Ken Harwood
Advocating for Wisconsin
Ken [at] KenHarwood.com
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This Weeks Articles for 10/6/2022 ...
- Greater Green Bay Chamber: Chamber is the only Wisconsin recipient of grant funds from the Economic Development Administration
- Wisconsin investing $1 million to support rural entrepreneurs
- A cocoa processing company from the west African nation of Ghana is opening a local plant. Why did the company choose Franklin?
- Foxconn in Wisconsin: tech mega-deal faces reality check
- Octopi Brewing Expands Waunakee, Wisconsin, Plant
- Construction Business Group to partner with UW Small Business Development Center Capital Access Clinic to assist disadvantaged businesses
- Mining company moves ahead with plans to drill in northern Wisconsin
- New North Inc.: To hold local, regional entrepreneurial pitch contests
- UWO awarded $480,000 from Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation to make entrepreneurship resources more accessible for all
- Burgum: ND joins with MN, MT and WI to develop multistate hydrogen hub; EERC to lead development
- SomerCor Expanding to Serve Small Businesses in Southeast Wisconsin
- Distillery in central Wisconsin to use byproducts from making cheese
- Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce: Top 8 Coolest Things Made in Wisconsin announced
- Opportunities, challenges explored at Wisconsin Economic Summit
- Affordable housing scarce in county
- Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce: Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce announces recipients of 2022 Business Friend of the Environment Award
- Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce: Smart Girls Rock! event to highlight STEM careers to female high school students
The University of Wisconsin–Madison’s UniverCity Year program has been named a regional winner of the 2022 W.K. Kellogg Foundation Community Engagement Scholarship Award from the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, in recognition of its community engagement initiatives.UniverCity Year, the hallmark program of UniverCity Alliance, connects communities across Wisconsin with resources, faculty and students from UW–Madison to tackle community-identified challenges.
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MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - Incoming developments are expected to lead the transformation of the area surrounding Park Street, dubbed a “gateway into the city.”The Center for Black Excellence and Culture is one major project in the works. On track to open in fall 2024, the venue will be visible from the Beltline (Hwy 12/18) and located off Park Street.
“You can see ‘making an entrance,’” said Rev. Dr. Alex Gee, the center’s founder and CEO, pointing to a rendering of the building. “We’re not just talking about into our facility but into south Madison.”
From the Beltline exit, Park Street connects commuters to area hospitals, the UW-Madison campus and the state Capitol...
MARINETTE, WIS. — Newcap Inc. has completed Trolley Station Terrace in Marinette, about 55 miles north of Green Bay. The mixed-income housing development features 38 units for residents earning up to 60 percent of the area median income and seven market-rate units. The property also offers social services for veterans and persons with disabilities. Nine of the units are designated for veterans and individuals who have permanent developmental, physical, sensory, medical or mental health disabilities. Amenities include a community room, computer lab, reading room, storage units, dog wash and internet......more
Ken Notes: I have no first hand knowledge on this project but first read suggests it is pretty impressive. If we want to address our housing problem we will have to create economically diverse neighborhoods and projects. If your barista can not live in your neighborhood we have a problem....
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WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAW) - Childcare continues to be an ongoing issue for many across the country and in central Wisconsin. Now, six community partners are joining forces to discuss the lack of childcare accessibility. It’s part of the Marathon County Community Conversation on Childcare.The North Central Wisconsin Workforce Development Board is taking action to battle childcare issues.
“We are coming off of COVID experiencing a massive labor shortage,” said Elsa Duranceau, the worker advancement initiative grant coordinator for North Central Wisconsin Workforce Development Board...
Ken Notes: One of the great challenges in Wisconsin is developing diverse neighborhoods with the infrastructure and housing to support our workforce. We have too many communities with expensive homes and restrictive covenants that prevent our service and retail workers from living anywhere nearby. Then we complain that we can not find employees, services, or other things we need to sustain our businesses and lifestyles. If you drink coffee and do not know where your barista lives - YOU have a problem...
Every year we like to share a few must-see sites during Historic Milwaukee`s annual Doors Open Milwaukee, which has quickly grown into one of the most fun and well-attended events in the city. Here are Bobby`s picks for 2022.
Every year I like to share a few must-see sites during Historic Milwaukee’s annual Doors Open Milwaukee, which has quickly grown into one of the most fun and well-attended events in the city.
This year`s event is slated for Sept. 24-25, and includes more than 100 buildings, art galleries, gardens and other spaces, some of which aren`t typically open to the public...
This year`s event is slated for Sept. 24-25, and includes more than 100 buildings, art galleries, gardens and other spaces, some of which aren`t typically open to the public...
