In Business Madison

06/17/2026

The success of an extended Amtrak line between Madison and Milwaukee, which could begin service as early as 2030, could lead to additional corridors of Amtrak service throughout Wisconsin, according to an Amtrak official and a high-speed rail advocate.

With the prospects for passenger rail between Madison and Milwaukee — the so-called Hiawatha West service — looking better than they have in years, additional routes eventually could be added between Milwaukee and Green Bay and Madison and the Twin Cities.

The long-term possibilities, which largely depend on support from an often-skeptical Wisconsin Legislature and the availability of federal transportation grants, were discussed during an April 30 webinar of the Madison and Milwaukee Downtown exchange program, which focused on the proposed Hiawatha West Amtrak line.

The webinar, moderated by Jason Ilstrup, president of Downtown Madison, Inc., featured Arun Rao, senior director of network development for Amtrak, and Rick Harnish, executive director of theHigh Speed Rail Alliance, a nonprofit dedicated to connecting North American communities with high-speed trains.

Read more at ibmadison.com.

Story by Joe Vanden Plas
Photograph and graphic courtesy of Amtrak

06/15/2026

Good afternoon!

In Business Madison is excited to debut a redesigned, modern look for ibmadison.com today. The new site is cleaner, easier to navigate and better organizes our journalism for readers. In addition to the latest business news, visitors can more easily find our current monthly issue, browse photo galleries and find information about In Business Madison's upcoming events.

It's a continuation of the work we've done in the past year to refresh our print magazine and update our logo and branding to better reflect our coverage of Wisconsin's Capital Region — and to create a better reader experience. Let us know what you think! Email your feedback to [email protected].

Thanks for reading!
Katie Dean, editor-in-chief

06/15/2026

The daughter of a plumber, Erika Cleaver has fond memories of visiting job sites as a kid.

She learned to attach faucets to sinks, cut pipe, caulk around toilets and add trim to showers for multifamily projects.

The work was tangible and rewarding, and she enjoyed the camaraderie.

Now a senior project manager for — and one of this year’s 40 Under 40 honorees — Cleaver is helping expose middle school girls to the construction industry through She Builds Wisconsin Construction Camp. The initiative was originally spearheaded by Anna Stern of Tri-North when she was president of Associated General Contractors of Wisconsin.

“When you see somebody that looks like you doing a career you’re interested in, it’s a little less intimidating,” said Cleaver, noting that nationwide only about 4% of people working in the trades are women. “We’re really trying to expand upon getting different people into our industry across the board.”

In the broader construction industry as a whole, the number of women is slightly higher (around 11%) when including engineering, project managers, accounting and administrative roles.

For an industry facing a worker shortage, the camps offer one way to attract new talent.

Read more at ibmadison.com or visit our link in bio to see the story.

Story by Katie Dean
Photography courtesy of She Builds Wisconsin Construction Camp

06/15/2026

Madison loves its independent bookstores, and despite today’s plethora of digital reading options, screens are no substitute for the cultural enrichment bookstores bring to a community.

That’s according to Molly Fish, owner of downtown’s Lake City Books, which in April announced its upcoming move to an over 4,000-square-foot space just off of the Capitol Square.

The new spot, opening at 120 S. Carroll St. in the first week of July, will retain Lake City Books’ distinctive blue shelves and other branding that nods to Madison’s lakes. It will also feature a wine bar and a 36-foot-long wall of bookshelves with a rolling ladder. Lined with huge windows on two sides, the store will have capacity for more books, visitors and events.

It’s a natural progression for the business which in the roughly three years since it opened has substantially outperformed her expectations, Fish said, achieving 40% annual revenue growth each year. The new, bigger space, still downtown but within view of Lake Monona, is projected to generate annual revenue of over $1 million.

“Madison turns out for us,” Fish said. “We're still growing, and I'm excited. … I think one of the biggest things that's helped us continue to thrive and grow is the community … aspect of the bookstore.”

Read more at ibmadison.com.

Story by Brittney Kenaston
Photography by Sharon Vanorny

06/12/2026

The daughter of a plumber, Erika Cleaver has fond memories of visiting job sites as a kid.

She learned to attach faucets to sinks, cut pipe, caulk around toilets and add trim to showers for multifamily projects.

The work was tangible and rewarding, and she enjoyed the camaraderie.
Now a senior project manager for Tri-North Builders, Inc. — and one of this year’s 40 Under 40 honorees — Cleaver is helping expose middle school girls to the construction industry through She Builds Wisconsin Construction Camp. The initiative was originally spearheaded by Anna Stern of Tri-North when she was president of Associated General Contractors of Wisconsin.

