Focus on Calumet
A periodic update on economic development opportunities in Calumet County
and the region for businesses, entrepreneurs, and communities.
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NEWMA Brighter Image Award Presented to Chilton High School
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Chilton High School was recognized on October 23, 2018, by the Northeast Wisconsin Manufacturing Association (NEWMA) with the Brighter Image Award for Educators. The school was nominated for the award for its Tiger Manufacturing program, which provides high school students with an opportunity to learn hands-on manufacturing skills. NEWMA’s Brighter Image Award recognizes the northeast Wisconsin school that has done the most to improve the image of manufacturing as a future career choice.
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Tim Trace, Dexter Karban, Steve Bartel, and Ty Breitlow from Chilton High School received the Brighter Image Award.
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Over 400 Wisconsin manufacturing, education, and economic development representatives were on hand to see Chilton High Principal Ty Breitlow receive the award. Chilton is the smallest high school to receive the award; Appleton High School in our region received it in 2015. At the 2017 NEWMA program, Brillion Elementary received the Education Innovation Award.
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Entrepreneurship Conference Held in Appleton
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KinnektorCon was a three-day event held October 23-25 at the Fox Cities Exhibition Center in Appleton. Nearly 200 people gathered, including entrepreneurs, investors, business supporters, local officials, and others. The opening keynote session featured Maria Meyers from SourceLink in Kansas City, who described her organization’s efforts to make Kansas City the most entrepreneurial city in the country (and her analytics indicate they’ve succeeded), along with Eric Weissmann of Cintrifuse, who works to foster a tech-based economy in the greater Cincinnati region. Another keynote session showcased Appleton’s own Karen Nelson speaking about the city’s Dignity and Respect campaign with Alieu Nyassi from Dayton Children’s Hospital, who reminded participants that everyone wants and deserves dignity and respect. Numerous breakout sessions were held on days one and two of the conference, including a presentation (pictured below) that discussed the important business success resources provided by IGNITE! in Fond du Lac.
Calumet County Economic Development invites budding entrepreneurs to contact us to begin the journey toward building a business or exploring your entrepreneurship potential.
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Diana Hammer and Sarah Spang from Fond du Lac share their experience with IGNITE! at KinnektorCon.
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WWBIC Celebrates Grand Opening of Appleton Office
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WWBIC, the Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation, celebrated the grand opening of its Appleton office on October 17, an addition to their existing locations including Milwaukee, Madison, and Waukesha among others. The office is located on Casaloma Drive in Appleton in the Associated Bank building.
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WWBIC and Associated Bank staff celebrate the Appleton office opening with a ribbon cutting.
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WWBIC is a statewide economic development corporation focused on “Putting Dreams to Work.” They prioritize individuals who face barriers in accessing traditional financing or resources in pursuit of their dreams and economic well-being, and help individuals interested in starting, strengthening, or expanding businesses. WWBIC emphasizes support for women, people of color, and low-income individuals (while also servicing all other populations), providing direct lending and access to capital, one-on-one technical business assistance, and education to increase financial capability. Incorporated in 1987, for 30 years WWBIC has made over $60 million in loans and assisted over 60,000 clients. Calumet County was on hand to welcome WWBIC to Appleton and looks forward to helping connect Calumet entrepreneurs to WWBIC services.
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Legislative Study Committees Continue Work on Economic Development Issues
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According to an article in the October 18, 2018, issue of
WEDA Political News and Notes
, several special legislative committees tasked with examining and offering solutions to challenging issues facing the state have been meeting with the goal of finishing their work by the end of 2018. The committees are comprised of lawmakers and citizen members with expertise in the issue areas being studied. Of the ten study committees created this cycle, two are of great interest to WEDA – the Study Committee on Property Tax Assessment Practices, which is investigating potential solutions to the dark store issue, and the Study Committee on the Investment and Use of the School Trust Funds, which is considering changes to the State Trust Fund Loan program. Both committees are charged with recommending legislative proposals that will be introduced and considered by the full Legislature during the 2019-20 session, and both committees will meet once more in 2018 to complete their work and recommendations.
