51ÁÔĆć

For Christine Adee (BBA ’91, MBA ’10), business has always been about long-term strategy, people and impact. As CEO of OwnersEdge, Inc., she leads a thriving 100 percent employee-owned holding company that acquires and grows businesses while ensuring financial security for employee-owners. Adee’s career journey – rooted in finance, leadership and strategic growth – has made her a nationally recognized leader in the employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) community.

Adee, a Wisconsin native, moved frequently as a child before settling in Waukesha in third grade. She developed a competitive spirit early on, swimming from age eight through high school at Waukesha South. Her love of the outdoors – camping, hiking and kayaking – has stayed with her, as has her family’s deep-rooted passion for the Green Bay Packers, holding season tickets since the legendary Ice Bowl.

Her path to business leadership started at the Lubar College of Business, where she transferred after two years at UW-Madison.

“51ÁÔĆć’s connection to the local business community was a huge factor in my decision,” Adee says. “I knew it would give me the real-world experience I needed to succeed.”

After building a strong foundation in accounting and finance, she returned years later to pursue her MBA – a decision that helped propel her career to new heights.

“My MBA at Lubar opened doors, expanded my strategic thinking and built my confidence,” Adee says.

She credits the school with not just providing academic excellence but also fostering invaluable connections. One pivotal experience was her participation in the ACG Cup Competition, an elite mergers and acquisitions case study challenge. “That experience introduced me to a professional network that has been instrumental throughout my career.”

After gaining experience in public accounting and corporate finance, Adee joined CC&N in 2013 as director of finance. When OwnersEdge was founded in 2015, CC&N became its first operating company, and Adee became chief financial officer, helping shape the financial and strategic direction of the holding company. Her leadership was instrumental in growing the business through acquisitions and expanding the impact of employee ownership. In 2021, she was named president, and today, as CEO, she leads OwnersEdge’s continued growth while staying true to its core mission of employee empowerment.

OwnersEdge operates a buy-and-hold model, meaning it acquires businesses with strong cultures and long-term potential rather than focusing on short-term financial gain. The company’s diversified portfolio spans industries like technology, automation, media and manufacturing, ensuring long-term stability for its 350+ employee-owners.

“Our ESOP is 100 percent gifted – employees don’t have to buy in,” Adee explains. “They share in the value they help create, building meaningful retirement wealth.”

With the ESOP model gaining momentum nationwide, Adee is passionate about educating business leaders on the benefits of employee ownership.

“Successful ESOPs are proving they can scale through strategic acquisitions while maintaining a strong culture,” she says. Under her leadership, OwnersEdge plans to expand its portfolio with at least five new acquisitions over the next decade, continuing its mission of sustainable, employee-driven growth.

Beyond financial success, culture is a key measure of success for Adee. “It’s about creating a company where employees feel invested in the future – because they truly are,” she says.

For herself, success means continuing to learn, give back and mentor others. A frequent speaker on M&A and ESOP strategy, she remains deeply involved in the business community, helping other leaders navigate the complexities of sustainable business growth.

Adee’s journey has been shaped by key leadership lessons:

1. Think long-term. Strategy isn’t just about quick wins – it’s about building something that lasts.
2. Communicate effectively. You can crunch numbers all day, but if you’re not communicating your vision, you’re not leading.
3. Never lose sight of the details. As you grow in leadership, understanding processes and people remains essential.

For students entering the workforce, her advice is clear:

• Build relationships. Your technical skills matter, but your connections will shape your career.
• Be adaptable. Business is always evolving—those who embrace change thrive.
• Stay persistent. Challenges will come, but resilience defines success.

With a career built on strategy, leadership and a passion for employee ownership, Christine Adee is proving that business success and employee empowerment go hand in hand – and that sustainable growth is not just possible, but the future of business itself.

Nine teams of Lubar student entrepreneurs competed in the 2025 La Macchia New Venture Business Plan Competition, gaining invaluable mentorship and feedback from successful entrepreneurs and business consultants.

Lubar College of Business student entrepreneurs presented their plans and responded to questions from a panel of expert judges. Long-time supporters Bill and the late Sharon La Macchia have supported the competition since 2008. Bill La Macchia is the founder of Mark Travel Corporation and Trisept Solutions, global leaders in travel services and travel technology (now with Apple Leisure Group). This year’s top honors went to:

First Prize: Strategic Edge AI

The $15,000 first-prize winner is Strategic Edge AI, owned by Ed Foote, a graduate student in the Lubar College’s investment management certificate program.Strategic Edge AI is a financial technology company that develops modular, customizable artificial intelligence tools for equity research and financial analysis for mid-sized and smaller asset management firms. The tools will accelerate the equity research process, analysis and decision making.

