Recent News

Dunn County Economic Development Corporation Hires Executive Director

Friday, November 20, 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Veteran Executive Director to Return The Board of Directors of the DCEDC are please to announce and welcome Robert J. Bossany as the new Executive Director following the retirement of Interim Executive Director Stacy H. Wigfield. Wigfield will complete the 3rd 90 day contract on behalf of Leadership Solutions LLC, his consulting company, on December 31, 2020. Bob will begin his duties officially on January 4th, 2021. Mr. Bossany was previously the Executive Director of the DCEDC and was directly involved with many existing projects, including Andersen Windows and the Ford High Velocity Center, restaurants and other manufacturers. He wa...

Infrastructure Investment as an Economic Stimulus Tool

Wednesday, October 28, 2020

In times of economic struggle — such as the recession that abruptly arrived with the COVID-19 pandemic — analysts and advocates promote an array of options as effective tools for stimulating the economy. One of the most frequently suggested options is infrastructure spending. Proponents of infrastructure spending during dire economic times view it as a productive job creator and essential foundation for a long-term recovery and return to sustained prosperity. Brian Raff, director of Communications and Public Affairs for the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC), cites a 2015 study by the Duke Center on Globalization, Governance, and Competitiveness to demonstrate infrastructure investment’...

Data-Driven Operational Strategies in the Pandemic Era

Tuesday, October 27, 2020

As state economies struggle between surging cases of COVID-19 and intense pressure to reopen — albeit with varying degrees of restrictions — companies that reduced or halted operations in response to stay-at-home orders are torn between the urgent needs to both restore revenue streams and to ensure the safety of their employees and customers. Since every location has a different dynamic and risk profile, creating a return-to-work strategy is complicated, whether a company operates in five locations or 500. The solution to developing a sound, portfolio-wide strategy includes having ready access to data, analytics, and insights, including regional and community-specifi...

The Next Recovery: Regional Leaders & Laggards

Tuesday, October 27, 2020

To call the road that most metro areas have traveled this year rocky would be akin to labeling Mount Everest a speed bump. But the most turbulent period of our lifetimes will eventually give way to a sustained recovery. And when it does, certain types of metro areas are in far better shape to take advantage. In the short run, places that suffered the steepest job and income losses will struggle most, which bodes especially ill for the Northeast and tourism-dependent Hawaii and Nevada. But what happens after that? Much depends on the course of the virus, such as whether outbreak...

Have Years of Darwinism in Rural America Paid Off During COVID-19?

Monday, October 26, 2020

As cities reel from a public health crisis and civic unrest, rural and small town community leaders are the unspoken heroes during the COVID-19 pandemic. They have historically learned how to thrive through fostering creative connections between limited resources and community needs. Years of practice navigating threats and finding solutions keeps rural America surviving, even amidst a pandemic. Progressive rural community leaders developed a task force in March. They used frequent and clear communication on the local plan. Rural America applied well-practiced skills listening to citizens, health care professionals, business owners and educators to make decisions right for their own communities...

Menomonie Joins Xcel Energy’s Partners in Energy Initiative

Wednesday, October 21, 2020

Dunn County businesses and residents will now have additional opportunities for reducing their energy bills. Menomonie, the largest city in the county, recently joined Xcel Energy’s Partners in Energy initiative - a platform designed to help reduce energy bills and a business or family’s carbon footprint at the same time. How Partners in Energy Works Xcel Energy will first work with the city to create a strategic action plan. This will be specific to Menomonie and involve conversations with city leaders, stakeholders and Xcel Energy’s team. This process can take up to a year, as it is designed to be very thoroug...

Second round of We’re All In Grants will provide $50 million more for small businesses

Tuesday, October 06, 2020

The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) will provide a second round of We’re All In Small Business Grants to distribute an additional $50 million to small businesses hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Tony Evers announced today. The first phase of the program provided more than $65 million in grants to over 26,000 businesses statewide this summer. Despite the infusion of federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funds distributed by WEDC, however, many Wisconsin small businesses continue to struggle. The new round aims to provide grants of $5,000 each to 10,000 additional Wisconsin small businesses. “Wisconsin’s small businesses have demonstrate...

Beat Zoom Fatigue With These 6 Tips

Tuesday, September 29, 2020

Do you audibly sigh every time you have to log on to what feels like your thousandth Zoom meeting of the day? You’re not alone. While we’re all more or less used to video calls and meetings being the norm now, the newly coined effect of Zoom fatigue hasn’t gone away. Since working from home is here to stay, video calls are here for the long run too. This makes it incredibly important to find a way to prevent Zoom fatigue from taking over your workday. Here are a few ways you can mitigate its effects. Read full article.

