Pat LeMire Promoted to Director of Senior Living & Social Services Practice at M3 Insurance

Pat LeMire has recently been named co-director of senior living & social services practice at M3. As director, his primary role is to serve as a subject matter expert, strategist, and thought leader and report on trends and issues impacting the senior living & social services industry. He will continue to place insurance products and counsel clients on risk management strategies and insurance planning. Pat LeMire will work alongside Sara Kekula as a co-lead to support the client expansion within the senior living & social services sector. Additionally, he will continue to manage and grow his book of business.

Since joining M3 in 2006, LeMire has become a respected leader within the senior living & social services space, known for his comprehensive industry knowledge and commitment to his team. As an owner of assisted living facilities in Northern Wisconsin, he brings firsthand understanding of the challenges providers face, enabling him to deliver customized solutions for insuring high-exposure operations. LeMire continuously supports the growth and development of M3 service team members and fosters a culture of expertise and client dedication. In 2019, he was named a partner at M3 as a reflection of his ongoing influence and leadership in the organization.

LeMire is deeply committed to his community and holds several leadership roles. He serves as chairman of the board for Easterseals Wisconsin and actively contributes to their Fiscal/Personnel, Audit, and Governance Committees. Easterseals is one of Wisconsin’s oldest charitable organizations and supports nearly 10,000 children and adults with disabilities each year. LeMire also serves on the Board of Directors for the Wisconsin Health Care Association and Wisconsin Center for Assisted Living and earned the Shooting Star Award in 2023 for partnership excellence. Additionally, he is passionate about volunteering with the American Legion Post 59 in Stoughton, Wisconsin.

M3 is thrilled to name Pat LeMire, a dedicated team member since 2006, as co-director of our senior living & social services practice. His extensive experience and commitment to the industry make him the ideal leader to drive continued growth.

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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.

New Books for Kids this Holiday Season as Madison Reading Project Launches 5th Community Book Drive

November 1, 2024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MORE INFORMATION:
Rowan Childs, Rowan@madisonreadingproject.com, (608) 347-7970
Emily Wills, Emily@madisonreadingproject.com, (608) 665-0055

New Books for Kids this Holiday Season as Madison Reading Project Launches 5th Community Book Drive

DANE COUNTY – For the fifth year in a row, Madison Reading Project is launching its annual Community Book Drive, promising to fill area children’s homes with new books this holiday season. 

The goal: Raise $110,000 and provide 20,000  new books before winter break to more than 12,000 children via Empty Stocking Club distributions, community partners, schools, and social workers. In addition to kicking off their fundraiser, the nonprofit is celebrating its 10th anniversary. This is the culmination of ten years of working and collaborating with hundreds of partners to bring literacy resources, engagement, and free books to children. 

Madison Reading Project staff and volunteers will place book collection bins and wish trees at public locations such as shopping malls and partner businesses.

Anyone can sign up to donate a new book online via a curated book wish list or at local bookstores. Cash donations are greatly appreciated and can be made online or by check.

“We believe it is important for children to have access to new books that reflect their unique identities as well as open their eyes to others’ lived experiences,” says Rowan Childs, co-executive director. “By supporting our Community Book Drive, you will help get thousands of new, high-quality books to kids, many of whom have few books in their homes. Children deserve that new book feeling, and books in the home are very important.”

Madison Reading Project is again partnering with schools across the county, Santas Without Chimneys, Boys & Girls Club, Reach Dane, and other community program partners to widen its reach. 

You can help by donating funds or buying books from local bookstores, such as Lake City Books, Mystery To Me, Leopold’s Books Bar Caffe, Kismet, or Books 4 School. The book lists make it easy to pick a book at any price point: www.madisonreadingproject.com/2024communitybookdrive

A business, book club, friend group, or neighborhood can organize a book drive or fundraiser to help reach the greater goal.  

