NGL announces appointment of Gary Wolter as incoming Board of Directors Chairman

Madison, Wis. (September 13, 2021) – During National Guardian Life Insurance Company’s (NGL) meeting of the Board of Directors on August 12, 2021, it was announced that Gary Wolter is succeeding current Chairman of the Board David Walsh. Walsh has been Chairman since 2017 and has served on the Board of Directors since 1981. Walsh was named Vice Chairman and remains an active member of NGL’s Board of Directors.

“For over forty years David has been an essential member of NGL’s Board. Under his expertise and guidance, we have expanded through acquisitions and focused on growing our core lines of business. On behalf of our Board of Directors, I extend my sincere gratitude to David for his leadership and contributions to NGL’s success,” said Knut Olson, President and CEO of NGL.

Gary Wolter, NGL Board member since 2005, has been appointed the new Chairman of the NGL Board of Directors. Wolter is Chairman Emeritus and retired President and CEO of MGE Energy, Inc. and Madison Gas and Electric Company located in Madison, Wis. Wolter serves, or has served, on numerous community boards throughout the years, including Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce, Madison Community Foundation, MadREP (formerly Thrive), Oscar Rennebohm Foundation, University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics, United Way of Dane County, and University of Wisconsin Research Park.

“It’s an honor to be appointed by the Board of Directors as Chairman. I look forward to transitioning into this new capacity as Chairman during a time where NGL is concentrating on growing its business and building awareness of its products that help people meet their unique needs for life’s journey,” said Wolter.

Founded in 1909, NGL is a mutual insurance company that specializes in a suite of innovative insurance products for life’s journey, including individual and group products. Governing NGL includes 14 members on the Board of Directors include Amie Goldman (Chief Strategy Officer, Quartz Health Solutions), Peter Gunder (Venture Partner, American Family Ventures), F. Curtis Hastings (Retired Chairman, J.H. Findorff & Son), Erik Johnson (Chairman and CEO, Hy Cite Enterprises), David Kruger (Chairman and CEO, Fiore Companies), Sherry Manetta (Glenwood Strategies, LLC), Knut Olson (President & CEO, NGL), Daniel Olszewski (Director, Weinert Center for Entrepreneurship at University of Wisconsin-Madison), John Oros (J.C. Flowers & Co), Tammy Roou (Vice President Enterprise Compliance, Northwestern Mutual), David Walsh (Attorney and Retired Partner, Foley & Lardner), Judith Ward (Senior Executive Search Consultant, AGB Search), Gary J. Wolter (Chairman, Retired President & CEO, MGE Energy and Madison Gas and Electric Company), and Elease Wright (Retired Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, Aetna, Inc.).

About NGL

Established in 1909 National Guardian Life Insurance Company (NGL) is an insurance company headquartered in Madison, Wis. Licensed to do business in 49 states and the District of Columbia, NGL markets preneed and individual life and annuities, as well as group markets products. Information about NGL can be found at www.nglic.com; Facebook: Facebook.com/NGLIC and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-guardian-life-insurance-company.

National Guardian Life Insurance Company is not affiliated with The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America a/k/a The Guardian or Guardian Life.

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gener8tor Madison Accelerator to Showcase Four Startups Selected for 2021 Cohort at Virtual Premiere Night

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 14, 2021

MEDIA CONTACT
Jenni Le
jenni@gener8tor.com

MADISON, WISCONSIN – Nationally ranked startup accelerator gener8tor will host a virtual Premiere Night featuring this year’s cohort for its 12-week accelerator in Madison.

Each of the four companies selected from around the world to participate have received a $100,000 investment. Due to the pandemic, the accelerator programming has been virtual this year. The cohort kicked off on March 11 and will conclude with an in-person Premiere Night, where the startups pitch their businesses to investors and the public, on September 21. 

The Madison 2021 cohort is composed of startups in the fashion, music, AI and beverage industries. Three were founded by women and three are led by minority founders. Chosen from over 1,500 companies, the four startups selected to participate and receive investment are:

Wildwonder (San Francisco, CA): Founded by Rosa Li, Wildwonder makes wellness accessible, starting with a better drink for gut health. Inspired by the healing tonics Li’s grandma brewed for her, Wildwonder offers the first microbiome expert-approved symbiotic (prebiotic + probiotic) beverage for the $125B functional beverage market, and broadens the market for Kombucha with no fermented taste and low sugar. Wildwonder employs a unique multi-prong distribution strategy that’s more capital efficient. Wildwonder has sold over 700K bottles since launch, online and in select Whole Foods and Sprouts stores.

Dora Maar (New York, NY): Founded and led by Lauren Wilson, Dora Maar’s influencer marketplace allows influencers to sell luxury consignment to their consumers and become their own personal luxury brands by monetizing their closets. Dora Maar allows luxury consumers to have a truly personalized shopping experience by giving them access to shop the closets of influencers, known as muses, they trust and follow every day. Dora Maar has been featured in VOGUE, Forbes and features over 30 Muses.

