WPS Health Solutions recognized as one of Achievers 50 Most Engaged Workplaces®

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

WPS Health Solutions recognized as one of Achievers 50 Most Engaged Workplaces^®

MADISON, Wis.—Aug. 5, 2021—WPS Health Solutions has been recognized as one of the recipients of the 2021 Achievers 50 Most Engaged Workplaces^® Awards. This annual award recognizes top employers that display leadership and innovation in engaging their workplaces.

“The COVID-19 pandemic presented a myriad of challenges for businesses and their workforce. But these unprecedented times also offered an opportunity for organizations to support their people. Companies that prioritized employee experience, recognition and employee voice have seen increased productivity, higher employee engagement and stronger loyalty,” said Jeff Cates, CEO and president at Achievers. “This year’s 50 Most Engaged winners embody what it means to be a ‘people-first’ business and have proven how the prioritization of employee experience can help an organization withstand even the most difficult of times.”

A panel of 15 judges comprised of employee engagement academics, industry analysts, thought leaders, journalists and influencers evaluated the applicants. Winners were selected based on Achievers’ Eight Elements of Employee Engagement^®: Accountability & Performance; Belonging, Equity & Inclusion; Culture Alignment; Manager Empowerment; Professional & Personal Growth; Purpose & Leadership; Recognition & Rewards; and Well-being.

“Being recognized for this award is meaningful because it symbolizes the progress we’ve made in our culture journey and inspires us to continue our focus on creating an exceptional employee experience at WPS,” said Moira Klos, Human Resources Senior Vice President.

For more information about Achievers 50 Most Engaged Workplaces, visit achievers.com/engaged. Follow the conversations on Twitter at @Achievers or use the hashtag #Achievers50.

About Achievers

Achievers’ employee voice and recognition solutions bring your organization’s values and strategy to life by activating employee participation and accelerating a culture of performance. Achievers leverages the science behind behavior change, so your people and your organization can experience sustainable, data-driven business results. Visit us at www.achievers.com.

About WPS Health Solutions

Wisconsin Physicians Service Insurance Corporation is a nationally regarded benefits administrator for a variety of U.S. government programs and a leading not-for-profit health insurer in Wisconsin. Wisconsin Physicians Service Insurance Corporation uses “WPS Health Solutions” to refer to its entire enterprise. Within the enterprise, there are three divisions, including WPS Government Health Administrators, WPS Military and Veterans Health, and WPS Health Insurance/WPS Health Plan/EPIC Specialty Benefits. WPS Government Health Administrators manages Medicare Part A and Part B benefits for millions of seniors in multiple states, and WPS Military and Veterans Health serves millions of members of the U.S. military and their families through TRICARE programs. Wisconsin Physicians Service Insurance Corporation has more than 3,100 employees and has been based in Wisconsin for 75 years. For more information, please visit wpshealthsolutions.com.

###

Wisconsin Bank & Trust Announces Key Leadership Changes and Additions; Doug Kohlbeck Named President

For Immediate Release

CONTACT:
Shawn Kesler
Vice President Marketing
414.394.5946
SKesler@htlf.com

WISCONSIN BANK & TRUST ANNOUNCES KEY LEADERSHIP CHANGES AND ADDITIONS; DOUG KOHLBECK NAMED PRESIDENT

August 4, 2021 — MADISON, WI — Wisconsin Bank & Trust (WBT), a member of Heartland Financial USA, Inc. (NASDAQ: HTLF) that operates under the brand name HTLF, has announced several key leadership changes and additions to the team as Doug Kohlbeck is named President and John Hintze has been hired as Senior Vice President, Director of Middle Market.

Doug Kohlbeck has been promoted to President of WBT and will serve on the bank’s Board of Directors.  Kohlbeck joined WBT in July of 2020 as EVP of Commercial Banking. This promotion reflects his hands-on leadership and as president, Doug will continue to strategically align the commercial team for growth and help WBT grow across the state. Doug has served as a leader in the commercial and business banking space for over 25 years at various financial institutions.

“We are fortunate to have Doug Kohlbeck take over as President at Wisconsin Bank & Trust,” said Steve Ward, CEO of Wisconsin Bank & Trust.  “Doug has an unwavering commitment to serving customers and dedication to community involvement. His customer-focused leadership approach makes him perfectly suited to lead Wisconsin Bank & Trust into the future,” Ward concluded.

