30 interns at WPS Health Solutions ‘Pay it Forward’ through Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
DeAnne Boegli
Vice President of Corporate Communications
608-512-5754
deanne.boegli@wpsic.com

30 interns at WPS Health Solutions ‘Pay it Forward’ through Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives

MADISON, Wis.—Aug. 25, 2021—The 12-week summer internship program at WPS Health Solutions was held virtually for the second year, concluding at the end of August.

This year’s program was led by Casey Schmidt, Corporate Recruiter-Internship Coordinator, and Talent Acquisition Director Tina Wallace. 

Each year, the interns are tasked with a Pay it Forward project as a part of their overall responsibilities, something they can leave for the next class of interns or other employees at WPS. After an extraordinary year of social unrest, the 2021 class decided to take a deep dive into the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives at WPS.

The students researched, explored, and made recommendations to expand the existing DEI programs. Working hand-in-hand with different departments and Jihan Bekiri, Vice President of DEI, they evaluated current initiatives, sought out gaps or places for opportunity, researched, and prepared recommendations.

The interns identified four areas of interest: Employee Resource Groups, Mentorship and Sponsorship, Military and Veteran Inclusion Strategy, and Diverse Talent Partnerships. Then, the interns divided into four teams and designed a well-researched presentation that they presented to WPS leadership.

“Working on the project with the rest of my intern class was super rewarding,” said Erica Casper, Marketing and Communications Intern. “All summer, we researched and put together an hour and a half presentation on four different initiatives to learn about and improve the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at WPS. DEI is such an important topic, and I am super proud to be able to contribute my ideas and research.”

Bekiri commented on their work, “I am incredibly proud of our summer interns and appreciate the recommendations they have provided. Their thorough research, thoughtful approach, and relevant perspectives will be critical in informing our DEI journey—we will be a stronger, more inclusive WPS because of their guidance.”

The Pay it Forward project is just one part of the internship program. WPS interns focused on:

• Gaining skills in their functional area of study.
• Gaining exposure to a corporate culture through professional development trainings hosted by the Talent development team, Executive Speaker Series, and daily meetings.
• Gaining project management and team-building skills by working on the Pay it Forward project.
• Gaining public speaking and leadership skills by presenting their projects to their managers and the executive team.

About WPS Health Solutions

Wisconsin Physicians Service Insurance Corporation (WPS Health Solutions), founded in 1946, is a nationally regarded benefits administrator for a variety of U.S. government programs and a leading not-for-profit health insurer in Wisconsin. WPS Health Solutions serves active-duty and retired military personnel, seniors, individuals, and families in Wisconsin, across the U.S., and around the world. WPS Health Solutions, headquartered in Madison, Wis., has more than 3,100 employees. Within the enterprise, there are three divisions: WPS Government Health Administrators, WPS Military and Veterans Health, and WPS Health Insurance/WPS Health Plan/EPIC Specialty Benefits. For more information, please visit wpshealthsolutions.com.

###

Army veteran Douglas Wirth saluted by WPS Health Solutions and the Packers for Operation Fan Mail

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
DeAnne Boegli
Vice President of Communications
608-512-5754
deanne.boegli@wpsic.com

Army veteran Douglas Wirth saluted by WPS Health Solutions and the Packers for Operation Fan Mail

MADISON, Wis.—Aug. 24, 2021—The Green Bay Packers and WPS Health Solutions paid special tribute this week to U.S. Army veteran Douglas Wirth and his family in conjunction with Saturday’s preseason game against the New York Jets. Operation Fan Mail, sponsored by WPS, is the program that recognizes military families and veterans at each Packers home game. The program marks its 15th season in 2021.

Wirth, a native of Ridgeland, Wis., served in the Army from 1967–69. He was deployed to Vietnam in 1968 as part of the 9th Infantry Division in the 43rd Scout Dog Platoon. He served as a dog handler, and his job was to take a squad of eight to 10 soldiers to ambush sites safely, securing their perimeter with his dog, a German Shephard named Alex. They kept the group from tripping booby traps and ensured the bases and bridges were secure.

Wirth earned the rank of Sergeant, and during his time in the military, he was awarded the Combat Infantry Badge in October 1968 and a Purple Heart in April 1969.