How To Keep Women In The Workforce During The Pandemic

Monday, September 28, 2020

We may be losing some of our best leaders to caregiving duties, and the pandemic is sending us backwards when it comes to gender equality. Women’s careers often take a backseat when caregiving duties rise, and women are more vulnerable to job loss during an economic downturn. The research shows that pandemic is hitting women hard on both fronts. Women are more than twice as likely as men to say they handle more than 50% of the caregiving and education responsibilities and 34% of working families are still without childcare coverage, according to Cleo’s State of Working Parents Study. A recent FlexJobs survey reports that 80% of workin...

Menomonie restaurant celebrates its new look

Wednesday, September 23, 2020

WEDC Secretary and CEO Missy Hughes was on hand last week to help Ted’s Pizza Palace in Menomonie celebrate the improvements made to the restaurant as part of the Main Street Makeover contest. As the 2020 contest winner, the restaurant received a new awning and storefront tiles to enhance the façade. On the inside of the restaurant, new counters, drink coolers, booths, pain, signage, murals, carpets and marketing upgrades were installed as part of the facelift. Read full article.

Broadband A Clear Priority For Rural Communities

Tuesday, September 22, 2020

Six communities will receive technical assistance so they are better prepared to apply for federal, state and private-sector broadband expansion funds under a new joint pilot program announced today by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) and the state Public Service Commission (PSC). The pilot program comes in response to overwhelming requests for broadband expansion as communities throughout the state continue to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic. “One of the clearest lessons of the past year is that broadband is now as essential to daily life as electricity,” said WEDC Secretary and CEO Missy Hughes. “The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that broadban...

Indemnification Provisions in Incentives Agreements: Best Practices and Special Public Entity Issues

Monday, September 21, 2020

Indemnification provisions are an important part of the fine print of many contracts. These clauses generally operate to protect one party against the other party’s actions or failures to act that lead to a loss claimed by a third party (not a party to the contract). A common example is the indemnification provisions (or entire agreements) used in the rental car setting. Before you drive off the lot, the rental car company will require you indemnify (or protect) it against a third party (not you) bringing a claim due to your being in an accident. Read full article.

Optimizing Project Outcomes Through Advanced Project Planning

Monday, September 21, 2020

While APP involves a modest amount of additional upfront time for planning, the investment pays significant dividends throughout the project — and at the most critical times. Detailed planning is executed in advance, enabling the project team and stakeholders to discuss project objectives, prioritize needs, and examine costs from the very outset. This relieves some of the reactive urgency surrounding these decisions, when such issues are addressed amid the thin margins associated with not only time but also the cost of business today. Using APP, facilities that have inevitable downtime related to modifications can plan more efficiently. Read full article.

Site Selection 2020: The Importance of “Regional Depth” with Global Reach

Monday, September 21, 2020

The last several years of corporate site selection have been influenced by many trends. Among these are corporate tax cuts, a red-hot industrial real estate market, the explosion of e-commerce, increasing trade protectionism, record economic growth and, in a stunning reversal, a global health pandemic and recession. It seems the ever-shifting tide of global and domestic affairs can be confusing at best and downright frightening at worst to corporate executives evaluating where to locate their next headquarters, newest manufacturing plant, or distribution center. Risk and uncertainty have never seemed higher, and without looking deeper and thinking differently, it can b...

New Strategies for Learning and Development in an Increasingly Virtual World

Friday, September 18, 2020

Newly dispersed work teams are facing new challenges. During the early months of the global pandemic, more than three-quarters of organizations reported 80 percent or more of their employees were working from home, according to a global survey on workplace re-entry. While workplace mobility isn’t new, the scale of remote work has accelerated digital transformation, with rollout timelines shrinking from years to weeks. Workflows have also been upended as employees try to adopt new tools as part of their daily routines. Read full article.

Front Line: COVID-19 Spurs More Automated Manufacturing

Thursday, September 17, 2020

The global pandemic has upended the labor market and dramatically and suddenly reversed U.S. economic expansion. COVID-19, especially, has caused U.S. manufactures to face unprecedented labor challenges. With COVID-19 and the need for social distancing, these shortages are escalating. Many factories have shuttered to protect workers and prevent COVID-19’s spread. Even before this global crisis, in 2018 Deloitte had already projected that manufacturers would face shortages of some 2.4 million workers through 2028. Read full article.

