Strang’s First Female Board Member

STRANG, Inc. Names Erica Ostendorf Mullins to Firm’s Board of Directors
First Woman Board Member in The Firm’s 87 Year History

MADISON, WI. March 15, 2022 – – – Strang, Inc, proudly announces that Erica Ostendorf Mullins, NCIDQ, WRID, has been appointed to the firm’s highest level of leadership, the Board of Directors. This appointment is effective immediately. Ms. Ostendorf Mullins will continue in her responsibility as Senior Vice President, Director of Interior Design.

Since joining Strang in 2014, Erica has contributed to client success and satisfaction by sharing strikingly creative, cohesive designs which are remarkable to behold and engaging to occupy. Clients tell us that Erica’s award-winning designs inspire, empower, and excite those within. From healthcare to hospitality or corporate to cultural spaces, Erica applies her passion for design across a myriad number of sectors.

Additionally, Erica provides expert guidance, direction and mentorship throughout the Interior Design Group and the entire firm. For example, Erica is responsible for guiding Strang’s strategic business planning across all aspects of the firm. Her leadership style is pronounced by listening with respect, empowering confidence around her and responding with resolve.

According to Larry Barton, Strang’s President and CEO, “Our current Board of Directors unanimously believes that Erica will be a significant contributor to the next chapter of our continued growth and success. She possesses a natural talent for inspiring colleagues and clients alike through her imagination, leadership, rigor and accountability. Erica constantly delivers for our clients through design counsel that is creative, resourceful, respectful and on task. We are excited to have Erica join our Senior Leadership Team”.

Erica earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Interior Architecture from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, 2010. She is a Wisconsin Registered Interior Designer, a member of National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) and the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID)

About Strang

Established in 1935, Strang is an award-winning architecture, engineering, and interior design firm with offices in Madison and Waukesha, Wisconsin.

We champion a highly collaborative, vertically integrated approach entitled, Design Synchronicity. This proven process galvanizes our ability to safeguard a client’s financial, human, and environmental resources. We most often apply this approach within the science and technology, commercial/corporate, higher education, performing arts, and advanced manufacturing sectors.

Strang has earned the Wisconsin State Journal Top Workplace Award for 2021 and 2022.

Strang has also been voted Number ONE Commercial Architectural Firm in Madison for nine consecutive years (2013-2021) by the readers of InBusiness Magazine!

WRTP | BIG STEP Hosts Women in the Trades Career Fair

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 18, 2022

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Stephanie Johnston, sjohnston@wrtp.org or 608-255-0155

WRTP | BIG STEP Hosts WOMEN IN THE TRADES Career Fair

WRTP | BIG STEP of South Central Wisconsin and the Building Trades Council of South Central Wisconsin are hosting its Women in the Trades Career Fair on March 22, 2022 between 3 PM – 7 PM at the Madison Labor Temple, 1602 South Park Street, Madison, WI. Our goal is to introduce women to the numerous career pathways within the union construction industry’s seventeen building trades. This is a free event and open to the public. 

COVID-19 highlighted the daily inequalities that women, especially women of color, face. Women disproportionately shouldered the “essential worker” status in low wage jobs like grocery store clerks and fast food cashiers (more than 65% are female)1, and while men comprise the lion’s share of “essential sectors” like public safety, transportation logistics, and public utilities, these are traditionally occupations and fields with family sustaining wages, benefits, and even pensions. In 2020, full time working women earned 82 cents2 for every dollar a man made. Over a lifetime, this amounts to over half a million dollars that women cannot access or use to move into the security that comes with real wealth attainment, through home ownership or a debt-free life. 

WRTP | BIG STEP coordinated the the Women in the Trades Career Fair to expose interested candidates to the apprenticeship model and the family-sustaining careers within the construction industry to help address the labor shortage expected due to retirements and the shrinking workforce pool.

During the career fair, attendees will explore the building trades through employer and union apprenticeship tables/booth with organization information, employment opportunities, and sign-up for interviews. (4) $100 gift card giveaways drawn for attendees who visit each booth and submit their completed participation forms. Pre-registration is recommended to receive employer information before and after the career fair. Pre-register online here:

https://bit.ly/3x1V8zm or Register in person during the event.

Women in the Trades Career Fair sponsors include; Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers Local 13, Carpenters Local 314, International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers Local 18, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 159, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades DC 7, Iron Workers Local Union Local 383, Construction Laborers Local 464, Plumbers Local 75, Steamfitters Local 601, Harker Heating & Cooling Inc, Parisi Construction Co., Inc, H.J. Martin and Son, Walbec Group, MIDWEST DRILLED FOUNDATIONS & EGINEERING, INC., Fahrner Asphalt Sealers, LLC, RG Huston Co., Inc., All Comfort Services, InterCon Construction, and Vogel Bros Building Co.

ABOUT WRTP/BIG STEP

WRTP/BIG STEP is a 501(c)3 nonprofit workforce intermediary dedicated to connecting people to family-sustaining jobs. Our mission is to enhance the ability of public and private sector organizations to recruit, develop, and retain a more diverse, qualified workforce in construction, manufacturing and emerging sectors of the regional economy.

EUA Architects hired to design new Memorial Hospital of Lafayette County

DARLINGTON, Wis. – (March 2022) – The Lafayette County Board of Supervisors has hired the Madison office of EUA Architects to design Memorial Hospital of Lafayette County (MHLC), a new 75,000-square-foot facility that also will include space for behavioral health and mindfulness sessions. EUA is 115-year-old firm specializing in workplace, healthcare, learning living, science + technology, industrial and community environments.