Awayr AI (Boston, MA): Led by co-founders Adam Beal and Dr. Ben Sawyer, Awayr AI’s modeling and simulation software helps automotive engineers run virtual experiments to determine how people will interact with vehicle user interfaces in the real world with a high degree of accuracy. Rather than needing to build a complete car and hire dozens of people to perform months-long road tests, Awayr AI completes testing using only digital designs of a proposed vehicle interface, one employee, and about an hour. Awayr AI is proven to be 5,700x faster, and 600x less costly than human safety and usability testing with eye tracking (HSUT). Awayr AI is currently in negotiations for paid pilots with major automakers.

Streo (Los Angeles, CA): Under the leadership of Arush and Pre Dhawan, Streo’s on-demand live events platform enables DJs and live bands to stream their events from all over the world. Artists can archive and distribute their live streamed gigs for paid access. Audiences can stream live events on demand for $10/month. Streo has live streamed 5,200 events with 1,400 artists at 600 nightclubs, and has had 250K user signups.

“We are honored to add these four startups to the gener8tor family,” said Jenni Le, Managing Director of gener8tor Madison. “Over the last few months, the gener8tor team has been working closely with each founder to focus on growth, mentorship and fundraising. We are so excited about the momentum each of these teams has going forward and cannot wait to see where they go.”

All four companies will pitch their business models to investors, entrepreneurs and the community during gener8tor’s virtual Premiere Night. The virtual Premiere Night will be held September 21 from 6:00 – 7:30 PM.

Please direct any questions about the gener8tor Madison program to managing director Jenni Le at jenni@gener8tor.com.

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About gener8tor

gener8tor’s turnkey platform for the creative economy connects startup founders, musicians, artists, investors, universities and corporations. The gener8tor platform includes pre-accelerators, accelerators, corporate programming, upskilling, conferences and fellowships.

Jenni Le
Managing Director
gener8tor Madison Accelerator

Jayne Patterson
Program Manager
gener8tor Madison Accelerator

Chamber Orchestra Sphinx Virtuosi to Kick Off Wisconsin Union Theater’s 2021-22 Concert Series on Sept. 30

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 9, 2021

Contact Information:
Shauna Breneman, Communications Director
Email: sbreneman@wisc.edu 
Phone: (608) 262-8862

CHAMBER ORCHESTRA SPHINX VIRTUOSI TO KICK OFF 2021-22 CONCERT SERIES ON SEPT. 30

MADISON – Critically acclaimed chamber orchestra Sphinx Virtuosi will perform on Sept. 30 at 7:30 p.m. in Shannon Hall at Memorial Union as part of the Wisconsin Union Theater’s 2021-22 Concert Series.

In addition to marking the beginning of the Concert Series season, Sphinx Virtuosi will be the first classical music concert with an in-person audience held in Shannon Hall since March 2020.

Eighteen of the nation’s most renowned Black and Latinx classical musicians comprise this dynamic, self-conducted orchestra. The members of Sphinx Virtuosi not only dedicate themselves to perfecting rich musical compositions but also to prioritizing diversity in the arts. Since the group’s founding in 2004, it has worked to transform the lives of its audiences as well as the world of classical music by emphasizing the importance of representation in music. The ensemble will celebrate 25 years of music and making a difference in 2022.

The orchestra’s program “Tracing Visions” aims to challenge and adapt traditional interpretations of America’s history to create a richer, more honest story that highlights the experiences of Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC). “Tracing Visions” will include the following selections:

• Xavier Foley, “Ev’ry Voice”
• Florence Price, String Quartet No. 2 in A Minor, arranged for Sphinx Virtuosi

II. Andante cantabile

• Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, “Four Novelletten”

I. Allegro moderato

III. Andante con moto

• Jessie Montgomery, “Banner” for String Quartet and String Orchestra
• Andrea Casarrubios, “Seven” (for Solo Cello)
• Ricardo Herz,“Inocente”and “Mourinho”
• Alberto Ginastera, Concerto for Strings, Op. 33

IV. Finale furioso

“For more than 20 years, the Sphinx Organization and its founder, Aaron Dworkin, have been addressing the underrepresentation of people of color in classical music and proving the value of diversity in the arts,” Wisconsin Union Theater Director Elizabeth Snodgrass said. “We’re so fortunate to bring their chamber orchestra to Madison for the first time and to have them kick off our Concert Series.”

Sphinx Virtuosi moves audiences and critics alike, earning praise from publications like The New York Times and The Washington Post. On its annual tour, the group has performed to sold-out crowds at respected concert halls like Carnegie Hall in New York City and the New World Center in Miami.

Tickets for this event are available as part of a fall package or full subscription to the Concert Series performances or as single tickets for this performance only. Patrons can also purchase single tickets to attend a livestream of the event. Tickets for Sphinx Virtuosi are available here. Fall package and subscription sales end on Sept. 29.

