Congratulations to Furnish 123 on their new location and showroom! 

Numbers may tell a story but the real success of L.E. Phillips Career Development Center is the impact we make on individuals with disabilities and disadvantages. 

​The Career Development Center works in partnership with Literacy Volunteers of the Chippewa Valley to provide Work Place Education. The Career Development Center also works in partnership with area high schools to offer Project SEARCH. Project SEARCH is a nine month program that serves as a fifth year for high school students. Students are provided with real-life work experience, as well as training in employment and life skills. This program is for individuals with disabilities to help transition from school to a productive adult life. After the program, the Career Development Center staff, school districts, and the program staff help each individual find a career in our local communities.

The Guardianship Program provides conservatorships and financial management assistance.  The Career Development Center is approved to work with more than 125 wards in the Corporate Guardianship Program through the State of Wisconsin.

The Career Development Center’s services include: Woodworking, Printing and Screen Printing, Upholstery, Sewing, Packaging and Assembly, Cafeteria and Catering Services, Custodial Service, and Pizza (Moke’s and Big Donkey). The center provides direct bulk mailing and offers quality services to many companies, not only in the Chippewa Valley, but throughout the Midwest.

​The Career Development Center’s Chippewa Falls Outreach Office specializes in homelessness prevention and helping those who may be in crisis. The Outreach Office works closely with area agencies such as the Family Support Center, Chippewa County Housing Authority, Hope Village, Workforce Resources, Catholic Charities, Chippewa Economic Support, local food pantries, and several other community partners. The Outreach Office also offers space in Chippewa Falls where community members can donate basic household items, such as dishes, furniture, and small kitchen appliances.  These items are provided free of charge to those in need.

​As the center celebrates its 60 years of service in the Chippewa Valley, we are reflecting upon the firm foundation with which it was established. The Career Development Center is also looking forward to a prosperous 2020, as we serve new customers and individuals. Please remember you are always welcome to tour and visit the Career Development Center.

As the center celebrates its 60 years of service in the Chippewa Valley, we are reflecting upon the firm foundation with which it was established. The Career Development Center is also looking forward to a prosperous 2020, as we serve new customers and individuals. Please remember you are always welcome to tour and visit the Career Development Center.

To learn more, connect with us in person, call, email, and follow us on social media.

L.E. Phillips Career Development Center
Address: 1515 Ball Street, Eau Claire, WI 54703
Phone: 715-834-2771
Email: sales@lecdc.org

Free cardiac/stroke screening December 3 at HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital

HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital is hosting a free cardiac/stroke screening to help individuals understand and reduce their risk for heart disease and stroke. The screening is Tuesday, December 3 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. It is free, private and confidential, and appointments are required. Registration will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. November 25 to 29 by calling 1-888-297-1940. Space will be limited to the first 100 people who register.

The screening includes blood work for glucose, HDL and total cholesterol, blood pressure, body mass index, heart rhythm assessment, carotid bruit assessments, diabetes risk assessment and the opportunity to discuss ways to reduce your risk for heart disease and stroke.

“Despite the fact that heart disease is highly preventable, it remains the leading cause of death in the U.S.,” says Jennifer Vaughan, cardiac educator at HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital. “Prevention begins with knowledge of your individual risk factors. This screening will provide you with the information you need to make the necessary lifestyle modifications to reduce your risk for heart disease and stroke.”
 
HSHS Hospitals to host pregnancy and infant loss remembrance service Dec. 8 
Share of Western Wisconsin, a pregnancy and infant loss group coordinated by HSHS Sacred Heart and St. Joseph’s hospitals, is hosting a special Christmastime memorial service for families and friends who have experienced a loss due to miscarriage, stillbirth, ectopic pregnancy, early infant death or SIDS in the past year.

This service will take place Sunday, Dec. 8 at 7 p.m. in the Chapel at HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital, 900 West Clairemont Ave. Families and friends throughout western Wisconsin are welcome to attend.

