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

Monday, November 11, 2019

Happy Veterans Day to our soldiers, both past and present. We owe you our thanks, but more than that, we owe you our freedom.
Calumet County Brownfield Assessment Project Kicks Off
Calumet County’s $300,000, three-year EPA Communitywide Brownfield Assessment Program officially got underway in early October. 

Through the program, Calumet County has up to $300,000 in funding it can use to learn more about potential contaminated properties located in the county. Funds will be used to conduct environmental assessments on brownfield sites that are being considered by redevelopment, or at any brownfield site that is a potential threat to public welfare or the environment. The EPA defines a brownfield as real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant.

The county will consider providing financial assistance for brownfield assessments on sites that are of current or recent interest to a private or public developer for which the availability of brownfield assessment grant funds would enhance the likelihood of redevelopment. Abandoned sites that are a significant blight or potential threat to public health or the environment will also be considered. 

To register a potentially contaminated site in the program, interested private or public property owners can click here to complete an online form and provide basic information about the site. Completing the form in no way obligates a property owner to proceed with the program.

Stantec has been hired by the county to support implementation of the program.
NEWMA Recognizes Calumet County Partners
The 8th Annual Excellence in Manufacturing/K-12 Partnerships Awards program was held on October 29 at the KI Convention Center in Green Bay. Sponsored by the Northeast Wisconsin Manufacturing Alliance (NEWMA), the awards program recognized a number of educators, manufacturers, and partners who work to attract, develop, and retain a highly skilled manufacturing workforce.

In the Manufacturing Awards category, Dan Barker accepted the Youth Apprenticeship Award on behalf of Ariens Company. Ariens has been involved with CESA 6’s YA program for many years, hosting 15 YA students during the 2018-19 school year alone. 

The Heart of the Valley Chamber of Commerce received the Community Partnership Award. Kelli Clussman, Director, accepted the award for the Chamber. It was presented for the Chamber’s efforts in spearheading student and parent events to educate families about local opportunities in manufacturing and other occupations. Calumet County works with the HOV Chamber through the Inspire Calumet-Outagamie program.
Left, Dan Barker accepts the Youth Apprenticeship Award for AriensCo. Right, Kelli Clussman, HOV Chamber, accepts the Community Partnership Award.
Support for Small Businesses
The Saturday after Thanksgiving – this year on November 30 -- has officially been designated as Small Business Saturday. This day is an acknowledgement of the opportunity and need to support small businesses by shopping small and local.

Calumet County works to support our small businesses all year long. Listed are a few of the programs that Calumet County Community Economic Development offers to help small businesses succeed and grow. 
  • Small Business Counselor: Small Business Development Center business counseling services are offered by Ray York, Sheboygan County EDC and Small Business Development Center Entrepreneurship Specialist. Available to all existing businesses and entrepreneurs monthly. To schedule an appointment or learn more, call 920-946-9379 or email Ray. 
  • First Steps: The Small Business Development Center offers a free, interactive, online class to help entrepreneurs explore their business idea and assess their entrepreneurial readiness as well as identify strengths and weaknesses as a business owner. This interactive online class includes downloadable worksheets, hands-on exercises, local entrepreneur stories, and additional resources to determine next steps. The best part about the class is that it is available anywhere and anytime, and it’s free! For more information or to register for first steps, click here.
  • Entrepreneurial Training Program: ETP is taught in eight efficient sessions to help businesses and entrepreneurs develop a plan for a thriving, profitable business. This will allow entrepreneurs to organize and better manage a business, along with receiving funding and writing a detailed, comprehensive business plan. The next program begins in Sheboygan in April, but it’s never too soon to think about signing up.
Local Community Updates
Hilbert Board of Education Thanks Sargento
Ed Byrne, The Brillion News 10/31/19
The School District of Hilbert presented a certificate to Tedd Guttmann of Sargento Foods thanking the company for its numerous acts of support for the Hilbert schools. The honor was a joint presentation of the Hilbert school district and the Wisconsin Association of School Boards. 
Tedd Guttmann, Sargento, left, accepts an award from Hilbert School Superintendent, Tony Sweere.
Sargento is involved in working with students and teachers from several school districts in the area, works with the Hilbert Youth Apprenticeship Program to give students a head start in a skilled trade, has created a scholarship for Hilbert graduates, and gave Hilbert High School a grant to get the school’s robotics team up and running. 

“Right now we’re working on a Manufacturing 4.0 partnership with Sargento,” Hilbert Superintendent of Schools Tony Sweere said.

Sargento is also working with the Stockbridge and Brillion schools on several initiatives, and Sweere said Fox Valley Technical College is now getting involved, too.

“Thank you for nominating us,” Guttmann said. “It is truly a partnership ... trying to get kids early to understand that jobs in manufacturing are clean jobs. We’re closer to the cleanliness of a hospital than we are to any foundry.”

Guttmann said the partnership sends a message to local students that they don’t have to leave their home community to get good career opportunities.

“We try to get to the kids and say ‘Stay around here – it’s a nice place,’” Guttmann said.

He noted that Sargento’s Hilbert plant had fewer than 100 employees just six years ago.

“Now we are approaching 500 [employees]. I took over that plant in 2016, and it’s just been construction after construction,” Guttmann said. “If we don’t put back into the community ... it’s not going to work out for us in the long term.”

