M3 Ranked 50th Largest Broker of U.S. Business

For the first time in its 50 years in business, M3 Insurance cracked the top 50 on the list of 100 largest brokers of U.S. business, climbing five spots from 2018, according to a recent report in Business Insurance magazine.

Rankings were based on 2018 brokerage revenue generated by U.S.-based clients. M3 reported gross U.S. revenues of just above $67 million, showing an 11.9% increase over the previous year.

The special report and list of 100 largest brokers of U.S. business was released in the July 2019 issue of Business Insurance magazine, a leading, weekly publication for executives interested in mitigating risk and the impact it can have on business.

“We are thrilled to be a top 50 agency,” said Mike Victorson, president & CEO. “It’s a testament to the hard work and dedication of our talented team, along with the strong relationships we have with our clients, communities, and industry partners. We remain unwavering in our commitment to independence, private ownership, and our focus on being forward thinking and client-driven.”

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About M3

M3 Insurance offers insight, advice and strategies to help clients manage risk, purchase insurance and provide employee benefits. We are committed to being experts in both the products we represent and the industries we serve. Our people advance M3’s competitive advantage in the marketplace, and our focus on community builds better places to live and work. M3 is consistently ranked a top 100 broker in America and celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2018.

Recurring revenue pushes successful 1st half of 2019

MADISON, Wis., July 17, 2019 – Infosec, the leading cybersecurity education platform, today reports a more than 100% recurring revenue rate for the first half of 2019, fueled largely by customer retention and growth in the Infosec IQ security and awareness training platform. 

The company notes increasing traction for its unmatched portfolio of three role-based SaaS cybersecurity platforms to deliver skills and security awareness training — Infosec IQ, Infosec Skills and Infosec Flex. The cybersecurity education needs for every level of an organization are covered, from IT and security professionals to the general workforce and C-suite. 

“Big and small organizations realize the crucial business need for more proactive steps against cybersecurity threats,” said Jack Koziol, CEO and founder of Infosec. “The major benefit to our clients is all three learning platforms were built to meet the cybersecurity training needs of everyone in the organization. We’re gratified clients choose to partner with Infosec for the long haul. Growth is also seen by new customers switching to Infosec. This powerful package of role-based learning is receiving solid validation by the market.”

Infosec IQ — 3.5 million cyber-resilient learners

Infosec IQ achieved a 168% year-over-year revenue increase. More than 3.5 million learners using the platform are now more cyber resilient and empowered to keep their organizations’ systems secure and information private. Infosec IQ has the most comprehensive security awareness training program to help organizations and their employees cut the risk of a cyber attack — with more than 900 learning modules in 35 languages and 2,000 training resources, including phishing templates, professionally produced videos and layered awareness campaigns. 

Infosec Skills — a new way to stay smarter than the bad guys

A new platform was introduced in April tailor-made for cybersecurity pros wanting to advance their careers and keep their skills up on the very latest threats. Infosec Skills is mapped to the NICE Cybersecurity Workforce Framework, which contains entry, mid and advanced cybersecurity roles backed by research into the actual skills requested by employers. More than 300 courses and 40 learning and certification paths are available in areas such as Ethical Hacking, Computer Incident Response, Mobile Forensics and Malware Analysis & Reverse Engineering.  

Infosec Flex — security pros choose training when it’s convenient for them

In the first half of 2019, more than 5,000 IT and security professionals enrolled in the flagship Infosec Flex training and certification courses — an 18% increase over the previous year. Infosec Flex courses are designed with today’s busy professionals in mind. All the courseware is personalized to how, when and where they learn best and features a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee and popular Exam Pass Guarantee.  Infosec Flex makes expert, live instruction convenient with online and in-person formats.

Infosec Partner Program — enhanced offering

April saw the expansion of the popular Infosec Partner Program for managed services providers (MSPs), value-added resellers (VARs) and OEMs by adding Infosec Skills and Infosec Flex to the original Infosec IQ offering. This enhancement creates the only channel program in the industry to provide across-the-board, full-spectrum training needs for the clients of channel partners.