“The holidays are a particularly difficult time of year for those grieving the loss of a baby,” said Eric Butters, manager of Spiritual Care and Mission Integration at HSHS Sacred Heart and St. Joseph’s hospitals. “Families are encouraged to bring a special Christmas ornament from home and hang it in on the tree in our Chapel during the service,” he added. The Christmas tree will remain in the hospital’s Chapel throughout the season.

The event is free and registration is not required. For more information, contact Spiritual Care Services at HSHS Sacred Heart and St. Joseph’s hospitals at 715-717-6174.
 
 
HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital to host “Healing Sounds of Christmas” concert December 12
The Healing Place, HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital’s Center for Life’s Journeys, will host “The Healing Sounds of Christmas” holiday concert Thursday, December 12 at 7 p.m. at Florian Gardens (2340 Lorch Ave.). The concert will feature the Eau Claire Master Singers and doors will open at 6 p.m.

The concert is free, but registration is required by Friday, November 29 by calling 715-717-6565 or online at www.sacredhearteauclaire.org/Events-Classes.
“We’re looking forward to an evening filled with music to heal the heart and bring joy to the soul,” said Amy Segerstrom, coordinator of The Healing Place.
The Healing Place is a community outreach service of HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital and provides free services to anyone in the community who has experienced a loss and is in need of spiritual and emotional support.

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​Donate blood at HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital Dec. 9
CHIPPEWA FALLS – There’s always a great need for whole blood from healthy donors. It’s a valuable resource that’s in short supply. To help bridge that gap, HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital is hosting an American Red Cross blood drive on Monday, December 9, from Noon to 5 p.m. in McDonald Hall, 2661 County Hwy I. To schedule an appointment, call 1-800-733-2767 or visit www.RedCrossBlood.org and enter “St. Josephs” (no apostrophe).

“RapidPass” is also available. Visit www.redcrossblood.org/RapidPass on the same day as the drive and complete your health history before you come in to donate. This option can help speed up the process.

Eligible donors must be at least 16 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds and be in good health and feeling well.

L.E. Phillips Senior Center Hosts the Chippewa Valley’s First Annual Lefse Fest

​When: Saturday, November 16, 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Where: L.E. Phillips Senior Center 1616 Bellinger St.  Eau Claire, WI 54703
Interviews: Mary Pica-Anderson, Executive Director
Photos/Video: Lefse Fest attendees, lefse activites including a lefse-filling contest
 
Eau Claire, WI - Volunteers will be rolling out the holiday fun this weekend with the first annual Lefse Fest to benefit the L.E. Phillips Senior Center’s “Fit for the Future” building campaign. Lefse is a traditional round potato pancake and Norwegian holiday favorite used in meals and desserts. The family friendly event is set for November 16, from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. or until the lefse runs out.
 
“Lefse Fest is a delicious way to raise awareness and funds to meet the growing needs of our actively aging population and meet our $1.1. million match deadline,” said Mary Pica-Anderson, Executive Director.
 
Activities include lefse tasting stations, lefse decorating, lefse making demonstrations, a silent auction, and a 50/50 raffle. There will also be a lefse-filling contest judged by local celebrity judges at 10 a.m. All of the lefse is kindly donated by Norske Nook and Countryside Lefse.
 
Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children 6-17, and free for children 5 and under. Pay at the door. 
This event raises awareness and funds for L.E. Phillips Senior Center’s Fit for the Future campaign, which has a goal to raise $1.1 million by February for their senior center expansion.
 
“We invite everyone to start their holiday season with a new, fun family tradition: Lefse Fest,” adds Pica-Anderson.
 
For more information and to donate, log on to the L.E. Phillips Senior Center website, or donate on the Eau Claire Community Foundation page at: https://eccfwi.org/funds/fit-for-the-future-fund/

Paul Rudersdorf, CEO and president of Security Financial Bank (SFB), is pleased to announce that Joscelyn Baker-Hoy has joined SFB as a credit analyst. Baker-Hoy will be responsible for completing the credit analysis and presentation functions to assist relationship managers in the credit approval and review processes. She also will assess the credit worthiness and appropriate risk rating level of new loan requests and ongoing loan portfolio relationships.

