09/01/2009 In Racine for Modine Manufacturing Energy Efficiency Symposium
9/4/2009
Tuesday, September 1, 2009 Lt. Governor Lawton keynotes Modine Manufacturing Energy Efficiency Symposium
Lt. Governor Lawton keynoted the inaugural Modine Manufacturing Energy Efficiency Symposium Tuesday in Racine. Modine Manufacturing, a $1.4 billion company headquartered in Racine, employs 425 workers locally and 7,000 workers across the globe. The company specializes in the production of energy efficient heating and cooling systems for use in vehicles, off-highway and industrial equipment and refrigeration systems.
Left) Lt. Governor Lawton speaks at the Modine Manufacturing Energy Efficiency Symposium
Lt. Governor Lawton commended Modine Manufacturing for its work to create sustainable, energy efficient products that lower energy bills and decrease reliance on fossil fuels. This symposium coincided with Modine’s unveiling of a new line of commercial HVAC products, called Effinity(93), which are the most energy efficient gas-fired heaters in North America.
All Effinity(93) products operate at 93% efficiency, an innovation which Lt. Governor Lawton said will save commercial and agricultural companies thousands of dollars over just a few years.
Lt. Governor Lawton also applauded Modine for its sustainable business practices – 
over the past decade, the company has reduced its release of toxic chemicals into the environment by 89%, exceeding the national average of 40%.
Left) Modine Manufacturing CEO Tom Burke, Lt. Governor Lawton, and Tom Marry.
Prior to the symposium, Lt. Governor Lawton toured Modine’s research and development facilities with CEO Tom Burke.
Lt. Governor Lawton welcomes women softball players to Wisconsin for Showdown in Madtown
Lt. Governor Lawton welcomed 750 women softball players from across the country to Wisconsin at the opening ceremony of the 2009 “Showdown in Madtown” ASANA Softball World Series. ASANA (Amateur Sports Alliance of North America) is a non-profit LGBT sports organization that promotes 
amateur athletics for the gay and lesbian community with a current focus on developing women’s softball.
Left) Lt. Governor Lawton and the ASANA Board of Directors.
Madison won a hard-fought bid to host the 2009 ASANA Softball World Series due to the leadership of event co-chairs Ben Monty and Dawn Sieber. ASANA events included a golf outing at the Monona Golf Course, a Round Robin competition, a trip to the Mad Rollin’ Dolls roller derby and sight-seeing visits to Madison’s landmarks.
In her remarks, Lt. Governor Lawton highlighted recent progress in advancing LGBT civil rights in Wisconsin. With the signing of the ’09-11 state budget, Wisconsin became the first state in the country with an existing amendment banning gay marriage and civil unions to extend domestic partnership rights to committed same-sex couples.
September 2, 2009 Lt. Governor Lawton helps unveil Palace Theatre Mural in Superior
Lt. Governor Lawton discussed the importance of public art to revitalizing downtowns Wednesday night at the Douglas County Historical Society’s dedication of the Palace Theatre Mural in Superior.
Left) Lt. Governor Lawton and artist Brian Olson cut the ribbon to unveil the Palace Theatre Mural at the Douglas County Historical Society.
The mural, a 30-by-36 foot piece of vibrant artwork painted on the back of the Historical Society building, was created by Duluth artist Brian Olson. It is the city’s first outdoor mural, and it depicts an exterior and interior view of Superior’s old Palace Theater, an historic movie house and vaudeville that opened in 1917 and was demolished in 2006.
Lt. Governor Lawton described public artwork’s vital role in shaping a community’s sense of shared history, invigorating downtown development, and creating a vibrant cultural heartbeat. She noted that 
this mural will ensure that the rich history of the Palace Theatre lives on in the Superior community and will catalyze ongoing community efforts to establish a downtown arts district.
Left) Lt. Governor Lawton, mural artist Brian Olson, and representatives from the Douglas County Historical Society show off a plaque commemorating the Palace Theatre Mural.
September 3, 2009 Lawton keynotes Bio-Fuel and Energy Independence Symposium
Lt. Governor Lawton underscored the central role of the clean energy industry in rebooting Wisconsin’s economy in her keynote address at the 2009 Bio-Fuel and Energy Independence Symposium Thursday at the University of Wisconsin-Superior.
The symposium, co-sponsored by Americans in Science in Technology and UW-Superior, convened researchers, engineers, academics and industry professionals to share the latest developments in bio-fuel technology and discuss the importance of bio-fuels in Wisconsin.
Lt. Governor Lawton described her vision for how state government can create a framework within which clean energy businesses can thrive. She noted that Wisconsin boasts a strong combination of assets that will allow it to take advantage of renewable energy development – a highly-skilled workforce, a strong network of universities and technical colleges, and abundant natural resources that can be harvested for use 
as cellulosic ethanol.
According to a recent study by Clean Wisconsin, about six percent of Wisconsin’s annual electricity usage derives from renewable energy. Most of Wisconsin’s renewable energy comes from hydroelectric sources, but wind and biomass are quickly growing in prevalence.
Left) Lt. Governor Lawton addresses clean energy researchers and industry professionals at the Bio-Fuel and Energy Independence Symposium at the University of Wisconsin-Superior.
Lawton noted that the development and deployment of clean and energy efficient technologies represents an opportunity to put Wisconsin workers back to work immediately while laying the foundation for sustained growth. This week marked the beginning of the second semester of the UW-Madison School of Business’s “Green Entrepreneurship Seminar,” a program designed and sponsored by Lt. Governor Lawton to connect future innovators to the expertise of successful clean energy entrepreneurs.
