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.

Mead & Hunt Announces Laurie Whitney as Architecture & Building Engineering Group Leader

MADISON, WIS. – January 28, 2026 – Mead & Hunt has announced Laurie Whitney as Architecture & Building Engineering (ABE) Group Leader. With 11 years at Mead & Hunt and nearly three decades of experience in architecture, Laurie brings diversified market expertise, a passion for developing people and capabilities, and a vision to transform communities through inspiring, innovative design.

“Laurie is a strategic thinker, and she believes when we invest in people, great results follow,” said Amy Squitieri, Chief Executive Officer. “She’s expanded our design and technology capabilities and built a reputation for delivering on ambitious goals. The ABE group’s future is in excellent hands.”

As Group Leader, Laurie will focus on evolving a forward-thinking, client-focused team that blends creativity with technical excellence. She is committed to empowering teams and future leaders, fostering innovation, and positioning Mead & Hunt as a trusted partner in shaping communities. Her deep knowledge of internal and external operations has also positioned her to play a key role in driving Mead & Hunt’s future-readiness initiative, guiding groups to unify processes, implement centralized systems, and support employees through change management.

Before joining Mead & Hunt in 2014, Laurie built her career across healthcare, education, military facilities, residential, and retail markets, giving her a uniquely well-rounded perspective on architectural practice. That breadth of experience, combined with her background as a former firm owner, prepared her for rapid growth at Mead & Hunt, working with public and private clients to deliver military, education, research, and aviation facilities. She joined as a project manager, became department manager for aviation facilities within a year, and was selected as architectural business unit leader for the eastern region soon after. Under her leadership, she tripled her team’s size and revenue, growing from delivering $20 million terminals to $200 million-plus projects.

“Since I was young, I’ve been drawn to the beauty of architecture and the built environment. I believe I was meant to create and give back, and Mead & Hunt’s values of putting people first and doing the right thing align perfectly with that purpose,” said Laurie. “Today, what drives me is understanding what a client wants and developing that into a space that meets their needs while bringing joy and inspiration. Our buildings are not just about architecture. We have engineers, interior architects and designers, and technology experts working collaboratively to create compelling spaces. This is an exciting time to be part of this dynamic group, as we embrace emerging technologies, expand into new markets, and strengthen our people-first focus.”

Beyond Mead & Hunt, Laurie is an active leader in the architecture and engineering community. She is a member of the American Institute of Architects and the Society of American Military Engineers, where she recently chaired the National Architectural Practice Committee. Locally, she serves on the Madison College Architecture Advisory Board, inspires the next generation of AEC professionals through the ACE Mentor Program, and volunteers with Habitat for Humanity.

About Mead & Hunt

Mead & Hunt is a national, full-service engineering, architectural, planning, and construction services firm that has been serving clients for 125 years. Since its founding, the employee-owned firm has grown significantly in size and diversity and continues to rank in Engineering News-Record’s Top 100 Design Firms. Today, the company employs more than 1,400 people and works in a variety of markets, including aviation, transportation, cultural resources, food and beverage, renewable energy, water, and federal. For more information, visit www.meadhunt.com.

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Additional quotes or background information

• Laurie Whitney, Mead & Hunt ABE Group Leader

laurie.whitney@meadhunt.com   

608-443-0442

• Amy Squitieri, Mead & Hunt CEO

amy.squitieri@meadhunt.com  

608-443-0400

General media inquiries and photo requests:

• Meghan Stiklestad, Marketing Director
  meghan.stiklestad@meadhunt.com
• 608-443-0378

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