Baker-Hoy earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from UW-Eau Claire and is currently a Level 2 Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) candidate. She is a 2016 graduate of the Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Eau Claire program.
 
Before joining SFB, Baker-Hoy gained several years of experience working in indirect lending and commercial lending. She also worked in wealth management trading on the market and reviewing portfolio performance and financial statements.

Baker-Hoy will work out of SFB’s corporate office located in Eau Claire.

Wintermission Eau Claire announces collaboration establishing Winter Recreation Path
Wintermission Eau Claire, in partnership with the City of Eau Claire and area running organizations, is pleased to announce its first Pilot Project for the 2019-20 winter: A Winter Recreation Path to be plowed with high priority after snow events.

The route will connect Phoenix Park to UW-Eau Claire’s campus and create a circuit around the Historic Randall Park Neighborhood and will receive the highest plowing priority of any city trail. The path will be easily accessible from the city’s Phoenix Park parking ramp and Hobbs Ice Arena. UW-Eau Claire’s parking lots on Water Street will maintain priority access to the city trails with free parking on weekends.

“Having a four-mile portion of Eau Claire’s central city trails plowed at high priority after snow events signals a resounding investment in residents’ physical and mental health,” said Jake Wrasse, Wintermission Eau Claire spokesperson. “Knowing you’ll be able to continue outdoor recreation regimens—whether you walk, run, or fat-tire bike—year-round on Eau Claire’s city trails will make it easier to sustain healthy habits and enjoy our beautiful natural setting while preventing the ‘cabin fever’ that too often accompanies winter.”

Matt Evans, who teaches a distance-running class at UW-Eau Claire and is involved with numerous area running organizations, was working with the city to establish such a route before he connected with Wintermission. When Evans learned more about the project, it became clear this idea for a plowed winter running route aligned perfectly with Wintermission’s goals.

“In a climate like ours, it can be difficult to stay active year-round, and many runners report they fall out of good habits in winter because their summer running routes aren’t accessible,” said Evans, noting that running on treadmills is irksome for many distance runners. “Knowing the city will give priority to clearing this path means people can count on having this public space available as a recreation resource all year.”

Wintermission Eau Claire, which supports increasing outdoor recreation opportunities and decreasing social isolation in winter, decided to advocate for the effort to establish such a trail based on the success of similar efforts in Edmonton, Alberta. Edmonton has been designated a Winter City Vanguard for its comprehensive winter planning efforts, which include recommendations for “shared use paths and open space connections” for “pedestrians, runners, and cyclists” even after major snow events. At the completion of the 18-month Wintermission grant, Eau Claire will have developed its own Winter City Strategy.

Decreasing social isolation and increasing outdoor physical activity in winter are shown to reduce risks for chronic diseases, including diabetes, obesity, and mental health issues. Twenty-percent of the city’s population reports more than seven days of poor mental health in winter, and 30% have hypertension or chronic cardiovascular illnesses.

​The Eau Claire Wintermission team is working collaboratively with local governments to identify projects to implement during the 2019-20 winter, and more pilot projects will be announced soon.

For more information, contact Jake Wrasse from Wintermission Eau Claire at 715-836-5613 or jwrasse@uwec.edu ; Matt Evans on behalf of area running groups at 715-836-5519 or evansmm@uwec.edu ; or Scott Allen on behalf of the City of Eau Claire at 715-839-4914 or scott.allen@eauclairewi.gov.

We would like to congratulate and welcome Victory Automotive on their ribbon cutting at their new location here in Eau Claire! 

​While Xcel Energy didn’t get its current name until 2000, customers in the Eau Claire area have been relying on the company for more than a century to provide safe, reliable electricity and natural gas to fuel growth in the Chippewa Valley.