Second Prize: Automated Labor & Solutions

In its early stages, Automated Labor & Solutions Smart is the $7,500 second-prize winner. Automated Labor & Solutions Smart will bring to market an off-the-shelf automated solution to unskilled labor costs and productivity, manufacturing automation costs, and conversion time. The venture was started by Devan Dorzok, who is currently working on his bachelor’s degree in business administration and management. 

Third Prize: Red Yeti Racing

Mike Cerny’s (’20 MBA) Red Yeti Racing took the $5,000 third prize. The company’s first product, the Tire DRYR (trademark pending), is an accessory for air compressors. The portable tool removes moisture from the air entering a car’s tires, reducing deterioration and improving performance.

About the Competition

The La Macchia New Venture Business Plan Competition was launched in 2008 to simulate the real-world process of entrepreneurs soliciting start-up funds from early-stage investors and venture capital firms. 51ÁÔĆć students and recent graduates who enter the contest must demonstrate a market opportunity, unique benefits, competitive advantage, clear operational and marketing strategies, and financial viability, and are judged by a panel of entrepreneurs and venture capitalists.

The competition is directed by Steven Michael, Bostrom Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, and supported by several successful entrepreneurs and experts who served as judges, mentors, and workshop presenters.

The following served on the panel of judges for the competition:

• Alan Katz, President, Katz Consulting, and Founder of Katz Bagels
• Dick Marcus, Associate Professor Emeritus, Finance
• George Satula, Vistage (TEC) Chairman, Vistage Worldwide

In the months preceding the competition, the following served as mentors to the venture teams, providing valuable guidance for formulation and presentation of their business plans:

• Jude Anders, Consultant (Retired), Shoreline Concepts, LLC
• Kevin Baumgart, President, Set Sales: Sales and Management Expert
• David Irwin, General Partner, Hiawatha, and President, Chapter Apps
• Paul Jensen, Serial entrepreneur
• Mark Ship, Principal and Business Advisor, Sandler & Ship
• Kyle Stephens, President and Co- Founder at Craft Beverage Warehouse LLC

At the outset of the process, the following individuals presented workshops on developing effective new venture business plans to interested students:

• Melanie Manuel, Business Consultant, 51ÁÔĆć Small Business Development Center
• Melanie Michael, Adjunct Professor in Marketing and Communication at Marquette University

In the competitive landscape of startup ecosystems, success is not just about having a groundbreaking idea—it’s about transforming that idea into a market-dominating solution. The Ignite Startup Accelerator, a manifestation of the partnership between the Lubar College of Business and the Lubar Entrepreneurship Center, is rewriting the playbook for entrepreneurial success in southeastern Wisconsin.

Dean Kaushal Chari, given his passion for entrepreneurship, conceived the idea of a business innovation incubator and hired the founding program director Matthew Friedel to set it up. Under the current director, the program evolved and is now branded as Ignite. The incubator was a Wisconsin Inno Fire Award finalist in 2022. Ignite is currently working with its third cohort of startups.

Redefining Startup Success: Market Traction Over Capital

In the startup world, there’s a dangerous misconception that fundraising is the ultimate measure of success. Ignite fundamentally challenges this narrative. The harsh reality? Capital follows market traction—not the other way around.

“Our theory behind structuring Ignite was that in order to make an investable startup, it’s more important to help them achieve market success,” explains its program director, Sanjay Mohan. “Investors don’t just want a great pitch—they want proof of market validation.”

This isn’t just theory. It’s a proven approach that flips the traditional startup funding model on its head. Instead of chasing investor dollars, Ignite helps startups focus on what truly matters – securing real, paying customers.

Golgix: Empowering Manufacturing Through AI

Take , a Milwaukee-based AI company transforming mid-market manufacturing. For co-founders Nitin Ranjan and Charlie Scott, Ignite was a game-changer. “The timing was everything,” Ranjan explains. “We were working to refine our go-to-market strategy and Ignite provided the tools we needed to act and better our business at speed.”

Scott adds a critical insight, “Many tech companies fall into the trap of being product-led. Ignite helped us re-focus on the customer and go-to-market strategy, and that shift has been a force multiplier.”

Shepherd Traffic: Reimagining Urban Mobility

Joel Roberts, founder of , tells a similar story of transformation. His company uses analytics software to revolutionize traffic systems, making cities more livable and efficient. “Ignite has been incredibly useful,” Roberts says. “They focus specifically on sales and marketing—how to find leads, set up pipelines, and understand the buyer’s journey. I didn’t even know what a CRM was before this program.”

The mentorship goes beyond theoretical advice. “The mentors sit down with you, look at your pipeline, and say, ‘Here’s what you need to fix,'” Roberts emphasizes. “It’s not just theory; it’s applied help that has made a real difference.”