WBT has also added key talent with John Hintze joining the organization. John brings over 20 years of commercial banking experience and will serve as the Senior Vice President, Director of Wisconsin Middle Market, assisting middle market companies with their growth objectives.

John most recently served as the Senior Vice President in Middle Market Banking at U.S. Bank in Madison.  He is a UW-Green Bay graduate and currently serves on various boards in the Madison area including the Madison Children’s Museum, American Heart Association and Capital Off-Road Pathfinders.  John also serves on the board of directors for My Choice Wisconsin located in Milwaukee.

“John is a very experienced commercial banker with a demonstrated and proven track record in the banking industry,” said Doug Kohlbeck, President, Wisconsin Bank & Trust. “We’re excited to continue to expand our commercial banking team in Wisconsin as John brings deep industry knowledge and a skillset that matches our core strategy to bring meaningful tangible value to our clients that is even more important today given the rapidly changing business environment.”

WBT is a member bank of HTLF, an $18 billion holding company with locations in 12 states. HTLF’s strength and resources match those of regional and national banks, but with strong local leadership and local decision making.  WBT offers advanced lending, treasury and payment solutions, retirement planning services and more, including high touch private banking with advanced technology offerings.

About Wisconsin Bank & Trust

Wisconsin Bank & Trust (WBT), a subsidiary of Heartland Financial USA, Inc., (NASDAQ: HTLF), is a business-focused community bank with assets of more than $1.2 billion. With 13 banking centers and one loan processing office, Wisconsin Bank & Trust serves customers in the Madison, Milwaukee, Green Bay, Sheboygan, Monroe and southwest areas of Wisconsin. WBT offers a wide range of personal and business banking, private client and mortgage lending services. For more information, visit   or call 608.203.1214. Wisconsin Bank & Trust is a member of the FDIC and an Equal Housing Lender.

About Heartland Financial USA, Inc.

Heartland Financial USA, Inc., operating under the brand name HTLF, is a financial services company with assets of approximately $18.4 billion. HTLF’s banks serve communities in Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, Texas and Wisconsin. HTLF is committed to its core commercial business, supported by a strong retail operation, and provides a diversified line of financial services including treasury management, residential mortgage, wealth management, investment and insurance. Additional information is available at htlf.com.

# # #

In-Person Wisconsin Union Theater Events Return With 3rd Annual Black Arts Matter Festival, 102nd Annual Classical Music Series, Jazz and More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Aug. 3, 2021

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

IN-PERSON WISCONSIN UNION THEATER EVENTS RETURN WITH 3RD ANNUAL BLACK ARTS MATTER FESTIVAL, 102ND ANNUAL CLASSICAL MUSIC SERIES, JAZZ AND MORE 

Wisconsin Union Theater team releases full 2021-22 season lineup

MADISON – The Wisconsin Union Theater team’s 2021-22 season will include jazz, classical music, R&B music, the return of the Black Arts Matter Festival, and more and will begin in September with in-person performances and some virtual attendance options. 

The Theater team held a mostly virtual 2020-21 season with the exceptions of two outdoor Madison Jazz Festival performances on the Memorial Union Terrace in June 2021. Despite all of the challenges presented by the pandemic, the Theater held more than 30 online events and supported artists, thanks in part to support from donations and patrons’ ticket purchases. 

The Theater team hosted a small number of performers for livestreamed and recorded performances in Shannon Hall, but the rows of patrons’ seats remained empty due to COVID-19.

The team looks forward to its upcoming season during which patrons can again enjoy programming in-person as well as all that Memorial Union offers, including dining at multiple on-site restaurants that guests can enjoy before performances. 

The series includes the return of the Theater’s classical music series, called the Concert Series, and the 3rd annual Black Arts Matter Festival, which builds community around Black culture and art.

