Honoring the State's Outstanding Corporate Citizens

Corporate Report Wisconsin, Mar 2007 by Zukowski, Paul

Ruekert/Mielke protects water quality

Founded in 1946 in Waukesha by registered professional engineers and land surveyors John H. Mielke and Frank J. Ruekert Sr., civil engineering firm Ruekert/Mielke has grown along with the municipalities of Southeastern Wisconsin. In fact, it has served 75 of them and gets most of its business from repeat clients. It now employs more than 140 professionals, designing water systems and wastewater treatment facilities of all types.

Ruekert/Mielke's environmental efforts are directed at the region as a whole, developing sustainable, clean sources of water for southeastern Wisconsin and Waukesha County, and identifying the long-term environmental consequences of water usage. Toward that end, Ruekert/Mielke employees volunteer to give free monthly seminars at the request of municipal officials and staff to offer engineering insight on current issues.

In addition, Ruekert/Mielke was recently hired by the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission to complete a comprehensive study of the groundwater supply for the entire seven-county region.

The company is employee owned and has an active Wellness Committee that underwrites employee participation in numerous runs, walks and bicycle events. The firm is also involved with the Adopt-Á-Highway program and Habitat for Humanity.

In summary, Ruekert/Mielke's staff takes great pride in knowing that virtually every community in southeastern Wisconsin has one of their projects as part of its infrastructure. Staff members also live in these communities, and pledge their ongoing commitment to providing sound environmentally friendly solutions.

Shorewest Realtors treats employees well

Shorewest Realtors began selling homes in the Milwaukee area in 1946, and remains family owned. Today Shorewest has 23 offices throughout Southeastern Wisconsin serving Dodge, Jefferson, Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Rock, Sheboygan, Walworth, Washington and Waukesha counties. Shorewest has 400 salaried employees and over 1,250 commissioned sales associates who closed more than $3.1 billion in sales in 2005.

The judge who recommended Shorewest is Edgewood College professor John E. Fields, chair of the Philosophy Dept. He said there were several reasons, such as company support for over 100 nonprofit organizations, and widespread recognition of its customer relations success, including a Best of Wisconsin Business Award in residential real estate from Corporate Report readers in 2006.

"But I think that what really sold the company to me," Fields said, "was their recognition in the area of employee relations - particularly their family-friendly work policies." Shorewest was a finalist in the 2006 "Great Places to Work" awards from the Milwaukee Business Journal, and was named a family-friendly workplace by MetroParent magazine.

Fields also noted Shorewest's commitment to diversity and attempts to maintain a multilingual workforce.

Shorewest is planning to open its first bilingual sales office in Milwaukee's Hispanic Chamber of Commerce building.