Focus on Calumet A periodic update on economic development opportunities in Calumet County and the region for businesses, entrepreneurs, and communities.

Thursday, December 20, 2018

Regular readers of this newsletter may recognize this edition is a few days early, which is intentional to accommodate the upcoming holidays. We wish all of our readers a peaceful, relaxing, and fun holiday season. We’ll be back on January 7 with more good news from Calumet County. Thanks to all of our community, business, and organizational partners in Calumet County, northeast Wisconsin, and the state who make our work worthwhile. We’re looking forward to a very productive 2019!

Local Business Updates

City of Brillion receives $500,000 Idle Site Grant

In a major step in the redevelopment of the former Brillion Iron Works site, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) has awarded the City of Brillion a $500,000 Idle Site Grant to help finance demolition work on the site. A ceremony announcing the grant was held at the property on Monday, December 17. The Brillion Iron Works site consists of several buildings that have been home to numerous companies since the early 1900s. The city will redevelop the entire 145-acre parcel in two phases, with the WEDC grant supporting Phase 1, a 70-acre parcel on the south side of the site that was acquired by the Ariens Co. in October.   The Ariens Co. plans to renovate the Farm Implement Building (also known as Plant 3) into a new research and development facility for the company. The research and development facility will support Ariens’ operations, engineering, and supply chain operations.

Left to right, at the grant announcement, are Dan Ariens, Ariens Co; Mark Hogan, WEDC; Rep. Ron Tusler; Brillion Mayor Gary Dieter; and Jerry Murphy, New North

“Eighteen months ago, Brillion was facing what looked like a devastating blight on the heart of this community,” said Dan Ariens, chairman and CEO of the Ariens Co. “Today, this grant from the WEDC will be a catalyst to create momentum around a new vision for the Brillion community and demonstrate the potential to others who might have an interest in joining us on this journey.”   “I applaud the City of Brillion, the Ariens Co., and other partners for working together to redevelop what is now an underutilized parcel and transform it into a facility that will play a key role in the future of the city’s leading employer,” said Mark R. Hogan, secretary and CEO of WEDC, who joined company and city officials in announcing the grant.   Officials expect phase one to be a catalyst for the second phase of the project, which is expected to consist of housing, commercial and retail development, as well as green space and a trail network along Spring and Mill Creeks.

Metko Completes Expansion

Metko held an Open House on Wednesday, December 19, for the New Holstein City Council and other invited guests to show the internal and external improvements that have been underway at the New Holstein manufacturer for the past year. The internal improvements took the form of improved production floor and meeting room spaces with names that acknowledge the family’s Irish Heritage – Dublin, Gaelic, and Blarney.

New Holstein’s city council and city leaders celebrated Metko’s Open House with owner Mike McCarthy (center front)

Externally, there were considerable additions to Metko’s exterior to improve the building functionality, flow, and aesthetics. The City of New Holstein created TID 5 to provide financial incentives that enabled the expansion. Metko is a family-owned complete fabrication firm for contract that has been in business since 1971. Second generation family owners Mike and Diane McCarthy are transitioning to the family’s third generation leadership of Patrick McCarthy and Eric Burger. Products range from treadmills, agricultural components, parts for Subway bread ovens, parts on the Space Station, lighting, and more. Their last expansion was in 2006, with future expansion phases targeted in 2022 and 2026.

Metko’s leadership team was acknowledged at the Open House.

