September/October 2020

President's Message

Dear NEW Chapter FEI Members,

Let’s see, the chapter just finished its first month of the 20-21 season with 2 professional development (PD) sessions and 1 keynote session. The chapter also hosted its quarterly Peer Group meeting in August. Another month in the books! Same old, same old?
Yeah – right!

This isn’t ‘any other year’ – this is the year of COVID and this little virus continues to affect our families, our jobs and yes, our chapter.

Despite this virus, the chapter successfully hosted:

2 PD sessions – remotely (9/16 & 9/17)
1 keynote – attended by 20 people live and 85 remotely (9/22)
August Peer Group Meeting – remotely (8/27)

These events were not the same as prior years – far from it. The sessions presented new logistical issues such as live-streaming and Zoom (who even heard of this word 12 months ago?), issues FEI NEW has never had to deal with in prior years.

Click here to read John Gustavson's entire message.

The Diversity & Inclusion Group updates are as follows:

The final Women's Leadership Coaching Webinar took place on 8/25.
A survey was sent to members in August to collect input and ideas for new activities, sessions and book club recommendations.
The 2020 FUSION Event was postponed until 2021. More details to follow, once available next year.
The recommended reading selection is Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance.
FY20-21 Virtual Event Planning is underway as we reconfigure the outlook and offerings based on survey results.

Join your colleagues in a discussion on topics important to you and your Company. Sample topics: PPP loan administration, wage increases for 2021, business insurance, healthcare insurance and strategies. The next meetings are scheduled for December 10, 2020, and March 11, May 27 and August 26, 2021.

Additional 12/10 virtual meeting details are as follows:

Date: Thursday, December 10, 2020
Time: 2:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Location: Virtual Zoom Meeting

Click here to register!

This virtual event is eligible for 3 CPE credits in the field of management services to those who attend the entire meeting and complete the polling questions.

2020-2021 Program Schedule Updates

I’m excited to announce we’ll be offering another chapter choice membership promotion during the month of October! The FEI National Office is helping to support local chapter recruitment by reducing the annual dues rate in conjunction with our October chapter events. The details are as follows:

1. FEI National is offering a special annual dues rate of $299 for the first 12 months of membership versus the normal rate of $399. This reflects a 25% discount.

2. FEI of Northeastern Wisconsin does not charge chapter fees for the first twelve months of membership so the total fees for the first year are $299.

To read the entire membership update click here.

Due to our hybrid offerings this fiscal year, separate program schedules have been developed for our virtual professional development sessions, and keynote meetings. Below are links to the current program schedules (as of 9/24/20)

2020-2021 Keynote Program Schedule
2020-2021 Professional Development Program Schedule

We will continue to make updates, as necessary, to both program schedules. These documents will always be posted on the chapter's home page under the Quick Links Section (middle right of page).

Special Features

Francis Investment Counsel

Our guess is your retirement plan hasn’t been your first priority during the COVID-19 pandemic.

That’s why you could use some help. At Francis Investment Counsel, we spend 100% of our time focused on retirement plan consulting. To help you out, we put together a quick list covering important items in the world of retirement plan oversight.

Here’s what you may have missed.

How’s your committee doing?

Does your retirement plan committee have the insights needed to make informed decisions? Contact Joseph Topp via phone (262-781-8950) or email (joseph.topp@francisinvco.com) to request a copy of Francis Investment Counsel’s quarterly economic outlook and to learn more about our fiduciary oversight process.

von Briesen

U.S. Department of Labor Issues Revised FFCRA Rules and Regulations

POSTED BY: Robert J. Simandl & John A. Rubin
Legal Update
Labor and Employment & COVID-19 von Briesen Task Force

On September 11, 2020, the United States Department of Labor (“DOL”) issued revised regulations for the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”) relating to the administration of both the FFCRA’s Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act (EPSLA) and the Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act (EFMLEA). The DOL revised these regulations in response to a New York federal court decision that invalidated four provisions of the original regulations.

Click here to read the entire article

Weidert Group

Embrace the Flywheel to Maximize Business Growth & Customer Loyalty

Manufacturing First Virtual Expo & Conference, October 20-22, 2020

Join Greg Linnemanstons, President of Weidert Group, at the Manufacturing First Expo & Conference.

EVENT DETAILS

Virtual Event: October 20-22, 2020

Greg’s Session: October 22, 1:00 p.m.

Learn more and register at manufacturingfirst.com

See how force and friction affect your business performance! Align Marketing, Sales, and Customer Service to gain momentum, attract and convert leads, and mobilize the energy of satisfied customers.