​Xcel Energy’s Wisconsin and Michigan operating company, Northern States Power-Wisconsin, can trace its predecessor companies back to the Chippewa River Improvement and Log Driving Company, incorporated in 1872. However, the history truly begins when Northern States Power Co. of Minnesota purchased the Wisconsin-Minnesota Light and Power Company in 1923 to capitalize on hydroelectric power available in Wisconsin and renamed the newly-acquired company NSP-Wisconsin in 1924. In Eau Claire, NSPW and its forbearers established electricity generating facilities in 1877 and 1902 and did business on Barstow Street from 1923-1958. Employees also worked at the Farmers Store Building until 1993.

Xcel Energy operates 19 hydro facilities on eight Wisconsin rivers. Hydro is a clean, renewable energy source, and collectively these plants avoid carbon dioxide emissions equal to the output of more than 83,000 cars.
​

​Today, Xcel Energy powers millions of homes and businesses across eight Western and Midwestern States – including 251,000 electricity and 110,000 natural gas customers in Wisconsin.
 
Cleaner energy matters to you. It matters to us, too. That’s why we were the first energy company in the nation to announce a goal to serve customers with 100% carbon-free electricity.  
 
How we’ll get there while keeping bills low and ensuring reliable energy
We will continue leading the clean energy transition by:

• Closing all of our coal plants in the Upper Midwest by 2030, a decade ahead of schedule.
• Increasing wind and solar energy
• Extending the use of carbon-free nuclear energy at our Monticello plant
• Using cleaner natural gas

Together these elements will enable Xcel Energy to continue to provide reliable electric service while keeping bills low. In fact, our Wisconsin customers’ average combined electric and natural gas bill is lower than five years ago and will be below 2018 levels through 2021.
 

The electricity our Wisconsin customers receive today is generated from 26% renewable energy resources. But, we know some customers want to go further faster and want 100 percent renewable energy. For these customers, we offer an industry-leading portfolio of renewable and energy efficiency programs, empowering them to achieve their goals, while serving all customers with increasingly clean energy at an affordable cost. ​

Solar*Connect Community, Wisconsin’s largest community solar program, includes three 1-megawatt community solar gardens. This sign at the Eau Claire garden recognizes the program’s Founding Members. While Solar*Connect Community is fully subscribed, Xcel Energy now offers Renewable*Connect, which features a blend of wind and solar energy and flexible, low-cost subscriptions terms.  
​

Building the future is also about building stronger communities. Giving our time, talent and financial resources is fundamental to how we do business. Watch a short video highlighting Xcel Energy’s annual Day of Service. 

On Sept. 7 more than 5,400 volunteers across Colorado, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin united to support Xcel Energy's Day of Service. Employees, family, friends, contractors, retirees and customers contributed more than 21,000 volunteer hours, resulting in an economic impact of over $500,000. Pictured here is a group that volunteered at a Hope Gospel Mission facility in Eau Claire. 
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For more information, visit our website at xcelenergy.com or check out our Connect blog.

On November 13, 2019 the Eau Claire Chamber, hosted by the Pablo Center and sponsored by Royal Credit Union, Marshfield Clinic, Momentum West, MRA, Prevea Health and Xcel Energy provided Workforce training and solutions to over 200 attendees. With over 140 businesses represented, the Summit provided Employers in the region an opportunity for networking and solutions based learning. WE are incredibly thankful to the Chamber's Workforce Development Committee, Workforce Summit Taskforce and over 30 panelists and speakers for making this day an opportunity for change and growth in our communities.

Please enjoy the presentations and resources provided throughout the day below.

Wisconsin Workforce Competitiveness Evaluation (Full Report: WMC Foundation)
Ted Abernathy Presentation: Future Wisconsin Summit (December 2018, Video: 46:38) 

Momentum West's Talent Retention & Attraction Strategic Action Plan ​

Achieving "a balance between foundational skills as well as tending to their social and emotional needs to be able to have post-secondary success" describes the primary emphasis of Eau Claire schools, Superintendent Mary Ann Hardebeck told 75 Chamber members at Eggs & Issues on Friday, November 15. 

