Leadership Greater Madison accepting applications for 2022 program

Great civic leadership starts with Leadership Greater Madison. Leaders are change makers and motivators. They get involved and empower others to get involved. They make a difference.

Leadership Greater Madison equips future leaders with transformative and innovative knowledge and skills. Participants benefit from exploring vital community issues and leadership skills; connecting with local experts and fellow class members; and engaging in experiential learning.

Leadership Greater Madison members come from diverse backgrounds and experiences and share a passion for community service. During monthly sessions held over a 10-month program year, participants are exposed to new ways of viewing the community and analyzing issues, develop significant connections with local leaders and engage in experiential learning opportunities as they discover their individual capacities and plot their personal leadership pathways

In its nearly 30 years. Leadership Greater Madison has helped approximately 750 community leaders discover how they can make a difference.

Be a part of the next generation of community leaders. Apply to Leadership Greater Madison today. The online application form can be found at www.leadershipgreatermadison.org.

StartingBlock Madison Enhances Member Benefits with Health Insurance Offering – Partnership with M3 Insurance and Quartz

January 19, 2022

Communications Manager: Mary Cait McManamon
Executive Director: Nora Roughen-Schmidt
StartingBlock Madison, Inc
Email: nora@startingblockmadison.org
marycait@startingblockmadison.org
Phone: 608.606.6231 or 701.630.4865

For Immediate Release
Madison, WI  

StartingBlock Madison Enhances Member Benefits with Health Insurance Offering – Partnership with M3 Insurance and Quartz

StartingBlock Madison, a coworking space and entrepreneurial hub in downtown Madison, is enhancing member benefits by offering Health Insurance through a new pilot project and partnership with M3 Insurance and Quartz. Entrepreneurs who operate their startups and social impact nonprofits out of StartingBlock now get to add health insurance plans to the list of membership perks and amenities at 821 E Washington Ave. in Madison.  

For entrepreneurs and small businesses, the second most costly expense after payroll is offering an Employee Benefits program.  To attract and retain talented staff, startups need to be able to offer Employee Benefits. However, the cost associated with offering benefits is often out-of-reach for start-ups and the traditional “one size fits all” benefits package may not necessarily satisfy the needs of entrepreneurs, startups, and the gig economy. The defined contribution benefits program will be available to all members at StartingBlock, where memberships begin at just $150/month for 24×7 access.

“Access to health care should not be a barrier to entry for people wanting to start businesses and especially not for people who want to work for startups,” says StartingBlock Executive Director, Nora Roughen-Schmidt. “By partnering with Quartz and M3 Insurance, we are offering affordable healthcare to StartingBlock Madison members and their employees, making entrepreneurship as a whole more accessible.”

The addition of health insurance completes a package for members that includes vision, dental, life insurance, and telehealth services with 24×7 mental health support. The benefits are offered in a cafeteria-style format, meaning members can pick and choose what they would like to participate in based on entity size and employee needs. 

Quartz offers an innovative approach to health insurance products and wellness programs designed to improve the health and well-being of people in the communities they serve.

“This partnership allows us to bring accessible, high-quality health care to more of our neighbors in Wisconsin,” said Quartz Vice President of Product Innovation, Christina Ott. “Bringing plans to StartingBlock gives local entrepreneurs more choices to meet their needs and budgets.”

“We are excited to partner with Quartz in an effort to make health insurance more accessible for StartingBlock Madison members.  It’s important that entrepreneurs have access to resources such as affordable health insurance, which can help them to attract and retain talent.  Our team is ready to guide members through the insurance process.” Rebecca Menefee, Vice President of M3 Elevate, M3 Insurance

“Entrepreneurs face so many challenges when trying to scale or launch a business. It can be even harder when you are inundated with the challenges we face in everyday life. StartingBlock Madison continues to provide resources for all entrepreneurs to succeed and that will allow more people to chase their dreams. This is another example of just that!” Max Fergus, CEO LUM

Heather Wentler, StartingBlock’s Entrepreneur in Residence, adds “Being able to afford high-quality benefits as an entrepreneur is a challenge; and the same goes for small business and early-stage venture owners who are trying to support their staffing benefit options to be able to retain talent. The fact that all membership types have this option too, and not only the companies who are using physical office spaces within StartingBlock, shows that StartingBlock supports entrepreneurs at every level of business development and believes in their growth and success.” 

