Category: Press Releases
Extra! Extra! Read all about it. If the Greater Madison Area Chamber of Commerce is talking about it, you’ll see it here.
Photo by Richard Hurd
Overture Hosts Free International Festival February 25
For immediate release: Friday, February 10, 2017
Contact: Sarah Knab, Overture Center, 608.258.4438 / sknab@overture.org
Overture Hosts International Festival, Celebrates Cultural Diversity in Dane County
Free festival features international performances, vendorswith craft, fair trade and food items for sale
Madison, Wis. – International Festival, a free event that has been hosted by Overture Center for more than 30 years, returns on Saturday, February 25, 2017, at 10:30 a.m. The festival celebrates Madison’s rich cultural heritage with returning and new performers and vendors who call Dane County home.
There is no charge for admission to the Festival, which provides an opportunity to learn about the many local businesses with global connections. Attendees can enjoy more than 30 free performances throughout Overture by area artists. Vendors will have cuisines from around the world and arts and crafts available for purchase.
“International Festival embraces, supports and showcases cultural arts in our community without having to leave Madison,” said Ted DeDee, Overture’s President and CEO. “We [Overture Center] are a home for the arts for everyone, and this free event really celebrates the diversity among us. We are proud to provide a stage for individuals and cultures from around the globe who now call Dane County home.”
2017 International Festival Schedule
Overture Hall Lobby
10:30 AM | Swiss Alphorn Duet | Traditional 12-foot-long Swiss instruments open the festival.
10:37 AM | Welcome – Ho-Chunk Nation Color Guard
11:00 AM | Zhong Yi Kung Fu Assoc. | “Choy Cheng:” the lion consumes “lettuce” & transforms it into “fortune.”
11:50 AM | Yid Vicious | Yiddish Klezmer dance music spanning generations from the old world to today.
12:55 PM | Sergio Rico Vacilon | Cuban Guajira, son of the 40s & 50s, takes you to tropical Cuba.
1:55 PM | LuLu Quintet |Gypsy Jazz, traditional Romany music and French musettes to swing!
3:10 PM |Cris Plata | Indigenous Mexican and South Texas music with European influences.
4:15 PM | Atimevu Drum and Dance | Performing traditional music from Ghana, West Africa.
Promenade Hall
11:15 AM | Kioja Dance Team | Step dances combining military drill & African Welly “gumboot” dances.
12:10 PM | Bi Dana | Irish songs played with accordion, concertina, fiddle, Irish drum, bagpipes & tenor banjo.
1:25 PM | Sadira & the Riad Dance Co | Traditional & contemporary women’s dance of the Middle East.
2:10 PM | Ali Jamnia | A magical carpet ride into the world of Sufi storytelling with loved tales from Persia.
2:55 PM | Raizes do Brasil Capoeira | Afro-Brazilian martial art/dance of Capoeira & stick dance Maculele.
3:45 PM | Mesoghios Dance Troup | Traditional dances from eastern Anatolia.
4:40 PM | Tri Bratovchedki | Songs in the beautiful rhythms & harmonies of Eastern Europe sung a Capella.
Overture Hall
11:15 AM | UW Russian Folk Orchestra | Instrumental folk music of Russia & Eastern Europe
12:20 PM | Kalaanjali School of Dance | Bharatanatyam Indian dance with costumes & music from India.
1:10 PM | Last Gaspe | Contra dance band playing Canadian, Irish & American fiddle music that swings.
2:25 PM | Danza Tradicional Mexicana | Presenting the culture, music & traditions of Mexico through dance.
3:10 PM | Madison Chinese Cultural Association | Performance promoting Chinese culture & traditions.
3:55 PM | Charanga Agoza | European ballroom & Afro-Cuban rhythm blending in a dance oriented sound.
Capitol Theater
11:15 AM | Madison Maennerchor | Traditional German choral music hymns, masters, festival & party songs.
12:10 PM | Mt Zion Gospel Church | Come enjoy songs from one of Madison’s best gospel choirs.