Hardebeck and School Board Member Laurie Klinkhammer talked about the key indicators of student success, described the challenges facing the district, and celebrated the partnerships schools enjoy with the Eau Claire Community, including those with the Chamber. 

Key indicators of whether a student will be a success include attendance, 3rd grade literacy, 8th grade math abilities, Academic and Career Planning participation, as well as ACT and Work Keys test scores. With 11,500 students, ECASD is the state's eighth largest district and leads the top 10 largest cities in math, reading and ACT scores.

Big challenges, paths to success
"The community's challenges are our challenges," noted Hardebeck, who listed poverty, trauma, homelessness, growth and the need for leadership among those key issues that impact the district and its students. 

Providing students with a path to success is important. Klinkhammer and Hardebeck celebrated partnerships throughout the community and singled out the Chamber's recent commitment to administer the state Youth Apprenticeship program for schools in Eau Claire County.  Among the emerging success stories highlighted were Youth Apprenticeships that have led to success in registered apprenticeships and other after-high-school choices, and the growing partnership with CVTC to provide dual credit, including students in the new academy program who will graduate high school with a two-year college degree.  Programs like this save students up to $1.75 million annually in post-secondary tuition costs.

​School Board Vacancy
In response to questions from the audience, Klinkhammer and Hardebeck pointed to remaining management and financial challenges facing the district, including a resolution related to unfunded post-employment benefits, changing demographics, and challenges related to the state school funding forumla. 

Klinkhammer pointed to the School Board Vacancy created on November 1 with the resignation of Joe Luginbill, and encouraged citizens to seriously consider applying to join the board. "My personal view is that we are under-represented from the business community right now," she said. 

The Board is accepting applications from citizens interested in joining the School Board to serve through the next election in April 2020.  The application deadline is November 26. Candidates will be asked to make a statement at the December 2 School Board Meeting, followed by a vote of the Board to select a member who will begin serving as of December 4.
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School Board Vacancy Information
Application
Application instructions

More information:
Eggs & Issues PowerPoint presentation (Mary Ann Hardebeck and Laurie Klinkhammer)
Superintendent: Homeless students one of district's biggest challenges (Leader-Telegram)
South side referendum or renovations could be on the horizon (Leader-Telegram)
Report cards out; most area school districts meet or exceed expectations (Leader-Telegram)​
Board to discuss referendum possibility Monday (Leader-Telegram)

Posted by Scott Rogers, Governmental Affairs & Workforce Director
rogers@eauclairechamber.org

An exciting day for Northwestern Mutual as they opened their new office location at Rivers Edge Trail in Altoona. Congratulations to them and what better way to celebrate than with a Ribbon Cutting! 

​ECASD Board Accepting Applications for Vacancy EAU CLAIRE, WI — The Eau Claire School Board is seeking applicants to fill the seat vacated by Joe Luginbill on November 1, 2019. The application and selection process will follow Board Policy 133 – Board Vacancies which can be found HERE. Applicants must complete and submit the online Commissioner Application Form found HERE. Applications must be received by 4:00pm on November 26, 2019. A paper copy of the application can be obtained from the Superintendent’s Office at 500 Main Street or by calling 715-852-3002. At the November 4, 2019 School Board meeting, Board President Eric Torres encouraged all interested and qualified persons to apply. Applicants will be required to give a maximum three-minute statement at the December 2, 2019 School Board meeting which begins at 7:00pm. The Board plans to select a candidate after those statements have been made on December 2. The successful applicant will then take the Oath of Office and begin official service on December 4, 2019. Detailed application instructions can be found HERE. The person so appointed shall serve in that capacity until a successor is elected in the next School Board election. More information can be found at www.ecasd.us/BoardVacancy.

