M3 Announces Expansion into the Minneapolis–St. Paul Market 

MINNEAPOLIS–ST. PAUL, MN – M3 proudly announces its expansion into the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area, marking its 10^th office location and the natural next step in the firm’s strategic growth plan. A top independent and privately held insurance broker in America, M3 is committed to providing in-depth market knowledge and world-class resources to clients with a local, national, and/or international presence.  

M3 has been doing business in the Twin Cities market for years, serving clients across specialized industries, including senior living & social services, food & agribusiness, and manufacturing & distribution. The firm offers a full spectrum of solutions to businesses, nonprofits, and individuals including property & casualty, employee benefits, personal lines, financial services, surety, pharmacy solutions, and HR services. 

“Minnesota and the broader Twin Cities market have long been a part of our marketplace presence,” said Mike Victorson, CEO at M3. “By establishing a stronger physical footprint here, we’re better positioned to meet the needs of our clients and deliver tailored solutions backed by our specialized industry expertise.” 

The new office is located at 5980 Golden Hills Drive Minneapolis, MN 55416. 

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About M3

M3 Insurance is a top private and independent insurance broker and risk management firm in the nation. Recognized as a leader in the products it represents and the industries it serves, M3’s people act as an extension of each client’s team, providing world-class resources to help manage risk, secure insurance solutions, and deliver comprehensive employee benefits. With a strong commitment to community, M3 works to build better places to live and work.

Madison Children’s Museum tackles loneliness epidemic with friend-making event

(Madison, Wis.) —If you’ve ever scrolled through Madison’s Reddit forum, you’ve seen the posts from newcomers, recent grads, and young professionals all asking the same question: “How do I make friends as an adult?” Madison Children’s Museum has been paying attention, and they’re doing something about it.

On Friday, February 6 from 5:30-9:00 pm, the museum will host “Adult Swim: How to Make Friends in Madison,” a specially designed event for adults 21 and over who are looking to build connections in their community. The event responds directly to a recurring query on local social media: outside of work, where can adult professionals meet new friends?

“We know that people everywhere are struggling with making meaningful connections,” said event organizer Amanda Strobel, manager of strategic initiatives at Madison Children’s Museum. “We kept seeing these posts on the Madison subreddit from people who had just moved here for work or had aged out of the college scene and genuinely didn’t know how to meet people. We wanted to create a fun space where making friends feels a little less intimidating.”

The event will feature friendship-focused activities throughout the museum’s four floors and rooftop, including Friend Speed Dating with conversation prompts, Meet a Friend Bingo, collaborative games, and Premiere Trivia sessions at 6, 7, and 8 pm. The evening will also feature a pop-up performance by Madison Shakespeare Company at 7 pm, specialty cocktails and beer from State Line Distillery and Delta Beer Lab, and Filipino cuisine from Kanto Fiesta food truck. 

“People meet new friends at the museum every day,” said Molly Backes, communications specialist. “Granted, they’re usually children, but we’re excited to share our friend-making expertise with grownups, too. Bringing people together and building community feels more important than ever. The good news is that it can also be really fun.”

Event Details:

• What: Adult Swim: How to Make Friends in Madison
• When: Friday, February 6, 2026; 5:30–9 pm
• Where: Madison Children’s Museum, 100 N. Hamilton St.
• Tickets: $20 advance, $25 day-of; groups of 10+ save 10%
• Info & Tickets: MadisonChildrensMuseum.org
• Age Requirement: 21+

Madison Children’s Museum:

• Connects children with their families, their community and the world beyond through creative learning and discovery play
• Strives to make all families feel welcome, valued, and included by living the ideals of Access, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
• Is a community hub for children and families from every corner of Madison, and serves more than 200,000 visitors per year
• Is a community partner and gateway for families to access and participate in other cultural institutions and community programs

Founded in 1980, the museum’s hands-on exhibits and programs celebrate and encourage children’s imaginations and the power of play as cornerstones of learning. The museum is a proud recipient of the 2011 National Medal for Museum Service from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. To learn more, visit MadisonChildrensMuseum.org, call (608) 256-6445, and follow on Facebook and Instagram.

Endres Manufacturing Achieves AISC Certification for Arlington Facility While Celebrating 100 Years in Business

Arlington, WI (2026) – Endres Manufacturing Co., a Wisconsin-based structural steel fabricator, is proud to announce that its Arlington, Wisconsin facility has earned American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) Certification. This achievement marks a significant milestone for the company as it celebrates both the second anniversary of the Arlington location and its 100th year in business.

The Arlington facility, formerly known as Skyline Steel, was acquired by Endres Manufacturing in 2024. Since the acquisition, the company has invested in aligning the facility with Endres’ established quality standards, procedures, and culture. Earning AISC Certification less than two years later reflects the successful integration of the Arlington operation into Endres’ certified quality management system.

“This certification is a reflection of the hard work and commitment of our Arlington team,” said President Sam Ballweg. “Bringing a newly acquired facility into alignment with our long-standing quality standards in such a short time speaks volumes about the people, processes, and culture we have built at Endres.”

Endres Manufacturing first achieved AISC Certification at its original location in 2004, reinforcing their company-wide commitment to quality, consistency, and continuous improvement. For more than two decades, AISC Certification has served as a cornerstone of Endres’ operations, ensuring customers receive structural steel fabricated to the highest industry standards.

AISC Certification is widely regarded as the most respected credential a structural steel fabricator can earn. Certified fabricators undergo comprehensive third-party evaluations to verify their ability to consistently deliver quality products through documented procedures, trained personnel, reliable equipment, and proven quality management systems.