1:10 PM | Madison Pipes & Drums | Bagpipe & drum band playing pipe band music in the Scottish tradition.
2:05 PM | Zaibas Lithuanian Dance | Popular Lithuanian folk dances performed in authentic national costumes.
3:00 PM | Tania Tandias Flamenco & Spanish Dance | Fiery dances with rhythmic footwork, castanets & colorful costumes.
3:55 PM | Limanya Drum and Dance | Traditional music & dance from Guinea & Mali under the direction of Mandjou Mara.
Rotunda Stage
1:15 AM | Goongoo Peas | Interactive Caribbean folk music & music from the African Diaspora.
12:20 PM | Taiwan Puppet Troup | Traditional Taiwanese puppet show promoting Taiwan & Taiwanese culture.
1:20 PM | Veseliyka | Bulgarian dance music from the Balkans played with traditional instruments.
2:25 PM | Tani Diakite | Funk-Blues fusion music from Mali featuring traditional Malian instruments.
Promenade Lounge
UW Madison – International Reach is a cross-cultural speakers volunteer program placing international speakers in schools, campus venues, & community organizations for presentations, discussions, and/or conversations. It provides opportunities for international students to share perspectives on their home countries for the purposes of furthering global education & intercultural dialogue.
11:45 AM | Kenya & Malaysia | Demonstration of wedding ceremonies & traditions.
12:55 PM | Turkey & China | Demonstration of wedding ceremonies & traditions.
1:55 PM | South Korea | Demonstration of wedding ceremonies & traditions.
Overture’s International Festival is supported by Madison Community Foundation, CUNA Mutual Foundation, Friends of Overture, Ho-Chunk Gaming, and Dane Arts with additional funds from the Endres Mfg. Company Foundation, the Evjue Foundation Inc., the charitable arm of The Capital Times, the W. Jerome Frautschi Foundation, and the Pleasant T. Rowland Foundation.
Overture Center for the Arts in Madison, Wisconsin features seven state-of-the-art performance spaces and five galleries where national and international touring artists, ten resident companies and hundreds of local artists engage people in over half a million educational and artistic experiences each year. Overture.org
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Photo by Richard Hurd
UW Women’s Hockey Team Receives Donation From Conney Safety after Carbon Monoxide Scare
Conney Safety recently made a donation of carbon monoxide monitors to the UW Hockey teams. Below is the news clip from NBC15-Madison who picked up the story.
Photo by Richard Hurd
Chamber VP Named to DCI’s “40 Under 40” List Recognizing Economic Development Success
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Feb. 1, 2017)
Contact: Erik Greenfield, Communications Manager, 608-443-1952 (office), 608-669-7884 (cell)
MADISON – The Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce announced today that Chamber Vice President Kevin Little has been named as one of the Development Counsellors International (DCI) “40 Under 40” for 2017. The list is comprised of 40 people from across North America who have achieved success in economic development before turning 40 years old.
Little is the third person from Wisconsin to make the biennial list, following then-City of Madison Alder Scott Resnick in 2013 for spearheading just the second open data ordinance in the nation and Kenosha Area Business Alliance President Todd Battle in 2015 for his role in bringing in 4,000 jobs, $800 million in capital investment, and seven million square feet of development to the Kenosha area within the prior two years.
“The people chosen by the selection committee represent a bright future for the economic development world,” said DCI President Andy Levine. “They are a new breed of results-driven place makers. We’re very pleased to see Kevin Little among the winners.”
“This honor shows the depth of talent we have in our organization and validates the work the Chamber is doing to drive economic growth in Greater Madison,” said Chamber President Zach Brandon. “From initiatives like Accelerate Madison and HealthTech Capitol to programming our annual Pressure Chamber pitch competition, Kevin has been a vital asset to the Chamber’s efforts to accelerate business growth for our members, attract world-class talent to our community and position Greater Madison for sustained success.”