StartingBlock members will have the ability to sign up for benefits starting January 2022 and new members will be able to access benefits of membership with applications being processed on a rolling basis. With this partnership, StartingBlock members will have access to office hours with M3 and Quartz along with resources to make the process accessible and straightforward.

As we continue to navigate a global pandemic, the need for affordable and accessible health care is essential for both physical and mental well-being. According to a McKinsey and Company study, since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, 42 percent of employees globally have reported a decline in mental health. Symptoms of burnout are increasing among employees and leaders alike, according to press reports. These kinds of effects can be detrimental to small teams and startups, making access to telehealth services all the more necessary. 

“If we want to make the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Madison and Dane County truly accessible for all people interested in entrepreneurship, we have to start totally supporting entrepreneurial needs–not just talking about supporting them– and that includes providing healthcare options,” says Roughen-Schmidt.

To learn more about StartingBlock Madison and their new partnership with Quartz and M3, visit www.startingblockmadison.org.

About StartingBlock Madison:

StartingBlock Madison’s 50,000 square-foot entrepreneurial hub occupies the second, third, and fourth floors of the American Family Spark Building, providing a collaborative community for Madison area startups and entrepreneurs. StartingBlock’s mission is to put Madison on the national map for entrepreneurship and innovation by creating the intersections that cultivate entrepreneurs, accelerate growth and drive innovation. StartingBlock offers low-cost, flexible leases, programming, education, mentorship, benefits and access to a network of entrepreneurs. Learn more at www.startingblockmadison.org. 

About Quartz:

Quartz Health Solutions, Inc. (Quartz) is jointly owned by UW Health, Gundersen Health System, and UnityPoint Health. The company manages four nationally recognized, provider-sponsored health insurance plans: Quartz Health Benefit Plans Corporation, Quartz Health Plan Corporation, Quartz Health Plan MN Corporation, and Quartz Health Insurance Corporation. As a third-party administrator, Quartz also services self-funded health plans. Through an extensive provider network, Quartz focuses on local, community-based health care and services for more than 350,000 customers who live in southern and western Wisconsin, parts of Illinois, Iowa, and Minnesota. Quartz maintains offices in Madison, Sauk City, and Onalaska, Wisconsin. Quartz Health Solutions, Inc., Quartz Health Benefit Plans Corporation, Quartz Health Plan Corporation, Quartz Health Plan MN Corporation, and Quartz Health Insurance Corporation are separate legal entities. For more information, visit QuartzBenefits.com.

About M3:

M3 is the largest insurance broker and risk management firm in the state of Wisconsin. As a top 50 broker in America, they are leaders in the products they represent and the industries they 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. Their focus is on building better communities to live and work.

Wisconsin Union Theater: Brentano String Quartet to Commemorate 30th Anniversary with Feb. 10 Performance

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jan. 13, 2022

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

BRENTANO STRING QUARTET TO COMMEMORATE 30TH ANNIVERSARY WITH FEB. 10 PERFORMANCE

MADISON – The Brentano String Quartet will celebrate 30 years as a quartet with a performance in Shannon Hall in Memorial Union on Feb. 10 at 7:30 p.m. This concert is part of the 2021-22 Wisconsin Union Theater’s Concert Series and the David and Kato Perlman Chamber Music Series. 

The Quartet includes Misha Armory on viola, Serena Canin and Mark Steinberg on violin, and Nina Lee on cello. The group formed in 1992 and spent 15 years as Princeton University’s ensemble-in-residence before relocating to the Yale School of Music, where it has taught and performed since fall 2014. 

This year marks a significant milestone for the Brentano String Quartet: its 30th anniversary as a group. The commemorative program will include the following selections: 

• Haydn, Quartet in D-Major, Op. 71, No. 2
• Bach/Adolphe, “ContraDictions”
• Bach/Mackey, “Lude”
• Schubert, Quartet in G-Major, Op. 161, D. 887

“The program opens with the piece which started our very first concert together in 1992,”  Steinberg said. “I still remember the excitement, the great hope, and the great privilege I felt playing this music with people I love. All of that persists 30 years later, and it is a delight to share this wonderful and not so known Haydn quartet again with our listeners.” 