Move to larger Madison facility and continued hiring

In 2018, Infosec doubled its workforce and hiring additional employees to meet growing client needs continues in 2019. More than 150 employees are now building solid careers in a growing industry with Infosec. Leading the list of open positions are opportunities in Sales, Customer Experience, and Content Development. 

To accommodate the accelerated growth, Infosec recently moved to an 11,000 square foot office space on the entire tenth floor at 316 W. Washington St. The company retains its original headquarters at 311 W. Washington St. along with offices in Chicago and Dulles, Virginia. 

Infosec scores industry recognitions

In addition to being named a Gartner Peer Insights Customer’s Choice for Security Awareness Computer-Based Training in January, the company also earned these top industry recognitions in the first half of 2019:

• Best Cybersecurity Education Provider in the 2019 Cybersecurity Excellence Awards

• Fortress Cyber Security Award for Security & Applications — Training

• Trainingindustry.com 2019 Top 20 Training Company for its Online Learning Library 

• Best Partner Incentives at the ASCII Group’s 2019 Success Summit — Chicago 2019

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Media contact:

Jeff McCollum

Infosec — Media & Public Affairs Manager

608-509-9804

jeff.mccollum@infosecinstitute.com

About Infosec

Infosec has been fighting cybercrime since 2004. Thousands of organizations and over 2.68 million learners trust the wide range of security-specific classes and enterprise security awareness and phishing training to stay a step ahead of the bad guys. Infosec IQ, Infosec Flex and Infosec Skills provide the most advanced and comprehensive education and training platforms. Founded by CEO Jack Koziol, Infosec is based in Madison, with offices in Chicago and Dulles, Virginia. Learn more at infosecinstitute.com. 

130 Years Old and Still Playing!

MADISON, WI – Bucky Badger and members of the UW Band will kick off the 130^th birthday party for Attic Angel Association at 1:10 pm on Sunday, July 28. The indoor/outdoor party, which runs from 1 to 4 pm, is themed LIFE IS A PLAYGROUND! and will double as a fundraiser to build a playground to benefit children experiencing early trauma, including homelessness. Open to the public and happening across the Attic Angel campus at the intersection of Old Sauk and Junction Roads, the party will go on rain or shine.

Attic Angel press release

LÜM Delivers New Music Streaming and Discovery Experience with Launch of Mobile App

Mobile app sets new precedent for helping millions of emerging artists connect with fans through music discovery and social media platform with launch on the Apple App store.

MADISON, WI – July 1, 2019 – LÜM, the Madison-based tech startup that recently closed their $1.2 million seed financing, today announced the launch of its new app for iOS devices. This announcement, in addition to LÜM’s recent partnership with Frank Productions, one of the largest concert promoters in the United States, illustrates the company’s dedication to building out innovative avenues that drive artist growth.

With less than 1% of all musicians earning any material income from their music, LÜM decreases the disparity between mainstream and undiscovered music by leveraging music streaming with the amplification effects of social media. Artists upload their content and connect with fans on LÜM’s platform. Fans can easily share music with friends and become influencers on the platform by discovering and sharing up-and-coming artists with their peer communities.

“This generation of artists and fans are more than just the sum of their streams,” said Max Fergus, CEO and co-founder of LÜM. “We want artists to use their fans and communities as a catalyst for their growth, and LÜM is really the first platform to provide that connection.”

Over the past year, LÜM has become one of the fastest growing Madison tech-startups, recently winning the 2018 Pressure Chamber pitch competition, one of the largest in the Midwest. LÜM has also secured guidance from an impressive board of advisors and legal counsel, including: lead business advisor Randall Mays (former president and CFO of Clear Channel Communications and current board member of Live Nation) and Gary Greenstein of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati (recently named among Billboard’s “Top Music Industry Lawyers”).