In his role as Chamber Vice President, Little leads the Chamber’s external relations, including its political advocacy, economic development, communications, programming and events. He has also served as the Chamber’s Director of Public Policy and Managing Director of Economic Development.
“It is an honor to be named to this list, but the work being recognized is really a tribute to a lot of people – from our incredible Chamber staff to our leadership and community partners,” Little said. “There is an overused expression that economic development is a team sport, but it’s true. We have a lot of collaboration and momentum going on right now in our community, and I am proud to be a part of it.”
DCI officially announced the winners Monday night at an awards ceremony during the International Economic Development Council Leadership Summit in Jacksonville and will feature an in-depth profile of each on its website during 2017.
Considered the leader in marketing places, DCI specializes in economic development and tourism marketing. The agency has worked for more than 400 cities, regions, states and countries since it was established in New York City in 1960. www.aboutdci.com
For more information on DCI’s 40 Under 40 winners, visit www.aboutdci.com/40under40.
About the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce:
The Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce is the voice of business with nearly 1,300 organizations – ranging from one-person shops to corporations with more than 10,000 employees – working to bring the Greater Madison area to its full potential. The Greater Madison region is a leader in innovation. From cutting-edge technologies to distinctive retail shops to inventive services and products, our members vary greatly but are united by the region’s entrepreneurial spirit. More information can be found at greatermadisonchamber.com.
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Photo by Richard Hurd
LeewardBA Helps to Revitalize and Bring New Opportunities to Madison
Cassandra Lee
Leeward Business Advisors
262.358.4116 x 204
cpolzin@leewardba.com
LeewardBA Helps to Revitalize and Bring New Opportunities to Madison
Private Company Expands into Madison Data Center Market, Brings Business Framework Expertise
MADISON, WI: On February 8th, Leeward Business Advisors is hosting a ribbon cutting event which will include data center tours, a musical performance by The Kissers, happy hour, and a keynote speech from Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch.
After the Quality Inn at 4916 E Broadway was abandoned, the area was left to struggle and become a home for crime. Around five years later, Facility Gateway Corporation took over and gave the space new purpose as a modern data center. Leeward Business Advisors ‘checked in’ to the new facility on November 4th as part of their westward expansion plan.
LeewardBA will use the facility to host the newest node of their Stratus Data Center cloud offering. Additionally, they are offering co-location services for other companies to benefit from housing their computer systems in a secure, resilient, and professionally managed data center.
Expanding business means a lot more than hanging a sign on the wall to LeewardBA’s CEO.
“You have to understand we are a new kind of technology service provider and a different kind of company. We put our company resources to work creating new learning opportunities for civic organizations, as well as for-profit businesses. When we show up, we show up to make a difference and create value for the communities that support us.”
Leeward Business Advisors has done a lot to engage with the community in Kenosha, like running coding clubs and business programs for local schools, donating services to local non-profit organizations, and hosting an annual event to drive engagement for nonprofit organizations. Plans are already being made to set up a hackathon, arcade night, STEM competitions, and more in the new space. The goal is to engage the community, start involving young professionals, and offering enhanced education opportunities to youth in the area.
The ribbon cutting on February 8th is open to the public and press coverage of the event is invited. Speakers include Matthew B. Mikolajewski, Director Economic Development Division City of Madison, James McPhaul, Director, WI Small Business Development Center, and Warren Laube, President Greenwoods State Bank. LeewardBA employees will be giving tours of the facility and make introductions to the community. Pre-registration is requested by visiting LeewardBA.EventBrite.com
About Leeward Business Advisors
Recent winners of the Fast Five 2016 Ovation awards, 2016 Lake County Community Impact Award, and KTEC 2016 Partner of the Year – Leeward Business Advisors is a Wisconsin based corporation that provides business strategy planning, business improvement implementation, and full IT operational support. They offer world class Cloud Computing services, Cloud brokerage, Managed IT services, and a full US based Support Service Desk (called Quick Answers). Michael Polzin, CEO has 20+ years of enterprise business and
technology experience gained while working at Allstate Insurance and Microsoft Corporation. Jason Klein, CTO has 15+ years delivering effective and efficient technology to Midwest companies.
