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Momentum News
A publication by Momentum West
January 2016
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| Contact Us |
Applied Technology Center
2322 Alpine Rd. Suite 7
Eau Claire, WI 54703
Phone: 715-874-4673
Fax: 715-874-4683
E-mail:
info@momentumwest.org
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| Executive Directors Corner |
Greetings everyone. Hope your 2016 is off to a positive start!
Rob Kriebich, executive director of the New Richmond Chamber of Commerce, and Deb Leslie from Workforce Resources, have joined the Momentum West board. Welcome! We look forward to your time with us on the Momentum West board. As mentioned last month, we are losing several board members. Paul Bauer from the Ellsworth Creamery Cooperative, Michelle Dingwall from the Menomonie Chamber, and Dick Best, formerly of Workforce Resources and the Workforce Board, are leaving the board. Thanks to the three of you for your hard work and expertise, it has been appreciated!
I'd like to take a few moments to cover some of the things that kept us busy this last year. Thanks to all who helped drive our programs forward. Below is an outline of our key 2015 projects:
- Development of the Gold Shovel Ready program to identify and aggressively market available rural and small community shovel ready sites to developers, site selectors and brokers.
- Complete overhaul of website to effectively market ten county regional assets and resources.
- Formulation and implementation of a social media marketing plan.
- Securing an Otto Bremer grant to develop regional strategies for addressing present and pending workforce issues throughout ten county region.
- Participation in state, regional, national and international tradeshows including MAEDC, the Site Selectors Guild Conference, and the Hannover Messe to promote the region.
- Advocacy for the Regional Business Fund, Northern Wisconsin Engineering Consortium, River Falls incubator project, and participation in the Chippewa Valley Rally and St. Croix Rally.
- Assisting the NWEC in securing additional engineering programs for the three area UW System universities to fill needs of area manufactures.
- Hosting of a three day Site Selectors Guild Advisory Tour, with six Guild members in attendance, to highlight communities, assets, industrial sites and industry sectors within the region.
- Phase one work with the STEM Coalition, Manufacturing Works, and other regional entities to identify current talent attraction/development/retention issues, formulate a strategy to address these on a regional level and orchestrate a regional effort involving industry, the education system, area EDC's and other key entities in the region.
- Acquiring of the NWITA and developing a strategy on how to effectively educate, provide a conduit to available resources and foster additional exporting from businesses within the region.
- Offering of regular forums in partnership with the area EDC's, WEDC, Federal Reserve, Transportation Alliance and Office of Business Development with topics including exporting, regulatory issues, transportation, and the regional economy.
- Work with the UW Extension and Innovation Foundation to develop an entrepreneur roadmap of resources for the Momentum website.
- Formulation of a series of ongoing meetings with partner EDO's beginning with a regional strategic planning session
Many of these items are ongoing, such as our primary goals - regional business attraction and marketing. Attendance at tradeshows, continuation of the Gold Shovel Ready program, improved data and functionality of the website, regional advocacy, work with our partners in the region and WEDC and other items will continue, but below is a list of additional 2016 Momentum West priorities:
- We will be developing a regional strategy to tackle the current and pending workforce issues. The process has begun with the selection of a steering committee chair and will involve participation from the manufacturing base, higher education institutions, workforce development, the regions county/city economic development organizations, Manufacturing works, the STEM collaborative, etc.
- We will be working with the state and region to develop a comprehensive entrepreneur resource roadmap including public and private resources offered by the state and within the region. We need to help connect start-ups and entrepreneurs with the resources to move ventures forward.
- We will launch the re-born Northern Wisconsin International Trade Association (NWITA) with the assistance of manufacturers within the region. Input will determine the offerings of the entity necessary for businesses to expand their markets overseas.
- Focus will be placed on the Ag sector with an emphasis on cluster development.
- A mid-year familiarity tour will be hosted with an emphasis on rural areas with developed industrial bases and available property. Workforce will be an emphasis.
- A new every other month gathering of the regions EDC's will help tie the efforts of the county/city EDC's together. Momentum will leverage this to make sure we identify common challenges that can be address on a regional level and look for potential efficiencies.
It should be a positive and productive year!
Take care everyone!
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Committee Updates
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Economic Development Committee:
Representatives from WEDC presented details of their programs to a large group of the county and city economic development directors from the Momentum West region.
Tradeshow/Outreach Committee:
Details are in place for attending the February Site Selectors Guild conference in Nashville, February 24th - 26th. Plans are being worked on the teams up with WEDC on the Hannover Messe trip in April. Works continues on the June FAM Tour.
NWITA (Northern Wisconsin International Trade Association):
The Trade association's website is being rolled into the Momentum West website. The committee is working with the county EDC's on identifying those involved in international trade. A needs assessment will be developed to chart the path of the trade association further.
