Milwaukee’s Future 50 Program, established in 1980, recognizes privately-owned companies in the seven county region that have been in business for at least three years and have shown significant revenue and employment growth. The companies are honored at the annual Future 50 Luncheon, are highlighted in the MMAC’s Membership Directory and are often featured in news articles published by BizTimes Milwaukee.

Robert Gross, President/CEO of Gross Automation, recently sat down with BizTimes.com to discuss the success and direction of the company:

What has fueled your company’s growth?

We have listened to our customers and stay true to our vision statement: “Advancing the Art in Delivering Automation.”  In holding to our vision, we have added additional resources to our technical capabilities, beyond what would normally be considered a part of the distribution channel. We have also added our newest group, Visilinc, which is a proprietary video visitation and arraignment system for the corrections industry.

What is the biggest obstacle to your company’s growth?

Funding the growth. We have the recipe for success but we lack the cash to build needed infrastructure, hire the people, produce the marketing campaigns and launch the next phase of the business. This isn’t about a lack of banking capabilities, but more about customers paying their bills in a reasonable amount of time and suppliers understanding the pressures that their channel is under.

Do you plan any changes in your company in the upcoming months?

Our ship is generally heading in the right direction and at a good speed for steady organic growth.

What is the outlook for the business conditions of your industry over the next several months?

Wow, wish we had that crystal ball! A lot depends on the direction of our government, both locally and nationally. The more they take, the less we can invest. Here in Wisconsin, it looks like we will experience one election or recall after another after another until one side or the other gives up. That is terrible for business and makes any prediction of the future so much harder.

Learn more at BizTimes.com.

Paul Gallagher, CFO for Gross Automation in Brookfield, WI, is among the winners of the award.

The annual awards program honors the important work chief financial officers do in making southeast Wisconsin firms successful.

The winners will be honored in a special section in the Oct. 7 issue of The Business Journal and at an awards event the same day at the Pfister Hotel.

•Jay Schauer, Allen Edmonds Shoe Corp.
•James Oppermann, Alverno College
•Craig Mackus, Bucyrus International Inc.
•Chuck Stadler, Goodwill Industries of SE WI Inc.
•Paul Gallagher, Gross Automation
•Andy Ciesielski, InPro Corp.
•Douglas Neis, Marcus Corp.
•William Gasper, Molded Dimensions Inc.
•Melissa Case, R.A. Smith National Inc.
•Randy Matter, SEEK Careers/Staffing Inc.
•Karl Theile, Time Warner Cable-Wisconsin
•Cary Tessmann, Waukesha County Technical College

Read the article.