How are Uncertain Times Altering Company Location Strategies?

Thursday, September 17, 2020

As corporate decision-makers develop their business strategies for the future, the markets they consider are rapidly changing. This dynamic trend was already in place before the onset of the global COVID-19 pandemic as businesses sought to alleviate concentration risk. With the unprecedented impacts on the global economy of the current public health crisis, however, the search for alternative locations has taken on new urgency and quickly became a priority. Read full article.

TRIO programs help students succeed, graduate

Wednesday, September 09, 2020

Colin Carlson counts the many ways the TRIO Student Support Services program helped him as a first-generation student at University of Wisconsin-Stout. “It helped me be successful my first year,” said Carlson, a senior majoring in information and communication technologies. “If I hadn’t been a part of it, I’m not sure I would have made it to my senior year. I’ve made so many friends through the program. It made me less lonely. It opened the doors to how the university works and how to study the right way.” Carlson, of Beloit, didn’t have the benefit of parents who attended college t...

Dunn County is an Ideal Location for Onshoring Companies

Monday, September 07, 2020

Site selectors looking for U.S. sites should consider Dunn County for its strategic midwest location near the Twin Cities, affordable property, broadband access and strong infrastructure. Onshoring is top of mind for business executives who have watched their supply chains be disrupted and product deliveries delayed to COVID-19. For four decades companies have offshored manufacturing operations overseas in order to save costs. COVID-19 has forced companies to ask, “At what cost?” If the cost is an inability to supply customers and fulfil contracts it may not be worth it. With 60% of U.S. manufacturing companies surveyed by Thomas reporting COVID-19 busines...

Dunn County is Telecommuter Forward, Offering Broadband Access that's Critical for Remote Work

Wednesday, September 02, 2020

Telecommuting used to be the way of the future. Thanks to COVID-19 it has become a present day reality for people throughout the state of Wisconsin and the rest of the country. Many companies have chosen to offer remote work options to employees to lesson the spread of COVID-19 and that has created an incredible opportunity for people to live where they want to - rather than where they have to. Dunn County is known for its rural beauty and access to outdoor recreation. For people living in the Twin Cities, the county has often been visited for weekend recreation an...

The GRID awarded nearly $100K in grants to advance Northwoods economic development

Tuesday, September 01, 2020

A Northwoods organization created to spur entrepreneurship and business growth recently received $95,000 in grants to advance economic development in the region. The funds will go to support the Guiding Rural Innovation and Development, or The GRID, initiative, currently based at Nicolet College. Of the total, $50,000 came from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, $35,000 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and $10,000 from Associated Bank. Read full article.

WEDC Report Evaluates COVID-19 Impact On Wisconsin's Economy And How The State Can Move Forward

Wednesday, August 12, 2020

Industries are “reeling” and so are other sectors of the state that are critical to its long-term success: education, child care and health care. As grim as all that might sound, though, it has also given Wisconsin a chance to focus on important priorities, according to Missy Hughes, CEO and Secretary-designee of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC). “We have challenges in our economy that are longstanding,” Secretary Hughes told a group of legislators and staff last week. “This is an opportunity to say, ‘OK, how are we going to fix that? How are we going to move forward?’” Read full article.

Take Wisconsin’s travel pledge

Monday, July 27, 2020

Today I’m writing to you with another way we can join together to support Wisconsin travelers and the tourism economy. While there are many variables that make the challenges each of you face unique and difficult, there’s one constant we all rely on – people. Behind every vehicle heading out on a road trip, every footstep exploring a new nature trail, every rock skipped across Wisconsin’s fresh coast and every dollar spent on new gear, lodging or great Wisconsin food and beverages, is a person – a person with a choice regarding how, when and where they spend their tim...

Dunn County Offers a Great Alternative to City Living: Especially in a Pandemic

Thursday, July 23, 2020

There have been clear advantages of living in Dunn County during the global pandemic. Everywhere has been influenced by COVID-19 and Dunn County has not been immune. Still, we have a lot to be thankful for – including how much easier it is to live here than in an expensive and highly populated city or suburb. Many people who live in the cities and suburbs, including in the Twin Cities, have begun asking themselves if they want to remain in the city or move to a quieter and less populated community. Though the Cities do provide access to greater cultural amenities...

