Recent News

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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...
After 70 Years, Market & Johnson is Proud to Call Western Wisconsin Home

Tuesday, December 04, 2018

Since 1948, Market & Johnson (M&J) has been serving western Wisconsin as the region's’ premier construction management and general contracting firm. Having built or managed the construction of hundreds of properties throughout the area, their work can be seen in civic and municipal buildings, healthcare and manufacturing facilities, mixed-use and commercial projects, and more than 100 local schools. They have had seventy years of success because of their people, the quality of their work, and ties to the local community. Ultimately though, their strategic advantage lies in their workforce. Market & Johnson employs over 350 construction experts, most of whom...
Fulton's Workshop is the intersection of industry and art

Tuesday, November 27, 2018

A mistake that’s easy to make is to frame business as one thing and art as its antithesis, the former a matter of efficiency and profit and the latter looser, but a new wing at the Dunn County Heritage Museum in Menomonie, shows the two are twined. The 15,000 square foot wing, called Holtby Hall, houses the museum called Fulton’s Workshop, which celebrates industrial arts. Industrial arts is descriptor from way back that still succinctly conveys the art in industry. Just as business can be bolstered by an artist’s touch, creativity can be parlayed into profit, and Fulton’s Workshop shows...
Local students explore careers at Manufacturing Day

Monday, November 26, 2018

On their way to visit the Chippewa Valley Technical College Manufacturing Education Center in Eau Claire on Manufacturing Day, students from River Falls and Ellsworth high school stopped for a couple of other tours. “We were able to top at Schmitt Prototypes and Prototype Solutions in Menomonie on our way,” said Julie Winegar, tech ed teacher at Ellsworth High School. “It was great for them to see that manufacturing is not a dirty job and is pretty high tech. And at Prototype Solutions they work with Marvel Comics and make pieces of Iron Man suits for theme parks.” “We stopped at the...
UW System: A $24 billion impact on Wisconsin's economy

Friday, November 23, 2018

Janell Topczewski entered UW-Parkside as the third person in her family to attend the university. Janell’s brother Joseph graduated from UW-Parkside in 2007 and is now a chemistry professor at the University of Minnesota. Her brother Jeremy graduated in 2011 and is an art teacher in the Racine Unified School District. Janell also graduated in 2011 and recently joined CNH Industrial Capital as a credit analyst, after serving in various roles with Racine County Economic Development Corporation for seven years. Even though UW-Parkside is the youngest university in the UW System — celebrating 50 years of serving the region this year —...
Walker, Evers explain plans for job creation, economic development in Wisconsin

Thursday, November 22, 2018

MADISON, Wis. - Job creation and the economy are key issues heading into the Nov. 6 election in Wisconsin. Gov. Scott Walker appeared at an event for the state's biggest business lobbying group, Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, focused on Wisconsin's business climate. "My belief is, if you're an able-bodied working-age adult in this state, my expectation is you work at least 30 hours a week and that you're able to pass a drug test before you get assistance," Walker said in his keynote address.  His Democratic challenger, Tony Evers, sat down Tuesday for an interview with News 3. Evers said Walker's job plans focus too...
65 ways to get started with downtown revitalization

Wednesday, November 21, 2018

Join the WEDC Connect Communities program (if you are not already) or consider joining the Main Street program if you’ve been participating in Connect Communities for a while and are ready to take the next step. Hold a downtown stakeholder meeting. Show PowerPoint presentations or videos available from Wisconsin Main Street or ask a member of the staff to make a presentation. Then figure out the strengths and weaknesses of your downtown and set some goals. Beat the streets … know your constituents and keep them informed! Learn the needs of your downtown businesses by communicating with them on a regular basis. React with appropriate projects. Publish a newsletter to keep primary stakeholders and...
WEDC accepting applications for Entrepreneurship Support Program

Tuesday, November 20, 2018

MADISON, WI.  – The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) is now accepting applications from nonprofit and community-based organizations for a grant program designed to advance the statewide climate for entrepreneurship. The Entrepreneurship Support Program provides financial assistance of between $10,000 and $100,000 for projects that promote entrepreneurship and provide Wisconsin entrepreneurs with key resources, including training, mentorship, and business development and financial services. Launched in 2016, the initiative has provided nearly $1 million in grants to 17 organizations statewide to help fund activities such as prototyping assistance, legal services, and outreach to underserved entrepreneurs. Those grants have enabled organizations to provide services to...
Wisconsin school districts encouraged to apply for Fab Labs Grants