As a critical access hospital, the current facility has served the greater community and provided a full range of acute care inpatient and outpatient services since 1952.  Easily accessible access to quality health care will be the core of the design for the replacement facility. The project’s cost and design details will be finalized in the coming weeks.

The construction manager is Kraus-Anderson, one of the nation’s premier commercial general contractors and construction managers  which has been leading the charge in sustainable design and construction for the last 25 years. With deep experience in healthcare construction, Kraus-Anderson is currently ranked 16th in the nation among the top health care general contractors in the U.S. by Modern Healthcare magazine.

Construction on the new facility is expected to begin in February of 2023 and completed by the summer of 2024. The current facility will be in operation during construction.

###

Gail Shore
Shore to Shore Communications, Inc.
Public relations management and consulting since 1989
(612) 770-4106 cell
gshore@winternet.com    

Felicia’s Donation Closet: 2nd Annual Casino Night and Live Auction

Get dressed up and enjoy a night of fun playing poker, roulette and blackjack.

Enjoy some great food and bid on some amazing auction items.

Tickets are $50 per person (Get your tickets now they will be $75 at the door) and include:

* Ticket entrance into the event

* Food prepared by Bonfyre – alcohol available for purchase

* $1000 Casino play money

Purchase your tickets here.

Date: Saturday, May 21, 2022

Event Location:
Bonfyre American Grille
2601 W. Beltline Hwy
Madison WI 53713

Event Overview:
Cocktails: 5:00pm
Casino: 6:00pm – 9:00pm
Live Auction: 9:00pm – 10:00pm

Felicia’s Donation Closet is 100% Volunteer run and all proceeds from this event will go directly to helping Domestically Abused Women and Children in the Dane County Area.

If interested in becoming a Sponsor or Donating to the Live Auction, please contact Felicia@feliciasdonationcloset.com

Monona Bank and State Bank of Cross Plains Announce Merger of Equals

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 15, 2022

Monona Bank and State Bank of Cross Plains Announce Merger of Equals
New Organization Will Be Largest Bank Headquartered in South Central Wisconsin, 6^th Largest Headquartered in State

(MADISON, Wis.) – Monona Bankshares, Inc., the holding company of Monona Bank, and S.B.C.P. Bancorp, Inc., the holding company for State Bank of Cross Plains (“SBCP”), jointly announced today they will combine in a merger of equals to create the largest bank headquartered in Dane County, Wisconsin and the sixth largest bank headquartered in the State of Wisconsin, with almost $3 billion in combined assets.

The agreement and plan of merger was unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies and signed on March 14, 2022. The all-stock merger of equals is anticipated to close by the end of 2022, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including the receipt of regulatory approvals and approval by the shareholders of each company. 

Both State Bank of Cross Plains and Monona Bank will continue to function independently until Spring 2023, when the two banks are expected to fully merge and integrate and operate under a new name and brand. At such time, the combined bank will leverage the strengths of each bank and be better positioned to offer clients expanded services, more locations, and additional knowledgeable advisors while delivering the same outstanding service that clients of both banks have grown to expect.

SBCP President & CEO Jim L. Tubbs and Monona Bank President & CEO Paul Hoffmann agree on the importance of this strategic business combination to keep the spirit and values of community banking competitive. This merger enables the resulting organization to remain independent and local, ensuring continued commitment to, support of, and investment in local businesses and communities.

Hoffmann explains, “This joint venture makes sense for many reasons, especially since both banks are locally owned and share a similar set of core values and leadership philosophies. The merger demonstrates a dedication to promoting opportunity and prosperity within our communities throughout South Central Wisconsin.”

Tubbs adds, “Both organizations believe strongly in the principles of independent community banking and want to preserve our fundamental beliefs that banking should be built on respectful and supportive relationships that encourage a local focus. When we invest in our neighbors, we enhance the entire community to be a stronger, more stable, and truly vibrant place to live and work.”

Once the merger is complete and the two banks fully integrate in Spring 2023, the yet-to-be-named community bank will employ more than 400 associates across 17 communities around Madison and throughout South Central Wisconsin. 

Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP acted as legal advisor and The Bank Advisory Group acted as financial advisor to S.B.C.P. Bancorp, Inc.  Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren S.C. acted as legal advisor and Piper Sandler & Co. acted as financial advisor to Monona Bankshares, Inc.

###

About Monona Bank (mononabank.com)

Monona Bank is a locally owned and managed bank that believes “together, we prosper.” Founded in 1991, the bank is committed to making our communities great places to live, work and raise a family.

About State Bank of Cross Plains (sbcp.bank)

Locally owned and managed, State Bank of Cross Plains opened its doors in 1908 with a singular goal in mind: to help people in our communities turn their financial dreams into reality.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

The statements in this press release are not guarantees of future performance and undue reliance should not be placed on them. Such forward-looking statements necessarily involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual performance and financial results in future periods to differ materially from any projections of future performance or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.  Following the date of this press release, S.B.C.P. Bancorp, Inc. and Monona Bankshares, Inc. each undertake no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements for any reason, except as required by law.

Data is sourced from the most recently published FDIC  quarterly reports

Contacts:

Jim L. Tubbs
S.B.C.P. Bancorp, Inc.
608-798-3961

Paul Hoffmann
Monona Bankshares, Inc.
608-223-2183