The full lineup is as follows:

• Dulcé Sloan, Sept. 5 at 7 p.m. in Shannon Hall – This free performance is exclusively for UW-Madison students. Seating for this event is available on a first come, first served basis the day of the event. Students must present valid Wiscards for entry.
• Arun Luthra’s Konnakol Jazz Project, Sept. 10 at 7:30 p.m. in the Play Circle Theater and online livestream
• Concert Series: Sphinx Virtuosi, Sept. 30 at 7:30 p.m. in Shannon Hall and online livestream
• ABSENCE: Terence Blanchard featuring the E-Collective & Turtle Island Quartet, Nov. 5 at 7:30 p.m. at Shannon Hall
• Phony Ppl, Nov. 18 at 7:30 p.m. at Shannon Hall
• The Vijay Iyer Trio, Dec. 3 at 7:30 p.m. at the Play Circle Theater and online livestream
• Concert Series: Gil Shaham with Akira Eguchi, Dec. 11 at 7:30 p.m. at Shannon Hall and online livestream
• Concert Series: Third Coast Percussion + Movement Art Is, Jan. 27, 2022, at 7:30 p.m. at the Mead Witter Foundation Concert Hall and online livestream
• Concert Series: Brentano String Quartet, Feb. 10, 2022, at 7:30 p.m. at Shannon Hall and online livestream
• Concert Series: Pacho Flores with the University of Wisconsin Symphony Orchestra, March 5, 2022, at 7:30 p.m. at the Mead Witter Foundation Concert Hall and online livestream
• Black Arts Matter Festival, March 23-26, 2022, at Shannon Hall, the Play Circle Theater and online livestream
• George Hinchliffe’s Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain, March 31, 2022, at 7:30 p.m. at Shannon Hall
• Concert Series: Renée Fleming, April 30, 2022, at 7 p.m. at Shannon Hall
• Summer 2022 programming to be announced in spring 2022

Patrons can currently purchase subscriptions to the Concert Series, including a subscription with or without the Fleming recital as well as a subscription for only fall Concert Series performances. The following are available for subscribers to purchase as discounted add-ons to their purchases: Arun Luthra’s Konnakol Jazz Project, Phony Ppl, The Vijay Iyer Trio, and ABSENCE: Terence Blanchard. 

Concert Series subscribers’ benefits include no order fee and the opportunity to be the first to purchase tickets to Fleming’s recital and other Series performances. Additional subscription benefits include the option to be among the first to purchase tickets to Luthra’s Konnakol Jazz Project, Phony Ppl, The Vijay Iyer Trio, and ABSENCE: Terence Blanchard. 

Patrons can purchase single tickets for all 2021-22 Theater season events starting Aug. 24 with the exception of Fleming’s recital. Pending availability, single tickets for Fleming’s performance will go on sale in early 2022.

Patrons can purchase tickets online or in-person at the Memorial Union Box Office. Ticket prices vary by event. University of Wisconsin-Madison students, staff and faculty and Wisconsin Union members are eligible for ticket discounts.  

“We’ve missed our patrons and the opportunities to greet them and witness their enjoyment of performances,” Wisconsin Union Theater Director Elizabeth Snodgrass said. “We enter this new season with excitement and acknowledgment that we’re not going back to how it’s always been. The pre-pandemic ‘normal’ wasn’t great for everyone, and this is a chance to rethink how we do things. Our hybrid model of in-person and livestreamed programming is designed to increase flexibility and accessibility for our audiences. From programming to operations, we’re prioritizing health, safety, and belonging for all.”

The Wisconsin Union Theater began in 1939. The Theater is part of the Wisconsin Union, a non-profit organization with a vision of serving as the social heart of UW–Madison, where all belong. The Theater team has been committed to artistic excellence throughout its more than 80 years of serving its patrons. It also presents diverse forms of art in its seasons and works to create inclusive spaces. 

This season is made possible in part due to donations. The events featuring Gil Shaham and Akira Eguchi and the Brentano String Quartet are part of the David and Kato Perlman Chamber Music series supported by the David and Kato Perlman Chamber Music Fund. The performance by Fleming is supported in part with gifts from Bob and Linda Graebner and Stephen Morton. The entire season is presented with support from the Wisconsin Arts Board. 

The Wisconsin Union team employs numerous health and safety measures to help provide safe enjoyment of Union experiences, including the frequent cleaning of shared spaces and the providing of hand sanitizer stations.

For more information about the 2021-22 Wisconsin Union Theater season, visit union.wisc.edu/wisconsin-union-theater. 

