Wisconsin Small Business Administration Honors Oak Bank With Volume Lender Award

For Immediate Release  
Contact: Karen Virnoche, 608.441.6000 
kvirnoche@oakbankonline.com 

Wisconsin Small Business Administration Honors Oak Bank With Volume Lender Award
Oak Bank ranks at the top among Wisconsin banks of its size in the number of primary loans approved for small businesses in 2021.

Fitchburg, WI – Oak Bank announced they are the recipient of the 2021 Wisconsin Small Business Administration (SBA) Volume Lender Award for banks with an asset size between $400 and $500 million.

Oak Bank received the honor for having the most approved 7(a) loans in the state among similar-sized banks. The 7(a) Loan Program is the SBA’s most common small business loan program that helps businesses cover a variety of needs, including working capital, purchasing new equipment and new building construction.

“The last couple of years have been a challenge, especially for small businesses,” said Terry Taylor, Oak Bank President. “We are proud to have partnered with our local businesses for the last 22 years, but especially as they’ve weathered the uncertainty of the pandemic. We strongly believe in building long-lasting relationships and are committed to helping all our businesses not only survive but thrive for years to come.”

“SBA programs help fuel economic growth and build strong communities,” said Linda Zimdars, Oak Bank Senior Vice President of Business Banking. “It gives me a great amount of pride to see our ‘Financing provided by Oak Bank’ signs on construction sites when I drive around the Madison area. That represents one of the ways businesses utilize SBA financing. I know that Oak Bank has made a difference to so many businesses in our community. We work hard for them, working side by side with business owners, and in the end, their success is our success.”

Another example of that commitment was evident during the pandemic when Oak Bank joined other financial institutions across Wisconsin in processing a collective total of 33,000 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans worth a cumulative $2.2 billion. 

“When the pandemic started, we wanted to help small businesses stay open. We worked many late nights to ensure funding of the PPP and other government programs,” said Zimdars. “We knew we needed to be there when our business clients needed us the most.”

In May, Oak Bank will receive the 2021 Wisconsin Small Business Administration (SBA) Volume Lender Award at the 32^nd Annual Wisconsin Lenders Conference.

About Oak Bank 

Founded in 2000, Oak Bank celebrates 22 years of deep roots in the Fitchburg community and Madison area. The community bank meets the financial needs of homeowners and businesses by offering top-notch service, quick answers, and unique solutions, all while supporting over 125 local nonprofits each year. Visit oakbankonline.com to learn more.

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Wisconsin Union Theater: Comedy Star, Actress Dulcé Sloan Takes the Stage at Shannon Hall May 7

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 15, 2022 

Contact Information:
Shauna Breneman, Communications Director
Email: sbreneman@wisc.edu 
Phone: (608) 262-8862

COMEDY STAR, ACTRESS DULCÉ SLOAN TAKES THE STAGE AT SHANNON HALL MAY 7

MADISON, Wis. — Hailed as one of the sharpest, fastest rising voices in comedy, standup comedienne and actress Dulcé Sloan is bringing her comedic talent to the Wisconsin Union Theater’s Shannon Hall on May 7 at 7 p.m. for a free performance.

Crowned “The New Queen of Comedy” by SLiNK Magazine, Atlanta-born Sloan is known for her comedy that combines sharp wit with joyous energy that Salon.com called “vivacious zest.”

The Atlantic Journal-Constitution quoted her comedy mentor Big Kenney Johnson as saying, “She’s like a Picasso in the middle of finger painters. She has something that is obviously different and special.”

Sloan’s career has included serving as a correspondent on “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah,” starring in the animated series “The Great North,” hosting her podcast “That Black Ass Show,” a role in the film “Chick Fight,” and more.

“After just 10 years in the entertainment industry, Dulcé Sloan is already a comedy star worldwide,” Wisconsin Union Theater Director Elizabeth Snodgrass said. “Dulcé has a talent for making people laugh and think about important issues at the same time.”

