Focus on Calumet
A bi-weekly update on economic development opportunities in Calumet County
and the region for businesses, entrepreneurs, and communities.
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Tuesday, May 28, 2019
Honoring those who gave the ultimate sacrifice
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Brillion Community Comes Together for Rock the Block
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Thirty-six total projects added up to big changes during last weekend’s Rock the Block event in Brillion. There were two miles of mulching at the Brillion Nature Center. Picnic tables were fixed at Horn Park. A pump house for the water tower was repaired. Painting was done at Holy Family Church. Poor concrete was removed at Heritage Park. Homes - 21 of the projects - received upgrades. And the list goes on and on.
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“It was a great weekend. We anticipate, when we’re able to do all the counting, over 400 volunteers,” Ryan Roth, Director of Community Development with Habitat for Humanity, said.
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Photo caption: Participants and volunteers gathered at a local church for the Rock the Block kick-off ceremony on May 9.
Photo credit: David Nordby, Brillion News
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Senior crew member Alfred Grigg’s favorite part of Rock the Block is the start of each day, specifically the Rock the Block kickoff event that starts the weekend. Mike Wagner and the Brillion High School band performed at last week’s kickoff event at Faith United Methodist Church. Multiple event organizers and event sponsors spoke too.
“That’s what I love about Rock the Block, that energy level. You’re bringing in all these outside volunteers that don’t do this. It’s all new to them. You can almost vibrate with the energy in that room,” Grigg said. Habitat crew members say those positive vibrations carry through the weekend.
“It’s incredible. You see and you feel it and there’s no better way,” Rock the Block Outreach Coordinator Sarah Wylie said.
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Note
: Habitat for Humanity’s Rock the Block program has had an annual presence in the Appleton urban area for several years. Brillion’s event was the first time Rock the Block was held in such a small community so far from Appleton, and Brillion definitely delivered with volunteers and contributions. The positive community development component of this effort will live on for years.
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LaMue Named New Leader of New North
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Barb LaMue, a 23-year economic development professional in Wisconsin, has been named as Executive Director of New North Inc., effective June 10. The organization’s founding leader, Jerry Murphy, will move into a strategic role, leading the expanded entrepreneurial efforts as part of his transition towards retirement from New North Inc.
New North Inc. co-chairs Vicki Updike and Bill Bohn, on behalf of the Executive Committee, announced the leadership transition plan. “The New North Executive Committee is delighted to bring Barb LaMue on as our next leader,” says Updike. “She is a very skilled economic development professional who has strong ties to the region. Barb’s number one value is collaboration, and we look forward to the relationships she will build with New North’s investors and partners. “Jerry is a great leader, who has built New North into one of the state’s preeminent regional economic development organizations. We are very pleased to have him work with us in the important role of leading the Small Business & Entrepreneurial strategic initiative during this transition.”
LaMue has been vice president of business and community development for the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) since August 2015. She initially joined WEDC in January 2012, serving as regional account manager to the eight counties in Northeast Wisconsin. LaMue became sector development manager for manufacturing, defense, advanced materials and bioscience in November 2013, remaining in that role until her promotion to vice president. Prior to joining WEDC, LaMue served as executive director of Centergy Inc., the regional economic development organization serving five counties in central Wisconsin. She previously was vice president of economic development at the Greater Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce and before that executive director of the Marshfield Area Chamber of Commerce and Industry
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Wisconsin is Losing People in their Prime Working Years. Are More Foreign Workers the Answer?
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Unemployment is low, jobs are being created, and businesses are having trouble finding workers. These are all signs that the economy in Wisconsin — and the nation — remains strong. But behind those statistics is a problem that could put the brakes on growth: The number of people in their prime working years is declining.
Wisconsin has 150,000 fewer people between the ages of 25 and 54 than it did in 2007, which could create a host of problems for communities as fewer homes are built, the tax base shrinks and entrepreneurs say no thanks to starting a business.
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“It’s a major concern when 50% of counties overall in Wisconsin are losing population outright but nearly every county is losing prime working age population,” said John Lettieri, author of a recent study by the
Economic Innovation Group
. EIG, a bipartisan think tank based in Washington, D.C., recommends a new visa program
to allow more skilled foreign workers
into the United States.
"It's a real problem, and I don't think enough people are talking about it," said Kelly Fortier, a lawyer who heads the immigration practice for Michael Best & Friedrich in Milwaukee. "We're going to have a huge workforce problem that will exacerbate the Social Security problem, and immigration, in my opinion, is one part of the solution."
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Note
: This article includes examples and experiences from Manitowoc and Sheboygan Counties. It is similar to a concept proposed by U.S. Senator Johnson in 2017. Seriously considering ways to resolve immigration issues would be a productive means for addressing some critical workforce issues.
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California is Most Innovative
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The Golden State is living up to its nickname, with California ranking as the most innovative economy in America. That’s according to Bloomberg’s newest
U.S. State Innovation Index
based on six equally-weighted metrics: research and development intensity, productivity, clusters of companies in technology, “STEM” jobs, populous with degrees in science and engineering disciplines, and patent activity.
Massachusetts, Washington, Connecticut, and Maryland followed California at the top of the innovation scale to round out the top five. California topped the 2019 Bloomberg gauge with a total score of 94 out of 100. It placed among the top five for all categories except STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) job concentration in part because the state has a large and diverse labor pool.
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Note
: Wisconsin ranks 29
th
and while we improved two spots from last year, the state is the lowest ranking Great Lakes/Midwestern state except for Iowa which trails by three places. Hopefully our collective state and local efforts will continue to help Wisconsin’s score rise. Innovation = R&D = money = cool = workforce growth.
