Recent News

WEDC awards $150,000 grant to support new food and beverage talent outreach program

Wednesday, May 29, 2019

FaB Wisconsin to implement statewide talent attraction and development initiative Milwaukee, WI. – The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) has awarded a $150,000 grant to Food and Beverage (FaB) Wisconsin to support the organization’s Talent Outreach Program (TOP) Initiative, a new project designed to promote talent outreach and development in the food and beverage manufacturing industry. Read full article.

Stout summer STEAM Experience camp also open for middle school students

Monday, May 13, 2019

A University of Wisconsin-Stout Summer STEAM Experience camp will welcome younger students this year for day camps. Sixth- and seventh-graders can take part in the summer youth camp in the following tracks: Industrial Design; Infinite World of Plastics; Sculpture Design; Wood is Good. Camp is Sunday, June 16, through Thursday, June 20, and has 13 tracks overall focusing on science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics. Younger students are welcome as day campers in the designated tracks. Students in eighth to 12th grade may choose to take part in the day camp or stay overnight on campus. Read full article.

Downtown, Chamber looking to sell building

Friday, May 10, 2019

The building that’s home to the Menomonie Area Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Menomonie, Inc. is on the market. CMS, LLC, or Chamber Main Street, owns the 324 E. Main St. building but is looking to sell, said Downtown Menomonie executive director Dustyn Dubuque. However, Downtown Menomonie and the Chamber of Commerce may not be moving, Dubuque said. Read full article.

Wisconsin’s GDP growth last year was best since 2010

Thursday, May 02, 2019

State had second strongest growth in Midwest Wisconsin’s real gross domestic product grew 2.5% in 2018, the second largest increase in the Midwest and the state’s strongest year of economic growth since 2010. The 2018 growth rate marks the first time Wisconsin’s real GDP has increased by more than 2% in a year since 2011. After two years of negative growth in 2008 and 2009, Wisconsin posted 3% growth in 2010 and 2.1% in 2011. From 2012 to 2017, the state averaged 1.3% annual growth. Wisconsin now ranks 17th in the country last year for economic growth. The U.S. economy as a whole...

Wisconsin venture capital funding up 90% in 2018

Wednesday, May 01, 2019

But capital invested in Milwaukee area falls Wisconsin startup investors were very active in 2018, driving a 90 percent increase in venture capital funding from 2017, according to a new report from Pitchbook and the National Venture Capital Association. The fourth quarter venture monitor shows Wisconsin saw a total of $254.3 million in venture capital investment in 2018, up 90.2 percent from $133.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2017. The funding was split among 78 deals, up from 68 deals in 2017. But the Milwaukee area may not have contributed to the increase. The Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis Metropolitan Statistical Area saw 27 venture capital deals...

Local Wisconsin Main Street organizations recognized at 28th annual awards ceremony

Tuesday, April 30, 2019

WEDC salutes volunteers, staff for their efforts at event in Chippewa Falls MADISON, WI. – The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) recognized the best downtown revitalization projects of 2018 at the 28th Wisconsin Main Street Awards ceremony held at the Heyde Center in Chippewa Falls. Mark R. Hogan, secretary and CEO of WEDC, and other WEDC leaders were on hand to recognize the efforts by Main Street volunteers and staff for the historic preservation and downtown economic development efforts in Wisconsin communities. Read full article.

Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation names new communications director

Thursday, April 25, 2019

David Callender brings extensive experience in journalism, government relations and policy analysis MADISON, WI. – The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) has named David Callender as its communications director. Callender joins WEDC after serving as communications director for the nonpartisan Wisconsin Policy Forum (WPF), where he helped guide the merger of the Madison-based Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance (WISTAX) with the Milwaukee-based Public Policy Forum (PPF) in 2018. He served as WISTAX’s communications director beginning in 2016. Read full article.

Consider diversifying with on-farm processing

Wednesday, April 24, 2019

RIVER FALLS, Wis. — The Wisconsin Farmers Union and the University of Wisconsin-Extension sponsored a recent day-long seminar in River Falls — “Adding Value to Your Milk: Exploring On-Farm Dairy Processing.” Mike Travis is an agricultural educator in Pierce and Pepin counties for UW-Extension. He encouraged attendees to wipe the slate clean, to approach the possibility of on-farm processing with open minds. Although the task of on-farm dairy processing might seem daunting, he said there are statistical trends in food consumption that are opening the door to possibilities for small dairy producers. There has been a 500 percent increase in the presence...

Wisconsin manufacturing: rich history and continued innovation attracts companies from around the globe

Saturday, April 20, 2019

Wisconsin is home to some of the world’s most recognized and forward-thinking brands, including Kohler, SC Johnson, Harley-Davidson, and Briggs & Stratton. Each a leader in its respective industries, these companies collectively have a track record of more than 500 years of innovation. They are among the manufacturers that have helped solidify Wisconsin’s reputation as a state with a legacy of leadership in the industry. Today, staying on top of—and even driving—trends such as Industry 4.0 is what keeps these and other Wisconsin manufacturers at the forefront of production and sustainability practices. Read full article.