Beyond Business: A Regional Innovation Engine

Ignite’s impact extends far beyond individual companies. By helping startups overcome sales and commercialization hurdles, the accelerator is fundamentally strengthening the region’s economic ecosystem.

“The accelerator gives startups a chance to refine their messaging and gain traction faster,” Sanjay Mohan said. “This not only helps the companies grow but also strengthens our local economy.”

The Bottom Line

The Ignite Startup Accelerator is more than a program—it’s a launchpad for innovative solutions that can reshape industries and improve communities. By focusing relentlessly on market traction and commercialization, Ignite is not just helping local startups succeed; it’s transforming bold ideas into tangible, market-leading realities.

Apply for the Ignite Accelerator.

When Kyle Stephens (BBA ’11) reflects on his path from accounting major at the Lubar College of Business to co-founding , he emphasizes two qualities: adaptability and a relentless work ethic.

“I wasn’t the most active student in extracurriculars,” Stephens admits, noting his full schedule of 18-21 credits per semester while holding down nearly full-time work. His route to accounting wasn’t linear—he began as a pre-law student before discovering a love for numbers in an introductory accounting class.

After earning his degree, Stephens began his career in public accounting, working on audit and tax services for small businesses. Yet, he soon realized compliance work wasn’t his passion. “I wanted to actually jump in and help manage and grow a business,” Stephens says. His search for broader experience led him to mergers and acquisitions, a challenging role that expanded his business acumen and brought him face-to-face with CEOs, CFOs, and other business leaders.

That role was demanding—constant travel and long hours—but it also prepared Stephens for his next chapter. When Good City Brewing, a growing Milwaukee-based brewery and former client, asked for his help in finding a CFO, Stephens saw an opportunity to apply his skills directly. “I told them I’d really like the opportunity myself,” he recalls.

Stephens joined Good City Brewing at a time of rapid growth, helping the company scale from 25 to 125 employees in six months. But when the pandemic hit in 2020, he noticed a major challenge in the industry: small breweries were struggling to find affordable, reliable packaging for their beer.

“With bars and taprooms closed, small breweries needed to can their beer for carryout,” Stephens explains. The spike in demand for cans and bottles stretched supply chains thin, and large manufacturers prioritized massive clients like Anheuser-Busch and Coca-Cola, leaving smaller producers without options.

Seeing an opening, Craft Beverage Warehouse launched in 2020. The company began by distributing wholesale aluminum cans to craft breweries across the country, helping small businesses weather the storm. “I had a connection at the Ball Corporation plant here in Wisconsin, and I got ahead of the problem,” Stephens says. “We started bringing in 25 pallets of cans at a time and shipping them one or two at a time to breweries that needed them.”

From there, Craft Beverage Warehouse evolved. Stephens saw a need to add value beyond distribution. The company invested in direct-to-can digital printing, enabling breweries to print their logos, designs, and labels directly onto cans—a sustainable and professional solution for small-batch producers. “When we started digital printing, I didn’t know a thing about it,” Stephens admits. “It’s a story about adaptability and being willing to learn new skills.”

Today, Craft Beverage Warehouse has grown from a one-man operation to a thriving company with a 21-person team. Revenue has skyrocketed from $1 million annually during its early days to a projected $10 million in 2024, driven by strong demand for their services.

The company’s success has spurred growth beyond Wisconsin. Early next year, Craft Beverage Warehouse will open a second facility in Denver – part of a regional expansion plan to better serve customers across the country.

Through it all, Stephens credits his time at the Lubar College of Business for equipping him with critical financial and analytical skills. “Finance and accounting are the most important things for any businessperson to understand,” he says. “Knowing your numbers gives you the ability to explain your business to banks, investors, and partners. I wouldn’t have been able to get a $3 million loan for our first printer if I couldn’t tell that story with confidence.”

Stephens remains an active supporter of the Lubar College, participating in programs like business pitch competitions and internship opportunities. He also advises aspiring entrepreneurs to pursue their passions wholeheartedly:

1. Do something you’re excited about. “Don’t start a business just because it’s an opportunity. Do it because it gets you out of bed every day.”
2. Go all in. “It’s going to take everything you have, so make sure your family and friends know what that commitment looks like.”
3. Celebrate the wins. “Stop and celebrate the little milestones—your first sale, your first $1 million. It keeps you motivated and brings your team together.”

From his days as an accounting student to leading a multimillion-dollar company, Kyle Stephens exemplifies the entrepreneurial spirit of Lubar College alumni. His story is one of resilience, adaptability, and a commitment to creating solutions for others—qualities that continue to drive his success and inspire the next generation of business leaders.