Notes:
Amid calls to replace Milwaukee`s I-794 with an at-grade boulevard to help spur downtown development, a more modest plan has surfaced.Removing two freeway ramps between the Milwaukee River and the Hoan Bridge would better connect downtown and the Historic Third Ward — helping promote more commercial projects just north of I-794.
That`s the idea veteran commercial real estate broker Bruce Westling is promoting, including a presentation Tuesday at a commercial real estate conference...
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The Homes MKE initiative in Milwaukee took another step forward Wednesday after Mayor Cavalier Johnson signed a resolution selecting the development teams for the initiative. Homes MKE aims to renovate a minimum of 150 vacant city-owned residential properties in Milwaukee.The resolution, which was signed after a unanimous common council vote, authorized the property sales to the selected development teams. It also authorizes the housing rehabilitation and work force subsidies which will be used to embark upon the home initiative. Mayor Johnson praised the resolution, recalling the effects housing insecurity had on his own life in a press release statement...
Green Bay, WI. (Oct 5, 2022) – The Greater Green Bay Chamber is excited to announce the receipt of a federal grant from the Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (OIE), part of the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA), totaling $467,500. The grant was submitted with assistance from Courtney Zaugg, Founder and CEO of Plaka + Associates. The grant comes as part of EDA’s “Build to Scale” program which provides grants through the Venture Challenge and Capital Challenge. Grants are offered each year to accelerate entrepreneur efforts in the technology industry by increasing access to support and startup capital....
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Ken Notes: Congrats!
The program has approved over 6,200 grants to businesses, nonprofits in all Wisconsin counties
An additional $25 million in federal funds have been made available to help thousands of small businesses move into vacant storefronts in downtowns all across the state of Wisconsin, according to TMJ4.
The Main Street Bounceback grant program, paid for by funds from the American Rescue Plan Act, seeks to give $10,000 grants to Wisconsin businesses in order to bring thriving businesses back to downtown areas, according to Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation Secretary and CEO Missy Hughes...
The Main Street Bounceback grant program, paid for by funds from the American Rescue Plan Act, seeks to give $10,000 grants to Wisconsin businesses in order to bring thriving businesses back to downtown areas, according to Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation Secretary and CEO Missy Hughes...
See Also:
Ken Notes: An interesting program, I hope we have resources in place to track the outcomes of our investments. In the past we invested in the promise and lost on the outcome. Missy, "Trust But Verify" is a pretty good adage to apply...
Gov. Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. (WEDC) announced this week a $1 million investment that will go toward supporting the state’s rural entrepreneurs. A new initiative, which will be led by UW-Madison’s Division of Extension and WEDC, will provide training, technical assistance, and legal and financial advice to entrepreneurs either to start their own business or bolster an existing one.“We know that in Wisconsin great ideas can come from anywhere,” said Missy Hughes, WEDC secretary and CEO...
SEE ALSO:
Wisconsin needs to attract and retain more out-of-state families to address the state’s ongoing workforce challenges, which could soon be exacerbated by impending retirements in an aging labor pool, according to a new report.The report, titled “Moving In? Exploring Wisconsin’s Migration Challenges” and released by the Wisconsin Counties Association’s nonpartisan research arm Forward Analytics on Wednesday, notes that increased migration from out-of-state employees will be necessary to offset gaps left by retirements over the next decade. That gap is due in part to Wisconsin’s ongoing challenges with attracting young people to the state, the report said...
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Ken Notes: I would add that we need to keep our graduates in state....
A cocoa company from the western African nation of Ghana says it`s opening a processing plant in Franklin that would be the largest food and beverage investment by an Africa-based company in the U.S. and the largest foreign direct investment from Ghana in Wisconsin.The company, Niche Cocoa, has partnered with Omanhene Cocoa Bean Co., of Milwaukee, in a leased 44,000 square foot plant in the Franklin Business Park. It is the first U.S. facility for Niche, the largest cocoa processor in Ghana, which is second only to Africa`s Ivory Coast in cocoa bean production...
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Ken Notes: Mmmmmmmmmmm!
MILWAUKEE, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) invite the public to the first Home and Habitat Fest, an afternoon of free food, live music and family-friendly activities focused on housing and natural resources at Havenwoods State Forest in Milwaukee at 12 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 1.
“Our vision for the future is to create more opportunities for our community to enjoy Havenwoods, engage with existing resources through the help of some of our partners and feel welcome in natural surroundings,” said DNR Secretary Preston D. Cole, a featured guest speaker at the event....
...moreKen Notes: I once proposed an environmental tax incremental financing program for environmentally sensitive areas. Allow for the development of vacation or affordable homes attached to an area earmarked for parks, preserves, or other public use. Then use the property tax revenue to sustain both the development and preservation.
