Oak Bank Welcomes Izzy Coughlin as Treasury Management Specialist

Fitchburg, WI – Oak Bank, Fitchburg’s trusted community bank since 2000, is pleased to announce the addition of Izzy Coughlin as its new Treasury Management Specialist. Izzy joins Oak Bank after refining her client service skills at a local community financial institution, bringing with her a passion for building strong relationships and supporting local businesses.

In her role as Treasury Management Specialist, Izzy will play a key part in Oak Bank’s commitment to delivering exceptional service to its clients while continuing to grow its Treasury Management division.

“Izzy brings a great blend of energy and client-first focus to our Treasury Management team,” said Linda Zimdars, Senior Vice President Business Banking. “Her passion for serving others and her strong community roots align perfectly with Oak Bank’s values. I’m confident she will build lasting relationships with our business clients and contribute greatly to their success.”

Izzy shared her enthusiasm for joining the Oak Bank team, saying, “I’m excited to be part of a community-focused organization that truly values its clients and team members. I look forward to helping our business clients find the right financial tools to support their growth and success.”

Izzy lives in Monticello with her husband and enjoys running her photography business in her free time. She also supports the Oregon FFA, where she previously served as Vice President during her time in high school.

About Oak Bank
Oak Bank has been deeply rooted in the Fitchburg community and Madison area for over 25 years, meeting the financial needs of homeowners and businesses by offering top-notch service, quick answers, and creative solutions, all while supporting over 135 local nonprofits each year. Visit oak.bank to learn more.

Local food pantries get financial boost from Lake Ridge Bank

November 20, 2025 (MADISON, Wis.) – In response to the extreme need arising from the lapse in SNAP benefits as well as a spike in applications for food assistance, Lake Ridge Bank has made multiple donations to local programs that work to support food security in our communities.

Recent donations include a $15,000 gift to River Food Pantry on Thursday. As a longtime partner, Lake Ridge Bank was involved in financing the nonprofit’s new building this year. The bank also provided $5,000 in support for the Goodman Community Center’s turkey dinner giveaway. Additionally, various Lake Ridge Bank locations are currently running food drives to bolster local pantries, such as WayForward (formerly MOM) and others.

“Part of being a community bank is finding ways to help our neighbors thrive,” says Lake Ridge Bank President Paul Hoffmann. “We saw a need and wanted to step up and do something about it.”

To get more information about giving to or benefitting from these pantries, visit:

• The River Food Pantry at riverfoodpantry.org
• Goodman Community Center at goodmancenter.org
• WayForward Resources at wayforwardresources.org

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Lake Ridge Bank’s mission is to “build prosperous communities, one relationship at a time.” For more than 100 years, this has meant getting to know each of our clients to offer personalized services to meet their specific financial goals. Lake Ridge Bank offers a full line of financial products and services. We focus on offering products and services to make your banking easy. Our business banking and mortgage lenders are trusted leaders in their field with the expertise to provide the right loan at the best rate possible for our clients. As a community bank, we are dedicated to reinvesting in, and making our communities great places to live, work and raise a family. Visit lakeridge.bank to learn more about how we can help you.

The Creative Company Named a 2025 IC100 Award Winner

MADISON, Wisc. (November 19, 2025) — In recognition of The Creative Company’s drive and commitment to helping mission-based organizations, The Initiative for a Competitive Inner City awarded Madison, WI-based The Creative Company one of its  2025 Inner City 100 awards. 

This prestigious national honor recognizes the 100 fastest-growing businesses across the United States. All 2025 IC100 winners will be formally recognized and receive their awards at the 2026 ICIC Annual Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, on April 27–28, 2026. 

As part of this achievement, The Creative Company joins an elite group of businesses: fewer than 2% of all companies that participate in ICIC programs go on to become IC100 winners. Gallagher previously completed ICIC’s Inner City Capital Connections (ICCC) program as part of the Milwaukee cohort in 2016, making this recognition a full-circle milestone nearly a decade in the making.

“Being named an IC100 award winner is a meaningful milestone for our team,” said Laura Gallagher, Founder and President of The Creative Company. “For more than 35 years, we’ve been committed to helping mission-driven organizations tell their stories, strengthen their brands, and uplift the communities they serve. This recognition underscores the power of purpose-driven work and the importance of investing in small businesses.”

Celebrating Inclusive Economic Growth
ICIC CEO Steve Grossman highlighted the significance of this year’s awardees:

“IC100 honorees are more than leaders; they are changemakers who uplift their neighborhoods while driving sustainable growth. These businesses are proof that investing in under-resourced communities generates exceptional results.”

The Creative Company is part of a network of more than 9,000 alumni businesses, only 400 of whom have been recognized as an IC100 Business—including well-known brands such as Printfresh, Angie’s List, Brooklyn Brewery, and Terracycle—that exemplify resilience, innovation, and inclusive economic impact.

A Record of Growth and Community Impact
Founded in 1989, The Creative Company provides public relations, digital marketing, branding, video production, and strategic communications services to organizations throughout Wisconsin and beyond. The firm’s client portfolio includes leaders in education, housing, economic development, healthcare, food systems, and community impact.