COVID-19 Promotions and Resources for Dunn County Businesses

Monday, July 20, 2020

COVID-19 has negatively impacted businesses throughout Dunn County, and the country. Fortunately, ours is a community where people want to help and support each other. Many of the promotions and resources for local businesses are coming from other businesses and local organizations who want to help however they can. Promotions and resources that could help your Dunn County business. Downtown Menomonie Relief Grants Businesses in Downtown Menomonie can apply for a $1,500 grant to help those who have been partially shut down due to COVID-19. Click here for details. FREE video to promote your business. Dialog Design Co. and AB Videography are giving away fre...

A Disciplined Road Map for Industrial Site Selection

Monday, June 22, 2020

It’s almost always good news when an industrial manufacturer needs to find a new plant site. It means business is growing, new markets are emerging, and financials are healthy. However, this is the point of time in the business cycle when decisions about next steps need to be made carefully. Unfortunately, this is when many businesses get tripped up. Plant owners and managers may agree on the need for new production lines, more distribution capacity, new automation processes, and more staff. But this is also when additional rigor is most urgently needed to analyze the best-case business scenarios for that nex...

Preparations for the “New Normal”

Monday, June 22, 2020

Until an effective treatment is proven or a vaccination is widely distributed, we’ll continue to have more questions than answers regarding a succinct definition or timing of the “new normal.” However, what we do know now is that the COVID-19 crisis has exposed the over-reliance on just-in-time global supply chains. Moving forward, the more successful companies will modify these chains to increase reliability, utilize localization, and create redundancy. Strategies such as rapid satellite facility deployment and workforce balancing will be key to maintaining competitiveness. Read full article.

The Nature of Incentives Compliance in the Age of the Coronavirus

Monday, June 22, 2020

Economic development compliance is historically a long process, one that is typically managed over a multi-year time frame. Companies have negotiated incentives to help offset costs associated with growth and expansion and count on the economic benefits as part of their strategic growth plan — specifically, their plan for building the future of their business and their teams. What no one counted on was a global pandemic bringing life as we know it to a standstill. The dramatic slowdown of the economy has caused business leaders to take a close look at all aspects of their business, which should absolutely includ...

Rural Prosperity

Friday, June 19, 2020

The land. The people. The way of life. Wisconsin’s rural landscape is integral to our state’s identity—both for the quality of life it affords its residents and for the escape it offers to those seeking to partake of Wisconsin’s natural splendor. Maintaining the vibrancy of Wisconsin’s rural economies requires an understanding of the diversity of its industries—from agricultural production and working forests to main street businesses. The variety of rural Wisconsin’s economic assets must be reflected in a coordinated statewide approach to building and maintaining rural prosperity throughout the state. WEDC is committed to helping rural stakeholders navigate the program...

Finding Talent in a Time of Economic Change

Thursday, June 18, 2020

The coronavirus pandemic has caused more economic disruption than the U.S. has seen since the Great Depression. No one can say for sure what the landscape will look like as the economy recovers, but it’s clear that a lot of puzzle pieces won’t snap back into the same places as before. In a post-pandemic reality, business operations may look dramatically different. Many people will be forced to transition from one job or career to another. Put another way, there will be an incredible need for workforce development as millions of idled workers return to the workforce. The country’s many workforce program...

Innovation in America Reaches New Heights

Thursday, June 18, 2020

The concept of an “innovation center” is certainly not new. However, without much fanfare, over time, some operations have reinvented the traditional center model, changing how and where they operate, leaning upon new partners and resources, and switching out the types of clients or markets served. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, these centers now have additional herculean challenges sprung upon them in a world facing unprecedented levels of economic and social upheaval. How can innovation be supported in this “new normal” era so organizations cannot just survive, but thrive? Read full article.

Risk Management, Enhanced Communication Needed in Post-Pandemic Environment

Thursday, June 18, 2020

COVID-19 has significantly altered the landscape for businesses globally that will reverberate well beyond and into the future. Manufacturing and supply chain decisions for corporations have had to make adaptations due to the massive disruption from this pandemic. Understanding and implementing the new norms will be quintessential to success in this environment. Cost-driven decisions have stranded and left companies vulnerable due to a lack of redundancy in manufacturing. Going forward, adapting a strategy that has supply chain alternatives and enhanced protocol for these facilities will be paramount for implementation. Creating a safe environment that allows employees access to counseling, as wel...

Stout has one of top plastics engineering programs in U.S.

Saturday, June 13, 2020

The University of Wisconsin-Stout has been named one of the top U.S. public colleges offering plastics engineering programs by Plastics Today, a publication and site for plastics professionals. UW-Stout is one of eight universities noted in the article for the polymer/plastics engineering programs. Read full article.

