BUSINESS BRIEFS

• Celeste Wegman and Stephanie Bunda of Celeste Wegman Interiors in Ephraim recently had the opportunity to visit with a number of nationally known designers at the October High Point market.

Wegman and Bunda met with Alexa Hampton and Mariette Himes Gomez, both designers for Hickory Chair, shown exclusively at Celeste Wegman Interiors and City Farmer. Hampton has the rare ability to make classic design comfortable – and make people comfortable with classic design. Her pieces showcase her talent for designing furniture that combines comfort, scale and elegance – a true belief of Celeste Wegman Interiors.

Barclay Butera, owner and designer for Barclay Butera Home, as well as a close family friend and colleague of Dick and Celeste Wegman, also returned to his roots with his fall High Point collection, the Hamptons. A subtle color palette of pale greens and blues is found in these textiles and ties into the themes in his new book Living in Style. Barclay Butera’s furniture, fabrics and new book, Living In Style can be found at Celeste Wegman Interiors and also City Farmer.

For more information visit Celeste Wegman Interiors, 3064 Church Street, Ephraim, call 920.854.7522 or email

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• Dec. 30 and 31 are two days that Sister Bay Trading sets aside every year to celebrate their success and take the time to thank their customers for their patronage throughout the year.

The fun begins on Tuesday, December 30 with the annual “Customer Appreciation Sale.” Guests will enjoy 20 – 50 percent off throughout the store, and starting at 11 am, Mike Mead, Owner and Chef of Shoreline Restaurant, will be in the kitchen serving his famous whitefish chowder and smoked whitefish spread.

The celebration continues on New Year’s Eve day, Wednesday, Dec. 31, with “A Day of Gratitude for You” – a toast to Sister Bay Trading’s valued customers and long-time friends for their continued support. Stop in and toast the New Year with the staff! Guests will enjoy complimentary champagne and hors d’oeuvres throughout the day. Hours are 10 am – 5 pm.

Sister Bay Trading Company is located on the south side of Sister Bay at 2477 Hwy 42. For more information call 920.854.2554 or visit http://www.sisterbaytrading.com.

• Baylake Corp. announced the appointment of Joseph L. Hoffmeyer as President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) for the $1.1 billion asset community bank, effective December 1, 2008.

Hoffmeyer, joins Baylake Bank with more than 25 years of experience in investment management, personal trust, retail brokerage, and retirement services. In addition to his role as President and COO, he is responsible for directing and managing Baylake Bank’s Wealth Services Division.

“The appointment of Joe to this dual role is intended to establish immediate focus on the recently established strategic vision for the company,” Baylake Bank Chief Executive Officer Robert Cera added.

As President and COO for Baylake Bank, Hoffmeyer will oversee 28 community financial centers located throughout Brown, Door, Green Lake, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Outagamie, Waupaca and Waushara Counties.

For more information visit http://www.baylake.com.

• Sister Bay Trading Co. owners Marilyn and John Jensen are launching two new companies to co-exist with the furniture and design studio in Sister Bay – Sister Bay Staging and Sister Bay Transfer Company.

“The idea behind Sister Bay Staging is to provide a service to home sellers that will help them to get top dollar for their home as well as lessen the amount of time it is on the market,” said Marilyn Jensen. “Staging is depersonalizing a home so it will appeal to the home-buying public. It is kind of like decorating in reverse!”

The second brand new business endeavor for the Jensen’s is Sister Bay Transfer Company. Sister Bay Transfer can assist buyers or sellers by coordinating all moving and storage needs. Clients can rest assured that all of their belongings will be handled with care and that they will be treated with the utmost professionalism. Sister Bay Transfer has the capacity for long term storage within their secure warehouse along with the ability to move and ship for their clients.

For more information call phone 920.854.2554 or visit http://www.sisterbaytrading.com.

• The Door County Board of REALTORS® feels like there has never been a better time to buy. According to Gretchen Porten, President of the Door County Board of REALTORS®, “Homes are more affordable right now and the selection in Door and Kewaunee counties is better than ever.”

Door and Kewaunee counties have, in recent months, experienced a drop in real estate sales as in other areas of the country, but this drop was much smaller relative to other counties within Wisconsin. Door County actually experienced a jump in the price of the average home sale – up 12 percent – and Kewaunee County sold 11 more homes in the third quarter of 2008 than in the third quarter of 2007 – an increase of nearly 58 percent.

For more information call 920.743.9651 or visit http://www.dcbr.org.