-###-

About the Wisconsin Union Theater

For more than 75 years, the Wisconsin Union Theater has served as a center for cultural activity in the heart of the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. The Theater hosts performances in multiple locations, including Memorial Union, and has an expansive history of remarkable performances. The Wisconsin Union Theater is committed to social justice and continues to work towards creating an equitable, diverse, and inclusive place for all who engage with the Theater’s programming, events, and activities. The Wisconsin Union Theater is part of the Wisconsin Union, a membership organization that blends learning and leisure to create unique out-of-classroom opportunities. Learn more: union.wisc.edu/wisconsin-union-theater. 

To read this release online, visit union.wisc.edu/about/news/season-2021-22.

Paul Connor Named Vice President of Property & Casualty at M3

Paul Connor has been named vice president of property & casualty at M3 Insurance, effective August 2, 2021.

Connor comes to M3 from Arthur J. Gallagher, Co. where he served as vice president, market initiatives since 2013. Prior to that, he held a variety of brokerage roles, including carrier relationship manager at Aon and risk consultant at Market Financial Group. Connor’s experience, talent and established regional and national carrier relationships are in strong alignment with M3’s property & casualty division and its specializations.

“Paul’s vast insurance brokerage and risk management experience and solid industry relationships make him an ideal addition to the M3 team,” said Brad Reitzner, executive vice president of property and casualty. “We’re excited to leverage his expertise as we grow and develop new and existing talent.”

The evolving leadership structure at M3 represents continued agency growth and commitment to building a strong infrastructure from which to serve clients.

About M3

M3 is a top insurance broker and risk management firm in America. We’re leaders in the products we represent and the industries we serve. M3’s people are an extension of your team, providing world-class resources to help you manage risk, purchase insurance, and provide employee benefits. And our focus on community builds better places to live and work.Share Article

Girls on the Run of South Central Wisconsin: Opportunity to Empower Local Girls Now Available

Sponsorship opportunities for Girls on the Run of South Central Wisconsin’s fall season are now available. Girls on the Run is a physical activity-based, positive youth development program that inspires 3-8^th grade girls to be joyful, healthy, and confident. The volunteer-led program brings together groups of 8-15 girls for an 8-week season that encourages personal development, team building, and connection to the community.

This fall, Girls on the Run will be offered at over 50 sites throughout the 8-county South Central Wisconsin territory including Cross Plains, DeForest, Madison, McFarland, Middleton, Milton, Monona Grove, Mount Horeb, Oregon, Stoughton, Sun Prairie, Verona and Waunakee. Each team will meet twice weekly for 90 minutes and participate in lessons that use dynamic discussions and fun running games to teach important life skills. The season will culminate in a 5K event that brings together family, friends, and community members to celebrate the girls’ growth throughout the season. This fall, the 5K event will take place at the Waunakee Community Center on Saturday, November 6^th. The public is welcome.

Girls on the Run of South Central Wisconsin is proud to share that no girl is ever turned away for an inability to pay for the program. Sponsorships support programming in a number of critical ways. Christine Benedict, Girls on the Run Executive Director, shares “sponsorships help us advance our mission and have a direct impact on the lives of hundreds of local girls who gain confidence and healthy habits through our empowering programming.” Sponsorships underwrite expenses ranging from program supplies to running shoes and help ensure access for participants from high-need communities. Sponsors enjoy a number of benefits including access and exposure to hundreds of local families interested in health, wellness and empowering women and girls. Interested sponsors can reach out to christine.benedict@girlsontherun.org for more information.

Girls on the Run uses running to inspire and motivate girls, encourage a lifelong appreciation of health and fitness, and help them build confidence through accomplishment. The organization envisions a world where every girl knows and activates her limitless potential and is free to boldly pursue her dreams.

About Girls on the Run of South Central Wisconsin: Girls on the Run SCWI is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization offering positive youth development programming in Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Green, Iowa, Jefferson, Rock, and Sauk Counties. Girls on the Run SCWI is an independent council of Girls on the Run International, which included more than 200 councils in the U.S. and Canada. Since 2005, over 15,000 girls at over 100 program sites throughout South Central WI have benefited from Girls on the Run.

For more information about Girls on the Run of South Central Wisconsin, visit: https://www.girlsontherunscwi.org/