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Month: May 2015

Photo by Richard Hurd

Chamber strengthens its Board of Directors

May 13, 2015

 

Chamber strengthens its Board of Directors


Announcing new board members, chair and officers for 2015

 

MADISON –The Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce announced nine new members for its 2015 Board of Directors. The new members join the 37 current business and community leaders representing a broad cross-section of the greater Madison economy.

 

New 2015 board members are:

and vice-president, Lee Enterprises

 

Officers for 2015 are:

“Our board members bring expertise, experience and a passion that is instrumental in positioning greater Madison as a world-class place for business and entrepreneurialism,” said Chamber President Zach Brandon. “The new members add their perspectives to an impressive board comprised of diverse experiences from businesses big and small, who are collaborating to make our region more competitive, more attractive, more innovative and more prosperous.”

 

Paul Lenhart, Chamber board chair and president of Krupp General Contractors LLC, added: “This board brings together a broad range of leaders all committed to serving greater Madison businesses and our community and we are strengthened by the talent of our new additions. We are energized to build on our past successes, provide effective advocacy, explore new ideas and grow our regional economy.”

Click here for the full roster of the Greater Madison Chamber Board of Directors.

 

 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 8,000 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

Meet our IceBreaker mystery trio

Ice sculpture

One of the common requests coming on the heels of the Chamber’s annual lunch IceBreaker was a piqued interest in getting more information and learning how to get in touch with our three mystery speakers and their businesses. So by popular demand, here is a brief sketch with links for more information on the people behind the IceBreaker TED-style talks.

Photos by Gary Geiger Photography  www.geigerphoto.com

20150423_ICEBREAKER-203

 

The Creative: Alisa Toninato

At age 18, Alisa Toninato, was a purple-haired punk rocker in Green Bay who left home to study art. “A classic creative person,” she told the IceBreaker attendees. “My parents were terrified.” She now owns two businesses and has appeared on the Martha Stewart Show and the Food Network, without losing her creative edge. In fact, her American Skillet Co. (which produces cast-iron skillets in the shape of US states) works in tandem helping support her other creative business, FeLion Studios. Her message to the more than 580 business and community leaders focused on how bringing a creative buzz to every part of our community can be an effective economic development tool as well as helping greater Madison reach its full potential: “We must celebrate the Creative as a necessity for our success and happiness and the future talent of your company will reinvent itself right here, generation after generation.”

 

20150423_ICEBREAKER-248

 

The Innovative: Matt Howard

Matt Howard began EatStreet from his college apartment his sophomore year. His company has gone national in 150 cities, 15,000 restaurants and he recently hired his 100th employee. He has even lured employees to Madison from San Francisco, despite the fact that it was 80-degrees colder here during their visit. He urged IceBreaker attendees to support local startups and celebrate their success when they grow and even if they sell, knowing their start here will attract other innovators, startup capital and talent. “We need more success stories,” said Howard. “Successful exits show investors on the coasts that we can build something of value right here in Madison.” Howard said fewer people ask him “Why Madison?” now on his travels – and his goal is to make sure people know what we have to offer, “So no entrepreneur ever hears ‘why Madison?’ again.”

 

IceMoclose

 

The Imaginative: Maurice “Mo” Cheeks

Maurice “Mo” Cheeks moved from the Chicago area for a job with Apple leading K-12 education sales in Wisconsin, selecting Madison as his home base. In his speech, he highlighted Madison’s flag which depicts the city’s topography noting that someone once saw an imperfect strip of swamp and forest land here and imagined a beautiful city on an isthmus. Cheeks has established himself in Madison, currently serving as director of Wisconsin Technology Council’s Wisconsin Innovation Network, where he works with hundreds of companies across the state fostering high-tech and high-growth industries.  Demonstrating his commitment to servant leadership, Cheeks has been an active volunteer in the schools, on several boards, on local political campaigns and in 2013 he was elected to the Madison Common Council. In April, he was chosen by his colleagues as the Council’s President Pro Tem. His challenge to the IceBreaker crowd to embrace change was met with applause: “I submit that our first order of business in preparing our city for another generation of greatness is to become discontent. We simply cannot accept our place as both the best city and the worst city, depending on who you are.”

 

Photo by Richard Hurd

Chamber Opposes Madison Proprietary Interest Proposal

A recent City of Madison proposal could have a dramatic impact on future development projects. If adopted, the ordinance could require – for instances where the city provides financial assistance for a project – that the recipient employer enter into a private agreement stating their employees’ preference as to whether they want to be represented by a labor organization for collective bargaining purposes. Examples of where the city has a proprietary interest include projects utilizing tax incremental financing, as well as other business grant and loan programs. The ordinance could apply to a project developer, contractor, subcontractor as well as potential tenants through the duration of the city’s involvement in the project. 

At a time when public and private sector leaders have worked to improve the city’s economic competitiveness, this proposal would be a significant step backwards.

The ordinance’s provisions include: 

  • Applicability to any loan or financial incentive of greater than $100,000
  •  “Recipient of City financial assistance” to mean any person, including that person’s subcontractors, successors, or tenants
  • Requirement that  the recipient of City financial assistance enter into a Proprietary Interest Protection Agreement for the duration of the City’s proprietary interest in the Development Project
  • Applicability of the Protection Agreement to any contract, subcontract, lease, sublease, management or operating agreement for the duration of the proprietary interest of the City in the Development Project 
  • An exemption for employers employing fewer than the equivalent of fifteen (15) full-time or part-time employees at the site of the development project.
  • Exemptions for any residential development project and any development project involving a historically designated building
  • An exemption for multi-tenant development projects built on a speculative basis.

Click here to view the full ordinance.                                                                             

The Chamber has communicated its opposition to the proposal at the City’s Board of Estimates and Economic Development Committee. Supporters have stated their intent to delay action for further review of the potential economic impact, and have also expressed their desire to work with stakeholders, including the Chamber, on these concerns.