NSF grant to boost supercomputing at UW-Eau Claire
A recent $350,000 award from the National Science Foundation will more than double the high-performance computing capacity for faculty and students at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, but the grant’s impact will not stop there. Full story.

Dr. Danielle Amethyst Brake receives UW System Poorman Award for LGBTQ+ advocacy
Brake, assistant professor of mathematics, is the UW-Eau Claire recipient of the UW System's 2019 Dr. P.B. Poorman Award for Outstanding Achievement on Behalf of LGBTQ+ People. Full story.

Dr. Heather Ann Moody earns UW System Outstanding Women of Color in Education Award
Moody, assistant professor of American Indian studies, is the UW-Eau Claire recipient of the UW System's 2019 Outstanding Women of Color in Education Award. Full story.
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Artists Series welcomes VocalEssence Singers Of This Age Nov. 21
Singers Of this Age, the youth branch of VocalEssence of Minneapolis, is a talented, diverse group of high school singers who will perform at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 21 in UW-Eau Claire's Schofield Auditorium. Full story.

Recognized with Exemplary Employer Award
Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) / Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) recently presented Dove Healthcare with the Exemplary Employer Award during National Disability Employment Awareness Month.
DVR Business Services Consultant Wade Schenck shared, “Dove Healthcare was recognized because of their inclusiveness and commitment in job shadowing and hiring practices for individuals with disabilities; they understand the value of working with DVR; and have demonstrated a strong partnership. I want to say thank you to all of their locations for their openness to partnering with our consumers.”

Dove Healthcare’s Regional Director of Operations Jeremy Kiley accepted the award from DWD Chief Legal Counsel Pam McGillivray. Kiley commented, “Dove Healthcare has always sought to find community partnerships and collaboration. If it benefits Dove Healthcare and it benefits the communities we serve, we are in. This recognition affirms our mission to develop those partnerships with mutual respect for all.”

McGillivray said, “It is the least we can to do recognize the contributions that talented individuals bring to Wisconsin’s workforce, but without an employer recognizing the skills that these individuals possess and providing an opportunity, the countless, successful employment connections made through DVR and other disability organizations wouldn’t occur. Today, we celebrate the proud Wisconsin businesses that have made a commitment to an inclusive workforce and recognize the value that comes along with that commitment.”

Dove Healthcare consists of six skilled nursing and rehabilitation centers and five assisted living residences in northwest Wisconsin. Core services include rehabilitation, post-hospital care, ventilator care, skilled nursing, long-term and end-of-life care, as well as assisted living and memory care. For more information, visit the website dovehealthcare.com.

Dove Healthcare – South & West Eau Claire Receive Top Rating From U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report recently announced local healthcare providers Dove Healthcare – South Eau Claire and Dove Healthcare - West Eau Claire as high performing for short-term rehabilitation, designating the skilled nursing and rehabilitation centers with a Best Nursing Home badge for 2019-20.
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According to the news release, “U.S. News evaluated more than 15,000 homes throughout the country. This year, nearly 2,250 nursing homes (about 19% of all homes) earned the designation of a U.S. News Best Nursing Home.”

Video Introduces 2020 Farm Technology Days Host Family
Eau Claire, WI (November 8, 2019) – Wisconsin Farm Technology Days 2020 organizers have released a video highlighting Huntsinger Farms, the event's host farm.

Huntsinger Farms on the west edge of Eau Claire in Eau Claire County is the world's largest producer of horseradish, and its Silver Spring Foods company is a national leader in the condiment industry. The 2020 event is the first time a horseradish farm will host Farm Technology Days in Wisconsin.

“We are excited to share the story of our family farm and give a preview to what will be a really interesting and fun event next year,” said Eric Rygg, president of Huntsinger Farms and Silver Spring Foods, and great-grandson of the farm’s founder, Ellis Huntsinger. The video provides the history of the farm and family, along with how horseradish is grown, harvested and processed.

The video recently premiered to regional media and is now available for the general public to view.
 