Endries sold to MSD Partners

Nautic Partners, LLC, announced on Tuesday that it has sold portfolio company Endries International, Inc. and related affiliates to MSD Partners, L.P. MSD touts itself as making long-term investments. Endries, Brillion, is a leading distributor of fasteners and component parts serving industrial Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) worldwide. “For over 40 years, Endries has been committed to providing reliable, top-quality products and services to support our manufacturing customers,” Steve Endries, President and CEO of Endries, said. “We have remained true to that commitment during our partnership with Nautic and will do the same with our new partners at MSD Partners.” From its headquarters in Brillion, and eight U.S. and international distribution centers, Endries provides over 500,000 stock units to its customer base. Endries operates primarily through a vendor-managed inventory model, managing C-part categories for its customers across diverse industrial end markets. MSD Partners, L.P. is an SEC-registered investment adviser located in New York, and was formed in 2009 by the principals of MSD Capital, L.P. to enable a select group of investors to invest in strategies that were developed by MSD Capital. MSD Capital was established in 1998 to exclusively manage the capital of Michael Dell and his family. Nautic Partners purchased Endries International from Ferguson Enterprises in May of 2017. Article sources were the Brillion News and The Business Wire

Agri-Staff of Kiel was 2018 Governor's Award Runner Up

AgriStaff USA LLC of Kiel was among two dozen Wisconsin companies that were finalists for the 2018 Marketplace Governor’s Awards, and they were named a Runner Up to winner Dakonte Product Group of Milwaukee in the Rising Star category. Dakonte manufactures and sells quality vinyl products for industrial, office, and hospitality customers in the US and Canada. The awards honor outstanding Wisconsin businesses owned by minorities, women, and service-disabled veterans. Winners were announced December 13 during the 2018 MARKETPLACE Conference. Congratulations, AgriStaff!

New North Summit Held in Appleton

The 15 th annual New North Summit was held on December 6 in Appleton. The theme of this year’s event was “Net-Work,” and the primary emphasis shared by presenters was the talent shortage. ED Talks, economic development presentations modeled after the popular TED talk concept, featured executives from three local organizations -- Phil Flynn of Associated Bank, Michelle Schuler of Microsoft TechSpark Wisconsin, and Mary Goggans of Encapsys, LLC. All three discussed the approaches taken by their organizations to recruit and retain necessary talent for their businesses.    Governor-elect Evers appeared at the event, calling on members of the audience to partner with him and help improve economic development and solve the state’s problems. WEDC Secretary Mark Hogan discussed his agency’s efforts to recruit three primary audiences to come to Wisconsin – alumni of the state’s public and private colleges, millennials, and military veterans. A survey conducted by St. Norbert College’s Strategic Research Institute found that most New North business leaders are concerned about not having the workers their companies need to be successful. Jamie Lynch, director of the institute, shared that 40 percent of leaders believe their business will face a disruption by 2020 and 67 percent responded they feel their business is at risk for a disruption due to not having enough talented workers. Lynch also shared that 40% of the survey respondents to date have not adopted practices to address the talent warning signs being observed, something that certainly needs to be addressed in the New North region. The Summit included several opportunities for the hundreds of participants to network, build new relationships, and create opportunities to solve some of the challenges being faced in the New North region.

Foxconn Project Named 'Deal of the Year'

The Foxconn Technology Group’s $10 billion manufacturing campus project in Wisconsin has been named the 2018 Economic Impact Deal of the Year by the Mid-America Economic Development Council, an association of economic development professionals in 12 states dedicated to advancing regional economic development programs. This award recognizes a project that has significant impact on a city, county, and region as measured by capital investment, jobs, supplier network, economic impact, or new partnership initiatives that positively improved the community. The award was presented at the 2018 Mid-America Competitiveness Conference & Site Selector Forum in Chicago. Foxconn is developing a world-class advanced display manufacturing campus in Racine County that is expected to create 13,000 new jobs in the region. The development is by far Wisconsin’s largest economic development project and is the largest corporate attraction project in U.S. history as measured by jobs. It is also one of the largest greenfield investments by a foreign-based company in U.S. history as measured by jobs.

Read the full story

April 10 Career and Job Fair to be held in Chilton

Wisconsin Governor's Business Plan Contest

The 16th annual Wisconsin Governor’s Business Plan Contest is accepting entries online for the 2019 competition until 5:00 p.m, Thursday, January 31, 2019. 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, and mentoring, management talent, and possible sources of capital. Over time, the contest has led to valuable public and media exposure for the top business plans and spurred economic growth in Wisconsin. In 2018, finalists shared in more than $150,000 in cash and in-kind prizes. All entries are submitted through the website govsbizplancontest.com . That’s where contestants will also find business plan templates and other information, such as the Entrepreneurs’ Toolkit, and where people can register to become a judge or learn about sponsorship opportunities. Companies or individuals that have raised less than $25,000 in private equity for their plans in a current form are eligible to enter.