About Facility Gateway Corporation
Facility Gateway Corporation, with home offices in Madison, WI, has over 80 years of combined industry experience. They provide professional data center services in all 50 U.S. states. Composed of 4 specialty divisions including Data Center Real Estate, Data Center Design, Critical Power Equipment Sales and Critical Facility Management, FGC is moving towards its goal of being the number one data center management company in the U.S.
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Photo by Richard Hurd
Chamber Announces Launch of Together Truax
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Jan. 9, 2017)
Contact: Erik Greenfield, Communications Manager, 608-443-1952 (office), 608-669-7884 (cell)
MADISON – Today the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce announced Together Truax, the next step of an initiative designed to support the effort to base the F-35A aircraft at Madison’s 115th Fighter Wing. The initiative includes a new website and social media pages in addition to ongoing advocacy.
“This community supports the men and women of the 115th Fighter Wing, and this initiative is just one more way to demonstrate that as federal officials review the finalist sites,” said Chamber President Zach Brandon. “The base’s $100 million in annual economic impact, the emergency response services it provides for Dane County Regional Airport and the tuition assistance paid to our colleges and universities for area students who serve in the Guard mean that having the F-35 at Truax is more than a national defense asset, it is an economic opportunity.”
The Air Force announced in December that the 115th is one of five finalist sites, with the two bases that will receive the next-generation jets to be named at a later date. Meanwhile, federal, state and local elected officials representing Dane County have already shown strong support for the Truax base.
“Truax, which is home to the dedicated men and women of the 115th Fighter Wing, is an ideal candidate for the F-35A mission,” said U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin. “We bring to this mission tremendous strategic, geographic and economic capabilities. The base and its personnel play an essential role in protecting the safety and security of Wisconsin and our nation, and I have been proud to serve as their champion in Congress for more than 17 years. I will continue to advocate for Truax’s selection for this new mission, which will provide an enduring economic benefit to the local community and Wisconsin.”
“The economic impact that the 115th Fighter Wing of the Air National Guard plays in the Madison and surrounding area is immense,” said Madison Mayor Paul Soglin. “This unit, in addition to the 750 Guard members, results in quality employment for 450 individuals. These employees and their families live, work and play in the Madison area and are respected members of our community. The value these jets bring to the city is immeasurable.”
“As a former fighter pilot stationed at Truax and the State Senator who represents the airport, I know the value of hosting the F-35s to our community,” said State Sen. Mark Miller (D-Monona). “Wisconsin, Dane County and Madison have much to offer and I believe that our 115th Fighter Wing will rise above the other four contenders.”
“Truax Field has been a crucial economic cornerstone of the Northside of Madison for generations. The men and women who work there support our country and our community. Their children attend our schools, they support our local businesses, and live in our neighborhoods,” said State Rep. Melissa Sargent (D-Madison). “As the State Representative for this area, and a lifelong resident of Madison, I know that it is important that we continue to support our friends and neighbors who are the bedrock of our community.”
“We greatly appreciate the many business, community and elected leaders from all levels of government who are supporting this effort,” added Brandon. “We look forward to continuing to build support as we make the case for the 115th in the coming months.”
TogetherTruax.com will feature the latest news and frequently asked questions, as well as opportunities to sign up for updates and ways to contact elected representatives. You can visit the website here, like Together Truax on Facebook here and follow Together Truax on Twitter here.
About the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce:
The Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce is the voice of business with nearly 1,300 organizations – ranging from one-person shops to corporations with more than 9,500 employees – working to bring the Greater Madison area to its full potential. The Greater Madison region is a leader in innovation. From cutting-edge technologies to distinctive retail shops to inventive services and products, our members vary greatly but are united by the region’s entrepreneurial spirit. More information can be found at greatermadisonchamber.com.
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