Madison, WI

MADISON, WI—For the second time in a little more than a year, the social security numbers of Wisconsin residents have been exposed in a government mailing. The state Department of Health and Family Services sent 260,000 brochures to Medicaid, SeniorCare and BadgerCare recipients, with mailing labels including their social security numbers. According to the Associated Press, the vendor that performed the job, Electronic Data Systems (EDS) of Plano, TX, has set up a hotline and is offering the recipients a year’s worth of credit monitoring. “People are getting unnecessarily alarmed here,” Bill Ritz, a spokesman for Electronic Data Systems, told the AP. “There

MADISON, WI—When a printing company closes its doors without giving proper notice, the result is usually a final financial kick in the pants courtesy of the law. Sunny Industries of Mazomanie, WI, abruptly closed last December, leaving about 400 employees without jobs only weeks before Christmas. It also shuttered without providing the 60 days notice that is required by law. Last Tuesday, the Wisconsin Department of Justice struck a blow for the employees, awarding them $800,000 in back wages, health benefits and notice wages, the Associated Press reported. The company’s assets have since been acquired by Synergy Web Graphics, which reopened the plant and rehired

MADISON, WI—A family owned printing business teeters on the brink of extinction unless ownership can secure financial aid and a buyer for the troubled company. Andy Steil, president of Litho Productions, told the Wisconsin State Journal that he will keep the shop open as long as possible, but an overall decline in the market could force its closure by the end of April, costing 54 employees their jobs. "We intend to keep operating as long as possible and serving our clients at the level that we always have," Steil told the newspaper. "We're still in the process of seeking financial aid and a buyer for the

Minuteman Press Recognized by A.B.Dick CHICAGO—Minuteman Press International has been recognized as A.B.Dick's Customer of the Year for 2002. Minuteman Press has more than 750 franchises operating in the U.S. and almost 900 worldwide. Sue Nisson has assumed the responsibilities of national sales manager for Webcrafters Inc., Madison, WI. Nisson joined Webcrafters in 2002 as executive director of business development after 20 years in the educational publishing industry. Richard Sevigny, president and owner of Chromatic Lithographers, has been named the 2003 Ben Franklin Executive of the Year by the Printing Industries Association of Southern California. The award recognizes individuals who have made a significant contribution to both

WAUNAKEE, WI—Suttle Press has entered into an agreement to acquire Straus Printing, of Madison, WI. The combined sales will make the company, to be called Suttle-Straus, one of southern Wisconsin's largest printers at more than $23 million. Plans call for expanding Suttle's Waunakee location by about 30,000 to 100,000 square feet, enabling the companies to be consolidated into one location. "The combination of these two firms will provide a unique opportunity for providing a wide range of products and services to a broad client base," notes Suttle Press President and past Printing Impressions Printing Industry Hall of Fame inductee John Berthelsen. "We are very excited about