Successful business advocates look out not only for the interests of their own businesses, but for the overall economic health of the Chippewa Valley. Voters say Mike Conner, executive director of continuing education nonprofit PESI, deserves a hat trick: They’ve given him Best Local Business Advocate honors for the third consecutive year. Also reaching the list again is Brandon Riechers, president and CEO of Royal Credit Union. He is respected in the Valley and beyond, having been chosen to lead the Wisconsin Credit Union League board last year. And the winners’ circle is rounded out by Dan Market, chairman of Market & Johnson, who has been literally working to build the Chippewa Valley for more than 50 years. –Tom Giffey