With support from strategic partner Frank Productions, LÜM will be hosting a launch concert at the Majestic Theatre in Madison on July 11^th. The concert will feature some of the hottest up-and-coming artists around the country. Tickets for the concert can be purchased directly through the Majestic website or through the ticket link HERE.

If you would like further information on LÜM, or you would like to schedule an interview, please contact:

Max Fergus, CEO & co-founder, LÜM

Email: max.fergus@lum.fm

Phone: 608.576.6682

To download the app: https://lum.fm/

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About LÜM

LÜM is a music streaming and discovery application built on a stand-alone social network that enables emerging artists to circulate their music and grow their fan base. The LÜM platform focuses exclusively on emerging artists and increases fan-to-fan and fan-to-artist engagement through the gamification of social music discovery.

Artists upload their content and connect with fans on LÜM’s platform. Fans discover artists and circulate music by discovering, sharing, and engaging with their friends and peer communities. Founded in 2018, LÜM is headquartered in Madison, WI, with offices in Austin, TX. For more information, visit https://lum.fm/.

About Frank Productions

Frank Productions (FPC Live) is a full-service concert promotion company involved in every facet of live events including production, logistics, ticketing, marketing, sponsorships, food and beverage, operations, and merchandising. Frank Productions produces and promotes live entertainment events in arenas, amphitheaters, performing arts centers, clubs, and other venues across the country. For additional information, visit www.FPC-Live.com.

Attic Angel Association celebrates 130th birthday year with release of book and LIFE IS A PLAYGROUND! event and fundraiser

For more information, contact:
Kelly.Cheramy@AtticAngel.org
608-662-8886

Madison’s historic Attic Angel Association of philanthropic women will celebrate its 130^th birthday by giving a gift to the greater community: a playground to support children affected by early trauma.

Just as the Attic Angels, back in 1898, invited the whole city to the University Armory (now the UW Red Gym) to have a good time and raise money to build Madison’s badly needed first hospital, today’s Angels repeat the call for the entire city to come together for a time of play and fundraising. This time, though, it’s a mostly-outdoor birthday party, themed Life is a Playground!, on the nonprofit Attic Angel Community campus, and their yearlong fundraising goal of $50,000 is for a playground that will serve homeless children and others enrolled at The Playing Field early learning center of Madison.

The birthday party will be Sunday, July 28, 2019, from 1 to 4 pm, kicking off with members of the UW Marching Band performing their famous 5^th Quarter. A map and listing of all activities is online at www.atticangel.org/130. Gifts to the fundraiser will be accepted at the July 28 event and now through December online at www.atticangel.org/130.

“Our fundraising and partnerships of the past and for this event reflect the building of our community, but the event itself is even more about community-building,” says Mary Ann Drescher, president/CEO of the nonprofit Attic Angel Association.

The sponsor lineup reads like a Who’s Who of Madison history: Wisconsin State Journal (1839), Gallagher Tent and Awning (1880), Findorff (1890), UnityPoint Meriter (1903), Smart Motors (1908), Klein-Dickert (1919),  Kessenich’s (1929), Summit Credit Union (1935), Chocolate Shoppe (1962), Culver’s (1984) and the nation’s oldest commercial playground manufacturer, Burke of Fond du Lac (1920). Businesses founded more recently also support the event.

The Association’s Madison roots run deep, as storied in the newly released commemorative book THE ONE AND ONLY: Attic Angel, a Madison Original Since 1889. It tells of two sisters whose concern for children blossomed into a 130-year tradition of philanthropy that shaped a city by focusing on improvements to health and well-being.

Today, more than 500 dues-paying volunteers from all walks of life make up today’s Attic Angel Association. Their mission is to identify community needs affecting children and seniors, and then do something about them. That pattern of progress is shown through their list of accomplishments and is reflected in the decision to raise The Playing Field’s need for a sensory playground to the level of being a fundraising focus for their milestone anniversary year.

