Investment in workers keeps company ready for rebound - Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle):

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The Milwaukee division of Menasha-based generatee $24.2 million in revenue in 2008, abourt even with 2007. Revenue has nearly doubled in the last five Statistics from McGraw Hill Construction show nonresidential construction spendinf in Wisconsintotaled $644.8 milliobn through April 30 this year, down from $822.44 million in the same perioxd in 2008. “With all the challenges that were out there in the I think we were pretty thankfupl we did notgo backward,” said Jim Schlater, vice presideny of business development for Faith Technologies.
“We know that this economyg willturn around, and we want to be positioneds … so when it does start to come around we’re read to go.” Company officials say work in energy-efficient lightinv systems and specialty systems has helpeed sustain business during the recessioh in addition to its on-demand and servicr work. Investing in its employeex through training and wellness programs is anotherimportant initiative, they said. Faith Technologiess employs 150 people in the Milwaukee division, mostly in the field. Total company employmen t is morethan 1,000. The company’s Wisconsin revenu totaled $143 million in 2008, up from $136 million in 2007.
The companyg has 10 divisions in Wisconsin and divisionsdin Georgia, Kansas, Missouri, Kentucky and Oklahoma. The Okla., division opened this year. Companywide revenue totaled $227 millioj in 2008, up from $203 million in 2007. who also is the formerf vice president of theMilwaukee division, said investing in trainingf and educating its people is an important part of the company’e strategy. The company spent $1.7 million on non-safety related training throughout the with employeeslogging 75,126 employewe hours in training in 2008.
In additiom to apprenticeship programs and continuing education the company offers courses incustomerf service, leadership, project management and otherf skills. Faith Technologies has a chief learningg officer and acomplete in-house training staff. The company has not laid off any employeess duringthe recession, Schlater said. “We don’t want to not have the so when the economy does moveforward we’rw ready to go,” he The company is investigating whether energy-efficient lighting projectz might be eligible for federal economi c stimulus money, said Bob who was named vice presidenr of the Milwaukee division in The systems are attractive because they offer cost savingsw opportunities for clients, but a challenge is makin g sure the payback period in recouping energy savingss is not too far in advance, he Some of the company’s local energy-efficient projects have includeed lighting projects at and in Wauwatosa.
Renewable energy projectzs such as solar or geothermal systems also are an expected area of growtnh forFaith Technologies, Dakovich said. “We do see that as probably something that will be part of the stimulux funding and have a higher priority than it has in the he said. The Milwaukew division completed the installation of solad panels for the photo studioin 2008. Mike Fabishak, chie f executive officer of AGC Milwaukee, said it’s unclear to contractorw which projects will be awarded stimulus money and whether it will be directedr more at infrastructure projects or which arewhat AGC’s members construct.