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Newest SCORE Infographic: Small Business Retirement Preparation
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SCORE’s newest infographic, shown below and available
here paints a fairly concerning picture about the lack of financial preparation among small business owners/entrepreneurs for retirement.
For example, according to SCORE, 34% of entrepreneurs have no retirement savings plan for themselves. And many do not provide retirement benefits to their employees. Over a third of business owners don’t think they make enough profit to save for retirement; 40% of them do not think they can afford to retire before age 65. In addition, over a quarter of small company owners of 10 employees or less don’t offer retirement plans for their employees. In an era where competition for employees is fierce, benefit package offers will help determine which businesses are able to hire and retain employees, and which ones aren’t. Work with a
SCORE mentor
to determine the best retirement options for you and your business.
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WEDA Announces Future Global Trade
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Personal contact creates business opportunities, but that’s not always easy when your target market is thousands of miles away. Traveling to markets around the world is critical for companies that wish to export: it allows companies not only to gain firsthand knowledge of the competitive environment in those markets, but to develop strong working relationships with key customers and partners. Compared to the U.S., many cultures around the world place a greater emphasis on face-to-face meetings, especially in the early stages of a business relationship.
With WEDC’s global trade ventures, all the logistics of overseas travel are taken care of, freeing up attendees’ time and attention to focus on making business connections. Consider joining WEDC on one of their upcoming trade ventures to Japan, Australia, Mexico, Canada, China, or Europe beginning in September 2019 through the summer of 2020.
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Paul Lukas has long thought about owning his own tavern. About a year and a half ago, he and his realtor were out for a motorcycle ride well north of Lukas’ home in the Milwaukee suburb of New Berlin.
They came across the bar located along STH 32/57 between New Holstein and Chilton—the one which for many years was known as the Redwood Bar. One thing led to another and today Paul and wife Hope are the owners and operators of what they now call Chilled Stein.
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New Holstein Area Chamber of Commerce Board members officially welcomed Chilled Stein to the area business community last week. Owners Hope and Paul Lukas (front, center) accept a plaque and ceremonial “first dollar” from Chamber Board members (from left) Dave Amel, Lisa Herrick, Dave Damkot, Mark Sherry, Cheri Reedy, and Wendy Jacobs.
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“This is my rec room,” Paul said about the bar area and accompanying room which many local residents know well. He and Hope have moved into the residence attached to the tavern along with their two children, C. J., 13, and Levi, 11, who are attending school in Chilton.
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Tadych Investment Partners and Fore Development Plan Appleton Downtown Mixed-Use Projects
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Two downtown residential projects will come before the Appleton Community & Economic Development Committee this week.
Tadych Investment Partners, LLC, a private real estate development company owned and operated by Jason Tadych, plans to build a new mixed-use commercial and residential building to replace a long-vacant building at 320 E. College Ave., next to the History Museum at the Castle.
Tadych Investment Partners intends to demolish the existing building and redevelop the site as a $7 million, six-story mixed-use project with 28 apartments and approximately 2,600 square feet of commercial and/or retail space fronting College Avenue.
Another project in the planning stages is a $6.2 million, 36-unit urban multifamily project. Fore Development has proposed the project, which encompasses three properties directly behind Heid Music at the corner of East Washington Street and North Durkee Street
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New Owner Good for M-B Companies
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M-B Companies is now part of a group which has manufacturing locations in Switzerland, Germany, Poland, The Netherlands, and Norway – and that is good news for its workers in New Holstein and Chilton. The Switzerland-based Aebi Schmidt Group acquired M-B Companies last July, adding it to a growing group which already specialized in the same or similar work to what M-B Companies has been doing for many years.
“We’re the biggest player in the world for snow removal equipment,” and Doug Blada, business unit director for M-B’s airport maintenance products.
Asked if employees in New Holstein and Chilton have seen any changes with the acquisition by Aebi Schmidt Group, Blada said they have – and they are good changes.
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Explore Starting a Business
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The complimentary “Explore Starting a Business” session provides a look inside at what it takes to launch a startup and small business. Explore key factors in starting and growing a business. Begin to determine if you have a feasible idea, learn about critical questions to consider, and additional entrepreneurship training opportunities. Whether you are looking to turn your side hustle into a full-time gig, grow your small business, or scale a startup, this session will help you understand your next steps. Get more details and register
here. The closest session is on June 12 at 4:30 pm at the Fox Valley Technical College Venture Center in Appleton.
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Permit-required confined spaces are a common hazard in many facilities, yet safely managing these spaces can be difficult. This seminar will review the regulatory requirements for conducting confined space entries, the specific requirements of an attendant, entrant, and entry supervisor, and how to manage a confined space program. You'll review common confined space equipment and receive hands-on and classroom training.
Learn About:
- Acceptable entry conditions
- Confined space and general requirements
- Hazardous atmosphere
- Permit-required confined space
- Rescue service
- Retrieval system
- Testing
Wednesday, June 12, 2019
8:00 am - 4:00 pm
$300 |
Materials provided. Safety glasses and closed shoes are required for this training.
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SBDC Entrepreneurial Training Programs
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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 Entrepreneurial Training Program (ETP) is 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.
Please contact the SBDC at (920) 496-2117 or
sbdc@uwgb.edu
f
or upcoming training in your area. The next programs are scheduled to begin in September.
In addition to the ETP in-person classes offered, the SBDC also has an extensive library of high quality webinars that are suitable for all phases of business operation.
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Free Small Business Counseling Available
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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 Tuesday, June 18.
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Calumet County Community Economic Development contact information:
Mary Kohrell,
Community Economic Development Director
Connie Leonhard
, Program Assistant
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