The Post-Crescent from Appleton, Wisconsin • 10

FOX VALLEY II YOUR CONTACT Larry Avila, business editor 920-993-1000, ext. 292 email: lavilapostcrescent.com www.postcrescent.com The Post-Crescent Thursday, May 24, 2012 BUSINESS BRIEFS Rate of late car payments slows cluding credit cards and home loans. "Consumers have done a very good job of adjusting to their ever-changing circumstances and managing their debt load," said Peter Turek of TransUnion. "The data show consumers are, in fact, paying their auto loans more on time than other loan products." A lower rate of unpaid auto loans is good news for car shoppers, because it makes banks more willing to make auto loans, Turek added. Low interest rates have helped more car buyers qualify for financing.

While more borrowers made payments on time in the first quarter, they also had more debt in the form auto loans. The average amount of auto loan debt owed by borrowers climbed 5 percent from a year earlier to $13,272, said TransUnion, which culled data from a random sampling of about 27 million credit reports. Many consumers moved to pay down debt and save money when the U.S. economy soured after 2007. Consumer confidence in the economy has shown some signs of improvement in recent months, and that's made borrowers feel more comfortable taking on debt.

Sales of autos rose last month. And retail spending has been rising. The unemployment rate, while still high, has fallen a percentage point since August to 8.1 percent last month the lowest level since January 2009. Lenders are not only making more auto loans, but lending more to borrowers with less-than-sterling credit, the company said. Part of that is a reaction to a severe pullback in lending during the economic downturn.

One of the largest auto lenders, AmeriCredit, throttled back new car loans by 90 percent during the recession, Turek noted. down 27 percent from the same period last year, credit reporting agency TransUnion said. That's also down about 22 percent from the last three months of 2011. The latest rate is the lowest since TransUnion began tracking auto loan data in 1999. The highest rate recorded by the company was 2.39 percent in the first quarter of 2000.

The auto loan delinquency rate has fallen on an annual basis for 10 consecutive quarters. One key reason: After the last recession, many borrowers made keeping up with their car payments a priority over other types of financial obligations, in Consumers getting better grip on debt By Alex Veiga Associated Press The rate of late payments for auto loans fell nationally in the first three months of the year to the lowest level in more than a decade, even as lenders financed more vehicle purchases for high-risk borrowers. For the January to March quarter, the rate of U.S. auto loan payments at least 60 days overdue declined to 0.36 percent, or Free business counseling offered CHILTON The UW-Green Bay Small Business Development Center will offer free one-on-one business counseling sessions from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

June 19 for new and existing Calumet County businesses and entrepreneurs. Counseling sessions are between one and two hours, and free follow-up assistance is available. Sessions are held monthly at the Calumet County Courthouse, 206 Court Chilton. Appointments are required and can be made by contacting Dena Moo-ney at 920-849-1442 or by email at mooney.de-naco.calumet.wi.us. Entrepreneurs conference June 5-6 MILWAUKEE Wisconsin Entrepreneurs Conference will be held June 5-6 at Milwaukee's Pfister Hotel.

Keynote speaker on June 6 is Dave Berkus, a nationally known investor and entrepreneur. Other speakers are Julie Wainwright, founder of Pets.com and and Bob Dorf, co-author of "The Startup Owners' Manual" and a serial entrepreneur who has helped define lean startup principles. The Entrepreneurs' Conference is presented by the Tech Council, and the independent, nonprofit science and technology advisers to the governor and state lawmakers. Registration available online at sconsm sraoe rowers optimistic on ripe season Frost, beetles still threaten production in northeast By Richard Ryman I Gannett Wisconsin Media STATE, LOCAL STOCKS Cherry growers in northeastern Wisconsin took a beating from too-warm and then too-cold temperatures this spring, but grape growers so far have escaped. "We look like we're going to do OK," said Maria Milano of Parallel 44 Vineyard Winery in Stangelville.

Unseasonably warm temperatures in February, March and April, combined with seasonably cold nights, had some vineyard owners worried that grapes would bud too soon, then freeze. It normally takes two years to recover from a killing frost, they say. Steve DeBaker of Trout Spring Winery nearWayside was among those concerned because he was seeing the beginning of buds in March and April. "It looks like we got through. The leaves really started popping the last few days," he said.

Growers are not out of the woods completely, though. "If we get a hard freeze at this point, we're done," he said. "We've had a freeze as late as June in the past." On the optimistic side, if it doesn't freeze, it could be a bumper year, he said. "They are just starting to Simon Creek Vineyard Winery in Jacksonport. "It will be a while before we can get a good feel for it It has been warmer, and there is plenty of moisture in the ground." Simon Creek has 30 acres of vineyards and harvested 1.5 tons last year.

A small amount because Lawrie said they are still maturing their vines. Milano said location makes a difference. Being too close to Lake Michigan, or too far from it, seems to matter. She said Parallel 44 was close enough to keep plants from warming too early. See WINE, Page A9 Daily Kohls 48 93 27 Chg, Kf" 5 30 25 Ust MGE 44 97 -44 MgcSft 5 60 -02 Manitowoc 10 98 24 "I Mdnrwr(jp36 44 50 Mttcuh 13 23 48 1 Marten! 20 45 24 19 MrtLife 30 11 i4 Microsoft 29 11 -65 2 Moriir.

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Problem is, my co-supervisor arbitrarily changes decisions I've made. We are equally qualified and experienced, and I resent the implication that I don't know how to do my job. When I tell staff to revert back to my original decision, they tell me to "make up our mind." I told my co-supervisor to knock it off but nothing's changed except that the tension between us is thick, ranging between open warfare or ganization. Keep problems between you: It is not appropriate to argue in front of staff or clients. Obvious tension isn't any better both create discomfort, diminish confidence, and cause both staff and clients to "head for the hills," sometimes even permanently.

Jointly means mutually, equally, and in cooperation with one another it's time for both of you to start behaving that way. Visit our website at www.altemativeTesolutions or call Cheryl Stinski at 920-8504527 or Karen Dom at 920-993-1490 with questions you'd like answered in this column. ness. Avoid finger-pointing and blaming. Jointly develop guidelines: The term co-supervisor implies that you, make decisions together, not separately.

If guidelines for how you are expected to make decisions already exist, re-evaluate them together, if not, create them. Make sure that your decision-making policies and procedures are clear and that they mean the same thing to both of you. When decisions are made, jointly share them with staff if possible; it will help them see you as a team. Continuity and clarity will help restore staff and client confidence in both of you and in your or conflict can have grave impacts on your organization and on you. This conflict needs addressing immediately.

If possible, get help from your human resources department or an outside mediator to: Talk privately: You and your co-supervisor need to meet so you can each share your concerns and work together to resolve issues between you. Be prepared to listen with an open mind for the purpose of understanding your co-supervisor's perspective. Respectfully share your feelings and your frustrations, being careful not to use terms like "knock it off," which implies your lightness and the other person's wrong- dead silence. Staff members have gotten involved and now I've heard that clients are making comments about us. What can we do? A clear sign that the problem between you was escalating to a danger point was when staff began to express confusion and frustration with the inconsistencies in your decisions.

When clients start noticing, you've reached a critical stage where your IN A i I NEED A NEW 'FT cubicle, i.