Category: Member News
Learn who’s growing, changing, moving and more! Stay on top of what’s new with your neighboring businesses. We share news releases and announcements from your peers in the Madison area. Want to toot your own horn? Use our Submit Member News form to share your own stories.
Photo by Richard Hurd
Tri-North Builders has record-breaking Tequila for Ta-Tas
Contact:
Anna Stern
astern@tri-north.com
Tri-North Builders has record-breaking Tequila for Ta-Tas
Madison, Wisconsin – Tri-North Builders had a record-breaking Tequila for Ta-Tas event in 2023. Founded by Tri-North nine years ago, Tequila for Ta-Tas is a fundraiser that supports the UW Carbone Cancer Center in the fight against metastatic breast cancer, with the ultimate goal of making it a survivable condition. This year, over $31,000 were raised, which is over double of what was raised last year. Since its inception, over $100,000 were raised through Tequila for Ta-Tas.
“We are incredibly amazed and humbled by the impact of this year’s Tequila for Ta-Ta’s event,” says Tri-North Vice President Anna Stern. “With over 85 guests in attendance, we are so grateful for the people and companies who have supported this grassroots event in 2023 and over the years. Thank you to all of our sponsors, donors, and volunteers.”
As Tequila for Ta-Tas is an annual event, 2024 will mark its tenth anniversary. For this major milestone, Tri-North’s goal is to exceed the funds raised in 2023 for another record-breaking event. More details on next year’s Tequila for Ta-Tas will come summer 2024.

About Tri-North Builders:
Tri-North was founded in Madison, Wisconsin in 1981 as a general contracting firm. For over 40 years, Tri-North has continuously expanded its services, ranging from preconstruction and construction management to LEED consulting and self-performed work. With three nationwide offices, Tri-North has grown beyond what was imagined. Yet, it has remained privately owned and managed with Thomas Thayer (one of the original founding members) as the President and CEO. Tri-North is an employee-owned company, and many of its first employees are still with Tri-North today.
Photo by Richard Hurd
Madison Reading Project: Junior League of Madison Celebrates 35th Anniversary with Major Community Gifts
For more information:
Junior League: Ginger Gant, gingergant312@gmail.com 608-234-2958,
Madison Reading Project: Rowan Childs, rowan@madisonreadingproject.com 608-665-0055
MyArts: Jessica Courtier, Jessica@madisonyoutharts.org 608-416-1945
JUNIOR LEAGUE OF MADISON CELEBRATES 35th ANNIVERSARY WITH MAJOR COMMUNITY GIFTS
The Junior League of Madison (JLM) has awarded this week $325,000 to two Madison nonprofits.
“In its 35th year, the League is proud and honored to partner with Madison Reading Project (MRP) and MyArts, two growth-oriented nonprofit organizations,” said Sarah Barnes, JLM President. “Our $250,000 gift to MRP and $75,000 to MyArts confirm the League’s commitment to children and families in our community. The reach and impact of both these nonprofit organizations impress our members, and we look forward to further building those relationships in the future.”
The gift to Madison Reading Project includes funding for their new, all-accessible ADA-compliant second Big Read Reading Bus to debut in 2024, a $50,000 challenge grant to the Dane County community to “Fill the Bus,” and a $100,000 visionary gift. MRP connects Madison area communities with free books and literacy resources that ignite a love for reading and affirm and reflect the diversity of young readers. MRP currently serves 250,000+ children through community partners and educators.
The gift to MYArts includes $25,000 for an indoor mural for their Artist in Residence Program and $50,000 for their Access fund so every single youth programming partner can receive support through reduced charges. MyArts is a vibrant community space that currently supports nearly 60 impactful, wide-array of youth art programs.
The League has also established a $150,000 grant-making program, bringing the League’s current financial commitment to the community to nearly half a million dollars.
“Madison is fortunate to have two such powerful charitable organizations doing extraordinary work in the areas of literacy and the arts in our community,” Barnes said. “The Junior League is pleased to celebrate what they have done and what they will continue to do in the years ahead.”
“We invite women in the community to join our organization and realize the personal leadership skills they can develop and the positive community impact they can make.”
For membership information, please contact juniorleaguemadisoninfo@gmail.com.

