Rick Barrett
Business Reporter at Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Business reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and USA Today Network covering new technologies, startups and entrepreneurs. Email me at [email protected]
Articles
-
1 week ago |
jsonline.com | Rick Barrett
Wisconsin dairy farmer Ron Brooks has developed an automated dog grooming machine inspired by similar devices for cows. The machine, called "4 Fur," features a rotating brush, vacuum, treat dispenser, and camera for remote monitoring. Brooks plans to market the self-groomer in 2026 and envisions future pet products with data-tracking capabilities. He aims to collect and sell aggregated pet behavior data to companies like pet food manufacturers and veterinarians.
-
2 weeks ago |
thenorthwestern.com | Rick Barrett
Phoenix-Aid, an Oshkosh firm, won the 2025 Wisconsin Governor’s Business Plan Contest for its nano-composite wound dressing. The company's dressing is designed to accelerate healing and reduce costs compared to standard wound care. Other category winners included companies focused on sustainable sweeteners, adaptive clothing, and automated customer support. Phoenix-Aid, an Oshkosh business, has been named the grand prize winner of the 2025 Wisconsin Governor’s Business Plan Contest.
-
2 weeks ago |
jsonline.com | Rick Barrett
Over 40% of manufacturers are adopting AI and automation to address labor shortages and skills gaps. Cybersecurity skills are increasingly important, with 47% of respondents rating them as "extremely important". 95% of manufacturers plan to invest in AI and machine learning within the next five years. More than 40% of manufacturers are turning to artificial intelligence and automation to help close skills gaps and address labor shortages, according to a new report from Rockwell Automation.
-
3 weeks ago |
jsonline.com | Rick Barrett
LiveWire Group's stock price surged 345% in five days despite poor first-quarter earnings. This surge is suspected to be a "short squeeze," where increased buying pressure from short sellers covering their positions inflates the stock price. While LiveWire showed some positive developments, it remains a high-risk stock due to declining sales and ongoing losses.
-
3 weeks ago |
jsonline.com | Rick Barrett
Wisconsin's Paris Solar-Battery Park, the state's first large-scale energy storage project, is now operational. The park's 12,000 lithium-ion batteries can power over 130,000 homes for up to four hours. We Energies, the majority owner, plans to discharge the batteries multiple times per week. The accompanying Paris Solar Park, with nearly 50,000 solar panels, provides the energy stored in the batteries.
Journalists covering the same region
Pete Serzant
News Reporter at WLIP-AM
Pete Serzant primarily covers news in the southeastern Wisconsin region, including areas around Lake Michigan and notable locations like Kenosha and Racine.
Eric Johnson
Eric Johnson primarily covers news in the Lake County region, Illinois, United States, including areas around Antioch and Waukegan.
Pari Apostolakos
Multimedia Journalist at WGBA-TV (Green Bay, WI)
Pari Apostolakos primarily covers news in the Fox Valley region of Wisconsin, United States, including areas around Appleton and Oshkosh.
Slone Salerno
Producer at WFLD-TV (Chicago, IL)
Slone Salerno primarily covers news in the southwestern region of Wisconsin, United States, including areas near the borders with Iowa and Minnesota.
Daphne Lemke
Business Reporter at Fond du Lac Reporter
Daphne Lemke primarily covers news in the Fox Valley region of Wisconsin, United States, including areas around Appleton and Oshkosh.
Try JournoFinder For Free
Search and contact over 1M+ journalist profiles, browse 100M+ articles, and unlock powerful PR tools.
Start Your 7-Day Free Trial →Coverage map
X (formerly Twitter)
- Followers
- 1K
- Tweets
- 3K
- DMs Open
- No
With tariffs and taxes, Wisconsin manufacturers are at a critical crossroads https://t.co/RL9tnqZHsm via @journalsentinel #trumptariffs #wisconsinmanufacturing #wisconsintariffs #reshoring #steeltariffs #WMCWisconsin #MMACMilwaukee
With tariffs and taxes, Wisconsin manufacturers are at a critical crossroads https://t.co/RL9tnqZHsm via @journalsentinel #wisconsinmanufacturersandcommerce #wisconsinmanufacturing #trumpmanufacturing #trumptariffs #mmacmilwaukee #steeltariffs
Phoenix-Aid wins Governor's Business Plan Contest. It makes a wound-dressing product. https://t.co/nDD9rEzFNa via @journalsentinel #governorsbusinessplancontest #wisconsintechnologycouncil