Upcoming Events

Dream Management - Helping Employees Realize Dreams, Not Just Promotions

How do you motivate your employees? How do you motivate yourself? How do you put employees' dreams into motion? In the workshop "Dream Management - Helping Employees Realize Dreams, Not Just Promotions," you will learn how to keep your employees motivated by finding out what is important to them and what makes them tick. By the end of this workshop, you will have the tools to: Keep employees motivated at work Keep employees happy while pushing them to their limit Encourage employees to dream big Become a dream manager This one-day workshop is available as part of the Supervisory Leadership Certificate Program or for professional development for personal growth. To see the full schedule of programs and workshops, see our website . Our workshops are designed for people who supervise others. The concepts and skills taught are also relevant to all who work with people in a team environment. Whether you own your own business, or work in an office, at an agency, in a health care facility, or manufacturing plant, you will find the workshops applicable in your environment. Date: Tuesday, January 29, 2019 | 8:30 am - 3:30 pm Location:  Advance Business & Manufacturing Center, 2701 Larsen Road, Green Bay Cost: $200 (includes materials, lunch, and refreshments. Register : Click here to view the  brochure  and/or to  register .

Need Help Writing Your Business Plan? Attend the Entrepreneurial Training Program

Whether your business is growing or brand-new, writing a business plan is critical to building a profitable venture, especially to attract financing from lenders or investors. The Small Business Development Center at UW-Green Bay is sponsoring the Entrepreneurial Training Program of eight efficient sessions to help you develop a plan for a thriving, profitable business. In this program, you will learn to identify customers, determine their needs, and analyze that information into a feasible plan for starting or growing your business. Organize and better manage your business. Identify Opportunities and market your business. Understand and get your business financials in order. Get Funding for your business. Write a detailed, comprehensive business plan. Network with other entrepreneurs. Develop a network with small business support services. Outagamie County Dates: Tuesdays, February 5 to March 26, 2019 | Time: 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm Location: Concordia University, 4351 W. College Avenue, Room 100, Appleton Brown County Dates: Wednesdays, February 27 to April 17, 2019 | Time: 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm Location: Advance Business & Manufacturing Center, 2701 Larsen Road, Green Bay Sheboygan/Calumet Counties Dates: Mondays, April 1 to May 20, 2019 | Time 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm Location: UW-Green Bay, Sheboygan Campus, One University Drive, Sheboygan Cost of the Program: Your cost is only $250 (includes book and all material) IF you complete an accepted business plan on or before the one month date after the course end. The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) provides the remaining $750 in tuition assistance grant. That's $1,000 worth of business training for $250! Applications are available by calling (920) 496-2117. You must register both online as well as apply for the grant to be fully registered for this course.  Register: Click here to register or e-mail sbdc@uwgb.edu . Click here to apply for the $750 grant .

Free Small Business Counseling Available

Once a month, a counselor with the Green Bay Small Business Development Center meets with entrepreneurs and existing business owners at the Calumet County Courthouse in Chilton; he is also available to meet with Calumet County entrepreneurs and businesses on a periodic basis at other locations in the county or his office as schedules permit. These free, individual business counseling sessions are held to help answer questions and put businesses and entrepreneurs in a better position to make the best decisions for themselves and their businesses.  To schedule an appointment with the business counselor, contac t Mary Kohrell using the information provided below. The next regularly scheduled session will be held on January 15.

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Calumet County Community Economic Development contact information: Mary Kohrell, Community Economic Development Director (920) 849-1680 | mary.kohrell@calumetcounty.org Connie Leonhard , Program Assistant (920) 849-1450 x4| connie.leonhard@calumetcounty.org ‌ ‌