Baldwin meets with MMAC board members for Q&A
“I think we first should reflect on the lifetime of commitment to this country,” Baldwin said of President Joe Biden, ticking off legislation he had a hand in as a U.S. senator, vice president and then president. “I think what he did (Sunday) was extremely patriotic.”
Ambrosia Events founder and owner shares his story By Hailey Pitcher, MMAC Communications Intern
Sen. Ron Johnson showcases successes of Joseph Project With few exceptions, downtown Milwaukee was all politics last week during the Republican National Convention. One of those exceptions was a panel discussion held at the MMAC offices by Sen. Ron Johnson. Johnson’s event featured alumni of the Joseph Project – a faith-based jobs initiative started as a constituent service by Johnson in which participants take part in a week-long life skills training program and then offered the opportunity to interview with companies looking to hire. As a manufacturer, Johnson said his sector is in dire need of talent. MMAC, M7 and others promote SE Wis. to visiting ambassadors Baseball may be the great American pastime, but the diamond at American Family Field had a true international feel Tuesday morning. M7, MMAC, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) and gener8tor hosted dozens of ambassadors from around the globe, along with corporate leaders from around the region, for breakfast and a program focused on the benefits of corporate investment in southeastern Wisconsin. While the state is proud of its history of agriculture and continued strength in the sector, preconceived notions of Wisconsin as a vast farm field were quickly dispelled.
Milwaukee-Based Empathic Engineering Revolutionizes Workplace Communication By: Allie Shane, Communications Specialist
Remaining true to its commitment to “build for communities, with communities,” Wauwatosa-based Wangard Partners’ creation and management of Class-A multifamily properties received well-deserved recognition in the National Apartment Association Rankings. Each year, the National Apartment Association highlights trends and performance in the multifamily real estate industry. Wangard Partners sets itself apart by delivering innovative ideas, quality work and customer satisfaction, earning the firm a finalist position in this year’s rankings. CodeBaby Avatars Bring a Unique Twist to the Ongoing AI Conversation CodeBaby, a Milwaukee-based producer of AI-powered virtual assistants, is transforming the way humans interact with technology. Rooted in human connection and personalization, CodeBaby creates virtual solutions that integrate into a client’s website with just one line of code. CodeBaby: An Overview The creation of CodeBaby’s advanced solutions is marked by many years of dedication to the idea that genuine conversation is achievable between humans and virtual assistants. In 2012, CEO and founder Norrie Daroga partnered with Mark Stephen Meadows, the author of “I, Avatar” to explore the capabilities of virtual service avatars. The two gained access to IBM Watson in 2015 and started Idavatars, becoming one of the first 100 companies to commercialize IBM’s platform. Idavatars produced virtual health assistants. In 2016, Idavatars acquired CodeBaby, a company founded by two Canadian doctors looking to create animated training courses and materials. Merging the two companies allowed Daroga to utilize the proprietary tools from CodeBaby and apply them to Idavatar’s platform.
Following an afternoon visit to Humboldt Park Public School, it’s clear that there’s no shortage of activities to participate in during recess. Whether it’s basketball, soccer, four square or this creative octopus game, Playworks staff members ensure that recess is a time reserved for safe physical activity, socialization, laughter, and most importantly: play.
Playworks Wisconsin: An Overview Playworks was founded in 1996 in Oakland, California and expanded its operations to Wisconsin in 2012. The nonprofit organization seeks to improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play. By Hailey Pitcher, MMAC Communications Intern
Jaime Hurtado emigrated from Lima, Peru, at age 16 and finished English classes within six weeks before starting college. He now owns a contracting company, but arrived with no experience in construction, instead learning on the job.
Sec. of Commerce provides forum for area business leaders U.S. Sec. of the Commerce Gina Raimondo joined about a dozen area business leaders, as well as Gov. Tony Evers, on Friday to get their input on things going well, and also the challenges they’re facing.
“I’ve been making an effort to get around the country, to do exactly this,” she said during the hour-long event held at Northwestern Mutual and hosted by President Tim Gerand. “To visit communities and find out what is going well, and where we can do better.” Raimondo said everything she does as secretary is to “improve the competitiveness of the U.S., improve our ability to compete and, frankly, outcompete the rest of the world.” State Representative Shannon Zimmerman Addresses the Need for Data Privacy Legislation at MMAC Town Hall Event
June 13, 2024 (MILWAUKEE) – Donald Trump's comments are flatly wrong. Milwaukee, in a word, is vibrant. We’re proud of our people – diverse in makeup and hard-working to the core. We’re proud of our strong history and bright future in economic development - deeply rooted in innovation, with a tradition of driving progress in American manufacturing for over a century. We’re proud of the Fortune 500 companies headquartered in our city, employing thousands of talented Milwaukeeans. We're proud of our cultural assets which stand among the best regardless of metro. We look forward to showing the world what Milwaukee has to offer next month. We know this city will impress.
Furthermore, the budget in front of the board was submitted by a superintendent who resigned because of his administration's non-compliance and will no longer be employed by the district at the end of the month.
We do appreciate the board pivoting to allow public comment prior to taking action on this proposed budget. Public input and transparency serve as the bedrock of our democracy. Without those things, we don’t have one. Lastly, MMAC and the business community once again offer their resources and expertise in addressing issues facing MPS. We have yet to receive a response after sending a letter to the board making that same overture more than one week ago. If your house were on fire, what valuable information or items would you hope are safely stowed away in a fireproof box? Beth Ridley, Founder and CEO of Ridley Consulting Group, drew this compelling analogy to emphasize the importance of safeguarding an organization’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. This was the focal point of the final panel at MMAC’s Region of Choice DEI Summit on June 4. Did you know that feelings of belonging can boost job performance by 56%, and there is five times more human potential when a workplace fosters feelings of inclusion? Carolina Cardoso, Accenture’s North America Inclusion & Diversity Leader, shared these powerful data points with audience members during her keynote presentation at MMAC’s Region of Choice DEI Summit on June 4. The event attracted more than 200 HR/DEI/Employee Engagement professionals throughout the Milwaukee region, and Cardoso was one of several DEI practitioners to take the stage.
MMAC serves some 2,600 businesses, primarily throughout greater Milwaukee. It supports a globally competitive region to sustain high-value jobs that foster a vibrant quality of life for all.
Gov. Tony Evers’ call for an audit of Milwaukee Public Schools is a welcome step in discovering where gaps exist and the actions needed to improve our city’s schools. We owe our taxpayers, families and, most importantly, our city’s children a full and thorough look into the district’s finances and operations. A comprehensive audit is a good first step in reaching that goal. We welcome the allocation of additional resources and continued dialogue with stakeholders.
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