Welcome New Members — June 2014

The Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce welcomes these new members. Please keep these companies in mind when doing business. View the complete directory listing of all Chamber members.

• 3 Cats Media
• Broyles & Company CPA’s LLC
• Calliope Ice Cream
• Full Potential Associates
• Healthfinch
• ITT Technical Institute
• Majestic Theatre
• THINKLimo
• Uber Technologies
• Villard & Associates, CPA
• Wisconsin Financial Services LLC

BIMvid Recap: Intuit’s Kaaren Hanson

Intuit’s Kaaren Hanson was all that and a bag of tips! If you missed our June 23 event with the vice president for design innovation, watch it here, compliments of BIMvid.

Kaaren spoke to a packed house at the Majestic for our first Accelerate Madison-branded event. The Madison native gave  examples of how to move decision-making to those employees closest to the customer. Kaaren outlined a culture where experimentation is encouraged and failure is an accepted part of the process. Learn how to make a company full of innovators.

This event was presented by American Family Insurance.

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Chamber Announces Early-Stage Companies Joining Summer Delegation to Pitch Investors in Silicon Valley

MADISON – The Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce announced the remaining early-stage companies joining the summer delegation to pitch in front of prominent venture capital firms in Silicon Valley. The four fast-growing businesses were selected by partner organizations and join Brian Jensen, president of Fishidy and winner of the inaugural Pressure Chamber, which debuted at neXXpo: Business in Fast Forward.

Trip participants include:

• Catalyze – Customized healthcare apps with built in HIPPA security and data requirements
  Travis Good, MD, CEO and Co-founder
• EatStreet – Mobile platform that aggregates a variety of local restaurants into a single source for delivery or takeout orders
  Matt Howard, CEO and Co-Founder
• Fishidy – Map-based social platform for fishing aficionados of all levels
  Brian Jensen, President
• MdotLabs – Mobile platform that analyzes big data to detect and block fraud of online advertising
  Paul Barford, Chief Scientist and Co-founder
• Propeller Health – Wireless sensor that attaches to rescue inhalers and syncs with smart phones to track usage of inhaled medications for respiratory diseases such as asthma and COPD
  Mark Gehring, Co-Founder

“We are confident these five companies will leave a positive, lasting impression on Silicon Valley while gaining key connections and exposure at a critical time in the growth of their business.” said Chamber President Zach Brandon. “We are proud to be connecting the coast to a small sampling of the high-caliber innovation happening throughout Greater Madison.”

The delegation kicks off June 24 with a tour of the Facebook campus. Following the June 25 investor meetings, the Chamber will host a reception, sponsored by Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), which will include attendees from other Bay-area investors, entrepreneurs, and business leaders including organizations that have ties to Greater Madison such as Google, Zendesk and The Badger Entrepreneurship Forum.

“There is a remarkable story unfolding in Greater Madison and we are looking forward to sharing it in Silicon Valley just as we have in Austin at SXSW, the White House Business Roundtables and the Quebec City Conference to name a few,” said Brandon. “As with any great novel, our story keeps getting better knowing that the best is yet to come.”

The Chamber’s summer delegation is supported locally by Michael Best & Friedrich, State of Wisconsin Investment Board, 4490 Ventures, Kegonsa Capital Partners, Venture Investors, Lindsay Stone & Briggs, Accelerate Madison, Capital Entrepreneurs, Great Oaks Venture Capital and Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation.

About the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce:
The Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce is the voice of business with more than 1,300 organizations – ranging from one-person shops to corporations with more than 7,000 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.

Contact: Jo-ell Carson, Communications Director, at 608-443-1952 or 608-213-1799

Click here for a pdf version of the press release.

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Chamber Statement Re: Federal Ruling that Wisconsin’s Gay Marriage Ban is Unconstitutional

MADISON – As one of the first business organizations to publicly oppose Wisconsin’s same-sex marriage ban in early 2006, the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce released the following statement by President Zach Brandon:

“Any barrier to the recruitment and retention of talent is a headwind in our efforts to build a greater Madison. This decision puts this barrier behind us and the wind at our backs.”

The Chamber board of directors opposed the Wisconsin constitutional amendment in 2006 citing economic development impacts that would hinder the region’s ability to compete for growth opportunities and talent. 

About the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce:
The Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce is the voice of business with more than 1,300 organizations – ranging from one-person shops to corporations with more than 7,000 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.

Contact: Jo-ell Carson, Communications Director, at 608-443-1952 or 608-213-1799

Click here for a pdf version of the press release.

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Federal Ruling that Wisconsin’s Gay Marriage Ban is Unconstitutional

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (June 6, 2014)

MADISON – As one of the first business organizations to publicly oppose Wisconsin’s same-sex marriage ban in early 2006, the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce released the following statement by President Zach Brandon:

“Any barrier to the recruitment and retention of talent is a headwind in our efforts to build a greater Madison. This decision puts this barrier behind us and the wind at our backs.”

The Chamber board of directors opposed the Wisconsin constitutional amendment in 2006 citing economic development impacts that would hinder the region’s ability to compete for growth opportunities and talent.

About the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce:
The Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce is the voice of business with more than 1,300 organizations – ranging from one-person shops to corporations with more than 7,000 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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