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

Wegner CPAs Announces Two New Partners

Wegner CPAs is pleased to announce the appointment of Dan Bergs, CPA and Mitch Davis, CPA as the newest partners of the firm effective October 1, 2023 

Bergs joined Wegner CPAs as an intern in 2008 and started full-time after graduation in 2010. Since then, Bergs has grown in the Firm’s tax and business services department. He specializes in working individual and business clients providing them with a variety of tax and accounting services. Dan annually attends educational seminars to continue his professional development. 

Davis received his Master of Accountancy in 2011 and his CPA license in 2012. He has over ten years of experience working with a number of different tax-exempt organizations and specializes in performing financial statement and compliance audits and preparing tax returns for a variety of non-profit organizations. He is also a technical reviewer for nonprofit tax returns for the Wegner office in Milwaukee. 

“Both Dan and Mitch have demonstrated a commitment to our Firm, our staff, and our clients over their tenure with Wegner… I know they will continue to do great things for many years to come!” stated Glenn Miller, CPA, CGMA, Managing Partner. 

Please join us in welcoming Dan and Mitch as our newest partners and congratulating them on their accomplishments. 

About Wegner CPAs 

With offices in Baraboo, Janesville, Madison, Milwaukee, Reedsburg, New York, NY, and Washington, D.C., Wegner CPAs brings a unique perspective to the practice of accounting and business consulting. The firm specializes in closely held businesses, contractors, cooperatives, manufacturers, nonprofit organizations, and pharmacies with a complete range of accounting, audit, tax, and consulting services across the lifecycle of the organization. For more information, visit http://www.wegnercpas.com.

Dane Buy Local Announces New Executive Director

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 21, 2023

Contact:
Curt Fuszard, Dane Buy Local Board President, (608) 345-5147, curt.fuszard@reachachild.org

DANE BUY LOCAL ANNOUNCES NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Dane Buy Local is pleased to announce that Paula Severson will begin serving the association and its members in the role of Executive Director commencing October 1, 2023. Dane Buy Local is extremely fortunate to have Paula fill the role vacancy after learning that Colin Murray, an integral part of Dane Buy Local since the association’s inception in 2004, and Executive Director since 2013, shared that he would retire on September 30, 2023.

Paula brings a wealth of experience to the Executive Director position, having previously served as Executive Director of the Cottage Grove Chamber of Commerce and in a variety of roles for a major trade organization. “Paula’s skill set is perfectly aligned with our commitment to serving independent businesses in Dane and contiguous counties,” says Curt Fuszard, President of the Dane Buy Local board. “In serving our membership, Paula will continue to focus on our core principles of collaboration, education, and advocacy. She is a passionate, inspiring leader.”

In anticipation of her new role, Paula Severson shares, “I’m humbled to lead such an amazing organization. The local businesses Dane Buy Local serves are owned by our friends and neighbors. They work hard and give back to their employees and community. I can’t wait to tell their stories and share the value of buying local. I will strive to ensure Dane Buy Local’s business members have access to the association’s tools and resources to help the businesses be successful.”

Curt adds, “Dane Buy Local embarks on this new chapter with gratitude—for Colin Murray’s contributions, and enthusiasm for our future under Paula Severson’s capable leadership.”

About Dane Buy Local:

Dane Buy Local is a local business association dedicated to supporting and promoting locally owned and operated businesses in Dane and contiguous counties. Since its inception in 2004, the organization has grown to serve over 580 business members, making it a leading force in promoting the benefits of buying local to foster a thriving local economy. For more information, visit danebuylocal.com.

New Chief Information and Digital Officer hired at WPS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

New Chief Information and Digital Officer hired at WPS
Bruce Gray joins leadership team

MADISON, Wis.—Sept. 11, 2023—Bruce Gray has been selected as the new WPS Health Solutions Chief Information and Digital Officer. Gray is an accomplished leader with experience building high-performance teams that deliver bottom-line results. He has experience in IT strategy, program management, system architecture and design, application development, and security.

At WPS, Gray will oversee more than 270 employees from a variety of IT teams. “I am thrilled to be joining the WPS leadership team. The strong cultural fit and incredible opportunity to lead WPS technology in the next stage of growth is very exciting,” Gray said.

Gray comes to WPS from Health Information and Management Systems Society, or HIMSS, where he was the Chief Information Officer. He has also worked for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas; United Health Group; and Prudential Financial, Inc. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial and operations engineering from the University of Michigan and a Master of Business Administration degree from State University of New York at Buffalo.

“I am excited to add Bruce to our leadership team,” President and CEO Wendy Perkins said. “He has the experience and character WPS needs to move forward and thrive.”

About WPS Health Solutions^®

Wisconsin Physicians Service Insurance Corporation (WPS Health Solutions), founded in 1946, is a nationally regarded benefits administrator for a variety of U.S. government programs and a leading not-for-profit health insurer in Wisconsin. WPS Health Solutions serves active-duty and retired military personnel, seniors, individuals, and families in Wisconsin, across the U.S., and around the world. WPS Health Solutions, headquartered in Madison, Wis., has more than 2,800 employees. Within the enterprise, there are three divisions: WPS Government Health Administrators, WPS Military and Veterans Health, and WPS Health Insurance/WPS Health Plan/EPIC Specialty Benefits. For more information, please visit wpshealthsolutions.com.

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WPS hires new Vice President of Enterprise Strategy, Marketing, and Corporate Development

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

WPS hires new Vice President of Enterprise Strategy, Marketing, and Corporate Development
Kaley Wilkinson to focus on company growth

MADISON, Wis.—Sept. 5, 2023— WPS Health Solutions has a new Vice President of Enterprise Strategy, Marketing, and Corporate Development. Kaley Wilkinson brings with her expertise in forward-thinking health care strategy, transformation, sales and growth, strategic partnerships, and more. Her extensive background includes leading organizations to accomplish aggressive growth targets and unlock business value in an effort to transform the health care system.

“It is an honor to have the opportunity to work alongside the tremendous talent at WPS Health Solutions,” Wilkinson said. “I believe that together we will become market leaders and outpace the competition. The market is hungry for innovation and there is no place better positioned to lead the charge than WPS!”

Wilkinson has held a variety of executive leadership positions in the Minneapolis area over the last dozen years. She held strategic and growth positions at Target and Optum; developed employer benefit strategies, led business development for innovation, and led strategy for the Federal Practice at Mercer; led sales and enterprise strategy at Everside Health; was the growth leader at Proactive MD; and most recently was Vice President, Strategic Growth for Learn to Live.​ She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in health services administration from Minnesota State University Moorhead and a Master of Health Administration from The University of Iowa.

“Kaley has the right skills to drive profitable growth for WPS​​,” Rochelle Myers, WPS Chief Growth Officer, said. “She is a go-getter with loads of experience in different organizations who is able to bring people together and drive positive changes.”

About WPS Health Solutions^®

Wisconsin Physicians Service Insurance Corporation (WPS Health Solutions), founded in 1946, is a nationally regarded benefits administrator for a variety of U.S. government programs and a leading not-for-profit health insurer in Wisconsin. WPS Health Solutions serves active-duty and retired military personnel, seniors, individuals, and families in Wisconsin, across the U.S., and around the world. WPS Health Solutions, headquartered in Madison, Wis., has more than 2,800 employees. Within the enterprise, there are three divisions: WPS Government Health Administrators, WPS Military and Veterans Health, and WPS Health Insurance/WPS Health Plan/EPIC Specialty Benefits. For more information, please visit wpshealthsolutions.com.

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