Based on size alone, China is an imposing economic force in the world, the United States and even Wisconsin, where it’s the third-largest market for state exports behind only Canada and Mexico. Yet for many, China is also a source of worry in an era of global tension.Then there’s Japan, a steady Asian democracy with economic ties to Wisconsin that span soy sauce production in Walworth County, foundry floors in Waupaca, construction equipment in Milwaukee and laboratories in Madison.
An overview of Japan’s economic importance in Wisconsin and across the United States was delivered Sept. 19 at the Wisconsin-Japan Biohealth Summit in Madison, where the focus was biotechnology innovation within a much larger picture of Japanese investment...
Ken Notes: Great read. My father was in the auto industry and went to Japan to discuss bringing manufacturing to the United States in the 80`s. He was amazed that their biggest motivation at the time was that labor was much more affordable in the US. It will be interesting to see if this becomes an issue in China as the country develops...
When a Wisconsin lawmaker was driving home from Chicago last month, he pulled over outside the Foxconn plant in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin, and was struck by how empty the area looked.“There literally is a gorgeous six-lane highway that was built for 18,000 vehicles and automated trucks [that looks] totally abandoned. It’s incredible,” says representative Gordon Hintz, a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly. ...
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Ken Notes: We need a new sign... "Still Open, Looking for Business"... We will get there....
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Nicole Sandoval will moderate a panel discussion titled “Building Resilient Futures for this generation and the next” on Monday, October 10, the first day of the Wisconsin Leadership Summit.Registration is open now at:
WisconsinLeadershipSummit.com
...moreKen Notes: This sounds like a great conference!
The next phase of a food and beverage-based development in West Allis will be anchored by a hamburger and frozen custard restaurant and have a large, vintage milk can as an eye-catching architectural element. Dairyland Old-Fashioned Hamburgers, which has two locations in Milwaukee, is being eyed as the anchor for The Market at Six Points, the next phase of the Makers Row development along South 66th Street, near the West Allis Farmers Market.
The proposal by Milwaukee-based Mandel Group was recommended by the West Allis Plan Commission Aug. 24; the city`s common council approved the conditional use on Sept. 6...
...moreKen Notes: I continue to be a huge fan of the Mandel Group. Could Dairykand be the next Culvers??..
LA CROSSE (WKBT)–Helping people work 9 to 5.
It’s Workplace Development Month and the Department of Workforce Development is hosting open houses around the state.
La Crosse Workforce Development Center got in on the action.
Area job seekers learned about resume and skill building Wednesday, but organizers say the best thing about job centers is that people can access this kind of help year-round....
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Neighbors and historic preservationists are strongly opposing possible construction of a new home next to the landmark, mid-1800s Old Spring Tavern near the UW Arboretum on Madison’s Near West Side.But the current owner of the landmark and an adjoining vacant lot contends that any new structure will fit the neighborhood and adhere to city rules...
Listing is here:
Ken Notes: A beautiful and historic property the historical preservationists and neighbors need to come up with a plan to make the owner whole. This could be a very special property but the just say no mentality is not fair to the owner.
10/05/2022 - Octopi Brewing, a contract beverage manufacturer and packager, is expanding operations in Waunakee, Wisconsin. The $62 million project is expected to create 150 jobs over the next five years.The company will expand its existing 65,000-square-foot facility to 165,000-square-feet and will add a 200,000-square-foot building across the road while leasing a 180,000-square-foot warehouse a few miles away...
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Ken Notes: They are on a roll!
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $3.2 million grant to the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to build infrastructure and develop the Kneeland Properties site. This grant is funded by the American Rescue Plan and EDA’s $300 million Coal Communities Commitment.
This grant will support industrial development and create jobs in a community impacted by the declining use of coal. The EDA investment will be matched with $798,540 in local funds and is expected to create 140 jobs and generate $10.5 million in private investment, according to grantee estimates...
ILWAUKEE – The Department of City Development (DCD) is announcing the development teams selected to participate in the Homes MKE initiative. Through a competitive RFP process, these development teams will work with DCD and community partners to renovate vacant City-owned residential properties that will help build stronger neighborhoods throughout Milwaukee.The selected development teams are a mix of emerging developers, for-profit developers, and non-profit developers. They include: ...
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In 2002, collaborators from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health and leading regional biotech companies, with support from then-Governor Tommy Thompson, launched the Master of Science in Biotechnology.The wide-ranging curriculum in science, business, regulatory policy and law aimed to prepare students to succeed in the state’s nascent biotechnology industry.
Twenty years later, “Wisconsin has emerged as a powerhouse,” says Kurt Zimmerman, Master of Science in Biotechnology program director. “There was a significant investment made, with the promise there’d be an economic return to the state, along with the medical advances biotech offers. The state’s support made it possible for the MS in Biotechnology to launch very quickly, in a way that really matched the pace of progress happening in the field at that time.”..
Ken Notes: We need this type of initiative in a wealth of fields from advanced science to truck driving and plumbing...