Since its inception, the Brentano String Quartet has received many prestigious awards, including the first Cleveland Quartet Award, the Naumburg Chamber Music Award, and the United Kingdom’s Royal Philharmonic Award for Most Outstanding Debut. 

The Quartet has traveled all over the world, performing traditional quartet repertoire as well as newly commissioned pieces in renowned concert halls such as Carnegie Hall, the Sydney Opera House, and the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.

“The Brentano String Quartet has a timelessness to its music that is impossible to replicate,” Wisconsin Union Theater Director Elizabeth Snodgrass said. “For the past 30 years, as more and more new string quartets pop up, this ensemble has shown its staying power. In the members’ practiced hands, each piece they perform becomes completely their own. We are lucky to welcome them to the Wisconsin Union Theater Concert Series with the help of Dr. Kato Perlman’s generous support.”

Patrons can choose between a ticket to the in-person concert or to a virtual livestream of the performance through the event webpage or at the Memorial Union Box Office.

This season marks the 102nd year of the Wisconsin Union Theater’s Concert Series, the longest-running classical music concert series in the Midwest. The 2021-22 Concert Series aims to inspire audiences during this return to live, in-person performances by both new and familiar musicians.

The Wisconsin Union team is dedicated to creating a safe environment for all patrons and team members and upholding the highest cleaning and sanitation standards. The Union team thoroughly and regularly cleans and disinfects its spaces, including performance spaces. 

Patrons and team members are required to follow the current University of Wisconsin–Madison health and safety protocol of wearing a face covering when indoors on campus, unless actively eating or drinking. The Wisconsin Union Theater team will continue to monitor and follow university guidelines. The Theater team has established the temporary additional health and safety measure of ensuring at least 10 feet of space between performers and audiences in performance spaces. 

Click here for more information about the Brentano String Quartet performance. 

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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 part of the Wisconsin Union, a membership organization that blends study and leisure to create unique out-of-classroom opportunities. Learn more: union.wisc.edu/wisconsin-union-theater.

[Click here to download a photo of the Brentano String Quartet. Photo by Juergen Frank.]

To read this release online, visit union.wisc.edu/brentano-string-quartet.

Kraus-Anderson: County Board approves new hospital to replace Memorial Hospital of Lafayette County

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media contacts: 
Sue Paquette   608-776-5766
Memorial Hospital of Lafayette County
Sue.Paquette@mymhlc.org

Gail Shore  (612) 770-4106
Kraus-Anderson Construction
gshore@winternet.com

County Board approves new hospital to replace Memorial Hospital of Lafayette County

DARLINGTON, Wis. – (January 10, 2022) – The Lafayette County Board of Supervisors last week approved to replace the 70-year-old Memorial Hospital of Lafayette County (MHLC).  The new 75,000-square-foot facility also will include space for behavioral health and mindfulness sessions.

Since the fall of 2018, MHLC has been researching the idea of a replacement facility. To prepare the County Board to approve the project, MHLC has consulted with experts, has held educational sessions and has provided large amounts of content to the community.

As a critical access hospital, the current facility has served the greater community and provided a full range of acute care inpatient and outpatient services since 1952.  Because healthcare has changed dramatically, the layout of the current facility has led to less-than ideal patient experiences and inefficient work flows.

Easily accessible access to quality health care will be the core of the design for the replacement facility.

“We are so thankful to have a forward-thinking County Board, a supportive community and a most compassionate staff, without whom this project may have never been moved forward,” said Kathy Kuepers, CEO of Memorial Hospital of Lafayette County.  “The new hospital will provide the highest quality care to the patients that we serve.”

The construction manager is Kraus-Anderson, one of the nation’s premier commercial general contractors and construction managers  which has been leading the charge in sustainable design and construction for the last 25 years. With deep experience in healthcare construction, Kraus-Anderson is currently ranked 16th in the nation among the top health care general contractors in the U.S. by Modern Healthcare magazine.

The project’s cost and design details will be finalized in the coming weeks. Construction on the new facility is expected to begin in the fall of 2022 and completed by the summer of 2024. The current facility will it be operation during construction.

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Office Evolution Madison – Arboretum: Free meeting space for Chamber members