Cellcom Marks 4G Milestone

• Cellcom marked another milestone toward the company’s 4G LTE rollout, when the engineering team completed initial testing on three 4G cell sites located in Sturgeon Bay on Feb 15. The testing verified that Cellcom’s radios and trial devices are operating correctly on the 4G network. The three sites will remain in test mode with private access as the engineering team continues to monitor and optimize performance.

According to Jim Lienau, CTO and VP of corporate technical services, Cellcom is on track for launching 4G in the second quarter of 2012.

“With the successful completion of initial testing, we can now focus on optimization, particularly speed and reliability,” Lienau said. The next step will be for Cellcom to conduct similar tests on an additional 25 4G cell sites located throughout the company’s footprint.

The first phase of Cellcom’s 4G LTE rollout includes Green Bay, Sturgeon Bay, Appleton, Oshkosh, Wausau, and parts of Oconto and Marinette Counties. 4G LTE technology improves data speeds, which is a major advantage in data-intensive activities.

Cellcom is a Verizon LTE in Rural America (LRA) partner. Through this partnership, customers of both carriers will benefit from the high-speed, fourth-generation long-term evolution (LTE) services.

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

Judy Schumacher

• Judy L. Schumacher, of Ad Quest Promotions, Inc. of Sturgeon Bay, earned the certification of Master Advertising Specialist administered by Promotional Products Association International (PPAI).

The Master Advertising Specialist (MAS) certification is one of the promotional products industry’s premier professional designations. The MAS designation requires completion of the Certified Advertising Specialist certification, additional MAS level course curriculum, industry service and passing a comprehensive exam.

PPAI certification demonstrates a commitment to both business excellence and continual professional growth. A relatively small percentage of professionals hold these certifications and are known as the industry’s innovators and leaders.

For more information visit http://www.ppai.org or email [email protected].

• The Door County Buy Local Steering Committee is holding a Door County Buy Local business networking mixer on March 6 from 5:30 – 7 pm at the Baileys Harbor Cornerstone Pub.

The event will feature a presentation by Kelly Starr King of Madison on the Dane Buy Local program, one of the largest and most successful Buy Local programs in the state. The committee will also provide an update about the status and activities of the Door County Buy Local program.

The networking event, sponsored by Sustain Door, is open to anyone interested in learning more about the Buy Local initiative in Door County. There will be food and beverages available; attendees are asked to make a $5 donation to help defray costs.

The Baileys Harbor Cornerstone Pub is located at 8123 Highway 57, Baileys Harbor. To RSVP for this event by March 2 or for more information call 920.743.3113 ext. 204 or email [email protected].

• Baileys Harbor businessman Scott H. Henry, owner-operator of Old Time Portraits, was elected to the board of Antique & Amusement Photographers International (AAPI). Elections were held during the association’s 2012 convention & trade show in Tampa, Florida on Feb. 2.

Henry, a charter member of the association, has served on the AAPI Board of Directors and on several committees. Old Time Portraits is a mobile studio operation that travels to major state fairs including the Iowa, Minnesota, and Texas state fairs.

AAPI is a professional association for photographers and vendors specializing in souvenir photography including antique or “Old Time Photos,” special events, historical re-enactments, and amusement portraits. Members are located throughout the United States and Canada, as well as other countries.

For more information email [email protected].

Gay Pustaver talks to high school students about finance.

• Gay Pustaver, director and credit counselor for the non-profit credit counseling services FISC, conducted a workshop for Gibraltar Personal Finance students.

During the budgeting workshop designed to help young people grasp the concepts of costs of living, income, and living paycheck to paycheck, Pustaver directed each group of five to estimate the monthly costs of rent, utilities, transportation, food, clothing and other day-to-day necessities. The students then did the math to determine what an average high school graduate makes a month. After revising their budgets, Pustaver presented case studies of where people get into trouble with their finances.

The Gibraltar Personal Finance class is an elective for juniors and seniors interested in learning more about money management, good debt and bad debt, banking services, insurance and career planning. Instructor Mary Witteborg utilizes a variety of local resources and personal examples to help young people become financially literate.

FISC is a confidential, non-judgmental financial counseling service that helps people of all income levels. For more information call FISC at 920.743.1862.

• The Door County Economic Development Corporation (DCEDC) and the UW-Green Bay Small Business Development Center (SBDC) will sponsor an entrepreneurial training program in Door County. Beginning March 1 at NWTC-Sturgeon Bay, the eight-week FastTrac® NewVenture™ course from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation of Entrepreneurship takes students through a step-by-step approach to researching and writing a professional business plan.

Every Thursday evening, March 8 through April 26, course participants will gain the knowledge and skills to create a plan for the success of their business. The course is open to those who are considering starting their own business, existing small businesses struggling to get a handle on all the details or successful businesses looking to grow.

The cost for the Door County FastTrac® NewVenture Entrepreneurial Training program is $250, including books and materials. The course usually costs $1,000, however the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation and the Wisconsin Entrepreneurs’ Network are offering an Entrepreneurial Training Grant to qualified applicants that covers 75 percent of the tuition.

For registration forms and additional information, visit http://www.doorcountybusiness.com. Registration is due by Feb. 29.

• The Door County Economic Development Corporation (DCEDC) will offer regular office hours through the winter and spring for new and existing business owners in Northern Door County on the second Tuesday of each month. The next individual, confidential sessions will be offered from 8 am – noon on March 13 at the Sister Bay Fire Station, 2258 Mill Road.

DCEDC Economic Development Manager Sam Perlman offers free, one-on-one business counseling sessions, providing advice on business planning, financing, business incentives and other issues.

An appointment is requested and can be made by contacting Perlman at 920.743.3113 x 204 or via e-mail at [email protected]. Walk-ins are also welcome, based on availability.

• Wisconsin FSA reminds producers that March 15 is the application deadline to sign up for the Non-Insured Assistance Program (NAP) coverage on most spring-seeded crops.

Producers interested in obtaining NAP on their 2012 spring-seeded non-insurable crop acreage should visit their local county office as soon as possible to complete an application for 2012 acres. This deadline date also applies to persons who have a 2011 policy that expired and want to renew coverage for 2012.

NAP coverage is available for crops only where insurance coverage is not available under Federal Crop Insurance policies provided by private insurance agents.

NAP is designed to cover losses due to damaging weather conditions. The program covers losses of more than 50 percent of normal yields or the farm’s yield calculated using actual production histories. Payments for production lost in excess of 50 percent are paid at 55 percent of the values established for the crop.

For more information visit http://www.fsa.usda.gov.