Leaders in agriculture talk profitability for the industry

Thursday, June 11, 2020

For beef and corn producer Cal Dalton, late December and early January was an optimistic time on the farm. Crop and cattle prices were decent, and Dalton felt a renewed energy after an extended downturn from China embargoes. But then COVID-19 hit. “It pretty much destroyed our markets,” Dalton told a WisPolitics.com-WisBusiness.com virtual luncheon yesterday. He noted a dollar drop in corn prices, a dollar fifty drop in soybean prices and a twenty dollar hundredweight drop for cattle. Read full article.

New program offers aid for Wisconsin farmers who have experienced losses due to COVID-19

Thursday, June 11, 2020

Government agencies including WEDC and the U.S. Small Business Administration have announced initiatives to help ease the impact of COVID-19 on Wisconsin business owners, and now the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) is joining the relief efforts with direct aid for farmers. The Wisconsin Farm Support Program will provide $50 million in direct aid payments to Wisconsin farmers who have experienced losses due to COVID-19. Read full article.

New video: Reopening guidelines and checklists for businesses

Thursday, June 11, 2020

Last month, WEDC posted guidelines for businesses of different types to reopen safely and protect the health of their employees and customers, addressing such topics as social distancing, personal protective equipment, ventilation, cleaning and sanitization. Now a checklist has been added to the end of each guidelines document, so business owners can be sure all the relevant areas have been addressed as they reopen. Watch the video to learn more about the guidelines and checklists. Watch the video here.

Stout student receives $10,000 grant for women in technology

Wednesday, June 10, 2020

AUniversity of Wisconsin-Stout senior is one of 100 students worldwide to win a $10,000 scholarship from the Google Women Techmakers Scholars Program. Kendra Aumann-Weyenberg, of DeKalb, Ill., who is majoring in computer science with a game design and development concentration, said she was thrilled to learn she was one of only 20 students in the U.S. who had received the scholarship. Read full article.

WESTconsin announces scholarships

Wednesday, June 10, 2020

WESTconsin Credit Union has awarded 13 $1,000 scholarships to area high school seniors, including three in Dunn County. Rachel Dietrich, Menomonie High School graduate, received the employee and immediate family scholarship. WESTconsin Credit Union employs many high school students in its $MARTCU offices and office locations. Many of WESTconsin’s employees have graduating seniors each year, too. Dietrich will use the money to help fund her post-secondary education plans at University of Minnesota-Duluth, where she will be studying Chemical Engineering. Read full article.

Stout students compete for Big Idea

Saturday, June 06, 2020

Justin Bryant, who graduated from University of Wisconsin-Stout May 9 with a degree in computer science, has been looking forward to the Steam release of a PC game entitled Ninja Scarf he and other teammates created. Bryant, of Green Bay, and teammate Katelyn Zenz, of Lancaster, a senior majoring in BFA game design and development-art, will be competing in the WiSys’ Wisconsin Big Idea Tournament student business competition virtually on Wednesday, June 10. Read full article.

WisBusiness: The Podcast with Mark Stephenson, director of dairy policy analysis at UW-Madison

Friday, June 05, 2020

This episode of “WisBusiness: The Podcast” features Mark Stephenson, director of dairy policy analysis at UW-Madison. America’s Dairyland has faced unprecedented challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, adding to an uneasy past few years of trade dilemmas, oversupply of milk and tariffs. Read full article.

Dunn County Businesses Need Your Support During COVID-19

Monday, April 20, 2020

Dunn County businesses need the support of our community during the COVID-19 crisis. Fortunately, it is possible to make a considerable economic impact, even when business activities are restricted. Ways to Support Local Businesses During COVID-19 Most businesses have altered how they do business in response to COVID-19, but that doesn’t mean they are closed. In many cases, they have simply moved online or to an ordering system. This makes it possible to continue supporting local businesses, even if you are unable to physically shop or dine there. Think about the businesses that you typically buy from, restaurants you eat at, ic...

DWD announces “dramatic increase” in Work-Share Program

Wednesday, June 10, 2020

The Department of Workforce Development announced it has more than 500 “work-share” plans with almost 18,000 participants in Wisconsin. The program is designed to help employers keep employees during slow business periods by reducing worker hours. It allows employees to file for partial unemployment benefits while keeping benefits from their employer, therefore avoiding financial challenges associated with a total loss of work. Read full article.

Recent News

30 Extra Hours for Fun!