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Calumet County is a member of WEDA – the Wisconsin Economic Development Association. WEDA is a statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding Wisconsin’s economy.
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It May be a Year or Two Away, But Some Economists Already See Recession on the Horizon
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Milwaukee Journal Sentinel 10/12/18:
As he was talking to business leaders this week about his company’s focus on the long-term, John Schlifske, chief executive of Milwaukee’s Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co., recounted what he’d told some new young sales employees just a day earlier:
“You can write this down. There will be a major recession in the United States. I don’t know when, but there will be one,” he said.
Although, like Schlifske, economists can’t put a finger on exactly when the next economic downturn might occur, more of them are mentioning the dreaded R-word in their extended forecasts. Recessions are hard on just about everyone, as the Great Recession a decade ago brutally showed. Jobs are lost, and new college graduates entering the employment market find prospects thin.
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Professional Plating Recognized for Hiring People with Disabilities
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Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Assistant Deputy Secretary BJ Dernbach presented an Exemplary Employer Award to Larry Dietz, General Manager, and the leadership team at Professional Plating, Inc., Brillion, on October 24, 2018, for demonstrating a strong commitment to recruiting and hiring job seekers with disabilities.
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Larry Dietz, center, shown holding the DVR plaque, with BJ Dernbach (back row on Larry’s right) of the WI DVR with the Professional Plating Leadership Team.
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Professional Plating was one of two manufacturers receiving such awards in the northeast Wisconsin region. October was proclaimed as Disability Employment Awareness Month in Wisconsin to highlight businesses that recruit and hire people with disabilities and encourage other businesses to provide opportunities for this skilled, dedicated, and capable workforce. As the state's talent development agency, DWD connects employers with a robust pool of skilled workers and assists job seekers with disabilities in achieving employment outcomes.
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Buechel Stone Acquires North Carolina Quarry
Buechel Stone Corporation, Chilton, recently purchased the assets of Blue Ridge Mountain Stone in Marion, NC. The purchase adds more new quarries from which to extract stone, allowing Buechel Stone to expand its product mix.
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Workforce Housing & Development Conference
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Any community official, real estate professional, or business with an interest in housing development is encouraged to attend the
Workforce Housing & Development Conference presented by Wisconsin Public Service on Wednesday, November 7, 2018, at the Lambeau Field Atrium in Green Bay. Speakers and presentations during the conference will address various topics, demographics, and trends in the housing industry. Special focus will be given to economic development and innovative ways communities can improve housing and development options to attract needed talent to their workforce.
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Small Business Development Center Classes
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Women in Leadership Roles
Women are not new to leadership, but men still outnumber women in the most prestigious positions from Capitol Hill to the boardroom. This seminar examines the causes of women’s underrepresentation in leadership roles in business, politics, and education and suggests strategies for changing the status quo. This seminar addresses issues pertaining to women in leadership roles and provides workable solutions for consideration and implementation. Discover your role in expanding opportunities to open doors for women at new heights in the realm of business.
November 13, 2018 | 8:30-3:30 pm | $200
Advance Business & Manufacturing Center, 2701 Larsen Road, Green Bay
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Financial Management for Non-Financial Managers
In this workshop, you will learn basic financial management skills every businessperson should know. Topics will cover the three major financial statements, sources and uses of cash, cash budgeting, break even analysis, and an introduction to financial ratios. Emphasis is placed on the practical uses of financial information as a diagnostic tool to understand a company’s health. Using real-life examples and exercises, participants will learn simple and necessary skills they can immediately apply to their workplace.
December 4, 2018 | 8:30 am-3:30 pm | $200
Advance Business & Manufacturing Center, 2701 Larsen Road, Green Bay
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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. 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 session will be held on November 20.
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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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