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Attic Angel’s Contributions to the Madison of Today:

• 1898 – The Angels held their first charity ball in the UW Red Gym, raising the equivalent of $15,000 to help build Madison’s first hospital.
• 1899 – Madison’s first children’s library was the work of the Angels, who donated all their materials to the Madison Public Library when it opened a children’s reading room in 1902.
• 1903 – Madison General Hospital (now UnityPoint Health – Meriter) opened, and the Angels provided for and maintained the children’s ward.
• 1908 – Before organized health care, the Angels raised money to hire the city’s first nurse to serve Madison families. The Attic Angel Visiting Nurse Service is now known as SSM Health at Home.
• 1915 – The Angels began what became a network of well-child clinics and is today overseen by Public Health – Madison & Dane County.
• 1953 – Seeking better care for seniors, the Angels opened the city’s first non-government nursing home and set the gold standard for senior care. In 1975, they pioneered the idea of a “well-retirement” community in Madison. Their work lives on in the nonprofit Attic Angel Community of senior living and health care, located on the border of Madison and Middleton.
• 1969 – The Angels took up the cause of high-quality early education for low-income children by constructing and maintaining a building for a south Madison child care center. Now a charter school, it is known as One City Schools.
• The Angels’ affinity for playgrounds and parks comes from a desire for wellness. In 1908, they made possible the city’s first supervised playground at Burr Jones Field, in 1998 they made a large grant to help build Warner Park Community Center, and in 2019 they are raising money to build a sensory playground for children experiencing trauma and other challenges.

Additional Historical Links to Today:

• Charity Balls/Galas – The Angels may well have begun this tradition back in 1898!
• Historic Madison names of streets, parks and businesses have “Angel” in their DNA: Women from these families were members of Attic Angel Association: Atwood, Brittingham, Fairchild, Findorff, Kayser, Main, Proudfit, Rennebohm, Smart and Vilas. In addition, Sen. William Vilas is an honorary member of Attic Angel Association, along with General EE Bryant, who is the father of the two founders. Both of these men were influential Madison citizens whose own impact reached a federal level.
• The home of the founders (now called General Bryant Manor) still stands on Mansion Hill.
• The Bryant graves are in Forest Hill and Resurrection Cemeteries
• The Annie Stewart Fountain by Vilas Zoo, which has been a target for restoration, is linked to one of the very earliest Attic Angels.
• Angel Marge Davenport is a 50-year halo award honoree (Association member who has served half a century); she lives at Attic Angel Place and is still active as a volunteer after 54 years!

Causes:
Each year, Attic Angel Association selects a community issue to focus on and then, from the funds raised largely through their signature sales each year, awards grants to Dane County nonprofits that meet the outlined needs. 2019-20’s focus is support for families of children from birth to age 13 who are experiencing stress and trauma. In spring 2019, they provided nearly $220,000 in grants to Dane County nonprofits that serve children and seniors. Since recording began in 1983, their grants exceed $7 million.

Special Birthday Cause:
For Attic Angel’s 130^th anniversary year, they are adding a special cause: a playground that will meet the unique needs of homeless children and others enrolled in The Playing Field early learning center (www.playingfieldmadison.org). The Playing Field specializes in an approach to learning called Conscious Discipline®, and they are pioneers in trying to solve some societal issues based in homelessness and mental health issues.

The Angels invite the whole city and beyond to join in their mission by giving to this playground fundraiser: www.atticangel.org/130.

130^th Anniversary Commemorative Book:
To be released April 30, THE ONE AND ONLY: Attic Angel, a Madison Original Since 1889 is a beautifully written and designed tribute to our own local “American girl” story! It tells about two sisters whose concern for children blossomed into a 130-year Madison tradition of philanthropy and progress to benefit both children and seniors. You’ll also learn how they came up with their most unusual organizational name, and how it still applies today!