Pine Valley Healthcare Business Outreach Tour

Pine Valley Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center opened their doors for our most recent Business Outreach Tour. This year they celebrate 134 years at their same picturesque setting in Richland County. On the tour we learned the history and evolution of Pine Valley. Throughout the years they have updated their facility with new space, technology and services to better serve their patients, residents and staff. Their staff consistently strives to maintain the most current information and education on various medical conditions and trends. Pine Valley was recognized as one of the Best Rehabilitation Facilities of 2011 by Rehabilitation Management Magazine. This recognition proves their dedication to offering their patients and residents the best possible care.

Pine Valley Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center is a 104-bed non-profit, skilled nursing facility owned by Richland County. They employ 159 staff members and provide quality inpatient and outpatient care. Their referral radius over the past year has been: Richland County, Sauk County, Vernon County, Dane County, Grant County, along with a couple from Arizona. We are fortunate to have a facility such as Pine Valley in our area. Their excellent reputation for care and services along with their overall impact on the local economy is a welcomed asset to our community.

Ribbon cut for Fitness 14 expansion

A celebration and ribbon cutting was held Friday, February 10, for the expansion of Fitness 14 in The Richland Square. The facility added 1,500 more square feet for a group fitness/personal training room and extra cardio equipment, and is expanding its class offerings. Fitness 14 is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including holidays, and products, equipment and tanning booths are available at all times. Each member has his or her own key fob for entrance and security measures include cameras and an emergency phone. Shown here holding the ribbon are Mary Jo Fortney of the Richland Chamber and Economic Development Alliance and Richland Center Mayor Larry Fowler. Standing next to Mayor Fowler is business owner Bill Toussaint, holding the scissors is fitness trainer and group instructor Luke Berry, and standing at the center of the group of community well-wishers is member Ashley Coleman. Not present for the photo were group instructors Jill Kroetz and Jodi Mieden.

Schreiber Foods Business Outreach Tour

The Business Outreach Tour group had the unique opportunity of going inside Schreiber Foods, Inc. this month. Schreiber Foods has two locations in Richland Center. This month our group toured the location acquired one year ago from Dean Foods, and we have been invited to tour their other location later in the year.

We sometimes overlook the amazing things that go on in our own backyard. Many of us drive by the local dairy plant daily and never know what goes on inside. It was an eye opener to many of us on the tour to see the technology and processes used to make yogurt. Schreiber Foods is a $4+ billion global enterprise and the world's largest customer-brand dairy company. They provide products to the biggest names in fast food and are the world's largest supplier of private-label dairy products to grocery chains and wholesalers. The Richland Center plants focus primarily on yogurt production. Due to company policy, we cannot share the pounds of yogurt made per year in Richland Center, but I can stress it is A LOT!

Schreiber Foods has a sound philosophy, and their philosophy has proven great success. Schreiber Foods treats all employees with great respect and insures their safety at all times. Employees are called partners. Each employee has ownership in the company through their Employee Stock Ownership Plan. The partners take great pride in their work to produce exceptional products. They are leaders of innovation and provide exceptional customer service. Schreiber Foods values their customers and measure their relationships in decades versus years.

We appreciate having Schreiber Foods in Richland Center. They have a positive impact on our local economy. In 2012 they hope to add 50 more full-time partners. We wish them continued growth and success.

Business Outreach Tour at CROPP Cooperative Headquarters

The latest Business Outreach Tour was held just outside the county limits at CROPP Cooperative Headquarters (more commonly referred to as Organic Valley) in LaFarge, Wisconsin. The organic partnership was formed in 1988, and they've seen tremendous growth since they began. The purpose of CROPP, Cooperative Regions of Organic Producer Pools, is to create and operate a marketing cooperative that promotes regional farm diversity and economic stability by the means of organic agricultural methods and the sale of certified organic products. In March of 2011, CROPP has 1636 farm families and over $555.0 million in sales. Our group heard the history of CROPP and toured their headquarters including their most recent expansion. It was a very informative tour, and we hope that they consider a future expansion into Richland County. The tour ended with a delicious organic lunch in their Milky Way Café.

Fillback Ford Ribbon Cutting

A ribbon cutting was recently held to showcase the new location and expanded product line of Fillback Ford Chrysler. Mark Fillback, Owner, shared that the new location gives them better visibility and access from the highway for their customers. They have seen an increase in customers since opening their doors.