The Creative Company’s mission-driven approach, commitment to collaborative storytelling, and longstanding presence on Madison’s west side have contributed to both its growth and its deep involvement in the local community. The firm frequently supports nonprofit initiatives, champions small business development, and invests in next-generation talent.

About the IC100 Awards
Since 1999, the Inner City 100 (IC100) awards have celebrated the fastest-growing businesses in under-resourced communities across the U.S. To qualify, companies must be independently operated, privately held, for-profit businesses with revenues of at least $50,000 in 2019 and $500,000 in 2024, and headquartered in a designated under-resourced urban or suburban area.

These honorees serve as powerful examples of how inclusive economic growth strengthens neighborhoods and expands opportunity.

About ICIC
The Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC) is the nation’s leading authority on accelerating small business growth in under-resourced communities. Founded in 1994 by Harvard Business School professor Michael Porter, ICIC advances inclusive economic prosperity through research and programs designed to create jobs, income, and wealth for local residents.

About The Creative Company
The Creative Company is a woman-owned public relations and marketing firm based in Madison, Wisconsin. Since 1989, the company has helped mission-driven organizations shape narratives, elevate brands, and create meaningful impact in the communities they serve. Guided by a belief that stories can transform people and places, The Creative Company blends strategy, creativity, and purpose to help clients grow with clarity and confidence.

Visit www.thecreativecompany.com to learn more or reach out to Laura Gallagher, President and Founder at laura@thecreativecompany.com.

New Steeple Set at Historic Holy Redeemer Catholic Church

Rebuilt steeple reclaims its place in Madison’s skyline

Madison, WI — Vogel Bros. Building Co. has reached a significant milestone in the restoration of Holy Redeemer Catholic Church with the successful placement of the church’s newly rebuilt steeple on November 17. Located at 120 W Johnson St. in downtown Madison, Holy Redeemer is the city’s oldest Catholic church, originally constructed between 1865 and 1869.

The original steeple suffered severe damage in May 2024 when the church was struck by lightning, resulting in a fire that compromised the structure. Vogel Bros., serving as the general contractor, has been leading the effort to rebuild and restore the steeple in partnership with a team of specialized subcontractors.

The new steeple, a 48-foot-tall, 16,000-pound structure topped with a 10-foot cross, was built on site before being lifted into place with a crane. Its installation marks a major step forward in the multi-phase restoration project.

“Our team and partners have been working diligently to bring this historic landmark back to its full presence in the Madison skyline,” said Matt Schultz, Vice President of Vogel Bros. Building Co.

“Reaching this milestone is a testament to the craftsmanship and coordination of everyone involved.”
Restoration work on the church will continue into next year. The full project is expected to be
completed in early 2026.

Vogel Bros. Building Co. (www.vogelbldg.com) is a fifth-generation construction services company
with offices in Madison, WI and Lakeland, FL. As an award-winning company, Vogel Bros. has earned
recognition for completing large-scale complex projects, encouraging innovation, embracing new
technologies, and making a difference in our communities. We owe our success and longevity to the
values established by the Vogel family that have been shared through the generations and are
embodied in our employees. Vogel Bros. mission is to continually improve our services to enhance the
lives of the people in the communities we serve.

StartingBlock Wins $75,000 from SBA to Advance Entrepreneurship in Wisconsin

StartingBlock Madison has been selected as a 2025 recipient of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Growth Accelerator Fund Competition, receiving $75,000 to expand our support for entrepreneurs across south central Wisconsin.

National Recognition for Regional Impact

This marks our second SBA Growth Accelerator award, following our 2023 win. Being selected from a competitive national field – just 76 organizations were chosen – validates both the quality of our programming and the strength of the ecosystem partnerships we’ve built together.

As I reflect on this recognition, I can’t help but think about what it represents: federal acknowledgment that south central Wisconsin is building something special. We are thrilled that our federal partners understand and value the work that StartingBlock is doing in the Madison ecosystem. We are looking forward to partnering with regional government, industry and university partners to further entrepreneurship in south central Wisconsin.

Building on Proven Success

This award comes as we build on strong performance metrics from our 2024-2025 WEDC Entrepreneurial Partnership Grant, where we served 85 entrepreneurs.

The $75,000 will enable us to enhance support for entrepreneurs across key regional sectors – advanced manufacturing, agricultural technology, clean energy, health technology, and information technology – while serving businesses at every stage from concept validation through scaling.

An Invitation to Partner

This momentum creates exciting opportunities for collaboration. As we expand our programming and pursue additional funding opportunities we’re seeking partners who share our vision of establishing south central Wisconsin as a nationally recognized innovation hub.

Whether you’re interested in providing mentorship, exploring pilot projects with emerging companies, connecting students to real-world entrepreneurship, or simply learning more about what we’re building together, I’d welcome the conversation.

Let’s Connect

Visit startingblockmadison.org to learn more about our programming and partnership opportunities.