MADISON, Wis – Today, Construction Business Group’s Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Development Initiative and the Wisconsin Small Business Development Center’s Capital Access Clinic announced a strategic partnership to help minority, women, and other historically disadvantaged-owned businesses get a foot in the door of Wisconsin’s transportation construction industry......more
GreenLight Metals submits plans to drill in Taylor County as the company faces opposition over plans to drill near Wausau
A Canadian mining company is moving ahead with plans to drill for copper and gold in northern Wisconsin and may soon submit plans to drill for gold near Wausau. The development comes as some Wisconsin tribes and residents work to prevent mining and strengthen environmental protections.
GreenLight Metals, doing business as GreenLight Wisconsin, wants to conduct exploratory drilling of the Bend deposit at a 40-acre site owned by the U.S. Forest Service in Taylor County. The deposit is believed to contain 4 million tons of mostly copper and gold.
GreenLight submitted a notice of intent to drill detailing its plans and a wetland report to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in late September...Ken Notes: Not a fan, see WDNGreen.com for details...
NEW NORTH, October 5, 2022 – New North Inc., as part of its efforts to support entrepreneurism in the region, is working with nine of its local partners to hold pitch events during Startup Week in Wisconsin, November 14-18, with winners advancing to a regional pitch event in early December.
Entrepreneurs within the New North who are interested in participating in the qualifying, local pitch events are asked to upload their pitch ideas at https://www.greatergbc.org/northeast-wi-pitch-contests. The deadline to do so is October 31. Those registering will be asked to select the one local pitch event that is closest to them...
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With a $484,000 grant from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, the Center for Customized Research and Services at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh will develop an open-source digital toolkit for higher education entrepreneurship.
The 18-month project, led by Jeff Sachse, director of UWO’s Center for Customized Research and Services (CCRS), begins in October in partnership with Venn Collaborative, a national organization providing consulting, professional development and community building for organizations engaged in economic development...
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MADISON – From adding new agricultural career pathways to preparing students through agricultural education programs, the Wisconsin Agricultural Education and Workforce Development Council (WAEWDC) highlights the importance of agri-business in Wisconsin in its 2022 annual report.The report showcases agriculture as a profitable and exciting career path and reflects the council`s role in advising and informing state agencies, educational institutions, and the Wisconsin Legislature on matters related to agricultural education and workforce development. The council helps attract, develop, and retain the superior workforce required to grow Wisconsin’s production in agriculture, agribusiness, food, and natural resource sectors.
Specifically, the council works to:
- Increase the hiring and retention of well-qualified employees in industries related to agriculture, food, and natural resources.
- Promote the coordination of educational systems to develop, train, and retrain employees for current and future careers related to agriculture, food, and natural resources.
- Develop support for employment in fields related to agriculture, food, and natural resources.
- Recommend policies and other changes to improve the efficiency of the development and provision of agricultural education across educational systems.
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Notes:
JANESVILLE – During Workforce Development Month, Gov. Tony Evers’ Council on Workforce Investment (CWI) on Monday held its regular meeting in Janesville, where members learned about the positive impacts of the governor’s historic investments in developing Wisconsin’s workforce. Council members witnessed regional collaborations in action during a tour of the Rock County Job Center...
De Pere-based construction engineering firm Foth & Van Dyke LLC was just beginning work on a large, complicated project when the COVID-19 pandemic struck in early 2020.The company, which does business as Foth, had been hired to provide engineering services on a new $300 million vegetable processing facility that food industry giant Conagra Brands Inc. was developing in Waseca, Minnesota...
Six companies are on the Wisconsin 75 list for the first time...
BISMARCK, N.D. – North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum announced today he has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the governors of Minnesota, Montana and Wisconsin to develop a regional clean hydrogen hub to help meet the nation’s clean energy, transportation and agricultural needs.Under the MOU, the four states agree to develop a proposal for a Heartland Hydrogen Hub, with the goal of obtaining federal funding from the U.S. Department of Energy’s $7 billion program announced last week to create regional clean hydrogen (H2Hubs) across the country. The funding is part of a larger hydrogen hub program included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law approved by Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden...
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A four-story, 55-unit apartment building that inspired a lawsuit from unhappy neighbors is being recommended for approval by a Common Council panel.The Zoning, Neighborhoods and Development Committee voted 5-0 Tuesday to endorse a zoning change for the project. It is to be built at 2604-2644 N. Hackett Ave., just east of the Downer Avenue business district.
That site now includes a vacant lot as well as St. Mark`s Episcopal Church. That empty site north of the church parish hall is where the apartments would be constructed...
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Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced that the U.S. Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) is extending an award for $4.72 million in federal funding to strengthen and expand its national network of business centers.With this additional funding, the Biden-Harris Administration has delivered $37 million to support the Business Center Program, which will provide technical assistance and support in access to capital, contracting opportunities, and markets, delivering on the Biden Administration’s mission to expand access to capital and procurement opportunities for America’s minority business enterprises (MBEs)....
