Success Stories

Republic Airways

Republic Airways Holdings Inc., parent company of
Midwest Airlines, plans to move 800 jobs to Milwaukee and Oak Creek, including the relocation of at least 300 jobs from Frontier Airlines, comprising 200 heavy-maintenance positions now located
in Denver and about 100 call-center employees now stationed in
Las Cruces, N.M. Republic acquired Frontier in a deal that closed Oct. 1.

The consolidation plan will retain 800 jobs and create up to 800 more. Job functions include flight crews, heavy aircraft maintenance and technical support and reservations call center. “We are pleased that Republic Airlines chose to expand in Milwaukee County,” Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker said. “This is a big win for the Milwaukee 7 and for General Mitchell International Airport.”

C&D Technologies

C&D Technologies, a manufacturer of industrial batteries headquartered in Pennsylvania with a plant
in Milwaukee, was having workforce and permitting issues here. Milwaukee 7 spearheaded a regional response, which helped establish 50 additional jobs. Additional assistance helped secure a federal earmark for the company that led to an initial commitment to bring a multimillion-dollar lithium-ion battery research facility and up to 150 new jobs to Milwaukee, beating out Pennsylvania and Shanghai, China, for the plant.

Clifton Gunderson

Clifton Gunderson, one of the nation’s largest certified public accounting and consulting firms, relocated its corporate headquarters from Peoria, Ill. to Wauwatosa on June 1, 2009. 

The move was made in conjunction with the promotion of Krista McMasters to CEO. Only the fourth CEO in Clifton Gunderson’s nearly 50 year history, McMasters also is the first and only female to serve as CEO among the nation’s top 25 certified public accounting firms in the history of the profession.

“Milwaukee is a vibrant city, rich in culture and history, and locating our firm headquarters here reinforces our commitment to Wisconsin and to our local clients.” said McMasters. “This decision will allow us to better support and meet the needs of our Milwaukee-area clients while continuing to provide the high level of quality and service they have come to expect from us.”

Gehl Corporation

Gehl Corporation, the West Bend manufacturer of construction and agricultural equipment, considered relocating to another state. At risk were 190 high
paying headquarter jobs, and the potential of more
than 80 new R&D positions. Thanks to a regional
response coordinated by the Milwaukee 7 that
included $7 million in state, county and municipal incentives, Gehl is building a new $20 million headquarters and R&D facility that stabilizes and
anchors West Bend.

Tech Upgrade

DAN KLASEN

Dan Klasen, president of Tech Upgrade, Inc., wasn’t expecting to relocate his business from Chicago to Milwaukee. But thanks to a helping hand from the Milwaukee 7 economic development team, the State of Wisconsin and resources like the ChooseMilwaukee.com web site, Klasen’s business is now thriving in downtown Milwaukee.      Learn more...
 

Germanischer Lloyd

Germanischer Lloyd, a German engineering firm, opened a U.S. subsidiary in New Berlin to develop
wind power products and technologies targeted at Midwest wind farms. The company plans to expand
to 15 engineers and expects to hire from local schools such as the Milwaukee School of Engineering.

Novo 1

George Dalton

Twenty years ago, when George Dalton was preparing to take Fiserv public, he queried his investment banker as to whether he should move the firm’s headquarters to another city. “I could have relocated anywhere – Dallas, the West Coast, Atlanta,” he recalls. “But the answer came back strong and firm: stay where you are because the region has a great work ethic.” Learn more...

Patient Care

Jane Cooper

Jane Cooper never intended to leave New Orleans. “I took off from my house to go jogging, went around the corner, and saw the water. I turned around and went back to my house, my husband and I packed up what we could, and we got out.”

Hurricane Katrina ensured that she would not return, leaving behind not only her home, but a successful business – Patient Care – that she started in 2001. Learn more...