“We want to shine a light on our amazing community and encourage people to not only help us collect books bought locally but also support local businesses when they visit our wish trees and bins,” says Emily Wills, development director. “To make it convenient, you can purchase from our wish list via our website or local bookstores.”

Madison Reading Project’s book drive partners with the Wisconsin State Journal’s annual Empty Stocking Club holiday toy distribution event. Open to all families regardless of their financial situation, the December giving event gives every child a new high-quality toy and a book. 

For public donation locations, link to make a cash contribution, and complete information, visit www.madisonreadingproject.com/communitybookdrive

The drive ends Dec. 6 to ensure books get to kids on time. The fundraiser is open until the end of the year. 

Madison Reading Project is a nonprofit organization that aims to connect our community with free books and literacy enrichment programs that ignite a love for reading. 

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Hilton Madison: Start Planning Your Holiday Party

The holidays are fast approaching and your colleagues will be asking you about a holiday party! Let us help you start planning for your holiday party now. We have many dates available for parties of 100 people or less, along with hotel rooms. You can create a room block to give your employees a safe way to end the evening or impress your out of town VIPs with a night on the town.

You can find our holiday menu here and more information about the spaces here.

We’re offering half off room rental when our chamber partners books with us!

Contact: Ada Hays at adahays@hiltonmadison.com or 608-260-2382

Boardman Clark Attorney Dan Gartzke Elected President-Elect of the State Bar of Wisconsin

Boardman Clark Attorney Dan Gartzke has been elected president-elect of the State Bar of Wisconsin.

The State Bar of Wisconsin is a professional association of attorneys that provides its 25,000 members with educational, career development, and other services. It also provides services to the public, including attorney referrals, public education, and reduced-fee legal assistance for low-income state residents.

Dan will serve as president-elect until July 1, 2025, when he will begin his one-year term as president. As president of the State Bar, Dan will assist in overseeing the policy-making, operations, and strategic planning of the association. One of Dan’s main goals as president will be to focus on attorney mentoring to aid the next generation of lawyers in improving their professional skills and civility both in and out of the courtroom.

In his 38 years as an attorney, Dan has practiced in both cities and small towns and has experience in a variety of legal fields, including criminal defense, worker’s compensation, and personal injury. His practice has spanned Wisconsin, and he has appeared in over a third of the state’s 72 counties. Since joining Boardman Clark in 2016, Dan has focused his practice on family law. He works on various matters like divorce, child custody, and property division. Dan has served his local legal communities in leadership roles as the Dane County Bar Association’s president from 2009-2010 and Green County Bar president in 2001, and is a Life Fellow with the Wisconsin Law Foundation.

Outside of his practice, Dan is active in his communities. Among other things, he’s the Bayview Foundation’s legal advisor, a member of Green County’s Forestry Education Center, treasurer of the Green’s Prairie Cemetery Association, and coached the New Glarus High School Mock Trial team for nearly 20 years. He and his wife Tracey Schwalbe have three adult children, and they live on their 15-acre farmette in rural New Glarus where they enjoy prairie restoration, sheepherding and woodlot management.

Boardman Clark Attorney Michelle Behnke, who previously served as the president of the State Bar of Wisconsin from 2004-2005, was also named president-elect of the American Bar Association earlier this year.

Boardman Clark is one of Madison’s largest and longest-standing law firms. The firm serves individuals, businesses, school districts, and local governments. Its areas of service include litigation, franchise and dealership law, business law, taxation, estate planning and probate, intellectual property, family law, municipal law, banking, labor and employment, land use, elder services, real estate, and school law.

Voyageur Stays: Madison Company Becomes Wisconsin’s First Interior Design Finalist at International Awards

Madison, WI – The Medallion, a Madison-based extended stay apartment, has made history as Wisconsin’s first-ever finalist for the prestigious  Dezeen Design Awards. Selected from over 4,000 entries worldwide, The Medallion is now one of five finalists on the global stage in the hotel and short stays category. The project stands out as just one of just four finalists from the United States across all interior design categories this year.