The Wisconsin Union Theater originally scheduled Sloan’s performance to occur in 2021, but the event was canceled due to unforeseen circumstances. Originally scheduled as a welcome to a new academic year, the Wisconsin Union Theater and the Wisconsin Union Directorate Performing Arts Committee are now hosting Sloan’s performance as a celebration of the community getting through a challenging year together and ending the year in community with one another.

Patrons can register for free tickets online, by phone at (608) 265-2787, or at the Memorial Union Box Office.

Those interested in attending can learn more about Sloan’s upcoming performance here.

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About the Wisconsin Union Theater

For more than 75 years, the Wisconsin Union Theater has served as a center for cultural activity in the heart of the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus. The Theater hosts performances in multiple locations, including Memorial Union, and has an extensive history of remarkable performances. The Wisconsin Union Theater is part of the Wisconsin Union, a membership organization that blends study and leisure to create unique out-of-classroom opportunities. Learn more: union.wisc.edu/wisconsin-union-theater.

[Click here to download a photo of Dulcé Sloan. Photo by Gabriel Michael.]

To read this release online, visit union.wisc.edu/about/news/dulce-sloan-2022.

Madison Public Schools Foundation: 16th Annual Circle of Friends Luncheon

It’s that time of year again! Join the Madison Public Schools Foundation for the 16th Annual Circle of Friends luncheon on Tuesday, May 17 from 11:30am-1:30p.m.

Your support helps fuel our mission to raise funds, award grants, develop community partnerships, and advocate for Madison’s public schools. Get your ticket today on our website: https://fmps.org/circle-of-friends/

UW Health: Opportunity for Businesses to Show Appreciation for Nurses

UW Health partners with Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce to encourage discounts for all community RNs in May 2022

UW Health is proud to partner with the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce to encourage local businesses to consider offering discounts to nurses in our community during National Nurses Week, May 6-12 or throughout the month of May.

Nurses Week poses a unique opportunity for Madison businesses to show their appreciation for all the highly valued nurses in our community—often considered healthcare heroes—who’ve endured an exceptionally long pandemic. This opportunity would allow the Chamber and member businesses to thank all nurses (not just UW Health nurses) during this special time.

“Local discounts have been provided in the past and our nurses love it,” states Nichole Lloyd, BSN, RN, Chair of the UW Health Nursing Recognition Council. “Food options are always popular as nurses often pick it up on their way to work or after a long shift, or they order meals for teams during a shift. It also makes the nurses feel appreciated and supported by the community.” Lloyd comments that discounts at any local business are always appreciated among her nursing colleagues.

If your business is able to offer a discount to nurses in the Greater Madison Area from May 6-12 or throughout the month of May, please complete this simple form by Friday, April 29. UW Health and the Chamber will then share the final list of participating businesses to make all community nurses aware of these local discounts.

Please direct any questions to: JoAnn Feeney, UW Health Nursing Administration, at jfeeney@uwhealth.org

We hope you consider this opportunity to show your business’s support of community nurses while enjoying some added exposure for your business among thousands of nurses.

Kraus-Anderson, EUA Architects: Memorial Hospital of Lafayette County completes funding for new hospital

DARLINGTON, Wis. – (April 2022) – Memorial Hospital of Lafayette County (MHLC) has completed the financing to build a new $55.5 million facility, which also will include space for behavioral health and mindfulness sessions.

The funds include a $30.87 million revenue bond and $15 million general obligation bond in direct loans from the USDA, and a $5 million guaranteed loan, all of which will be paid for by the proceeds of the hospital.  In addition, MHLC was awarded a $1 million Emergency Rural Health Care Grant.

“The USDA has been wonderful to work with during this process and we are so thankful that such programs are available,” said Kathy Kuepers, MHLC CEO.  “These funds ensure our community has access to quality health care for years to come.

As a critical access hospital, the current facility has served the greater community and provided a full range of acute care inpatient and outpatient services since 1952.  Easily accessible access to quality health care will be the core of the design for the 75,000-square-foot replacement facility.

The construction manager is Kraus-Anderson and the architect is EUA Architects.

Construction on the new hospital is expected to begin in February of 2023 and completed by the summer of 2024. The current facility will be in operation during construction.

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