Wirth, who has been a Packers fan since he was 12 years old, comes from a military family; his father served during World War II and his nephew served recently in the U.S. Air Force. He is looking forward to being honored on the Freedom Honor Flight in October. He was nominated for Operation Fan Mail by his sister, Julie Sanders, and was accompanied at Saturday’s game by his fiancée, Lana.

As the honoree for Operation Fan Mail this week, the Wirth family also received four tickets to the game and a $150 Packers Pro Shop gift card, courtesy of WPS.

The program, which debuted in 2007, is designed to honor families with a member who is on active duty, or a member who is a veteran. The Packers and WPS Health Solutions will host a family at each 2021 home game and recognize the members on the video boards during pregame activities. A total of 138 individuals, families, or groups have been recognized through the program.

If you know someone whose bravery, sacrifice, and dedication deserves to be honored, WPS Health Solutions and the Packers invite you to submit an application. To apply, share an essay of 500 words or less describing why a particular family should be saluted at operationfanmail.com.

Essays can also be sent to Operation Fan Mail, P.O. Box 10628, Green Bay, WI, 54307-0628.

About WPS Health Solutions

Wisconsin Physicians Service Insurance Corporation (WPS Health Solutions), founded in 1946, is a nationally regarded benefits administrator for a variety of U.S. government programs and a leading not-for-profit health insurer in Wisconsin. WPS Health Solutions serves active-duty and retired military personnel, seniors, individuals, and families in Wisconsin, across the U.S., and around the world. WPS Health Solutions, headquartered in Madison, Wis., has more than 3,100 employees. Within the enterprise, there are three divisions: WPS Government Health Administrators, WPS Military and Veterans Health, and WPS Health Insurance/WPS Health Plan/EPIC Specialty Benefits. For more information, please visit wpshealthsolutions.com.

###

Savant’s Brand and Website Win American Advertising Awards

MADISON, Wis. (Aug. 24, 2021) — Savant Wealth Management, in partnership with GrahamSpencer, a full-service advertising and marketing agency headquartered in Rockford, Illinois, recently won two American Advertising Awards from the American Advertising Federation (AAF) Northern Illinois.

Savant and GrahamSpencer received a silver award for the “Savant Wealth Management Brand Campaign.” The brand campaign kicked off in 2019 and included an in-depth brand audit and detailed interviews with employees, leadership, clients, and others. The goal of the campaign was to refresh the brand to better represent Savant’s deep bench of specialists and its holistic approach. The result was a new brand that included an updated company name, a redesigned company logo, and a refreshed identity. The new brand was unveiled in summer 2020.

The two organizations also were recognized with a bronze award for the “Savant Wealth Management Website.” The first deliverable of the Savant brand campaign was the building and launching of a dynamic new website, which went live in July 2020. The site integrates vastly improved lead generation tools and integrations that allow the firm to implement broader and more targeted digital marketing efforts moving forward.

The American Advertising Awards is the advertising industry’s largest and most representative competition to recognize and reward the creative spirit of excellence in the art of advertising. The competition attracts nearly 35,000 entries every year in local AAF contests.

About Savant Wealth Management

Savant Wealth Management, formerly known as Savant Capital Management, is a leading independent, fee-only firm serving clients for 30 years with more than $11 billion in assets under management and assets under advisement. Savant Wealth Management offers investment management, financial planning, retirement planning, and family office services to financially established individuals and institutions. Savant also offers corporate accounting, tax preparation, payroll and consulting through its affiliate, Savant Tax & Consulting.

Savant is headquartered in Rockford, IL, with locations in Bloomington, Chicago, Downers Grove, Freeport, Hoffman Estates, Lincolnshire, Naperville, Peoria, St. Charles, Sterling, and Wilmette, IL; Phoenix, AZ; Plymouth, MI; Santa Fe, NM; Madison and Park Falls, WI; and McLean, VA.

Savant Wealth Management (“Savant”) is an SEC registered investment adviser headquartered in Rockford, Illinois. Past performance may not be indicative of future results. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk. Please see Important Disclosures at savantwealth.com.