Marketing Committee:
The social media programs and strategies were reviewed. An overall direction is being discussed and the committee will be convening soon to begin developing a comprehensive strategy for internal and external marketing.
Talent Attraction Committee:
The talent initiative working group is almost complete. This group will be meeting son to officially get the initiative rolling forward. Thanks to those who have agreed to become part of this team. Outreach continues to potential regional partners. Thus far the feedback has been positive as well all realize talent is and will continue to be a key driver in regional economic growth. As mentioned, this will be a primary focus as we move through 2016. Much more on this as we move forward.
Fundraising Committee:
If you are a present investor, thank you for your support of regional economic development. If you are not a current investor, please consider an investment in Momentum West as the continuing work of the organization is important to the economic growth of the region. The impact we can make in the region goes beyond the items mentioned in this and the previous newsletters, but without investments from businesses and industries within the area we are limited to what impact we can make. An investment in Momentum West is an investment in the overall economy of our region, whether it be time or financially, and we appreciate your support.
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Momentum West 2016 Annual Luncheon - Wednesday, March 9th
Register now for the Momentum West Annual Luncheon, featuring Philip Schneider as the Keynote Speaker. Phil is the President of Schneider Consulting, LLC and Chairman/President for the Site Selectors Guild. He will be presenting on the "Pillars and Trends in Economic Development", focusing on the critical drivers of sustainable economic development and recent trends gathered from the 2016 Site Selectors Guild Survey. The luncheon is being held from 12 - 1:30pm at the Stout Ale House in Menomonie.
Click here to register today!
Celebrating 125 Years
Governor, dignitaries help kick off milestone year for university
The Clock Tower bells on campus rang a celebratory peal at 1:25 p.m. State and university leaders spoke with pride about the university's past, present and future. A special cake was served, and Jan. 5, 2016, was proclaimed UW-Stout Day in Wisconsin by Gov. Scott Walker.
UW-Stout marked its 125th birthday with a celebration that drew a standing-room-only crowd estimated at 500 people in the ballrooms of the Memorial Student Center.
The school's founder, James Huff Stout, would have been proud. Speakers paid tribute to his vision for a more perfect form of education, combining hand and mind, along with the legacy - nearly 80,000 graduates - his school has created.
"He's somebody who, in many ways, was ahead of his time," Walker said, citing James Stout's still-relevant mission to develop a skilled workforce to meet the needs of a society increasingly dependent on industry and technology. To read more
click here
Derrick Building Solutions project featured in trade publication
Derrick Building Solutions recently announced that Butler Manufacturing has chosen to feature the NCCM project, in River Falls, as the cover story in their quarterly magazine, "Building Profit."
The Magazine selects a handful of their best North American projects to feature and this quarter they chose NCCM and Derrick Building Solutions. The professional team from Butler Manufacturing visited River Falls and captured photos at the NCCM, and interviewed Brent and Julie Niccum, NCCM owners; the Derrick Building Solutions team; and other individuals to create a feature article outlining the project, the process and the collaborative effort resulting in a truly exceptional outcome for all involved.
NCCM's new corporate headquarters facility project began in 20113 and was completed in June of 2014 by Derrick Building Solutions. The facility earned recognition for its owners and Derrick earlier this year when it was chosen as a "Project of Distinction" award recipient by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of Wisconsin at their annual banquet in February.
For further information about Derrick Building Solutions, a Butler Builder, visit derrickbuilding solutions.com and for further information about NCCM visit nccmco.com.
Wisconsin Governor's Business Plan Contest open for 2016 entries through Jan. 31, 2016
The 13th annual Wisconsin Governor's Business Plan Contest is accepting entries online for the 2016 competition until 5 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016.
The contest is designed to encourage entrepreneurs in the startup stage of tech-based businesses in Wisconsin. The contest links up-and-coming entrepreneurs with a statewide network of community resources, expert advice, high-quality education, management talent and possible sources of capital. It also leads to valuable public and media exposure for the top business plans and helps spur economic growth in the state. Finalists will share in more than $100,000 in cash and in-kind prizes.
For their initial entries, contestants will submit a 250-word (or 2,000-character) idea abstract online at
www.govsbizplancontest.com. That's where contestants will also find business plan templates and other information, such as the Entrepreneurs' Toolkit. The
toolkit provides business startup information and assistance, networking contacts and technical resources.
Contestants who advance to subsequent contest rounds will expand their plan in stages. More than 70 judges drawn from the finance, sales, marketing, research and technology sectors across Wisconsin will score the entries and provide feedback on submissions.
To get started, contestants will need to create a simple account at
www.govsbizplancontest.com. All entries are submitted through the website. Contestants use their account to gain access to mentors throughout the process, as well as review the judges' comments and feedback.
