Derrick Companies was recently notified that the firm's outstanding safety record has resulted in the Minimum Experience Modification Factor in calculating Worker's Compensation insurance rates. This is a significant accomplishment and a testament to the attention to safety on job sites and the overall culture at Derrick Companies.

The Experience Modification Factor adjusts workers compensation insurance premiums for a particular employer based upon a comparison of past losses of that employer to what is calculated to be average losses of other employers in that state in the same business, adjusted for size. Wisconsin has its own rating bureau for determining the EMF which also integrates with the National Council on Compensation Insurance. In summary, this means that Derrick Companies has a documented and measured safety record that far exceeds companies in the same business in Wisconsin and offers one of the safest places to work in the industry.

Derrick Companies is a New Richmond-based construction firm specializing in commercial design-build projects, custom homebuilding, and land development throughout Western Wisconsin and Eastern Minnesota. The firm was also recognized in February by Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin (ABC-WI) with the Gold Safety Award at the annual SuperCon Conference for an excellent safety record and is also a recipient of the Platinum Level Safety Training and Evaluation Process (STEP). STEP is an ABC-WI self-audit program which provides a valid objective method to measure a company's safety plan and improvements and Platinum Level is the best possible rating of the program.
 

Movie Theater in Ladysmith, Caf? in Viroqua Win Main Street Makeover Contest

Businesses to receive WEDC grants and technical assistance to give their stores a whole new look

MADISON, WI.  April 20, 2015 - The Miner Theatre in Ladysmith, a city of 3,400 in northwestern Wisconsin, has been chosen as the grand prize winner in the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation's (WEDC's) Main Street Makeover Contest.

The single-screen movie theater, which has been open continuously since 1948, will receive $10,000 in assistance toward realizing the owner's vision for upgrades to the theater. Plans include restoration of the historic fa?ade and lobby space, as well as other improvements, including adding a second screen to allow the theater to show more than one movie at once. Owner Brian Herrick, who purchased the theater in 2011, said the addition also will enable the theater to offer other types of events such as concerts.

The contest aimed to raise awareness of the Wisconsin Main Street Program and its four-point approach to economic development in downtown districts, as well as increase the engagement of businesses and communities within the Main Street program and showcase the businesses that bring life to downtown districts. A total of 37 applications were received from businesses in 19 of Wisconsin's 36 designated Main Street districts. The winners were announced Friday night at the 24th Annual Wisconsin Main Street Awards ceremony at St. Norbert College in De Pere.

"We had more than three dozen outstanding entries in our first-ever contest and it was a difficult choice," said Tricia Braun, deputy secretary and COO of WEDC, the state's lead economic development agency. "The Miner Theatre entry really stood out because it presented the opportunity to upgrade and modernize the theater while still maintaining the key historic elements."

"This award couldn't come at a more perfect time-we're so excited to move forward with plans for the theater," Herrick said. "We just saw the building and the community and fell in love-there is so much potential here and we're happy to have a role in helping the community realize it."

The runner-up in the contest, Driftless Caf? in Viroqua, will receive $5,000 in assistance from WEDC to help further the owner's business expansion plans. Located in Vernon County, which has the highest concentration of organic farmers anywhere in the U.S., the caf? sources more than two-thirds of its ingredients from producers within a 150-mile radius.

Since chef and owner Luke Zahm purchased the caf? in July 2013, it has expanded its menu beyond pizza and salads and has expanded into an adjacent building. Zahm is also working toward a full liquor license as part of an expansion that would entail hiring five additional employees, adding more seating, and thus purchasing more food from local farmers.

Both businesses will receive assistance on marketing and business operations from WEDC staff. They will also receive design assistance for interior and exterior improvements and assistance in implementing the recommended improvements, interior space design and layout, signage, marketing materials and other operational enhancements to improve business perception and function in order to maximize revenue and growth potential.

Once the project is complete, the "makeover" will be formally unveiled during a public celebration featuring state and local officials, and WEDC will facilitate additional state and local media coverage recognizing the winner.

All eligible applicants will receive outreach and technical assistance from WEDC community development staff and their local Main Street staff to help them achieve their business goals. There also were three finalists in the contest: Schroeder's Department Store, a fourth-generation business in Two Rivers that was founded 1891; The Bagelmeister, a sandwich shop and bakery in Fond du Lac; and The Looking Glass, a rapidly growing vintage merchandise store in Osceola.

"This unique contest not only provides additional support and services to the winning business, but it also highlights the benefits of the Wisconsin Main Street Program, which has resulted in the creation of more than 4,500 new businesses and 7,000 new jobs in Wisconsin since its inception in 1987," said Errin Welty, downtown development account manager with WEDC, which administers the Wisconsin Main Street Program. "A vibrant downtown is critical to the overall economic health of a community, and our staff works closely with local Main Street organizations to help ensure their success."