Wisconsin Farm Technology Days 2020 will be July 21-23. To learn more about next year's event, go to http://www.wifarmtechnologydays.com/eau_claire/

A RECORD $47,210 IN GRANTS AWARDED TO LOCAL NONPROFITS
The Eau Claire Community Foundation’s Women's Giving Circle Fund is pleased to announce that in 2019, it’s awarding a record $47,210 in grants. Each grant recipient helps to fulfill the Circle’s mission of supporting women and children in the Eau Claire area. The organizations and programs the Circle has voted to fund are:

• Altoona School District—“Care Closet”
• Chippewa Valley Free Clinic—“Women Becoming A Healthier Me”
• Chippewa Valley Technical College Foundation: Women in Nontraditional Careers Scholarship Program”
• Eau Claire Area Hmong Mutual Assistance Association—“Refugee Family Strengthening Project”
• Eau Claire Children’s Theatre—“Schoolhouse Rock Live”
• Feed My People Food Bank—“Connecting to Thrive”
• Marshfield Clinic Health System Foundation—“SANE Forensic Nurse Program”
• Red Letter Grant, Inc.—“Women’s Business Start-Up Capital Grant Program”
• Western Dairyland Economic Opportunity Council—“Table for Two”

 
The Women’s Giving Circle members pool their charitable dollars into a fund at the Eau Claire Community Foundation in order to maximize their philanthropic impact. The Circle began in 2007, when a group of over 100 Founding Members each pledged a total of $1,000 over 4 years. Today, it has almost 300 members, and it continues to grow.

This year’s grant awards bring the Circle’s total grant distributions since inception to $312,413. Grantees will officially receive their awards at the Gift of Giving breakfast, which will take place at Florian Gardens at 7:30 am on December 4, 2019. The Women’s Giving Circle members invite the Eau Claire community to attend this celebration of philanthropy. They also welcome new members; anyone can join the Circle at any time.

For more information about the Women’s Giving Circle, or to RSVP for the Gift of Giving Breakfast, please consult the Eau Claire Community Foundation website (www.eccfwi.org). You can also write to office@eccfwi.org or call 715-552-3801.

Recognized by CRN for Leadership and Innovation in Technology Solutions Wausau, Wisc., November 12, 2019 — RMM Solutions, a leading provider of business-enabling technology solutions and services, was honored with the 2019 Triple CrownAward by CRN®, a brand of The Channel Company. The Triple Crown Award recognizes IT solution providers that earned a spot on all three of CRN’slists in 2019: Solution Provider 500, Fast Growth 150 and Tech Elite 250. RMM is one of just 47 solution providers to receive the Triple Crown Award. CRN’s solution provider listings are highly respected in the industry. The Solution Provider 500 ranks the Top 500 companies in North America offering IT solutions, services and managed services. RMM won a spot on this list based upon its successful delivery of solutions spanning data center and cloud environments, networking, security, managed services, and more. The Fast Growth 150 recognizes solution providers that have seen significant increases in revenue over the preceding two years. RMM saw growth of more than 66 percent, earning a spot on this list for the first time in 2019. The Tech Elite 250 honors technology companies that exhibit expertise and technical excellence through partnerships with leading vendors. RMM was recognized for its high-level certifications with Cisco, Microsoft, HPE and VMware, and Chief Technology Officer Arthur Corallo was listed as a top technology executive. “It is an incredible honor to receive the 2019 Triple Crown Award, and we are very proud of our amazing team,” said Rimon Moses, CEO, RMM Solutions. “It is through their efforts that we have developed our portfolio enterprise-class data center, cloud and managed services offerings. We are committed to helping organizations throughout Wisconsin and beyond gain a flexible, high-performance and highly secure IT infrastructure to support their business objectives.” For the full list of CRN Triple Crown winners, visit: https://www.crn.com/slide-shows/storage/goingabove-and-beyond-crn-s-2019-triple-crown-award-winners/41.