###

DeWitt Announces Lawyers of the Year and Best Lawyers Named in Best Lawyers 28th Edition – 2022

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 23, 2021

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Michelle M. Friedman
mmf@dewittllp.com / 262-754-2877

DEWITT ANNOUNCES LAWYERS OF THE YEAR AND BEST LAWYERS NAMED IN BEST LAWYERS 28th EDITION – 2022

MADISON | MILWAUKEE | MINNEAPOLIS – DeWitt LLP announced today the attorneys from the firm who were named as Lawyers of the Year, Best Lawyers, and Ones to Watch in the 28^th Edition of Best Lawyers in America 2022.

Lawyers of the Year Awards – Best Lawyers 2022 Edition

Madison

• Jeff A. Goldman – Trusts and Estates
• Ronald W. Kuehn – Government Relations Practice
• Joseph A. Ranney III – Litigation – Intellectual Property
• Theresa L. Roetter – Collaborative Law: Family Law

Milwaukee

• Douglas H. Frazer – Litigation and Controversy – Tax

Best Lawyers 2022 Edition

Madison Office

• Brian L. Anderson (2005) – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law, Tax Law, Trusts and Estates
• Jon P. Axelrod (1997) – Commercial Litigation
• Donald Leo Bach (2007) – Water Law
• Frederic J. Brouner (2005) – Corporate Law, Real Estate Law, Tax Law
• Paul A. Croake (2006) – Corporate Law
• Michael R. Davis (2005) – Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
• Stephen A. DiTullio (2007) – Commercial Litigation, Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management
• Bryan C. Esch (2011) – Real Estate Law
• Eric A. Farnsworth (2005) – Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs, Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
• Bradley C. Fulton (2013) – Commercial Litigation
• Jeff A. Goldman (2016) – Trusts and Estates
• Henry J. Handzel, Jr. (1989) – Environmental Law
• Stuart C. Herro (2005) – Real Estate Law, Trusts and Estates
• Ronald W. Kuehn (2009) – Government Relations Practice
• Jordan K. Lamb (2009) – Government Relations Practice
• Joseph T. Leone (2007) – Copyright Law, Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Patent, Patent Law, Trademark Law
• Troy A. Mayne (2005) – Corporate Law, Real Estate Law
• William E. McCardell (2007) – Construction Law, Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management
• Ronald R. Ragatz (2006) – Commercial Litigation, Environmental Law
• Joseph A. Ranney III (2010) – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Intellectual Property, Litigation – Patent
• John Rashke (1987) – Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
• Theresa L. Roetter (2013) – Collaborative Law, Family Law
• Gregory E. Scallon (2013) – Corporate Law
• Mark R. Sewell (2009) – Land Use and Zoning Law, Municipal Law
• Wrede H. Smith, Jr. (1995) – Commercial Litigation, Corporate Law, Real Estate Law, Trusts and Estates
• Timm P. Speerschneider (2006) – Environmental Law, Land Use and Zoning Law
• Michael W. Wilcox (1983) – Trusts and Estates

Metro-Milwaukee Office

• Douglas H. Frazer (2007) – Litigation and Controversy – Tax Law
• Paul R. Hoefle (2017) – Litigation – Insurance, Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
• Jeffrey J. Liotta (2012) – Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Real Estate
• Brian R. Smigelski (2013) – Construction Law
• John P. Yentz (2013) – Corporate Law

Minneapolis Office

• Eric H. Chadwick (2016) – Litigation – Patent
• Robert W. Due (2014) – Family Law
• Matthew A. Drewes (2022) – Real Estate Law
• Kathleen M. Newman (1993) – Family Law
• Bradley Thorson (2015) – Patent Law

Ones to Watch 2022 Edition

Minneapolis Office

• Barbara J. Seibel – Family Law, was named among Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch.​

About DeWittDeWitt 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, civil rights litigation, 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.

###

Eppstein Uhen Architects: Stakeholder Engagement

From community engagement and communications, EUA is the market leader in delivering comprehensive pre-design services. We tailor our services to meet each client’s unique set of circumstances. EUA’s understanding and anticipation of client needs ensures that clients are meeting expectations to inform, engage and respond to broad community interests throughout the pre-design and project planning phases.

Read more here