Bennett Wakenight

Recent Articles

  • Why Does It Feel Like Our Tax Refunds Are Getting Smaller?

    Despite people’s tax responsibility dropping this year because of the tax cut, many people are saying that their tax refunds aren’t reflecting that change. Steve Bertrand and Sarah Skidmore Sell (Personal Finance Reporter at The Associated Press) touched on the confusing subject of taxes, the legislative changes, and broke down why this is the situation for many Americans.  

  • Wintrust Business Lunch 2/22/19: FB Data Concerns…Again, Bettering Our Job Situations, & Smaller Tax Returns

    Health tracking apps have a large following, as Andrea Hanis explained to Steve Bertrand focusing on one in particular that tracks women’s health, but like a number of stories before, Facebook ends up with the data and that’s problematic for a lot of users. Tom Gimbel is helping us better ourselves while getting better at our careers, Troy Wolverton explained how we’re in the age of the tech rock star, and Sarah Skidmore Sell is sharing the explanation of why […]

  • Southwest Coming Back From Its “Operational Emergency”

    Last week wasn’t the best week for the airline industry but Brian Sumers (Sr. Aviation Business Reporter at Skift.com) explained to Steve Grzanich how the long standing negotiations with the Southwest airline mechanics hit a rough spot causing a halt on many of the flights due to an “operational emergency” and plenty of delays. The two also covered a number of other aviation stories that topped the headlines this week.    

  • Associated Bank Market Outlook: 2/22/19

    On February 22nd, 2019 Steve Grzanich shares today’s potential market drivers: A slow day for economic reports after a busy week however a number of Federal Reserve experts are out speaking on monetary policy Many in the market will be focusing on Kraft Heinz as they adjust their dividend.

  • The Opening Bell 2/22/19: Economic Reports Sobering Up US Markets

    The markets were moving and grooving this last week and Steve Grzanich caught up with Paul Nolte (SVP & Sr. Portfolio Manager at Kingsview Asset Management) to learn about the biggest market drivers and droppers including the burst of economic data and developing news on personal finance. Brian Sumers (Sr. Aviation Reporter at Skift.com) then explained the situation behind the operational emergency Southwest airlines found them selves in this last week.  

  • Photography by: ©Michael B. Lloyd

    Bill Geiger on Getting Stuck In A “Retirement Crises”

    The market has been moving smoothly for the last week or so and Steve Bertrand has gotten pretty comfortable, but Bill Geiger (Geiger Wealth Management) reminded Steve that its not always like that. Steve and Bill discussed the role that many Americans find themselves in these days when they think they are secure in their retirement and then something happens and they find themselves in a retirement crisis.  

  • Wintrust Business Lunch 2/21/19: Google’s Microphone Problem, Cattle In The Future, & Credit Card Negligence

    Plenty of technology stories coming out of Silicon Valley today including the new Samsung phone that might want to make iPhone users make the switch and Google’s justification for putting a microphone inside a Nest security device, all recapped by Rochelle Garner from over at CNET. Steve Bertrand than looked at a “retirement crisis” situation with Bill Geiger, lab grown meat has some impacts on the environment as Matt Simon explained, and Jill Gonzalez is spilling the beans about how […]

  • Thought Leader Rod Murray: Public Banks in Chicago, Legal Marijuana Banking, & more

    The banking world might seem like a slow moving industry, but the innovation coming out of it is more focused on the calculated moves. Steve Grzanich sat down with the Associated Bank Thought Leader, Rod Murray (Chicago Market President at Associated Bank) to discuss the trends and innovation coming out of 2019, but also touched on the idea of a public bank and how the legal marijuana industry will integrate themselves into the banking system on this week’s Associated Bank […]

  • Associated Bank Market Outlook: 2/21/19

    On February 21st, 2019 Steve Grzanich shares today’s potential market drivers: The order on Durable Goods from December and a look at first time jobless claims are both out today January Existing Home Sales will be released today along with the EIA Petroleum/Natural Gas Report Dominos Pizza, Hormel Foods, Wendys, Caesars Entertainment, HP, Roku, and many more report earnings today

  • The Opening Bell 2/21/19: Artificial Intelligence is Allowing Synthetic Media to Flourish

    There are a number of advancements that the banking industry is always looking into and when they evolve to offer customers new services, they are usually big changes. Steve Grzanich and Rod Murray (Chicago Market President at Associated Bank) chatted about some of those monumental changes that could be happening this year in the weekly Associated Bank Thought Leader Conversation. touching on public banks, the marijuana industry financial integration, and more. Kaveh Waddell (Artificial Intelligence Reporter for the “Axios Future” […]

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