State Bar of Wisconsin: Wisconsin lawyers offer free legal advice to small businesses impacted by the pandemic

MADISON, WI – Small businesses in Wisconsin now have a place to go for free legal advice on issues they face due to the COVID-19 pandemic and a tough economy.

Starting Feb. 5, volunteer attorneys with the State Bar of Wisconsin Business Law Section will meet with small-business owners each Friday for an hourlong appointment, as part of the section’s new Small Business Assistance project.

The project, implemented in collaboration with the Marquette Volunteer Legal Clinics program, pairs volunteer attorneys and law students with pre-screened small-business owners who have legal questionsrelated to their business.

The Small Business Assistance will support a wide-variety of small businesses, including those that provide business services; restaurants and bars; retail; health, beauty and fitness; automotive repair, travel and lodging; and recreation, according to Patricia J. Lane, section board member and organizer of the project. Lane is a partner with Foley & Lardner in Milwaukee.

How it Works

Wisconsin-licensed lawyers will offer free consultations, by Zoom or by phone, of up to one hour. If a business
law issue cannot be adequately addressed during the session, the business person may be referred for an additional one-hour session at no charge. Topics include, but are not limited to:

• Finance and lending
• Insurance claims/coverage
• Commercial leases and contracts
• Tax
• Labor and employment
• Real estate
• Commercial debtor/creditor
• Regulatory compliance, including privacy and COVID-19 related requirements

Exclusions: Litigation; entity selection and formation; patent, trademark, or other intellectual property issues; or commercial real estate transactions.

A Very Real Need

Small businesses account for 99.4% of all businesses in Wisconsin, and they employ nearly half the state’s workforce. Lane recognized the need after hearing that business lawyers were receiving many questions from small-business owners on issues regarding compliance with COVID-19 governmental orders and whether force majeure clauses in contracts may be invoked to excuse performance, and governmental loan programs, including determining eligibility and compliance.

“Other owners needed assistance with business-interruption insurance claims and labor matters,” Lane said.

While the project currently offers an hour-long consultation for three businesses per week, additional consultations may be added in the future. “We will calibrate our future level of service to meet demand,” Lane said.

The project, she says, is expected to last indefinitely.

“One way we can help these business – and thereby the community at large – is to provide free legal advice. We hope this will increase the chances that a local business will be able to survive and thrive – thereby preserving jobs,” she said.

Request an appointment today for your free one-hour consultation.

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CEC Helps Healthcare Organizations Prepare to Safely and Confidently Store COVID-19 Vaccines

Temperature-monitoring technology ensures vaccine effectiveness and automates compliance reporting

Hiawatha, IA (Dec. 9, 2020) – CEC (Communications Engineering Company), a nationally recognized technology solutions provider and systems integrator in the Midwest, stands ready to help hospitals, pharmacies, and medical clinics prepare to store vital COVID-19 vaccines as they make their way across the country.

CEC’s team of in-house healthcare technology experts—including engineers, clinical application specialists, installers and technicians, and account executives—have the skills, expertise, and resources needed to help healthcare organizations prepare to safely and confidently maintain extremely cold storage temperatures (as low as -94 degrees F) to preserve the vaccine’s active ingredients.

Through a partnership with Primex, CEC staff members are trained to deploy and integrate OneVue Sense temperature-monitoring technology. This technology helps hospitals, pharmacies, and medical clinics maintain proper vaccine storage temperatures, detect any temperature variations, and alert staff when temperature levels fall outside parameters so action can be taken quickly. This technology also frees healthcare staff from having to continuously monitor and log temperatures each day per CDC guidelines.

“To support healthcare organizations as they protect individuals and communities, Primex’s temperature-monitoring technology ensures vaccine effectiveness and automates compliance reporting,” says Kim Lehrman, CEC chief executive officer. “CEC is ready to help healthcare organizations adopt OneVue Sense now so they’re ready when vaccines start to arrive.”