Single tickets for most season events are also available for purchase, with the exception of single tickets for an April 30, 2022, concert with opera legend Renée Fleming, which are currently only available with a subscription purchase. Single tickets for Fleming’s performance will go on sale in early 2022, pending availability.

This season will mark the 102nd year of the Wisconsin Union Theater’s Concert Series, the longest running classical music concert series in the Midwest. The 2021-22 Concert Series aims to highlight both new and familiar musicians in a musical lineup that inspires audiences.

The Wisconsin Union team is dedicated to creating a safe environment for all patrons and team members and to upholding the highest cleaning and sanitation standards. The Union team thoroughly and regularly cleans and disinfects its spaces, including performance spaces. Patrons and team members are required to follow the current University of Wisconsin–Madison health and safety protocol of wearing a face covering when indoors on campus, unless actively eating or drinking. The Wisconsin Union Theater team will continue to monitor and follow university guidelines.

Click here for more information about the Sphinx Virtuosi performance.

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About the Wisconsin Union Theater

The Wisconsin Union Theater’s mission is to present, promote and cultivate a lifelong appreciation of the performing arts, especially among University of Wisconsin–Madison students. For more than 75 years, the Wisconsin Union Theater (WUT) has served as a center for cultural activity in the heart of the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus. Through a student-led committee, WUT presents an annual season of up to 40 events. Additionally, the Theater serves numerous renters on and off campus for graduations, lectures, conferences, and performances by university departments, registered student organizations, and community organizations. The Wisconsin Union Theater is committed to social justice and works to create an equitable, diverse, and inclusive place for patrons, staff and performers.

Learn more: union.wisc.edu/wisconsin-union-theater.

[Click here to download a photo of Sphinx Virtuosi. Photo by Kevin Kennedy.]

To read this release online, visit here.

Joe Broadfoot Joins Oak Bank as Assistant Vice President of Business Banking

Fitchburg, WI – Oak Bank, Fitchburg’s community bank since 2000, is proud to welcome Joe Broadfoot as Assistant Vice President of Business Banking.

Broadfoot comes with over eight years of financial expertise, with his first three years as a credit analyst. In his new role, Broadfoot will be a trusted advisor for Oak Bank’s business clients by diving deep to get a complete understanding of their industry and business needs to help them achieve their goals.  

“Joe is a critical thinker and enthusiastically searches for solutions when presented with a problem,” said Terry Taylor, President at Oak Bank. “He has extensive experience with the U.S. Small Business Administration’s loan guaranty programs and will provide us with the expertise and energy needed to tackle more challenging opportunities.”

“Oak Bank truly embodies the definition of community banking,” said Broadfoot. “I’m excited to join a team of individuals who not only provide financial expertise but also strive to connect with our clients locally.”

Broadfoot graduated with a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire. He lives in Cottage Grove with his wife and two sons. Broadfoot likes to ride his bike, play golf, fish and forage for mushrooms in his free time. When he’s not outside, you will find Broadfoot cheering on the Packers. 

About Oak Bank

Oak Bank is celebrating 21 years of deep roots in the Fitchburg community and Madison areas. The community bank meets the financial needs of homeowners and businesses by offering top-notch service, quick answers and unique solutions, all while supporting over 100 local nonprofits each year. Visit oakbankonline.com to learn more.

Media Contact:

Karen Virnoche, 608.441.6000

kvirnoche@oakbankonline.com

WEA Trust and Health Tradition Health Plan Announce Vaughn Vance as New President and CEO

MADISON, WI – The WEA Trust Board today announced Vaughn Vance as the new Executive Director of the WEA Trust and President and CEO of WEA Insurance Corporation, Health Tradition Health Plan, Inc., and NeuGen, LLC. The announcement came as part of a planned transition.

Mr. Vance is currently Vice President and General Counsel. He joined the WEA Trust in 2005 as an External Affairs Specialist and has since served in several executive leadership roles.

“The WEA Trust was created over 50 years ago to provide quality health insurance and to deliver value to our members. Today, the WEA Trust, WEA Insurance Corporation, Health Tradition Health Plan Inc., and NeuGen, LLC all share that same commitment. I am honored to lead this organization as we look forward.  One of our top priorities as an organization will continue to be expanding our innovative plan offerings and growing our enrollment,” Vance stated.  “But our core values to our members, customers, and employees will not change,” continued Vance.

“In his numerous roles with the organization over nearly two decades, Vaughn Vance has always made our members his number one priority.”  said Mary Theisen, Chair of the Board of Trustees.  “On behalf of the entire Board of Trustees, we are very excited that Vaughn has agreed to lead us into the next chapter of our story,” continued Theisen.

Vance concluded by stating, “Our members will continue to see our commitment to innovation, superior customer service, and high-quality products and services for those we serve.”

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 In 1970, the not-for-profit WEA Trust was founded by the Wisconsin Education Association Council. Over time the organization has expanded to include the WEA Insurance Corporation, Health Tradition Health Plan, Inc. and NeuGen, LLC.  Together these companies provide a diverse choice of PPO and HMO group health plans throughout Wisconsin.