The Green Bay Packers Mentor-Protégé Program this week celebrated 13 years of business growth by recognizing the most recent session of program participants with a celebration event.
The entrepreneurs gathered at Lambeau Field to honor the 13th year of pairing established mentor companies with growing protégé companies in the community. The program features pairs of companies throughout Wisconsin, with a focus in northeastern Wisconsin while also expanding into southeastern, southwestern and central Wisconsin.
The program matches established mentor companies that can provide technical, managerial, financial or other guidance with protégés that are seeking to improve their competitive standing. The partnerships aim to foster business growth, economic development and job creation in Wisconsin. Created in part to match up minority-owned, veteran-owned, or woman-owned businesses with experienced mentor companies, such businesses account for 85 percent of the participating protégé businesses.
Last week's celebration named this year's Most Valuable Mentor, Most Valuable Protégé and Comeback Player of the Year. Katie Oilschlager with Think Pawsitive Dog Training was named the Most Valuable Protégé and Tara Carr with SBDC at UW-Green Bay was named Most Valuable Mentor. Sara Parthasarathy with Flavor Temptations was honored as Comeback Player of the Year.
In the 13 years of the program, more than 422 full and part-time jobs have been created across the 140 protégé companies in 46 different Wisconsin communities. Additionally, participants have increased their annual revenue by a combined $105.9 million.
The partnerships receiving recognition for the 13th session are:
- Steve Barry mentored Bryan Schwebke with Paramount Physical Therapy and Training
- Julie Stadtmueller with KI mentored Yengyee Lor with Faithful Consulting
- Tara Carr with the SBDC at UW-Green Bay mentored Katie Oilschlager with Think Pawsitive Dog Training
- Doug Watson with The HOWARD Company mentored Nubian Simmons with the Pink Bakery
- Refilwe Goll and Tonya Fourté-Lyles with Northwestern Mutual mentored Sara Parthasarathy with Flavor Temptations
- David Stauffacher with the SBDC at UW-Green Bay mentored Ryan Wagner with Driftless Provisions
- Ron Franklin with the Greater Green Bay Chamber of Commerce mentored Christopher Forsberg with Finni's Finest
- Rick Pedersen with Quest Homz mentored Jose Vargas with Knockout Painting
- Michelle Somes-Booher with the SBDC at UW-Madison mentored Tristah Romero-Kelly with Renew Medical Aesthetics
- Jeff Danen with Hawkins Ash CPAs mentored April DeValkenaere with Fortress Financial Education
- Dr. Renita Robinson with Prevea mentored Lisa Netterville with T.O.P.S Agency
- Barb LaMue from New North mentored Amy Woods with Favoryt Brand.