UW-Stout among national leaders in game design, animation

Monday, April 15, 2019

Once again, University of Wisconsin-Stout has been recognized as a national and regional leader in the fields of game design and animation. Two organizations have released 2019 rankings of the best universities and colleges, and UW-Stout is near the top. In game design, Princeton Review ranked UW-Stout No. 21 in the nation for its undergraduate program and No. 16 in the nation for its Master of Fine Arts in design program. For both programs, UW-Stout was no. 1 in Wisconsin and the only school to make the top 25 in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa. Princeton Review, an educational services company, surveyed 150 schools...

Marketing Wisconsin, incentives and immigration among recommendations in WMC workforce report

Friday, April 12, 2019

Future Wisconsin Project report includes 30 suggestions for state The Future Wisconsin Project unveiled a report with 30 recommendations for the state to address its workforce challenges, including continuing talent attraction campaigns, incentivizing people to move to the state and fostering more immigration. The project is an initiative of the Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce Foundation. Kurt Bauer, president and CEO of WMC, said the project is meant to be a mechanism that brings together a range of stakeholders to address pressing issues in the state. Read full article.

Broadband is Available in Dunn County Thanks to Local Cooperatives and Communications Companies

Wednesday, April 10, 2019

West Wisconsin Telcom, Mosaic Telecom, and Ntec are some of the cooperatives working to ensure that Dunn County businesses, residents, students and telecommuters have the broadband speeds they need to succeed. Though broadband has gained in importance over the past decade, they have been investing in building out their networks since the 1980’s. Jim Kusilek from West Wisconsin Telcom noted that they began building fiber from their Elk Lake exchange to AT&T in Eau Claire in 1987 and have installed more than 1,100 miles of fiber since then. Scott Behn of Mosaic Telecom said, “We are all customer-based. If something...

UW-Madison produced more Ph.D. degrees than any other university in 2017

Wednesday, April 10, 2019

UW-Madison leads the country in awarding doctoral degrees, Chancellor Rebecca Blank announced. The National Science Foundation ranks universities based on the number of Ph.D.’s granted. UW-Madison came in first in 2017 with 844 Ph.D.’s, up from second place in 2016. The University of California-Berkeley came in second with 799 doctoral degrees, followed by the University of Texas, the University of Illinois-Champaign-Urbana and the University of Michigan, according to Blank. Read full article.

UW-Green Bay To Offer New Water Science Degree In Fall 2019

Monday, April 08, 2019

New Undergraduate Degree Aims To Meet Growing Demand For Workers With Water Science Background Water is a hot-button issue. From an increasing population to aging infrastructure and climate change, its scope is enormous. Earlier this year Gov. Tony Evers called 2019 the "Year of Clean Drinking Water" and announced $70 million for water quality programs — which some say is a good step, but not nearly enough. Read full article.

Dunn County is a Telecommuter Forward! Certified Community Ready for the Future

Friday, April 05, 2019

Telecommuting may be the way of the future and if it is, Dunn County is ready. Thanks to the efforts of the Dunn County EDC, local stakeholders, cooperatives and broadband providers, Dunn County has been named a Telecommuter Forward! certified community. This means that Dunn County has made a concerted effort to promote telecommuting opportunities for existing and new residents. According to Global Workplace Analytics, working from home for non-self-employed people has grown by 140% since 2005. Additionally, approximately 20 to 25 percent of the workforce telecommutes at least part of the time. Of workers who do not telecommute, 80 to...

Wisconsin based organization helps women entrepreneurs start their own business

Thursday, April 04, 2019

FOX CITIES (WLUK) -- The Wisconsin Women's Business Initiative Corporation is helping women all across the state, including Northeast Wisconsin start their own businesses. Read full article.

Wisconsin companies invited to take part in global trade venture to France and the United Kingdom in June

Tuesday, April 02, 2019

Madison, WI. – The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) is inviting Wisconsin companies seeking to establish or expand their exporting efforts to participate in a global trade venture to France and the United Kingdom from June 15-26. The registration deadline is April 19. The week-long trade venture will include visits to Paris, London and Birmingham, which are markets of particular opportunity for Wisconsin companies. In each city, participating companies will be scheduled for customized business meetings with potential local partners selected specifically for their companies by Wisconsin’s authorized trade representatives in the markets, based on the company’s needs. Read full article.