L-R: La Tasha Fields, Corinda Rainey-Moore, Jodi Sweeney, Tammy Rozek, Sarah Barnes, Laurel Rice, Rowan Childs, Chris Laurent, Sarah Brenden, Mary Pat Berry, Ann Christianson, Jaclyn Vitela Jacqmin
Photo by Richard Hurd
Mike Shea joins Lake Ridge Bank as Vice President-Senior Executive Banker
October 2, 2023 (MADISON, Wis.) – Mike Shea has joined Lake Ridge Bank as Vice President- Senior Executive Banker as of September 18. With more than 30 years as a local banker in the Madison market, Shea brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in building the types of connections that enable collaboration and ensure a client experience that exceeds expectations. He has spent the last 10 years serving high-net-worth clients in a private banking or executive banking capacity.
Lake Ridge Bank’s Executive Banking Team provides concierge-style service to qualified customers who require a big-picture approach to managing sophisticated or complex banking needs. By providing a single point of contact, an executive banker offers the necessary expertise to simplify banking and seamlessly manage financial activities across a wide range of departments, encompassing a full spectrum of business and personal financial strategies.
With a degree in Business Management, Shea has earned multiple awards of excellence throughout his career. He is a Certified Wealth Specialist through the Cannon Financial Institute and brings insights from a wide range of banking perspectives, including consumer lending, residential mortgage lending, private wealth management, and executive banking. Shea is also an active volunteer throughout the community, including serving as Vice President on the Badger Men’s Basketball Booster Club Board of Directors and participating in organizations such as the American Heart Association Go Red for Women Board, the Middleton High School Reality Day, and the Sertoma Club of Middleton.
For more information about Executive Banking services at Lake Ridge Bank, contact Mike Shea at mshea@lakeridge.bank today.

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Lake Ridge Bank’s mission is to “create extraordinary banking experiences where everyone prospers.” 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. Member FDIC
Lake Ridge Bank. Go Far. Go Together!
For additional information, please contact Mark Schellpfeffer at mschellpfeffer@lakeridge.bank.
Photo by Richard Hurd
Boys & Girls Clubs of Dane County: Looking for Volunteer Mentors for Next Step Fridays
Next Step Fridays is a partnership between MMSD GED Option #2 Program and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Dane County, that engages high school students with community partners to develop a College, Career, and Community Ready (CCCR) portfolio that will help students identify what their next steps will be after they graduate. The main goals of the portfolio will be to:
- Develop soft skills, with a focus on being college, career, and community ready
- Connect with a mentor that enables the student to go deeper into their CCCR interests, answering “where am I going?” and “how will I get there?”
- Create an post-graduation action plan with specific goals for the next step of their life plan, including financial plan and housing plan
We are looking for volunteers to mentor and coach our high school students so that they can reach their full potential as productive, responsible, and caring adults.
Dates: Fridays, October 13 – November 17
Time: 11 AM – 2 PM
Location: 3rd Floor, Lapham Elementary School, 1045 E Dayton St.
Schedule
Week 1: Speed mentoring
Wks 2-6: Create CCCR Portfolio with mentor
– Where am I going? – Goal setting
– Resume/cover letter
– Professional email address, sending professional emails, setting up
your phone and voicemail
– How will I get there?
– How to get specific job training, job skills, certificates, etc
– Job search workshop/Interview skills/mock interviews
– Job shadows
– Credit score, financial plan and housing plan
Week 7: CCCR Portfolio mentor speed feedback round
Week 8: Finalize Next Step Action Plan
If you are interest in becoming a mentor, please complete this short interest form: https://bgcdc.formstack.com/forms/next_step_fridays_mentor_interest
Photo by Richard Hurd
Victoria Thayer, CPA from Novii CPA Selected to Attend AICPA’s 2023 Leadership Academy
Victoria Thayer, CPA was one of only 36 CPAs honored by the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) as a member of the Leadership Academy’s 15th graduating class. Victoria was selected based on her exceptional leadership skills and professional experience for the four-day Leadership Academy program, which will be held December 11th – 14th.
Victoria is the founder of Novii CPA, a local downtown Madison firm, that currently has 5 employees and continues to grow in the Madison Community. Victoria was the recipient of the 2023 WICPA Young Professional Excellence Award for her professional achievements. She is a board member of Madison Reading Project, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Dane County’s Finance Committee and part of the Advisory Committee for WWBIC.
The AICPA Leadership Academy was designed to strengthen and expand the leadership skills of promising young professionals while they network with a peer group of talented and motivated CPAs.
The Leadership Academy features career-development workshops and sessions with some of the accounting profession’s most prominent influencers. Participants were selected from public accounting firms of all sizes, business and industry, government, and consulting firms.
The 2023 Leadership Academy attendees were recommended by their employers, state CPA societies, and/or volunteer organizations. Candidates submitted resumes and a statement explaining how participating in the Leadership Academy would impact them personally and professionally.
To date, more than 480 CPAs have participated in the AICPA Leadership Academy, many of whom have gone on to take on leadership positions in their firms, businesses, and volunteer organizations.
For more information about the AICPA Leadership Academy, visit AICPA.org/Leadership.