OneVue Sense technology can also monitor temperature, humidity, and air pressure in patient care areas to ensure that isolation rooms are kept at proper levels to limit virus spread.

To learn more, visit https://www.cecinfo.com/about-cec/our-partners/primex/.

About CEC

With offices in the Midwest serving local and national customers, CEC 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. To learn more, visit www.cecinfo.com.

Media Contact: Angie Worrell – aworrell@cecinfo.com

UW Health: Developing a COVID-19 Winter Resilience Toolkit is Important for Mental Health

Media Inquiries
Emily Kumlien
(608) 516-9154
ekumlien@uwhealth.org

COVID-19
UW Health COVID-19 Resources

UW Health: Developing a COVID-19 Winter Resilience Toolkit is Important for Mental Health

Madison, Wisconsin – Approximately 4-6 percent of the US population experience Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a type of depression that typically occurs during the winter months, and another 10-20 percent have a milder form of the condition.

Cold weather and a lack of sunlight seem to be triggering factors for this condition, and Wisconsin will have no shortage of either one of these over the next six months.

Between the end of daylight saving time this weekend, the colder temperatures, stress related to COVID-19 and even the political divisions facing our country at election season, people are more at risk than ever to experiencing SAD and the winter blues.

But UW Health psychologist Shilagh Mirgain says that developing a COVID-19 winter resilience toolkit can help people stay happier and healthier this winter. The following are some important tools that Mirgain says we should develop as we enter these winter months:

• Be active: Regular exercise has been shown to reduce depression and help prevent it.
• Shift your focus: Instead of dwelling on your problems turn your perspective outside of yourself, such as do a kind act, help someone, express gratitude to others or feel awe for the world around you.
• Stay connected: Connect with others in person or virtually.
• Get outside: Spending time outdoors is always good for mental health.
• Engage in self-care: Eat healthy foods, prioritize good sleep, and maintain a daily routine.
• Vitamin D3: In northern climates, like Wisconsin, the sun’s rays are not strong enough to give us what we need. Talk with your doctor about supplements. The daily recommendation in the U.S. is 1,000 international units. Mushrooms and fish are also a natural source of vitamin D.
• Light therapy: Consider using a light therapy box, which have been proven to be effective for certain individuals with SAD.
• Call your doctor: Speak with your physician if you experience feelings of being down and have no interest in doing the things you used to enjoy, especially if these symptoms are disruptive or you are having thoughts of suicide.

Some of the most common symptoms of SAD include loss of interest or pleasure in things typically enjoyed; fatigue; concentration problems; sleep problems; weight gain; feelings of sluggishness or restlessness; irritability; sense of helplessness or hopelessness.

Wisconsin Bank & Trust: SBA Releases PPP Loan Data

CONTACT:
Shawn Kesler
Regional Marketing Officer, VP
414.394.5946
SKesler@htlf.com

Brent Giles
President and CEO
608.203.1224
BGiles@wisconsinbankandtrust.com

SBA Releases PPP Loan Data
Disclosed details vary based on loan amount

July 7, 2020 – Madison, WI – On Monday, July 6, the Small Business Administration (SBA) released Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan data at the request of Congress, media and others given the significant taxpayer commitment to the program.  This was not a decision made by Wisconsin Bank & Trust or any other bank that participated in the government program.

Names of borrowers with a PPP loan for less than $150,000 were not disclosed.  Only the city, state, zip code, number of employees that benefited, and the congressional district were disclosed for these loans, along with the name of the lender that made the loan.

For PPP loans of $150,000 or more, the SBA released the borrower’s name in addition to the business location, number of employees that benefitted and the congressional district.  The SBA released a dollar range for these loans, not the exact amounts.

“Wisconsin Bank & Trust is proud to have helped hundreds of small businesses during this difficult and challenging time,” said Brent Giles, President and CEO of WBT.  “We’ve processed 449 PPP loans of $103 million, preserving more than 11,289 jobs.”

