American Family Begins Largest Rooftop Solar Installation

(Madison, Wis.) (March 24, 2017) – American Family Insurance is installing nearly 4,500 solar panels on its National Headquarters (NHQ) building in Madison, the latest project in the company’s award-winning sustainability efforts.

This will be the largest single rooftop solar installation in the state of Wisconsin to-date. Madison commercial solar developer, SunPeak is American Family’s chosen partner for this project, which is expected to take approximately 60-90 days to complete.

Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems use the sun’s rays to generate electricity in a quiet, clean manner that is always renewable. The system being installed at American Family’s NHQ will use a “delta wing” (east/west orientation) solar panel configuration. This creates a chevron-like pattern that maximizes solar density on a flat roof, without the need for a southern-facing exposure.

This installation is estimated to produce approximately 1.26 million kilowatts annually, which is enough energy to power 122 average-sized homes, or 874,000 60-watt light bulbs for one day. The panels have a service life of 30 years and no moving parts to wear out or replace, requiring little maintenance. The system is projected to offset six to nine percent of the building’s electrical usage, saving approximately $191,000 in annual energy costs.

In addition, the solar installation is expected to offset approximately 1.7 million pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2) gas annually and 51 million pounds of CO2 over the course of its 30-year service life. This is equal to the yearly emissions of roughly 213 automobiles.

The solar panel installation is just the latest in a number of sustainability projects American Family Insurance has implemented in its dedication to environmental stewardship and social responsibility. Some of the others include:

~Organics recycling at NHQ, Eden Prairie, Minn. location and coming to the East Region building, also in Madison. This recycling effort is a significant step toward American Family’s zero waste initiative, the diversion of 90 percent or more waste away from landfills.

~Native prairie restorations at the NHQ location as part of the company’s sustainable land management program.

~High-efficiency lighting at all offices, including the integration of LED in select locations.

~Water savings of more than 4.5 million gallons per year through redesign of the NHQ kitchen refrigeration systems as well as integration of soft water into cooling systems (the equivalent of four-and-one-fourth Olympic-sized swimming pools).

~Retro-commissioning efforts at multiple buildings. Retro-commissioning is a full assessment and recalibration of the HVAC controls and settings.

~Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) registration at the Eden Prairie, Minn. and East Region building in Madison.

“American Family Insurance has made a commitment to sustainability by implementing projects and initiatives that protect our environment and contribute to the well-being of our communities,” said Dan Rosetta, American Family Insurance facilities operations director. “Conserving energy and utilizing renewable energy reaffirms our commitment to the environment while also reducing our operating costs, and that means we can better meet the needs of our customers.”

About American Family Insurance
Madison, Wis. – based American Family Insurance, celebrating its 90^th anniversary in 2017, is the nation’s 13th-largest property/casualty insurance group and ranks No. 332 on the Fortune 500 list. The company sells American Family-brand products, including auto, homeowners, life, business and farm/ranch insurance, through its exclusive agents in 19 states. American Family affiliates (The General, Homesite and AssureStart) also provide options for consumers who want to manage their insurance matters directly over the Internet or by phone. Web www.amfam.com; Facebook www.facebook.com/amfam; Twitter www.twitter.com/amfam; Google+ plus.google.com/+amfam/.

About SunPeak

SunPeak is a turnkey developer of commercial solar systems, handling feasibility studies, financial payback analysis, system engineering, installation, and ongoing maintenance. Projects typically range from 100 kW to 5 MW and offer significant cost savings relative to conventional utility rates. The company was founded in 2014 by Chad Sorenson and a team of leading global solar developers who have completed more than 350 MW of installations on three continents over the past decade, including projects in Canada, Germany and Japan.  More information at www.sunpeakpower.com or (608) 535-4554.

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The Alliance® Receives $50,000 Grant to Develop QualityPath® for Colonoscopies

MADISON, Wis. (March 22, 2017) – The Alliance® has received a matching grant of up to $50,000 to expand its QualityPath® program to create a pathway to high-value colonoscopies.

The matching grant was made by the Purchaser Value Network (PVN), an initiative of the Pacific Business Group on Health, San Francisco, Calif. PVN aims to accelerate the adoption of high-value health care delivery and payment models through policy advocacy, education and purchaser engagement.

The Alliance received one of eight PVN grants made nationwide with funding provided by the Laura and John Arnold Foundation. PVN announced the grants in press releases on Feb. 6 and March 21.  The grants provide funding of up to $50,000 for regional business coalitions implementing innovative practices in value-based purchasing and health care payment reform.

The Alliance plans to introduce QualityPath for colonoscopies in June 2018. Launched in 2015, the QualityPath program currently guides patients to high-quality providers for CTs and MRI scans and knee replacement, total hip replacement and coronary artery bypass graft surgeries.