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Madison – Calling her a “uniter for economic development in Wisconsin,” the Wisconsin Paper Council (WPC) has named State Treasurer Sarah Godlewski (D-Madison) as the organization’s 2022 “Policymaker of the Year.” Sarah Godlewski was presented the award at the trade association’s headquarters in Madison...
Somerville, MA, Sep. 14, 2022 – Company, state, and local leaders today celebrated the grand opening of the Midwest regional headquarters of Formlabs, the leading 3D printing company, located in Milwaukee’s historic Third Ward.
Sam Rikkers, deputy secretary and COO of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, joined Department of Administration Secretary Kathy Blumenfeld, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley and Milwaukee Commissioner of City Development Lafayette Crump in welcoming the company’s expansion in Wisconsin.
Formlabs selected Milwaukee because of its legacy in advanced manufacturing and the deep pool of engineering and business talent that the state’s strong educational system has produced. As a hub for technical innovation and manufacturing, Milwaukee is uniquely suited to support Formlabs’ regional headquarters and the expansion of additive manufacturing, a key part of President Biden’s AM Forward initiative focusing on improving supply chain resilience...
Thu, October 6, 2022 - CHICAGO, Oct. 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SomerCor, an Illinois non-profit, Certified Development Company (CDC) licensed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) under the SBA 504 loan program, proudly announces it has been granted Local Economic Area (LEA) expansion authority to lend in Kenosha and Rock counties in Wisconsin. SomerCor is the only Illinois based CDC with LEA authority to lend in these select Wisconsin counties...
A craft distillery is slated to open in spring of 2023 across from Mullins Cheese in Knowlton near Mosinee.Knowlton House Distillery will create whey-based spirits and offer craft cocktails, distillery tours, classes and food.
The distillery’s flagship product line, called TenHead, includes vodka and gin crafted from milk sugar (whey), a byproduct of making cheese. The distillery will also be distilling a line of whiskies...
Ken Notes: for more on the industry check out WisconsinCraftNews.com...
Gov. Tony Evers, together with six other Midwest governors, Monday announced the creation of the Midwestern Hydrogen Coalition, which will facilitate the development of a strong clean hydrogen economy in the Midwest. The coalition includes Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan, Kentucky, Ohio, and Indiana, and the states will work together to identify opportunities for advancing clean hydrogen production and use, which will expand economic opportunity, reduce harmful emissions, promote energy independence, and lower long-term energy costs. The partnership was solidified by a Memorandum of Understanding signed by governors from each state...
Stay up to date by reading our MadREP Report, a bi-monthly newsletter that features regional economic development news, events and opportunities. ...more
MARINETTE, WI – On Thursday, September 15, 2022 and Friday, September 16, 2022, the annual gathering of the Wisconsin Commercial Ports Association (“WCPA” or “Wisconsin Ports”) will take place near the mouth of Green Bay at the REC Center in Marinette. The meeting will include presentations from local, state, and federal experts emphasizing the economic significance and environmental stewardship of Wisconsin’s commercial ports. The meeting agenda is available on the WCPA website at WisconsinPorts.com...
Company, state, and local leaders today celebrated the grand opening of the Midwest regional headquarters of Formlabs, a 3D printing company, located in Milwaukee’s historic Third Ward.Sam Rikkers, deputy secretary and COO of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), joined Department of Administration Secretary Kathy Blumenfeld, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley and Milwaukee Commissioner of City Development Lafayette Crump in welcoming the company’s expansion in Wisconsin...
Wisconsin communities can apply this fall for grants of up to $50,000 to turn vacant or under-used public spaces into attractive, busy hubs for community activities.The Vibrant Spaces Grants are a Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) pilot program that allows municipalities to apply for $25,000 to $50,000 grants to assist with local placemaking efforts...
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Gov. Tony Evers today announced that more than 48,000 households have received assistance from the Wisconsin Emergency Rental Assistance (WERA) program, surpassing $200 million in rent and utility payments statewide.
The federally funded WERA program provides up to 18 months of financial assistance for current and overdue payments of rent and utilities, including water, electricity, gas, and internet, and has been an instrumental tool in helping families maintain housing despite financial hardships related to the coronavirus pandemic...
More funding has been approved for an American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) financed economic development-focused pandemic recovery grant program that has benefited thousands of small businesses and nonprofits statewide, including a Lake Geneva retail store.Gov. Tony Evers and Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) Secretary and CEO Missy Hughes announced Sept. 13 that the state will provide an additional $25 million investment for the Main Street Bounceback Grant Program, bringing total investment in the program to $100 million...
