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30 | /insight on manufacturing • March 2014 w w w.in s i g h t o n m f g . c o m by reducing risk exposure. "We're confident that partnership between private lenders and the county will serve to make more lending possible for emerging and growing businesses," Nelson adds. Technical Prospects LLC of Grand Chute is the first business to apply for financing through the new program for capital expense needs. The company refurbishes medical diagnostic equipment and supplies it to more than 100 countries. Josh Dukelow, manager for existing industry at the Fox Cities Regional Partnership, underscored the development value of serving the region's established enterprises. "Retaining the employers we already have is our most cost-effective economic development strategy," Dukelow says. "When established businesses seek additional capital to grow, private lenders have greater confidence with a funding partner at their side." Applicants can call (920) 832- 6034 or visit outagamie.org for more information. pagel aCquireS ron'S wiSConSin CheeSe John T. Pagel has purchased Ron's Wisconsin Cheese of Luxemburg, says Cornerstone Business Services, Inc. of Green Bay. John Pagel and his family own Pagel's Ponderosa Dairy in Kewaunee. The Pagel team plans to continue the line of products of Ron's Wisconsin Cheese and hopes to introduce new products when the opportunities arise. Ron's Wisconsin Cheese is a privately owned manufacturer, retailer and wholesaler of fresh Wisconsin cheeses and proprietary cheese spreads. Established in 1976, Ron's has a customer base throughout Northeast Wisconsin that includes supermarket chains, distributors, convenience stores and restaurants. teChniCal College honorS faCt SCholarShip donorS Moraine Park Technical College honored area businesses at its FACT recognition event Feb. 4. Forming Alliances to Cultivate Talent (FACT) helps support Moraine Park manufacturing students financially and provide them with internship and mentoring opportunities through local business partners. To date, the initiative has raised $270,000. Companies recognized for their contributions were Amerequip; Fond du Lac Area Foundation; J.F. Ahern Co.; Cole Manufacturing Corp.; Fives Giddings & Lewis; AT&T Foundation; Mercury Marine; Kondex Corporation; Mid-States Aluminum Corp.; Helgesen Industries, Inc.; Michels Corporation; METKO, Inc.; Ted & Grace Bachhuber Foundation, Inc.; TAB Products Co.; Bradley Corporation; and Sadoff Iron & Metal Company. fvtC'S ManufaCturing Job fair drawS hundredS About 70 regional manufacturing firms and others from across the state connected with about 470 career seekers during the college's four-hour Manufacturing Job Fair at Fox Valley Technical College on Feb. 25. Bruce Weiland, specialist in Fox Valley Technical College's Student Employment Services department, says that nearly half of the employers that attended the job fair need specific skill sets in automation, industrial maintenance, machining, and electro- mechanical programming and troubleshooting. Mini buSineSS world drawS 100 high SChool StudentS The inaugural Hillshire Brands Mini Business World was held at Crystal Falls Banquet Hall in New London, offering a business and entrepreneurship program for almost 100 high school students from Hortonville, Manawa and New London. The event is produced by WMC Foundation. The program shows students the challenges businesses face when making everyday decisions in areas such as finance, marketing and communications. The Mini Business World program is a precursor to the full four-day Business World summer programs which will take place in June at St. Norbert College in De Pere. F PLANT|nEWs cont. c o u r t e s y f V t c natalie from einstein middle school in appleton builds a guitar from scratch during FvtC's Fab lab introduction to manufacturing processes workshop in February, supported by a Bemis Foundation grant.