Explore Value-Added Dairy - Three Learning Opportunities

Sunday, March 24, 2019

Have you thought about processing your own milk, cheese, yogurt or ice cream? How would you go about changing your business model, marketing and making your own product? Three workshop opportunities are available for farmers to explore these options this spring. Adding Value to Your Farm: Exploring On-Farm Dairy Processing will be offered 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 27, at the Best Western, 100 Spring St., River Falls. It will feature the nuts and bolts of early business planning including processing practicalities, building a farm-based dairy business and advice from Wisconsin Farmers Union members who are making and marketing food products...

Cedar Corporation’s Menomonie Location is a Win for Business

Wednesday, February 13, 2019

Location, location, location … the old saying that location matters is true for real estate, but also for businesses. Cedar Corporation’s location in Western Wisconsin has contributed to the company’s success and growth over the past four decades. Headquartered in Menomonie, Cedar Corporation employees are an hour to the Twin Cities, making it easy to serve large regional clients. Simultaneously, nearby Eau Claire has grown, creating the need for their engineering, architecture, planning, land surveying, landscape architecture, and environmental services. While Cedar Corporation could have located in one of those cities, the founders wanted to be based in Menomonie –...

Vets Plus, Inc. Acquires Dairy Industry’s Merrick’s, Inc.

Friday, February 08, 2019

The acquisition of well-known dairy industry supplier Merrick's expands the Vet Plus portfolio and adds to its production capacity. Vets Plus, Inc., a Wisconsin-based manufacturer of animal health and nutrition products, announced that it has acquired Merrick’s Inc., maker of boluses, tablets, powders and electrolytes serving the production animal industry. The new entity, known as Merrick’s Animal Health, LLC, acquired Merrick’s assets effective December 14, 2018. It will be a wholly-owned subsidiary of Vets Plus, Inc., the Menomonie-based company founded in 1990 by Rajiv Lall. Vets Plus is an innovation leader in the global animal health industry, employing over 200 people at...

New center will focus on health in local community

Wednesday, February 06, 2019

MENOMONIE — Creating a healthier community one person at a time is the focus of an initiative to start a health and well-being center at University of Wisconsin-Stout. Read full article.

Menomonie district to offer CVTC Academy courses in 2019

Monday, February 04, 2019

Menomonie students will have the opportunity to earn free college credits this summer in a new partnership between the Menomonie School District and Chippewa Valley Technical College. Menomonie students will have the chance to take free dual-credit classes through the CVTC Academies program, beginning in June 2019, in topics like IT software development, culinary arts and health technology. CVTC has partnered with school districts in Eau Claire and Chippewa counties, and is expanding its partnership with the Menomonie School District. Read full article.

Is your company ‘Best for Vets’?

Friday, February 01, 2019

Do you work for — or know about — a company that goes the extra mile to recruit and support veterans? Make sure they get the credit they deserve! Military Times just launched our latest Best for Vets: Employers survey, which evaluates companies based on their culture, policies for military-connected employees and resources they devote to hiring veterans. The survey is open to for-profit companies, nonprofit organizations and government agencies — but only the best will make the cut and be named “Best for Vets”. Read full article.

Cheese, beer, ice roads: These are 18 of the 'most Wisconsin' stories of 2018

Wednesday, January 30, 2019

Many things define life in Wisconsin. We love cheese, beer and the Packers. We'll do just about anything to get outdoors. Sometimes turkeys take over our towns, and we create highways on frozen lakes. Here is a (subjective) list of the most Wisconsin things that we wrote about this year. Read full article.

Q&A with Wendy Baumann about Invest in Wisconsin

Monday, January 28, 2019

Invest in Wisconsin (IIW) partners deliver affordable business, community facility and consumer auto loan products throughout the state. IIW ensures impartial access to capital, which helps to reduce disparities and accelerate social and economic impact in minority and low-income communities. Wendy Baumann, president and chief visionary officer of Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation (WWBIC), shares how IIW provides resources to assist businesses in the state. Read full article.

WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESSES DRIVE DOWNTOWN GROWTH

Thursday, January 24, 2019

Shelley Nystrom started her soy wax candle business in earnest 14 years ago, crafting her wares in her kitchen and garage and selling them at craft fairs and farmers markets. Eco-friendly candles were just beginning to take off, and people quickly grew excited about Nystrom’s products, leading her to rent a space in Oshkosh in which she eventually opened a small retail space for her company, Eco Candle Co., before opening a second store in Neenah. When Nystrom grew tired of landlords raising her rent, she looked into buying a building in downtown Appleton, assuming she wouldn’t be able to afford it. She was pleasantly...

Conagra’s Menomonie Plant Continues to Thrive

Friday, December 21, 2018

Pride. That one word describes the culture of Conagra’s Menomonie plant - pride in the quality of their raw ingredients, pride in the products they create, in the talent of their people, in the community and in their heritage. The Dunn County Conagra plant has existed on that same site for over 100 years and as Plant Manager Jeff Stevens put it, “We owe it to those that have gone before us and those who will be here long after to do what we can to ensure this plant will remain strong and be here to celebrate our 150th Anniversary...

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