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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

Workforce disrupter: ‘Gig economy’ May 23 topic at Tech Council Innovation Network lunch in Madison

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (May 16, 2017)

Contact: Tom Still or Cassidy Wartenweiler at 608-442-7557

To learn more online: www.wisconsintechnologycouncil.com

Workforce disrupter: ‘Gig economy’ May 23 topic at Tech Council Innovation Network lunch in Madison

MADISON – As temporary positions become common and with more organizations contracting for short-term engagements, the “gig economy” has arrived in force. Learn how the gig economy is changing traditional business models at the May 23 Tech Council Innovation Network luncheon meeting in Madison.

The luncheon will be held at the Sheraton Hotel on Madison’s John Nolen Drive. Registration and networking begin at 11:30 a.m., lunch at noon and the presentation at 12:30 p.m. The cost is $10 for students and Bunker Labs members, $25 for individual members, $35 for non-members and included for Tech Council corporate members. Click here to register.

Tech Council President Tom Still will moderate as a panel of experts discuss trends such as regulation, competition and how contingent works are changing the hiring process. Panelists include: Carrol Chang, general manager for Uber Wisconsin; Kevin Kiser, head of brand strategy and communications, Bunker; and Traci Scherck, senior human resources consultant, Honkamp Krueger.

“Whether they are called agile workers or gig workers, the rise of freelance and contract workers is changing how jobs are defined,” said Tom Still, president of the Tech Council. “As Wisconsin deals with demographic forces that are shrinking the traditional workforce, gig workers may increasingly be a part of the solution.”

This Tech Council Innovation Network event is sponsored by BMO Harris Bank.

The Wisconsin Technology Council is the independent, non-profit science and technology adviser to the governor and Legislature, with events, publications and outreach that contribute to Wisconsin’s tech-based economy. To join, go to www.wisconsintechnologycouncil.com or call 608-442-7557.

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Photo by Richard Hurd

Chamber Unveils Access Agenda

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (May 16, 2017)

Contact: Erik Greenfield, Communications Manager, 608-443-1952 (office), 608-669-7884 (cell)

MADISON – Today the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce unveiled its Access Agenda, a new two-year policy roadmap at the local, state and federal level to accelerate our advanced industries and bolster the state’s standing as a place of innovation and entrepreneurship. The Access Agenda is framed around the factors that drive companies to make decisions: access to talent, customers, infrastructure, supply chain and a livable community.

“Greater Madison is growing in advanced industries, population and recognition as a world-class place of innovation, and as our momentum continues, we must take collaborative and intentional action to ensure the advanced economy we are building works for everyone,” said Chamber President Zach Brandon. “Our Access Agenda doubles down on science, technology, innovation and investments in talent, as well as ensuring Greater Madison is an inclusive place where anyone can see opportunity and share in our region’s prosperity. With greater access, we will achieve a greater Madison.”

View the full Access Agenda at greatermadisonchamber.com/access

For a TruScribe-produced video introducing the Access Agenda, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1rsoD-i95M

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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Photo by Richard Hurd

Farwell Continues Rapid Growth

farwell-2-color-transparent
Transformative and disruptive business climate catapults Madison-based consulting firm
Madison, WI – May 10, 2017 – Four years ago, Farwell started with two team members in a co-working space. Today, Farwell has grown its team to over 30 consultants and continues to help companies and non-profits navigate an ever-changing competitive landscape.Farwell clients are embarking on aggressive growth strategies and transformative projects that require dedicated Change, Risk and Vendor Management.  While effectively planning and managing complex and transformative programs is not a new topic, the focus on Change Management as a discipline has been gaining traction, according to Farwell Founder and CEO Jason Potter.”Our team has managed complex efforts in some of the largest companies in the Midwest, and we have all practiced Change and Communications Management to some degree,” stated Potter. “In the last 18 months, our clients have been recognizing the value of dedicated Change teams on their most strategic and impactful projects.”Farwell’s Vice President of Client Solutions, Steve McQuin, sees the increased need for effective Change and Communications Management resulting from the cross-industry technical disruption of the last decade.

“Lower cost and ubiquitous technology has caused massive disruption regardless of industry. It is a fast-paced mix of increased competition, a multitude of vendor solutions, and aggressive growth goals,” said McQuin. “From that comes a wide breadth of transformation including modernization, organizational restructuring, consolidation, customer experience redesign, partnerships and automation. These efforts succeed when Change Management best practices are applied.”

Farwell Senior Change Consultant Rachel Breitbach noted that the increased emphasis on dedicated Change Management is also a result of leaders learning from programs that were not successful.  “Employee engagement, executive support and proper expectation-setting are key components of managing the pace and breadth of change we see today,” she stated. “Leaders that dedicate teams to help their organizations navigate these changes increase their probability of success and gain competitive advantages.”

For the third straight year, Farwell will be sponsoring the Madison/South Central Wisconsin Project Management Institute’s Annual Professional Development Day (PDD). The Farwell team will be meeting with hundreds of professionals and leaders responsible for planning and executing strategic projects during an unprecedented period of innovation, change and transformation.