Monday, November 19, 2018

MADISON, WI.  – The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) is now accepting applications for the fourth year of its Fabrication Laboratories (Fab Labs) Grant Program, which provides funding to help public schools build or expand fab labs. The grant program supports hands-on science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) education by assisting public school districts with equipment purchases for instructional and educational purposes in fab labs. Fab labs are high-tech workshops with the latest equipment, including computer-controlled manufacturing components such as 3D printers, laser engravers and computer numerical control routers. WEDC’s investment in the program puts fab labs within reach for schools...
Why a World-Class Medical Manufacturing Company Calls Dunn County Home

Tuesday, September 18, 2018

EirMed is a leading manufacturer of custom designed and engineered medical devices intended to improve patients’ lives. Located in Dunn County, they have an array of capabilities and use them to find solutions that often elude others. Their expertise is integrated into the creation of advanced medical devices for the following markets:  biotechnology, cardiovascular, dentistry, diagnostics, diabetes care, disposables, drug delivery, ear/nose/throat, emergency, home health care, in vitro, IV therapy, neurology, nutrition, ophthalmic, orthopedic, patient mobility, pharmacy, respiratory, spinal, surgical devices and equipment, sports medicine, urology, wound care, and more. They have chosen to do their manufacturing in Dunn County. We...
What Does it Take to Build a Culture of Environmental Stewardship?

Friday, August 31, 2018

Over 115 years ago Andersen Windows was founded on the banks of the St. Croix River. Having a desire to preserve this scenic waterway, and the beauty of the area, Andersen was born with environmental stewardship in mind. You could say that they were into sustainability before sustainability was cool. It’s just part of who they are. Still, the company realized that there was more they could do to reduce their energy usage, water consumption and waste. In 2013, they decided to tackle the issue and created some rather bold goals for doing so. Five years later, they are on...
Andersen Corporation Supports DEDC

Monday, August 27, 2018

The Anderson Corporation produces high-quality products and has a stellar reputation. Their windows and doors are sold throughout the country and North America. You can find them in homes, commercial buildings and public facilities like schools. You may even have them in your home. In Menomonie, the Anderson Corporation has a logistics and distribution center where they package their products for shipping and delivery. With a large distribution network throughout North America, this logistics center has become a hub of activity and a large employer in our community. We are privileged to partner with such an innovative and community-oriented company. You...
Innovator Supports the Community

Monday, August 20, 2018

Rajiv and Swati Lall are innovators who have achieved great success through their company, Vets Plus. They have an in-house technical team that has developed innovative formulas for pet treats that are made to human grade pharm standards. By creating science-based solutions to improve the wellbeing of animals throughout the world, the company has shown how you can make quality animal food that can improve the health and performance of animals. Now, they are giving back to the community. The Lalls have made a major donation to UW-Stout that is being used to upgrade the equipment in their science lab. The...
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The Right Opportunity to Grow a Career in Dunn County

Friday, August 17, 2018

Jesse Jenson, AVP/Ag & Commercial Lender for Independence State Bank, is building a career in Dunn County by serving the local business and agricultural community. Jesse assists customers in finding the right loan products that fit their operation’s needs. “Every operation, whether it’s a dairy farm or a retail store, will more than likely have a financing need. My goal is to always be the bridge that supports them along the way, so they can reach the goals they set out to achieve” said Jesse. Coming Home to Dunn County Prior to working for Independence State Bank, Jesse was employed for another...
Fairmount Minerals is Growing in Wisconsin

Monday, August 13, 2018

FairmountSantrol is a major employer in Dunn County and throughout Wisconsin. They are passionate about the environment and sustainability. They leverage innovation and technology to produce goods with minimal impact to the environment. They are a provider of sand-based products and high-performance sand used by the oil and gas industry in addition to working with companies involved in building products, water filtration, sports, recreation and glass markets. Now, they are growing. Thanks to a recent partnership with Cardinal FG and Anderson Windows they will be creating more sand/window products. This is an excellent opportunity for residents of Dunn County to apply...
Pickle-Lovers Wanted

Monday, August 06, 2018

Nothing beats the first bite into a cool crunchy pickle. If you love pickles, visit Picklefest in Boyceville. Held August 18th – 20th, this is an annual event that attracts pickle-lovers from all over the state. You can learn more about this fun festival by emailing Tillie at jamie058@centurytel.net. The village of Boyceville has more than Picklefest. There will be a variety of events held this summer at the municipal airport and even when there are no scheduled events, there is plenty to do in this charming village. With around 1,000 residents, this is the type of place where you can...
Chamber celebrates Leadership Menomonie graduation