PITTSVILLE, WI (OnFocus) – Pittsville is one of five rural Wisconsin communities that will receive help jumpstarting their economic development plans as part of a University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension and Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) pilot program.
The pilot program, Community Economic Analysis for Rural Wisconsin Communities (CEA-RWC), gives rural communities the necessary resources to engage in comprehensive economic development planning.
...moreKen Notes: Great program, I still wish we could adapt a program and support structure that would benefit all communities equally. A partnership to fund a portion of an ED professional in every county and major community in the state would be a great start...
MADISON – Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC) and Johnson Financial Group announced on Wednesday the eight products moving on in the seventh annual Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin contest. The eight Wisconsin-made products each won a head-to-head match-up in the Top 16 bracket-style tournament known as Manufacturing Madness.The Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin contest aims to highlight manufacturing, which is Wisconsin’s largest industry. All together, the growing economic sector employs nearly half a million people and creates $68 billion in economic output each year...
2022 Top 8 Finalists:
Seed 1: Pierce Manufacturing Inc. – Appleton: Volterra Pumper EV Fire Truck
Seed 2: ETC, Inc – Middleton: Source Four LED Series 3
Seed 3: Plexus Corp. – Neenah: Quidel Savanna
Seed 4: Columbia Vehicle Group – Reedsburg: Tomberlin E-Merge Beachcomber
Seed 5: Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding – Sturgeon Bay: M/V Mark W. Barker
Seed 7: H&S Manufacturing – Marshfield: LOADMASTER 2X
Seed 8: Krier Foods – Random Lake: Jolly Good Soda
Seed 11: Ariens – Brillion: Mammoth 850
Seed 1: Pierce Manufacturing Inc. – Appleton: Volterra Pumper EV Fire Truck
Seed 2: ETC, Inc – Middleton: Source Four LED Series 3
Seed 3: Plexus Corp. – Neenah: Quidel Savanna
Seed 4: Columbia Vehicle Group – Reedsburg: Tomberlin E-Merge Beachcomber
Seed 5: Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding – Sturgeon Bay: M/V Mark W. Barker
Seed 7: H&S Manufacturing – Marshfield: LOADMASTER 2X
Seed 8: Krier Foods – Random Lake: Jolly Good Soda
Seed 11: Ariens – Brillion: Mammoth 850
Ken Notes:Down to 8...
Economist John Koskinen highlights strengths, weaknesses and opportunities for the state’s economy.Amid pandemic-inflicted economic and workplace shifts, Wisconsin is regaining its footing thanks to resilient entrepreneurs, creative government programs, innovative community partnerships and new ways of working...
More than 350 participants at the inaugural Wisconsin Economic Summit in Appleton Sept. 20-21 examined the opportunities and shared potential solutions to the problems...
...Other sessions during the summit explored the promise of automation to power a bright economic future, the resilience and perseverance of Wisconsin business owners, creative approaches implemented with support from Workforce Innovation Grants, and the perspectives of WEDC’s Wisconsin Ambassadors...
Madison has never seen anything like this.Ambitious initiatives happening at once -- Madison Area Technical College`s Goodman South campus, nonprofit One City Schools, the Urban League of Greater Madison`s Black Business Hub, the Center for Black Excellence and Culture, a new Centro Hispano, and Mount Zion Baptist`s Family Life Center -- promise to raise the South Side and the Black and brown experience in a city notorious for racial disparities and inequity...
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BELOIT- Wisconsin businesses moving into vacant commercial properties may qualify for grants that can assist them through the Main Street Bounceback program.Businesses may qualify for a $10,000 Main Street Bounceback Grant administered through the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. The grant is to be used by businesses moving into vacant commercial spaces of at least 400 square feet. Grant funds can be used to assist in paying leases, mortgages, for operation expenses and other costs associated with opening a business location....
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MAZOMANIE — Gov. Tony Evers today, together with Wisconsin Economic
Development Corporation (WEDC) Secretary and CEO Missy Hughes
and Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD)
Secretary-designee Amy Pechacek, visited the Wisconsin Heights School
District to meet some of the first GROW scholarship winners and hear how
the effort is beginning to identify prospective teachers in high school
and offer them education classes and classroom mentoring opportunities
before graduation. The unique scholarship and training
program was designed to help build the next generation
of highly qualified rural teachers with new, additional investments thanks to Gov. Evers’ Workforce Innovation Grant program.
WISCONSIN RAPIDS – After three years, Angel Whitehead is leaving as
President of the Heart of Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce in Wisconsin
Rapids. Whitehead will join Centergy as the organization’s new President
and CEO.