The Farwell team enjoys engaging directly with companies and learning more about their successes and challenges.  “PDD is a great opportunity to talk with our clients and other Wisconsin companies about their strategies to compete during this time of rapid change,” said Nick Lombardino, a senior member of the Farwell Client Solutions team.  “Scaling to meet customer demand, prioritizing projects, technical modernization and becoming more agile are common discussions for our clients.”

Meet the Farwell Team at PDD on Friday, May 12th at the Madison Marriott West, 1313 John Q Hammons Dr, Middleton, WI 53562.

About Farwell 
After being a consultant for other firms since the 1990’s, Jason Potter started Farwell as an independent consultant in 2012. Steve McQuin joined him a year later to help Farwell grow, and Nick Lombardino joined at the end of 2013. Farwell now has over 30 consultants working on projects with clients in the Midwest.

Farwell focuses on Change, Risk and Vendor Management. Service categories include Strategy and Planning, Project Execution and Partner Services. The Farwell consulting team includes Project, Program and Portfolio Managers, Process Improvement Experts, Business Analysts, and Solution Architects.  Farwell’s Partner Services include managed service providers, technical staffing firms, data experts, application development teams, and IT security consultants, among others.  Farwell and its partners work together to develop custom, client-focused solutions.

Photo by Richard Hurd

Chamber President Zach Brandon Receives Distinguished Service Award from Wisconsin National Guard Association

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (May 2, 2017)

Contact: Erik Greenfield, Communications Manager, 608-443-1952 (office), 608-669-7884 (cell)

MADISON – Today the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce announced that Chamber President Zach Brandon is the recipient of the 2017 Distinguished Service Award, the Wisconsin National Guard Association’s highest civilian honor. The award was presented Saturday during WINGA’s 67th Annual State Conference in Elkhart Lake.

The award recognizes Brandon and the Chamber’s involvement in the effort to base the next-generation F-35A aircraft at Madison’s Truax Field, outstanding leadership and community advocacy in support of the mission of the 115th Fighter Wing through the Chamber’s work with the Badger Air Community Council (BACC).

“While I am humbled and honored to accept this award, I share it with the business leaders, elected officials, advocates, community members and countless others who have supported and shown their appreciation for the remarkable, hardworking men and women of the 115th Fighter Wing,” said Brandon. “Landing the F-35A at Truax would be both a national defense asset and an economic opportunity for Greater Madison, and we are proud to do everything we can to promote the 1,200 airmen of the 115th and the significant contributions they make to our community.”

In addition to supporting 1,200 Wisconsin jobs, the 115th Fighter Wing contributes $100 million in annual economic impact, provides emergency response services for Dane County Regional Airport and pays more than $1 million in tuition assistance to colleges and universities for area students who serve in the Guard.

In January, the Chamber launched Together Truax, the next step of an initiative designed to support the effort to base the F-35A at Truax Field. The initiative includes a new website, TogetherTruax.com, and Facebook and Twitter pages, in addition to ongoing advocacy. The Air Force announced in December that Truax is one of five finalist sites for the F-35A, with the two bases that will receive the next-generation jets to be named at a later date.

About the Wisconsin National Guard Association:
The Wisconsin National Guard Association, Inc. (WINGA) is a nonpartisan organization representing more than 1,800 current and former Wisconsin Army and Air National Guard officers. Formed in 1951, the association promotes the relevance, readiness, and modernization of our National Guard, improving the quality of life for its members and supporting state and national policies to advance the security of the United States. To learn more, visit http://www.winga.org.

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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Photo by Richard Hurd

The Alliance Will Host Its Largest Event of the Year

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

Teri Van Tassel, Vice President, Marketing & Member Services

608.210.6633

E-mail: tvantassel@the-alliance.org

www.the-alliance.org/press

GET HELP MAKING HEALTH CARE’S HARD DECISIONS

The Alliance Will Host its Largest Event of the Year – May 16

MADISON, Wis. (April 18, 2017) – The Alliance is inviting employers and anyone interested in learning about shared decision making to its Annual Seminar event on May 16, 2017.

Do I or Don’t I?
Making Hard Decisions in Health Care

Tuesday, May 16, 2017

8 – 11:30 a.m.

The Monona Terrace, Madison, Wis.

More than 300 people are expected to attend to hear from three national speakers:

Presentations will cover the importance of shared decision making as well as:

  • How to involve the patient in decision making
  • Illustrating a pictorial way of showing how few people are helped and how many are harmed by common procedures through Benefit Risk Characteristic Theatre (BRCT).
  • Overview of the OpenNotes initiative and how it is being incorporated into many clinics and hospitals today.

The Alliance Board of Directors will also present its third annual Health Transformation Awards to individuals and organizations who have committed to moving health care forward for consumers, employers and purchasers.

Interested individuals who would like to attend for free can register here:

http://www.the-alliance.org/events/

The Alliance is an employer-owned, not-for-profit cooperative that moves health care forward by controlling costs, improving quality and engaging individuals in their health. It has 240 employer members that provide health benefit coverage to more than 100,000 people in Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa.

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