Since its inception in 2004, more than 3,100 entries have been received and about $2 million in cash and services (such as legal, accounting, office space and marketing) have been awarded. Contest categories are Advanced Manufacturing, Business Services, Information Technology and Life Sciences.
Wisconsin residents 18 years old and older are eligible, as are teams from Wisconsin-based businesses and organizations. Businesses or teams from outside the state are also eligible to compete if they demonstrate intent to base their business in Wisconsin. Entrepreneurs may also enter multiple ideas, though each idea must be separate and distinct.
Companies or individuals that have raised less than $25,000 in private equity for their plans in a current form are eligible to enter. Generally speaking, private equity refers to angel and venture capital.
As with past contests, the 2016 competition will take place in stages:
- In Phase 1, which is open until 5 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016, the contest will accept idea abstracts on the website. Entries should be roughly 250 words (or no more than 2,000 characters, including spaces) and will be graded by the pool of BPC judges. The top 50 idea abstracts will advance to Phase 2.
- In Phase 2, which runs from Feb. 22 to 5 p.m. March 14, 2016, the top 50 idea abstracts will submit an executive summary. The top 20 executive summaries will advance to Phase 3.
- In Phase 3, which runs from April 4 to 5 p.m. April 25, 2016, the top 20 executive summaries will prepare full business plans. Judges will review the plans and pick three finalists from each of the four categories to advance to the final presentation round.
- The top 12, or "Diligent Dozen," will square off with oral presentations during the Wisconsin Entrepreneurs' Conference on June 7 at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison.
Past finalists have launched companies that have raised more than $160 million in angel, venture, grants and venture debt over time - all while creating jobs and economic value for Wisconsin. The contest's major sponsors include the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp.
The 2015 grand prize winner was bluDiagnostics, a Madison startup company whose device is aimed at helping women struggling with infertility. Category winners in 2015 were Intelligent Composites (Advanced Manufacturing), Hunt Butler (Business Services), 65 Incorporated (Information Technology), and bluDiagnostics (Life Sciences).
Nominate a Top Rural Development Initiative Today
Wisconsin Rural Partners Inc. is now accepting nominations to recognize 2016 Top Rural Development Initiatives.
Any project, activity or even a whole community in rural Wisconsin is eligible. Initiatives do not have to be community-based: WRP may recognize any state, federal, tribal, non-profit or for-profit business initiative, regional or statewide, as long as it meets program criteria. Initiatives can be in agriculture, economic or community development, business, education, health, energy, environment, philanthropy, tourism, the arts or any other field.
The Top Rural Development Initiative Program began in 1998, to help uncover and share the great things happening throughout rural Wisconsin and serve as a capacity building tool from which all rural Wisconsin communities stand to benefit.
WRP looks for nominations that cite positive community impacts, regional success stories, or demonstrated innovative ideas. The panel of judges will be from various professions and backgrounds and will look at a few simple things:
- Whether the project demonstrates the spirit of partnership or collaboration in making its success happen;
- How widespread and long term the positive impact is for the community;
- How innovative the project is; and
- How the initiative stacks up as a model for other communities in Wisconsin to follow.
Nominations are due by close of business on Friday, February 5, 2016. For more information contact Rick Rolfsmeyer, WRP executive director, at 608-967-2322 or ricky@wirural.org.
You can't grow what you don't start - Ignite Wisconsin.
Do you dream about starting or buying a business? Why haven't you taken action?
Ignite Wisconsin is a new effort in our region to help prospective entrepreneurs move from a place where they dream about owning a business to a place where they take active steps to make it happen.
Ignite Wisconsin is designed to encourage, inspire and connect prospective entrepreneurs.
Check Out:
Are you ready to take a step forward?
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For the latest Momentum West news, visit us on
facebook!
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Momentum West Investment
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Thanks to all who invested in Momentum West! Together we will continue to create a sustainable and innovative economy for our region's citizens.
Business and Industry
Agstar
Associated Bank
AT&T
Baldwin Area Medical Center
Banbury Place
Bauman Associates, LTD
Bauer Built
BMO Harris Bank
Bremer Bank
Cedar Corp
Charter Bank
Citizens Bank - Hudson
Core Products
Dairyland Power Cooperative
Derrick Construction
Durand Builders
Eckberg Lammers
Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery
Fairmount Santrol
First American Bank*
First National Bank
First National Community Bank
Great Northern Corp*
Haselwander*
Landmark Company
Manpower
Market and Johnson
Mayo Clinic Health System
Merchants Bank Eau Claire*
Northwestern Bank
OEM Fabricators
RDC National
Reality Works
Royal Credit Union
Ruder Ware
Sacred Heart Hospital
Schaeffer Manufacturing
Security Financial Bank
Spectrum Industries
Uline, Inc.