Fillback Ford Chrysler offers new cars and trucks along with pre-owned used cars and trucks. They have a full service department available for ordering auto parts or servicing your Chevrolet, Ford, Buick, Pontiac, Chrysler, Dodge or Jeep vehicles. They are open six days a week for sales and service.

RCDA is grateful to the Fillback Family for keeping their business in Richland Center. They are a great asset to the community. Visit their website at www.fillback.com to learn more about their locations, products and services.

Hwy 14 and Starlight Lane intersection

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation is committed to improving safety and mobility on US 14 in Richland Center. The raised median alternative with roundabouts at Peebles Ave., Starlight Ln, and County O is not acceptable due to the impact on businesses, so this alternative will not be pursued at this time. The DOT recognizes that the most pressing safety concern along US 14 is at the intersection of Starlight Lane and Richland Square Mall entrance. The DOT will be focusing on this intersection and the approaches. Evaluation of the Starlight / Richland Square intersection will be performed this fall to identify alternatives.

Project Schedule:
November / December 2011: Intersection Control Evaluation for Starlight Ln. and Richland Square Mall entrance.
Spring 2012: Public information meeting

For more information, contact project manager Rob Winteron at 608-789-7879 or email robert.winterton@dot.wi.gov.

Please read the complete DOT: US 14 Safety Improvement Project article.

Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc., a division of Capital Wealth Advisory Group, recently hosted a "Business After 5" event sponsored by Richland Chamber and Development Alliance. Ameriprise employees from the Richland Center, Madison, and Rockford, Illinois offices were introduced and were on hand to meet and visit with guests.

The networking event began with Sally Cornell playing her harp as guests arrived and exchanged introductions. The event included highlights of the Richland Chamber and Development Alliance along with details of Richland Rejuvenates and their community projects. Several Ameriprise employees spoke on the history of the company and the services they provide. They also shared their company's philosophy of serving the communities they are established in. Participants were treated to delicious cheese samples provided by Alcam Creamery, sweet sips of apple cider donated by Oakwood Fruit Farm, and heavenly cheesecake samples made by Claudia Berres. Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. is one of the leading diversified financial services company in the U.S. Their Richland Center office is located in the historic City Auditorium. For more information on their products and services please contact them at 608-647-8842.

In this picture, Mick Cosgrove, financial Advisor with Ameriprise Financial, presents Jamie Johnson, Richland Soul Kitchen Representative, with a donation from Richland Rejuvenates. Kristie Lee won 3rd place in the Richland Rejuvenates Churnin' Dust Go-Kart Racing event for charity. The charity Kristie raced for was Richland Soul Kitchen and her go-cart was sponsored by Lime Ridge Ag and Troxel Farms LLC.

The Richland Center Community Business Outreach Program recently toured the Richland Center Foundry, LLC. John Gerszewski, President and C.E.O., led the group in a discussion and tour of the foundry. The group was able to see firsthand the daily production and labor intensive work that goes on inside of the foundry.

The foundry was established in 1963 as an operating company of Schneider Fuel & Supply of Milwaukee. View full article

School is back in session and it's time for us here at the RCDA to reach out to new members. Here's just a few of the things our current members are saying:

"We are grateful for the assistance that the RCDA provided us during our business expansion project. Ultimately the resources and advocacy they provided, allowed us to focus on a better facility to better serve the needs of our customers and the community. The end result is that we were able to retain 18 full time jobs in the community due to the knowledge and efficiencies provided by the RCDA." - Mark Fillback (Fillback Ford)
View full article

President Duane Ford and Derek Dachelet, Director of External Relations, spent an entire day in Richland Center getting to know and listening to the people, businesses and manufacturers, farmers and agribusinesses, schools, health care organizations, first responders, community leaders, students and alumni, donors, and all others served by, connected to, or somehow interested in Southwest Tech.

This was the first of what will be many visits to Richland Center and all the other cities, towns, counties, and communities in Southwest Tech's District. View full article

Marketing is one of the most important functions or systems that operates in your business. But, while it is one of the most important, it is also one of the most misunderstood concepts.

What is marketing? Is it the ads you place in the paper to advertise your business? Is it your website? Is it the way that you handle your customers when they are in your shop?