capitol Bank, locally owned and operated since 1995, is committed to serving the communities in which we live, work and do business. We are proud of the partnerships we have established with organizations, businesses and individuals in the Dane County area. Our philosophy of community support is demonstrated at the corporate level, as well as in the time and energy our employees devote to our community each year. Capitol Bank is Member FDIC.

Contact: Natalie Gregerson
Director of Marketing/Officer
Capitol Bank
710 N. High Point Road
Madison, WI 53717
608.836.1616

DeWitt Attorney Butler Designated Distinguished Faculty by the National Judicial College

MADISON | MILWAUKEE | MINNEAPOLIS – DeWitt LLP announced today Attorney and Former Justice Louis B. Butler Jr., has attained the designation of Distinguished Faculty by the National Judicial College headquartered in Reno, Nev.

This honor is reserved for men and women who have contributed 15 years or more of volunteer teaching service to the College, where judges from across the nation and around the world take continuing judicial education classes. In the more than half-century that the College has existed, fewer than 150 individuals have taught for 15 or more years.

As the first African American to serve on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, Attorney Butler participated in many decisions which have had significant legal impacts in the State of Wisconsin. In addition to being a law instructor, he spent a great portion of his career as a public servant, acting as a criminal defense attorney, an appellate attorney, a state court judge and city judge as well.

Since his time on the bench, Louis, who recently retired, focused his private practice on providing his clients with advice in litigation, construction litigation, environmental issues and appellate matters. He also had more than nine years of exclusive criminal appellate experience.

Attorney Butler, who earned a J.D. from the University of Wisconsin Law School and a B.A. from Lawrence University, also holds an Honorary Doctorate in Humanities (2007) from Lawrence.

About DeWitt

DeWitt LLP is one of the ten largest law firms based in Wisconsin, with an additional presence in Minnesota. It has nearly 140 attorneys practicing in Madison and Metropolitan Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Minneapolis, Minnesota, in a variety of legal areas and has the experience to service clients of all scopes and sizes. The firm is known for its work in several areas, including intellectual property, patents, trademarks and copyright law, construction litigation, corporate law, employment, environmental, employee benefits, estate planning, family law, government relations, health care, litigation, real estate, and tax law.  More information is available at dewittllp.com.