Category: Business/Technology

Sweeping changes starting this fall in the UW-Madison evening MBA program have it geared more toward international perspectives and concerns.

Along with major curriculum revisions, a big addition is an international trip in the second year of the three-year program, said Linda Uitvlugt, director of operations for the program.

Beginning next year, most students in the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s evening MBA program will take an international trip as part of their studies.

“One of my dreams is to take a year off and sail around the world,” says Charles Hoslet, Director of the UW’s Office of Corporate Relations (OCR). “I’m certainly not at the point where I’m going to check out for a year, but it’s definitely on the list of things I want to do,” the UW Exec says. In the meantime, Hoslet is at the helm of the UW–Madison office designed as the link between business needs in the Badger State and the resources on the UW-Madison campus. Still in its infancy, OCR will celebrate its second anniversary in July.

In a word, Michael Knetter is impatient.

When he took the reins of the UW-Madison Business School nearly three years ago, he made improving the quality and reputation of the school’s graduate program his top priority.

As the regional economy continues its recovery, a growing number of economic development organizations are working together to foster a new generation of Wisconsin startups that they hope will fuel the state’s economic growth.

“Rather than look at it as there are all these different groups that are doing all these different things, instead we’re starting to really bring people together,” said Joe Kremer, director of Wisconsin Angel Network, a nonprofit group aimed at connecting local businesses with regional investors.

Kremer was one of a handful of panelists who addressed about 80 representatives from the professional services industry Tuesday at University Research Park.

Yikes.

What to make of the new report that young people are leaving Madison in droves?

…the report raises some interesting questions about whether Madison is as hip and cool today for young people as it was for the Vietnam era Baby Boomers. The numbers seem to suggest it isn’t.

In two decades in venture capital and investment banking, John Hoffmire developed a specialty in employee stock ownership. From that vantage point, he observed the interplay between worker wealth and business growth. Now Hoffmire is committed to apply those lessons on low-wage employees at businesses in Wisconsin and beyond. As director of the new Center on Business and Poverty at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Hoffmire is on a mission to study and demonstrate how employers and their low-wage workers can prosper together when workers make the most of the benefits they’re offered.

Young people are fleeing Dane County in record numbers, despite the area’s ranking as one of the top places to live, work and play in the nation.

A report issued today details the county’s “brain drain” problem and urges community leaders to focus efforts on retaining and attracting talented individuals.

To keep him from being hired away by competitors, the UW Board of Regents on Friday approved a $50,000 raise for UW-Madison Business School Dean Michael Knetter.

Madison’s principal downtown advocacy group is stepping into the political arena and endorsing City Council candidates for the first time.

….Downtown Madison Inc.’s 460 members include representatives from the business community as well as such entities as the city of Madison and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Web addicts, take heart: A public-private effort is moving toward making downtown Madison one giant wi-fi hotspot.

AOL-SkyCable has been chosen to enter negotiations for the right to provide a wireless Internet service for the general public. The “Wireless Wisconsin” service would create a publicly accessible wireless fidelity (wi-fi) network covering Madison and the Dane County Regional Airport. The project also has provisions for future expansion to other communities. AOL-SkyCable will now negotiate with the city, county and state to develop specific contract language. If negotiations are not successful, another vendor will be chosen.

In September 2004, the five highest cell phone bills in state government were rung up by three sports staffers, one dean of a two-year college and one military commander in Wisconsin’s Army National Guard.

The University of Wisconsin should direct some of its large dollar donations into subsidizing affordable housing in the central city, local business leaders were told today.

While there’s no shortage of luxury condominiums going up downtown, local developers said the public sector needs to play a larger role in providing homes working people can afford.