To date, banks of all sizes have provided more than $500 billion in PPP loans to small businesses across the country, helping to preserve 51 million jobs, according to the Small Business Administration.  The size, scale and speed of the banking industry’s response was unprecedented, and we were honored to be a part of this important effort.

There is still more work to do to help businesses overcome the economic effects of the pandemic.  Wisconsin Bank & Trust will continue to support our business customers as we do our part to help fuel the economic recovery in our community.

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 fifteen banking centers, 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.

About Heartland Financial USA, Inc.

Heartland Financial USA, Inc. is a diversified financial services company with assets of $13.3 billion. The company provides banking, mortgage, private client, investment and insurance services to individuals and businesses. Heartland currently has 114 banking locations serving 83 communities in Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, New Mexico, Arizona, Montana, Colorado, Minnesota, Kansas, Missouri, Texas and California. Additional information about Heartland Financial USA, Inc. is available at www.htlf.com.

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WPS Military Salute Award winners announced

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
DeAnne Boegli, Director of Communications
608-977-7343
deanne.boegli@wpsic.com

WPS Military Salute Award winners announced

MADISON, Wis.—June 25, 2020—WPS Health Solutions announces two winners of the WPS Military Salute Award who have helped their communities respond to the COVID-19 pandemic this year. Each winner will receive a $1,000 prize to be donated to the winner’s charity of choice that is assisting in the fight against COVID-19. In addition, each winner will receive $500.

The winners are Army veteran JD Engelhardt of Madison and Beau Alan Krostag of Pittsville. Krostag is a Sergeant First Class in the Wisconsin National Guard.

WPS established the award to recognize active-duty military and veteran doctors, nurses, public safety professionals, and others who are helping their communities get through the pandemic.

Nominations were accepted through June 1 and the winners were determined by a committee of WPS employees.

About the winners:

With unwavering commitment to the health and welfare of the people in his community, Engelhardt’s leadership and volunteer efforts made a huge impact, according to Will Atkinson, who submitted the nomination.

An employee of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Dane County and described as a “linchpin” in Dane County and surrounding communities, Engelhardt leveraged his personal and professional networks to help his neighbors in need. He immediately started connecting people and organizations with available resources.

One of these initiatives was when the Medical College of Wisconsin had raw materials to make medical-grade masks, but no longer had the volunteer force to put them together for distribution. Engelhardt had the supplies—enough to make 3,500 masks—sent to him. In a span of two weeks, he worked with multiple organizations to mobilize volunteers to assemble the masks.

“I try to do what I can to make my community a better place and to that end try to build a network to help support different nonprofits, groups, and people around me,” Engelhardt said.

Engelhardt’s $1,000 donation will go to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Dane County.

Krostag’s support and dedication to the electoral process during a global pandemic strengthened the democratic election process for the people in Wood County.

Krostag was among members of the Wisconsin National Guard assigned to check IDs, register voters, and clean and sanitize voting polls during the April election.

“Thanks to the efforts led by SFC Krostag, the people of Wood County, Wisconsin, were able to exercise their right to vote,” Amy Callender, wrote in her nomination.

His $1,000 donation will go to the Pittsville Area Neighbors Shelf, the food pantry in his hometown.

About WPS Health Solutions

WPS Health Solutions is a nationally regarded government contractor and a leading Wisconsin not-for-profit health insurer. The WPS Health Insurance division offers affordable health plans and benefits administration. The WPS Government Health Administrators division administers Part A and B Medicare benefits for millions of seniors in multiple states, and the WPS Military and Veterans Health division serves millions more members who are active in the U.S. military, veterans, and their families. Wisconsin Physicians Service Insurance Corporation (WPS Health Solutions) has been based in Madison, Wis., for more than 70 years. For more information, please visit wpshealthsolutions.com.