The Arlington certification arrives during a landmark year for Endres Manufacturing, which is celebrating 100 years of service in 2026. Founded in 1926, the company has grown from a local fabricator into a trusted partner on complex structural steel projects across the region, while remaining family-owned and rooted in Wisconsin.

“As we celebrate 100 years in business, achievements like this highlight what has sustained us for a century,” added Sam. “A focus on quality, accountability, and doing right by our customers has never changed.”

With both facilities now AISC Certified, Endres Manufacturing continues to invest in its people, processes, and facilities to meet the evolving needs of its customers and the construction industry. For more information about Endres Manufacturing and its capabilities, visit www.endresmfg.com.

About Endres Manufacturing Co.
Founded in 1926, Endres Manufacturing Co. is a family-owned structural steel fabricator based in Wisconsin. The company provides structural steel fabrication services for commercial, industrial, and institutional projects and is known for its focus on quality craftsmanship, reliability, and long-term customer partnerships.

Lake Ridge Bank Bolsters Business Banking Team With Experienced Additions in Evansville and New Glarus

January 29, 2026 (MADISON, Wis.) – Lake Ridge Bank  welcomes two new bankers to its Business Banking team to provide additional coverage in the Evansville and New Glarus areas:

• Kevin Ile, MBA, VP-Business Relationship Manager in Evansville
• Steve Landry, VP-Business Relationship Manager in New Glarus

Kevin Ile brings five years of experience in commercial banking and business lending to the Evansville area. With a passion for helping small and mid-sized businesses flourish, Ile enjoys the opportunity to partner with a diverse group of business owners and leaders to support local economic growth. He has worked with clients from a variety of industries, including manufacturing, transportation, senior living, and affordable housing, and has experience serving clients as an SBA lender as well.

Born and raised in Wisconsin, Kevin Ile earned both his bachelor’s degree in finance and his MBA from UW-Stevens Point. He is an active volunteer, serving on the Board of Directors for the Evansville Area Chamber of Commerce and for Monticello Works. Over the years, he has been involved in Optimist International, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, and Junior Achievement of Wisconsin.

Steve Landry offers broad experience from a variety of industries to his business banking clients in and around New Glarus. He is not only a knowledgeable commercial lender, he is also a LEED Green Associate with direct experience working in business development for a regional construction company. Landry has collected insights throughout his career from working at a handful of Fortune 500 companies, including TDS, CellularOne, MCI and Xerox.

Landry’s extensive volunteerism fits well with Lake Ridge Bank’s ongoing commitment to the community. He has served on a variety of Boards, including the New Glarus Planning Commission, Gilda’s Club, The Ronald McDonald House, Gio’s Garden, Downtown Madison Inc., the Madison College Advisory Board, and Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra. He also co-founded New Glarus Music, a free series of concerts in the park. And thanks to growing up in Canada, he is bilingual in English and French.

“We are always looking for the best and brightest professionals to grow our Business Banking Team, and these two are exactly that!” says Paul Hoffmann, Lake Ridge Bank President. “Kevin and Steve are both community-minded individuals who really care about their neighbors and want to help local businesses thrive. We’re excited to have them on board.”

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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.

Lake Ridge Bank. Go Far. Go Together!

Member FDIC | Equal Housing Lender

Investment Products: Are Not FDIC Insured | Are Not Bank Guaranteed | May Lose Value

For additional information, please contact Mark Schellpfeffer at mschellpfeffer@lakeridge.bank.

raSmith Welcomes Nicole Smullen, Adds Real Estate Acquisition Services

MADISON, Wis. — Nicole Smullen has joined raSmith as the real estate services manager in the transportation division at the firm’s Brookfield, Wis., office. Smullen will expand the firm’s capabilities by providing real estate acquisition services for infrastructure projects to public sector clients, including the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT), counties, and local governments.

Smullen brings more than 20 years of experience in transportation infrastructure and utility coordination as a real estate services and utility project manager. Her expertise includes real estate acquisition and negotiation, plat and appraisal reviews, utility conflict resolution, and relocation planning for major roadway and infrastructure projects. She has extensive experience with WisDOT manuals, the Trans 220 process, and compliance with the Federal Uniform Act, giving her a vast understanding of state and federal requirements that guide successful project delivery. Smullen brings a cross-disciplinary, collaborative mindset to her work by organizing a team early in the project and ensuring everyone shares the objective of completing right-of-way acquisition on time to maintain construction schedules.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Nicole, whose real estate expertise will strengthen our team’s ability to support clients across complex projects,” said John Elkin, P.E., raSmith director of transportation services. “Her skills will not only elevate the transportation division’s integrated solutions, but also streamline coordination with multiple project stakeholders.”

Smullen is a WisDOT-approved Local Public Agency negotiation consultant, licensed as a real estate salesperson in Wisconsin, and is a member of the International Right of Way Association (IRWA). She holds a master’s degree in public administration and bachelor’s degree in criminology and law studies from Marquette University.

About raSmith

raSmith is a multidisciplinary engineering consulting firm established in the city of Brookfield, Wisconsin, in 1978. Our services include civil engineering, structural engineering, transportation and traffic, land surveying, geographic information systems (GIS), development management, landscape architecture, ecological services, construction services, LiDAR (3D laser scanning), and UAS (unmanned aircraft systems). We work on projects nationwide from our six locations in Wisconsin, Illinois, and California. The firm employs a staff of 220. For more information about raSmith, visit www.rasmith.com.