Valley Cartage*
Weld, Riley, Prenn & Ricci
WestConsin Credit Union
Wipfli, Ulrich, Bertelson, LLP
Wisconsin Business Development
Xcel Energy
Regional EDC
Chippewa County EDC
Dunn County EDC
Eau Claire Area EDC
Polk County EDC
Rusk County EDC
County
Barron County
Eau Claire County
St. Croix County
Municipal
Ladysmith Community Industrial Development
West Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission
Education
Chippewa Valley Technical College
UW- Eau Claire
UW- River Falls
UW- Stout
WITC
Reciprocal
Amery Area Economic Development Corporation
Chippewa Falls Area Chamber of Commerce
Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce
Hudson Area Chamber of Commerce
Menomonie Chamber of Commerce
*denotes pledge for investment
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Gold Shovel Ready Sites
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The Gold Shovel Ready Site database for developers on www.MomentumWest.org allows you to quickly and easily find sites in our 10-county region of Western Wisconsin that have:
- Identified property owners and clearly states sales price
- Zoning in place or planned
- Maps showing public and private utilities and capacities
- Information showing transportation networks
- Identified any known site restrictions that may hinder development (Geological, environmental, easements, etc.)
- Area statistics and demographic data
The sites listed below are currently verified as Gold Shovel Ready:
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| Upcoming Events |
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January 27, 2016 - Chippewa Valley Rally
February 3, 2016 - Menomonie Chamber Annual Banquet
Location: UW-Stout Great Hall Reception
Time: 5pm-9pm
For more information and to register, visit the
event page
March 3, 2016 - Manufacturing Show
Location: CVTC Gateway Campus, Manufacturing education center
Time: 3-7pm
March 9, 2016 - Momentum West 2016 Annual Luncheon
Location: Stout Ale House, Menomonie WI
Time: 12-1:30pm
For more info and registration visit the
event page
March 3, 10, 17, 24, 31, and May 3, 2016 - Lean Certification Series (program includes all sessions)
Location: Chippewa Valley Technical College
Time: 8am-4:30pm (each session)
June 19 - 24, 2016 STEM CAMP 2016
What: Week-Long, overnight STEM Camp focusing on rocketry. Guided by UW-Stout STEM faculty, campers will tackle hands-on projects, experiments, and workshops in biology, physics, math, chemistry, computer science, and engineering, including supervised access to UW-Stout's Fab Lab. For complete info, see the
EVENT BROCHURE
Location: UW-Stout Campus
When: Sunday, June 19 - Friday, June 24, 2106
Cost: $375, includes all meals, lodging, instruction materials, tours, camp t-shirt, and camp activities.
Registration: Opens March 1, 2016, space is limited.
WEDC Canada-Mexico Trade Venture
The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) invites companies to participate in upcoming global trade ventures to Mexico and Canada.
Wisconsin's two biggest export markets, Canada and Mexico together account for nearly 50 percent of the state's exports. These two markets are natural first steps for companies that are new to exporting, given their geographic proximity to the U.S., cultural ties and the existence of the North American Free Trade Agreement. In addition, the global trade ventures are designed to help companies that are already exporting further grow their sales in Mexico and Canada.
The global trade venture to Mexico will take place Feb. 21-26, 2016, visiting Mexico City and Guadalajara, Mexico's two largest cities. The global trade venture to Canada will take place March 13-18, 2016, visiting Toronto, Ontario-Canada's largest city and provincial economy-and Winnipeg, Manitoba-the capital of a province whose economic strengths are closely aligned with Wisconsin's, and whose economy is growing rapidly.
2016 Export Opportunities in Canada
Vancouver, Canada - For retail, food service and ethnic products
February 16-18, 2016 - British Columbia
Early registration is $400 through October 13, 2015
Registration deadline: December 1, 2015
Toronto, Canada - For specialty and natural products
September 7-8, 2016 - Ontario
Early registration is $400 through May 4, 2016
Registration deadline: June 15, 2016
Food Show PLUS! Tradeshow Services
SIAL Canada
April 12-15, 2016 - Montreal, Quebec
Early Registration is $225 through December 18, 2015
Registration deadline: January 20, 2016
For more information on 2016 Export Opportunities in Canada, contact Lisa Stout:
Tel: 608-224-5126
*If you would like your upcoming event to be included in the Momentum West newsletter, please send information to
steve@momentumwest.org prior to the 15th of each month
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| About Momentum West |
Momentum West is a Regional Economic Development Organization that serves 10 counties: Barron, Chippewa, Clark, Dunn, Eau Claire, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Rusk, and St. Croix. Our mission is to develop partnerships and leverage resources in West Wisconsin to market the region and grow the economy.
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