The project, which offers 21 fully furnished one- and two-bedroom apartments for stays of 30 days or more, is a collaborative effort between Madison’s Voyageur Stays and Voyageur Design Build. The team worked closely with Dutch designer Arno Hoogland, local master woodworkers, and Wisconsin craftsmen to create a cohesive, affordable, and innovative design.

“The Medallion is a testament to the creative energy and craftsmanship that make Madison a design hub,” said Jason Ilstrup, President of Downtown Madison Inc. “It’s exciting to see a local project receive international recognition, and we are immensely proud of the team behind it.”

Craftsmanship Meets Innovation in Mid-Term Hospitality

In the mid-term hospitality industry, high craftsmanship is uncommon due to tight profit margins. This project sought to challenge that notion, exploring how handcrafted production could be both valued by guests and achieved affordably.

Voyageur’s husband and wife team employed innovative fabrication techniques such as CNC robotics, laser cutting, plywood steamforming, and 3D printing to meet tight deadlines and budget constraints. They prioritized local artisans and sustainable materials, while their collaborations with emerging international designers allowed for fresh, inventive approaches.

They used non-traditional materials in unconventional ways—vehicle wraps, for example, were applied to cabinets for an affordable, custom design finish. They repurposed Industrial LED modules and used 3D-printed diffusers to enhance fixtures.

To further optimize efficiency and cost savings, they developed modular components for sofas, headboards, and ornamentation, streamlining production while maintaining a custom feel. Even custom light fixtures were partially pre-fabricated in collaboration with glass manufacturers and assembled on-site, balancing artistry and cost-effectiveness.

“We love pushing boundaries to create beautiful, cohesive designs that are both affordable and sustainable,” said Kristopher Steege-Reimann, owner of Voyageur Design Build. “Our goal is to prove that handcrafted furniture and thoughtful design can be integrated into hospitality without breaking the budget.”

Sustainability at the Core

Sustainability was a central focus of The Medallion’s design approach. The team emphasized durability and repairability, sourcing sustainably harvested local wood and using high-quality Axminster wool rugs. Furniture was designed to be easily repaired, reducing the need for full replacements, while existing cabinets were refreshed rather than discarded.

“Our commitment to enduring, repairable designs is the opposite of the fast-fashion mentality that dominates today’s hospitality design,” added Steege-Reimann. “We believe in creating pieces that last a lifetime.”

A ‘Gesamtkunstwerk’ Approach

Dutch designer Arno Hoogland drew inspiration from The Medallion’s architectural features, particularly its signature diamond-pattern brickwork. This motif became the foundation for the visual language of the project, with nearly every piece of furniture and fixture custom-designed to harmonize with the building’s exterior. Heavily influenced by the philosophy of Wisconsin’s own Frank Lloyd Wright, Hoogland embraced the concept of a gesamtkunstwerk—a holistic approach where every design element works in harmony with the others.

“Working with The Medallion’s existing architecture allowed us to create a truly integrated design, from the furniture to the smallest fixtures,” Hoogland remarked.

About Dezeen Awards

The Dezeen Awards, organized by the world’s leading design website Dezeen, celebrate the best architecture and design projects globally. With low entry costs that encourage submissions from small studios, the awards focus on projects that are not only beautiful and innovative but also socially and environmentally conscious.

Photos of the Medallion
Photos of the Voyageur Design Build Team

For media inquiries, please contact:
Julia Steege-Reimann
Owner/Operator, Voyageur Stays and Voyageur Design Build
hello@voyageurstays.com | +1 (608) 205-8164

About Voyageur Stays and Voyageur Design Build
Voyageur Stays offers curated, furnished rentals for long and short stays in downtown Madison, WI. Its sister company, Voyageur Design Build, specializes in innovative, beautiful, and affordable custom designs. Learn more at voyageurstays.com and voyageurdesignbuild.com.