2009 Trailblazer Awards for Women in Business announced

Governor Jim Doyle and the Wisconsin Women’s Council have announced the recipients of the Governor’s Trailblazer Awards for Women in Business, recognizing women pioneers in the business community.

The 2009 recipients represent seven counties and a wide range of industries — including non-traditional industries for women — many concentrated in the counties of southwest Wisconsin. These businesses have sustained families and anchored communities.

“Wisconsin’s home-grown businesses are really what drive our economy, and the role women play in these businesses is vital to the state’s economic success,” Governor Doyle says. “I am honored to help to recognize these women who have started their own business, and the great success they’ve had — strengthening our economy, and building strong communities in the process.”

Trailblazer Awards are given to businesses statewide to recognize the legacy of women's business ownership in Wisconsin. Categories include: Torch Awards honoring family-owned businesses that are currently majority woman-owned and have been in operation for three generations or more, and Trailblazer Awards honoring businesses with sole or majority ownership by a woman, or series of women, for 25 years or more.

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Two Wisconsin-based brewers make national Top 50 Breweries

New Glarus Brewing Company and Monroe-based Minhas Craft Brewery are the two Wisconsin craft breweries to make the Brewers Association annual list of top 50 brewing companies this year.

The New Glarus Brewing Company ranked No. 21 on the Top 50 Craft Brewing Companies by Beer Sales Volume. New Glarus was established in 1993, and its craft brews consistently receive national and international awards.

Minhas Craft Brewery ranked No. 14 in the Top 50 Overall Brewing Companies by Beer Sales Volume. Formerly known as the Joseph Huber Brewing Company and the longtime brewer of Berghoff Beer, Minhas now brews a variety of brands under the Hubel label as well as Wisconsin Club, Rhinelander and Mountain Creek Classic Lager, among others.

Johnson Controls is serving as the energy services company for the program. Other partners on the project include the Clinton Climate Initiative, Rocky Mountain Institute and Jones Lang LaSalle.

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MOVERS

>> Lindsay, Stone & Briggs has promoted Jill Weigel to the position of media director.

>> Steve Landry has joined The Employer Group in the newly created position of director of sales and marketing. Landry has 20 years of sales experience, most recently as sales manager at TDS.

>> Matthew Gonnering is now CEO of Widen Enterprises. He replaces Reed Widen, who will be retaining the president and chairman of the board roles.

>> Merchant & Gould, an intellectual property law firm, announced that it has added Shane A. Brunner to its Madison office, which is scheduled to open later this spring.

>> Discover Mediaworks has added Paul Kaplan, Patricia Rand-Allen and Steve Vollmer to its staff.

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BUSINESS BRIEFS

MADISON REGION: Thrive, the economic development enterprise for the eight-county Madison Region, has designated five Madison Region companies for awards in its pilot BIO Partnering Grant program. Grants totaling $9,000 will enable FluGen, Primorigen Biosciences, Shiloh Laboratories, Anteco Pharma and Scarab Genomics to participate in private meetings and company presentations at the May BIO 2009 International Convention, held in Atlanta. The annual BIO conference, the largest biotechnology industry event in the world, attracts senior business and scientific leaders from around the world who are seeking alliances and licensing deals. The Madison Region will also exhibit in the Wisconsin pavilion at BIO 2009, to promote the area as a biotechnology center and encourage business partnerships and expansion.

SUN PRAIRIE: Royle Printing’s new Goss Sunday 2000 web press is now installed and operational. A multi-million dollar investment, the web press was purchased to further strengthen Royle’s printing operations.

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