Bennett Wakenight

Recent Articles

  • The Opening Bell 10/16/18: The Changes In The Future Are Happening Today (The 2018 Future Shock Forum)

    Shifts and shocks to our future are happening every single day. Deb Westphal (CEO of Toffler Associates) is very excited about the way it’s all moving and she explained exactly what she is seeing ahead of us when she chatted with Steve Grzanich a day into the 2018 Future Shock Forum. The focus then took a turn to the growing industry of home DNA tests that consumers, but Cheri Preston (ABC News Correspondent) explained the nefarious things that could come […]

  • Home DNA Test Results Could Be Used in Scams

    Data can be one of the most fluid things on the planet, finding its way into unknown hands very easily. Cheri Preston (ABC News Correspondent) shared with Steve Grzanich (Host of The Opening Bell) exactly how that’s happening with home DNA tests results that are being used in various kinds of scams.  

  • Associated Bank Market Outlook: 10/16/18

    On October 16th, 2018 Steve Grzanich shares today’s potential market drivers: Data on Industrial Production and the Economic Red Book are out today The JOLTS Report and Housing Market Report are about out United Airlines, IBM, eBay, Dominos Pizza, UnitedHealth, Johnson & Johnson, Progressive all report earnings today

  • Wintrust Business Lunch 10/15/18: Sears Files for Bankruptcy, Harnessing Business Intelligence, & “Boss’s Day”

    Sears made the expected move to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and Steve Bertrand talked about it’s legacy and other business stories with Jim Dallke and Katherine Davis from Chicago Inno. Mike Capone explained how he is learning from those businesses that fall behind and help them keep up with business intelligence, while Marilyn Bird justified why you could be brown nosing with Boss’s Day coming up this week and how Chicago ranks with boss satisfaction in a recent Robert Half […]

  • CEOs Are Leaving Their Jobs At Faster Than Ever

    A new survey from Challenger Gray & Christmas Inc. showed that a total of 148 CEO’s left their posts in September and it’s been one of the largest shifts in nearly 10 years. Andrew Challenger (VP at Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc.) joined Steve Grzanich to sort through the survey details as a number of CEO’s are in the national headlines today.  

  • Associated Bank Market Outlook: 10/15/18

    On October 15th, 2018 Steve Grzanich shares today’s potential market drivers: The Commerce Department reports on the retail sales data for September and Business inventories for August The Empire State Manufacturing Survey is out today as well Bank of America, Charles Schwab, release their earnings this morning

  • The Opening Bell 10/15/18: How Credit Unions Still Compete with Banks in 2018

    Leading up to International Credit Union Day on Thursday October 18th, Steven Bugg (President & CEO of Great Lakes Credit Union) shared with Steve Grzanich why Credit Unions can compete with banks, the myths associated with them, and what sets them apart as he kicks off the week with the CEO Spotlight. Andrew Challenger (VP at Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc.) then shared the latest monthly survey on CEO changes hitting an all time high all around the country.  

  • Wintrust Business Lunch 10/12/18: Illinois MBA apps are dropping, Dealing with Workaholic Bosses, & Learning From Our 1900’s Past

    Ilyce Glink closed out the busy business week with Andrea Hanis to look at the surprising dip in MBA applications along with the new piece of home hardware from non-other than  Facebook. Tom Gimbel shared some perspective on how to deal with a boss that is a workaholic, Steve LeVine is looking at the future by analyzing the past in his latest future series on social/political/economic struggles, and Front Row Phyllis is focusing on all the entertainment going on in […]

  • The Opening Bell 10/12/18: The Market Correction We’ve All Been Waiting For…

    One of the worst performing days of the market the year happened this week and Paul Nolte (SVP & Sr. Portfolio Manager at Kingsview Asset Management) explained exactly what that means for long term plans. Steve Grzanich and Paul also touched on how this could be a buying opportunity for some while he also thinks the Federal Reserve interest rate hikes should take some time to incorporate themselves into the economy (pnolte@kingsviewam.com). Greg McBride (Chief Financial Analyst at Bankrate.com) then shifted […]

  • Chicago Has The 3rd Lowest Average ATM Fees By US Metro Area

    A new Bankrate study on ATM fees showed some good news and bad news so Greg McBride (Chief Financial Analyst at Bankrate.com) explained to Steve Grzanich the two sides. ATM Fees by US Metro areas have been on a steady rise for the last fourteen years with Detroit, Atlanta, and Houston having to pay up the most (roughly $5.00), but thankfully Chicago boats the third lowest average fees  behind Milwaukee and Miami.   http://serve.castfire.com/audio/3555838/3555838_2018-10-12-071238.64kmono.mp3