Guttmann said he is also very excited about the Village of Hilbert’s development of a new 50-acre subdivision just south of the school district campus – essentially across the road from Sargento’s plant.

The school board and school district teachers recently toured the Sargento plant in Hilbert.

“I think many of them who walked into the plant were shocked by [its operation],” Sweere said. “And it is cleaner than a hospital. We had to wear caps and gowns.” “It is state of the art,” Guttmann said.
Local Business Updates
Briess Malt Donation Makes New Habitat for Humanity Home a Reality in Appleton
WBAY
A unique collaboration between a few local breweries and the Greater Fox Cities Area Habitat for Humanity helped fund an Appleton family’s new home. The Greater Fox Cities Area Habitat for Humanity, a non-profit housing organization, dedicated its 236th home to the Laguna family Monday afternoon.
Their home was built with the help of Briess Malt & Ingredients Co . and six local breweries. Briess donated 4,000 pounds of malt to six breweries, who in return created a special brew and donated a portion of the sales back to Habitat for Humanity. In total, they raised about $36,000 to help fund the Laguna home.

“It started when we looked into doing a volunteer time-off program for employees where we offer them 8 hours of paid time to volunteer,” said Ryan O’Toole, President and COO of Briess Malt & Ingredients Co. “It started that way but then I was visiting one of our partners, one of our breweries we provide malt to, and they asked if we would be interested in helping build a habitat for humanity and it seemed like a natural fit.”
Upcoming Events
Rural Wisconsin Listening Tour
Join WMC Foundation’s Future Wisconsin Project at one of the final of their six town halls this fall as they facilitate an important statewide discussion regarding rural Wisconsin. States across the country not only have a workforce shortage, but also an increasing divide between rural and urban centers.
 
Be part of this conversation as Ted Abernathy, a futurist, researcher, and the founder of Economic Leadership, presents on Wisconsin and national economic and demographic data, while also sharing national trends and best practices of states bridging the rural and urban divide. Ted’s presentation will be followed by an hour-long town hall discussion among all attendees.
 
The Future Wisconsin Project, a program of WMC Foundation, addresses our state’s long-term systemic, economic challenges. With partner representation from business, government, and education, this program seeks to bring all stakeholders of the economy to the table to develop solutions we can all implement. The year-long collaboration culminates with The Future Wisconsin Summit, held at the end of each year.
November 14, 2019

Ariens Company Museum
109 Calumet Street, Brillion, WI 54110
2019 New North Summit Program to Feature Three Global Business Leaders
Three global business leaders with ties to Northeast Wisconsin highlight the program for the 16th annual New North Summit, set for Thursday, December 5, at the KI Convention Center in downtown Green Bay. Speaking at the 2019 Summit will be Kim Underhill of Kimberly-Clark North America, Fred Stephan of Amcor, and David Beurle of Future iQ®.
 
The three speakers will follow the popular ‘ED Talk’ format, New North’s version of TED Talks, focusing on economic development themes from the perspective of business leaders. The speakers engage the audience through a storytelling format to expose them to new ideas.

“We are excited to share the global perspectives of Kim, Fred, and David with Summit attendees,” says Barb LaMue, executive director of New North Inc. “They bring an understanding of the impact that industry-led initiatives can have at the regional level.”
 
Online registration for the 2019 New North Summit, themed “A 2020 Vision of the Future,” continues at www.newnorthsummit.com . The registration fee is $90, increasing to $100 at the door on the day of the event. Student tickets are available for $15.
Explore the Innovation Accelerator for Veterans
Success Begins Here.

Are you a Veteran who’d like to start or grow your own business? Wondering where to start? Attend a complimentary Explore Innovation Accelerator session to learn more.

During the Explore Innovation Accelerator session, take a look inside at what it takes to launch a startup and small business. Whether you’re 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.

The Innovation Accelerator for Veterans was made possible by a generous grant from the Wisconsin Department of Veteran’s Affairs in partnership with Fox Valley Technical College Venture Center.

Get more details and register here. The next sessions will be held on December 3 and December 18 at 5:30-7:00 pm at the Fox Valley Technical College Venture Center in Appleton.
Financial Management for Non-Financial Managers
In this class, you’ll learn basic financial management skills, including major financial statements, sources and uses of cash, cash budgeting, and financial ratios. Emphasis will be placed on financial information as a diagnostic tool in understanding a company’s health. Using real-life examples and exercises, you will learn simple and necessary skills that can immediately apply to your workplace, including:

• Learning the difference between profits and cash.
• Interpreting and understanding the income statement, cash flow and balance sheet.
• Managing cash flow with purposeful techniques.
• Calculating a break-even point.
• Finding the hidden cash in your business and how to get it back.
• Forecasting business success with financial information.

Date: Thursday, December 5, 2019 | 8:30-3:30 pm
Location: Startup Hub, 2701 Larson Road, Green Bay
Cost: $200
Explore Starting a Business
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 critica l 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.

You will learn about:
  • The entrepreneur/business owner mindset
  • Critical questions to consider when launching or growing a business
  • Entrepreneurship Training: The experience and the results
  • 12 essentials for ramping up your business

Get more details and register here. The next sessions will be held on November 13 and December 11 at 5:30 pm at the Fox Valley Technical College Venture Center in Appleton.
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