“It has been my honor and privilege to serve as the Heart of Wisconsin
Chamber of Commerce President,” Whitehead said, in an open letter to
Heart of Wisconsin investors, partners and friends. “The growth that we
have built together has been nothing short of extraordinary. I am proud
of the accomplishments of the Chamber. These achievements are not simply
attributable to one person, but to a large group of leaders,
hard-working staff, and volunteers. The Chamber has grown, prospered,
and found success because we found some great friends like you who gave
us loyal support along the way. I cannot thank you all enough for your
investment and support of the Chamber. I will remain actively involved
in our Chamber of Commerce; like you, I believe in the Heart of
Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce’s work and ability to strengthen the local
economy and enhance the quality of place,” Whitehead added. ..
Ken Notes: Congrats...
When Tony Moore wants to make a quick grocery run, his options are limited.Most of the foods that fill the shelves in his Kenosha neighborhood are laden with sugar and fat — chips, soda and other sweets. Moore calls it the kind of food you eat to just “fill your stomach.” It’s the only food he can find at a gas station, after all.
In Moore’s neighborhood, two large grocery stores have closed since 2017, and in January, a small grocery there burned down — removing one more source of fresh meat and produce in an already deprived area....
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Ken Notes: I am in one, Albany and you do not realize the pain until you need an onion or hamburger for a meal and you have to drive 15 miles to get it...
Waunakee-based Octopi Brewing - which opened in 2015 and which I profiled in this 2020 article - has announced a $62 million expansion that`s predicted to create 150 jobs in the next five years.
One of Wisconsin’s biggest breweries seems to always be getting bigger.
Waunakee-based Octopi Brewing – which opened in 2015 and which I profiled in this 2020 article – has announced a $62 million expansion that’s predicted to create 150 jobs in the next five years.
Octopi, which makes its own beer as Untitled Art and does a lot of contract brewing – including for Aldi – has had many expansions and had just expanded then, boosting its capacity to 200,000 barrels. Another planned expansion was to up that number by another 50,000 barrels...
Waunakee-based Octopi Brewing – which opened in 2015 and which I profiled in this 2020 article – has announced a $62 million expansion that’s predicted to create 150 jobs in the next five years.
Octopi, which makes its own beer as Untitled Art and does a lot of contract brewing – including for Aldi – has had many expansions and had just expanded then, boosting its capacity to 200,000 barrels. Another planned expansion was to up that number by another 50,000 barrels...
SPOONER – Housing continues to be in a dire situation across the United States, and it is no different in Washburn County.County Housing Authority Executive Director Eva Johnston said that though COVID-19 drove a lot of residents out of the area to be closer to family, or over concern with health issues, there is still a lack of affordable housing here.
The Housing Authority manages 151 units in the county through three different programs. The units are for those on subsidized or fixed income, elderly and disabled persons.
“There are five buildings within Washburn County,” Johnston said...
Ken Notes: We are looking to start a new Website / Newsletter to focus on workforce housing in Wisconsin....
MADISON – Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC) – the combined state chamber and manufacturers’ association – announced nine companies as recipients of the Wisconsin Business Friend of the Environment Award. For over three decades, WMC has presented this award to companies who have demonstrated environmental leadership.“Wisconsin’s economy depends on industry leaders who go above and beyond to use sustainable and environmentally friendly business practices,” said WMC Director of Environmental & Energy Policy Craig Summerfield. “WMC is proud to recognize these companies who prioritize environmental protection as they grow their businesses and build Wisconsin’s future.”...
...more
Fox Cities, Wis. (October 5, 2022) – In an effort to inspire more young women to engage in local STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) programs, the Fox Cities Chamber, along with host Walbec Group, has teamed up to present Smart Girls Rock! on Wednesday, November 2.“Smart Girls Rock! gets local female students excited about careers in STEM through this day-long, interactive mentoring event,” said Sharla Jens, VP of Emerging Talent. “Hosted within the walls of a regional STEM employer, Walbec Group, the event connects the Fox Cities science and tech community with girls in area high schools to inspire their interest in STEM careers and provide academic and career planning guidance to get where they want to go.”...
MADISON – Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC)
and Johnson Financial Group announced on Wednesday the top 16 products
moving on in the seventh annual Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin contest.
The 16 Wisconsin-made products will move on to Manufacturing Madness – a head-to-head tournament-style bracket...