Friday, August 03, 2018

On May 17, the Menomonie Area Chamber of Commerce held the 2017-2018 graduation for Leadership Menomonie at Pinewood Golf Club and Restaurant. Graduates completed nine full-day sessions, studying a wide variety of topics including education, business and industry, heritage, arts and tourism, media, government and law, health and human services, agriculture and environment. They also participated in networking and teambuilding activities designed to demonstrate the dynamics of effective leadership. The participants also completed service learning group projects that consisted of the following partnerships in the community. Continue to full article
MN: All Aboard: Plan Calls for Passenger Rail Between St. Paul and Eau Claire

Thursday, August 02, 2018

Earlier this spring, a group of boosters gathered in Eau Claire, Wis. -- heralded by some as an emerging "mini-Portland" -- and agreed on just what was missing from the western Wisconsin city's renaissance: passenger rail. They not only have a plan to restore long-dormant rail service to St. Paul's Union Depot, they insist it can be privately financed, too. The bold idea may seem far-fetched given the travails of publicly bankrolled transit projects in the Twin Cities, such as the $2 billion Southwest light-rail line. But the West Central Wisconsin Rail Coalition, an Eau Claire-based nonprofit group of representatives from business,...
Expanded program draws future industrial mechanics

Wednesday, August 01, 2018

Earlier this year, Channer Schutts was back home in Menomonie and looking for a new direction to take. It was at a party where he ran into his fellow 2017 Menomonie High School graduate Evan Bauer that he found the answer. Channer, a big young man with a solid build, was a football star on the offensive and defensive lines back in the day, but a semester at St. Cloud State didn’t work out and he needed a reset. “I wanted some kind of schooling, but wasn’t sure what. I was at a party and Evan was there and he referred...
STEM Learning in K-12

Monday, July 30, 2018

In Wisconsin, we are always looking towards the future. It is widely known that future jobs will involve a great deal of science, technology, engineering and math. Preparing students for these opportunities in STEM is critical both from an exposure standpoint and for their future job prospects. They need to be able to think along these lines and to identify early if these are fields they wish to go into. With STEM learning in our public schools, they can. Northern Wisconsin STEM is working with educators to ensure that students have the opportunities they need to learn and grow. By hosting...
Workers are the new weapon as states go to extremes in the battle for business

Monday, July 30, 2018

Forequarter restaurant in Madison, Wisconsin, has managed to pull off a rare feat. Not only has it has stayed in business for six years, it is also still routinely referred to as trendy. On a recent visit, people were already showing up for dinner by 5:00 p.m. on a weeknight. Business is good, said owner Jonny Hunter, but it could be so much better. “We’re not open as much as we want to,” he said. The restaurant is open only for dinner, and it is closed on Sundays. Hunter said he would love to do more, if only he could staff the...
The economies of every US state and DC, ranked from worst to best

Friday, July 27, 2018

The US is a massive, complex economy, and so too are the component economies of the 50 states and Washington, DC, that make up the whole. Business Insider combined six measures of labor-market and general economic health for all the states and the District of Columbia. They are the unemployment rate, job growth, per-capita GDP, GDP growth, average weekly wages, and wage growth. By putting all those on a common scale and combining them, we came up with an overall score for each state's economy. 10. Wisconsin Wisconsin's April 2018 unemployment rate of 2.8% was tied for fifth-lowest among the states and DC, and its...
HOOKED ON A FEELING: UNIQUE EXPERIENCES HELP FILL WISCONSIN’S TALENT PIPELINE

Thursday, July 26, 2018

By all measures economists use to assess the quality of life a place offers—job availability, cost of living, commute times, recreation, etc.—Wisconsin stacks up pretty well. Very well, in fact. Problem is, people don’t consult economists when choosing the best place to pursue their passions. As CEO of NEWaukee, I devote my professional life and much of my personal life to promoting Milwaukee and Wisconsin as a career and lifestyle destination. My pitch has very little to do with the metrics you find in national rankings of “best places to live” and everything to do with what it feels like...
30 years of the Wisconsin Main Street Program

Wednesday, July 25, 2018

As we prepared to celebrate Wisconsin’s downtowns for #WIMainSt Day, we also celebrated 30 years of the Wisconsin Main Street program. Check out this video on what makes this program so special!
Scholarships for College

Monday, July 23, 2018

Chippewa Valley Technical College is now offering income eligible, hardworking students the opportunity to go to college for less. The Promise Scholarship can help to pay for your education, making it affordable to earn the skills necessary to enter the workforce and get a good paying job. It is designed for high school students who have a record of academic success. If this sounds like you, why not apply? It could save you a lot of money and make college far more affordable. You can learn more about the scholarship and how to apply for it by registering on the College’s...
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