“When you see somebody that looks like you doing a career you’re interested in, it’s a little less intimidating,” said Cleaver, noting that nationwide only about 4% of people working in the trades are women. “We’re really trying to expand upon getting different people into our industry across the board.”

In the broader construction industry as a whole, the number of women is slightly higher (around 11%) when including engineering, project managers, accounting and administrative roles.

For an industry facing a worker shortage, the camps offer one way to attract new talent.

Read more at ibmadison.com.

Story by Katie Dean
Photography courtesy of She Builds Wisconsin Construction Camp

06/10/2026

When John Miller took the helm of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation in December 2025, he came from a diverse career background he said carried one consistent theme: a focus on job creation in Wisconsin.

Before Gov. Tony Evers appointed him the agency’s secretary and CEO, Miller worked as an organizer for the 1996 Clinton-Gore campaign in close proximity to congressman Jerry Kleczka, who would become an influential mentor.

Miller later took over and ultimately sold Miller-St. Nazianz Inc., the business that had been in his family for five generations, and founded Arenberg Holdings, a Milwaukee venture capital fund, to invest in early-stage Midwest companies.

Miller said his business background has lent credibility in his work on policy and economic development, providing insights to Wisconsin’s hallmark industries and promising up-and-comers. It's also helped him recognize opportunities in “every single nook and cranny” of the state.

Read more at ibmadison.com.

Written by Brittney Kenaston
Photograph by Sharon Vanorny

06/09/2026

⏰ One week left to submit a nomination for In Business Madison's Executive Excellence Awards!

Help us recognize the finance and human resources leaders who are making a difference in their organizations and helping shape the future of business in Greater Madison.

🗓️ Nominations close June 15
➡️ Nominate here: https://www.ibmadison.com/events/executive-excellence

Don't miss your chance to celebrate an outstanding leader.

The 2026 Executive Excellence: Finance & HR Awards will take place July 23 at The Edgewater Madison and is presented by Forvis Mazars US, with major partners Investors Associated, LLP, Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c. and UMB Bank, and supporting partner Johnson Financial Group.

06/08/2026

Michael Johnson, the beloved, influential leader of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Dane County, died on Sunday, the local nonprofit announced.

“We are deeply saddened to share the unexpected passing of our President and CEO, Michael Johnson,” the organization said in a statement. “Michael Johnson was an extraordinary leader and a valued part of our organization and community. He brought passion, integrity and a deep commitment to the mission of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Dane County, and his impact will be felt for many years to come.

“Our thoughts are with Michael’s family and friends, and all who had the privilege of knowing him.”

Johnson was 50. He is survived by his wife Toya and three children.

In October, when Johnson marked his 50th birthday milestone, he also celebrated the launch of his book, “The Audacity to Lead: From the Projects to the C-Suite: 7 Mindset Lessons on Love, Family, and Turning Adversity into Impact.”

In the book, Johnson recalled growing up in a rough neighborhood of Chicago, a place he referred to as a battleground. He found role models in his mother, siblings and mentors.

He credited his wife Toya for making him want to become a better man — “raise his game,” as he put it, in an interview with In Business Madison’s Joe Vanden Plas in October.

“She never gave up on Michael, and they’ve grown together, earned MBAs together, chased their dreams together, raised a family together and made a difference together,” Vanden Plas wrote.

Michael Johnson, the beloved, influential leader of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Dane County, died on Sunday, the local nonprofit announced. “We are deeply saddened to share the unexpected passing of our President and CEO, Michael Johnson,” the organization said in a statement. “Michael Johnson w...

06/08/2026

A new report from the Center for Research on the Wisconsin Economy has stirred debate about whether Wisconsin, which has taken great pride in being at the forefront of health care price transparency, is actually serving health care consumers well.

The CROWE report, “Rising Health Care Costs in Wisconsin: The Case for Price Transparency,” claims employers are paying far more than necessary for medical insurance because the system does not function like a competitive market.

Its authors say better tools — especially price transparency and smarter benefit design — could generate savings without reducing quality.

Executives representing Wisconsin hospitals and insurers questioned the accuracy of the report, took issue with its recommendations and touted consumer price and quality tools they say put Wisconsin on the cutting edge of health care consumerism.

Read more at ibmadison.com.

Story by Joe Vanden Plas
Illustration by Getty Images

06/05/2026

Meet Matthew Childress! As Wisconsin market president at Gorman & Company, Matthew works to create affordable housing opportunities that make a lasting difference in people's lives. He values the resilience and collaboration of the housing development community and believes everyone deserves a place to call home.

Learn more about IB Madison's Professional of the Month at ibmadison.com.

And do you know a professional in our community who deserves such recognition? Email [email protected] with your suggestions.