2022 Top 16 Finalists:
- Seed 1: Pierce Manufacturing Inc. – Appleton: Volterra Pumper EV Fire Truck
- Seed 2: ETC, Inc – Middleton: Source Four LED Series 3
- Seed 3: Plexus Corp. – Neenah – Quidel Savanna
- Seed 4: Columbia Vehicle Group – Reedsburg: Tomberlin E-Merge Beachcomber
- Seed 5: Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding – Sturgeon Bay: M/V Mark W. Barker
- Seed 6: HoopMaster – Germantown: Mighty Hoop
- Seed 7: H&S Manufacturing – Marshfield: LOADMASTER 2X
- Seed 8: Krier Foods – Random Lake: Jolly Good Soda
- Seed 9: KI – Bonduel: 600 Series Folding Chairs
- Seed 10: Robbins – White Lake: Sports Flooring
- Seed 11: Ariens – Brillion: Mammoth 850
- Seed 12: Hentzen Coatings, Inc. – Milwaukee: Aerozen Advanced Performance Coating System
- Seed 13: Komatsu – Milwaukee: P&H 4800XPC Electric Rope Shovel
- Seed 14: Wisconsin Lighting, Inc. (WiLL) – Fond du Lac: WiLLsport Outdoor Lighting System
- Seed 15: BethRick Inc. – Oshkosh: Great Plate
- Seed 16: Minocqua Popcorn and Puffs – Minocqua: Gourmet Popcorn
With Plan Commission recommendation, proposal now moves to city zoning committee
A concert venue complex proposed for the Deer District narrowly cleared its first governmental hurdle Monday evening, winning a 3-2 recommendation from the Milwaukee City Plan Commission following a nearly four-hour-long discussion.
FPC Live, an affiliate of Madison-based Frank Productions, plans to build a $50 million development with two concert venues, one with a capacity of 4,000 and the other with a capacity for 800, at the former Bradley Center site south of Fiserv Forum. The site is controlled by the Milwaukee Bucks. Neenah-based Miron Construction Co. Inc. will serve as the construction manager for the project, in partnership with Milwaukee-based JCP Construction, according to a news release on Monday...
Ken Notes: WDNews relies on the actual journalism provided by your local media outlets. Without these partners we can not bring you the unbiased news, leads and updates you need to thrive in Wisconsin. Support your local media...
Note: I changed the link here to Toms Twitter account. JS limits the number of articles I can read so I look at TD`s Twitter feed every week. I`ll Still include JS articles but after ten you need to subscribe.
I also updated the picture because, well Tom is getting old and development is taking it`s toll!!!
Milwaukee
- 1/1/2020 Journal Sentinel business reporter Tom Daykin talks about
commercial real estate and development, including stores, hotels,
offices, condos, apartments and industrial buildings...
Land & Space Development Database
...more
Ken Notes: Tom Daykin is the source for ED news in MKE. This is a permanent link to articles in his blog which is updated daily...
WisconsinDevelopment.com
&/or WDNGreen.com
Wisconsin Development and WDNGreen newsletters are now emailed to over 12,000 professionals, planners, developers, news outlets, and elected officials each week. We see over 1,000 opens within the first hour every week for each publication. The websites, WisconsinDevelopment.com and WDNGreen.com are always online and available to view and search where we maintain several years worth of articles. All of our rates are now less than in previous years.
"Our goal is to present a positive view of economic development in the State of Wisconsin”, Ken Harwood, Editor and Publisher.
WisconsinDevelopment is a positive look at economic development and commercial projects across the state. In WDNGreen we highlight pro-environmental developments and issues that make economic sense.
We believe in the Wisconsin business community and believe that telling their stories will positively impact both growth and better legislation in the State. We are nonpartisan, pro business, pro positive environmental issues, and most importantly pro WISCONSIN...
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WisconsinDevelopment.com
&/or WDNGreen.com
Wisconsin Development and WDNGreen newsletters are now emailed to over 12,000 professionals, planners, developers, news outlets, and elected officials each week. We see over 1,000 opens within the first hour every week for each publication. The websites, WisconsinDevelopment.com and WDNGreen.com are always online and available to view and search where we maintain several years worth of articles. All of our rates are now less than in previous years.
"Our goal is to present a positive view of economic development in the State of Wisconsin”, Ken Harwood, Editor and Publisher.
WisconsinDevelopment is a positive look at economic development and commercial projects across the state. In WDNGreen we highlight pro-environmental developments and issues that make economic sense.
We believe in the Wisconsin business community and believe that telling their stories will positively impact both growth and better legislation in the State. We are nonpartisan, pro business, pro positive environmental issues, and most importantly pro WISCONSIN...
...moreOnline at WisconsinDevelopment.com (4 weeks of articles) - Searchable at Search WDN - WDN Tool Box, Links you can use everyday to help you and Wisconsin grow! Edited and published by Ken Harwood @ LinkedIn.
Click Here To Subscribe or add Friends and Colleagues... WDN si Available free thanks to our SPONSORS... Why I publish WDN... WDGreen Environmental News From a Business Perspective!
Ken Notes: "Ken Notes" may be reprinted in context without permission. Attribution should be Ken Harwood, Editor Wisconsin Development News or Ken Harwood Advocate for Wisconsin.
Wisconsin Development News is
Edited and Published by:
Edited and Published by:
Ken Harwood
Ken [at] KenHarwood.com
Ken [at] KenHarwood.com
608.334.2174
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