QualityPath offers these benefits:

• For surgeries, using a bundled payment approach, which means that all participating doctors, clinics and hospitals receive a single, pre-determined payment. In a traditional approach, each component of the surgery is billed separately.
• Eliminating out-of-pocket costs or deductibles for patients on a traditional health plan when using QualityPath (savings vary for patients with a plan that has a health savings account).
• Identifying high-quality care based on national quality measures. For surgeries and for colonoscopies, quality measurements are based on the combination of a specific doctor working at a specific hospital.
• Providing a warranty for care provided as part of QualityPath.

Employers who are members of The Alliance can enroll in QualityPath, which is then offered to employees and family members enrolled in health plans that use The Alliance network. A list of participating doctors, hospitals and clinics is available on The Alliance website (www.the-alliance.org).

The Alliance is a not-for-profit cooperative that moves health care forward by controlling costs, improving quality and engaging individuals in their health. Members include more than 240 self-funded employers and multiemployer plans in Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa.

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Alliance President and CEO Cheryl DeMars is available for interviews on request.

ABOUT THE PURCHASER VALUE NETWORK

The Purchaser Value Network, an initiative of the Pacific Business Group on Health, aims to accelerate the adoption of high value health care delivery and payment models through policy advocacy, education and purchaser engagement. The network seeks to inject purchaser perspectives and innovative best practices into federal and state policy decision making, educate employers about value-based purchasing and advocacy opportunities, and aligns three critical purchaser sectors – private employers, states, and the federal government – around evidence-based practices. For more information, visit www.pvnetwork.org.

ZEBRADOG Receives National Recognition, Featured in Washington, DC Exhibition

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DATE: 3/22/2017

CONTACT: Chris Moore

PHONE: 608-257-8400

EMAIL: chris@zebradog.com

ZEBRADOG Receives National Recognition, Featured in Washington, DC Exhibition

Experiential Design firm ZEBRADOG of Madison, WI, has recently received national award recognition by CODAworx, for their “Story of Livsreise” video production which features the collaborative design and storytelling efforts orchestrated by ZEBRADOG to create Livsreise Norwegian Heritage Center in Stoughton, Wisconsin.

https://www.codaworx.com/project/livsreise-life-s-journey-the-bryant-foundation-55f9c8fdab216

As a “2016 CODAvideo: Collaboration” finalist, ZEBRADOG’s video will be featured in the famous Octagon Museum, 1799 New York Ave NW, Washington, DC. Designed by the first architect of the United States Capitol, William Thornton, the Octagon Museum is now the home to the Architects Foundation, the philanthropic organization of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), whose mission is to demonstrate the value of architecture through actionable programs in resilience, health, education, and preservation. The best videos in this CODAvideo category celebrate the art and design project teams and their collaborative working relationship.

The video will be on display as a part of the “The CODAworx CODAawards Exhibition” which is free and open to the public from March 23 – October 31, 2017.

More information can be found here on the exhibition: https://www.codaworx.com/exhibition

More information can be found here on the “2016 CODAvideo Collaboration Awards”: https://www.codaworx.com/awards/video/2015/categories

ZEBRADOG, founded in 1994 by Creative Director Mark Schmitz, is a multi-disciplinary Experiential Graphic Design firm specializing in the creation of visitor and guest experience programs for private and public spaces worldwide. ZEBRADOG is located in the historic Sixth Ward Carnegie Library at 1249 Williamson Street, Madison, WI (608) 257-8400.

ZEBRADOG has been recognized internationally for over two decades for their specialized approach to authentic storytelling within the built environments of their clients.

CODAworx was formed in 2012 by Toni Sikes and Terry Maxwell as a global platform to showcase design projects that feature commissioned artwork in interior, architectural, and public spaces.

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American Family Insurance names Vicki Wagener Agent of the Year

Madison, WI; March 19, 2017 – Agent Vicki Wagener of Madison has been named Agent of the Year by American Family Insurance. She received the honor for outstanding sales of American Family insurance products during the Year of 2016.

Wagener has been an agent for American Family since October 2012. Her offices are located at 1633 Thierer Road and 1001 S Whitney Way in Madison.

“This is a very prestigious honor when you consider there are about 3,500 American Family agents serving millions of policyholders,” says Brian Brezenski, sales district leader for the company. “This is a fitting tribute Vicki’s expertise in insurance and ability to earn the trust and respect of her customers.”

Based in Madison, Wis., American Family Insurance offers auto, homeowners, life, commercial and farm/ranch insurance in 19 states and is the nation’s third largest mutual property/casualty insurance company. Web: www.amfam.com; Facebook: www.facebook.com/amfam; Twitter: www.twitter.com/amfam. Google+ plus.google.com/+amfam/

Circle of Friends Luncheon

Now in its 12th year, the annual Circle of Friends luncheon provides an opportunity for Madison individuals, business leaders and supporters to come together and learn about the work of the Foundation in Madison’s public schools. The Circle of Friends Luncheon showcases innovative and creative programs that enrich classroom learning and generates a shared enthusiasm for what we can do as a community to support our 27,000 students. For the past several years, the event has hosted over 700 attendees at the Alliant Energy Center for lunch, networking and inspirational videos and speeches.

https://circleoffriends2017.splashthat.com/