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MONTHLY
NEWSLETTER
October 2023
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Business Advancement & Advocacy | Entrepreneurial Growth
Sustainable Living | Communications & Engagement
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Brey family businesses featured nationally for innovation in agriculture | |
BREY CYCLE FARM LLC has been a leader in Door County agriculture for more than a century.
The farm was established in 1904 and is owned and operated by brothers Tony and Jacob Brey and their families. The brothers purchased the farm from their parents, Bill and Clarice, in 2016.
The Breys milk 600 cows and also raise Angus/Holstein crossbred cattle that are marketed through their family business Brey Family Beef.
Brey Cycle Farm LLC, located south of Sturgeon Bay, is a member of Peninsula Pride Farms, a farmer-led watershed conservation group, and is active in the Door-Kewaunee Demonstration Farms Network.
Brey Cycle Farm LLC was recently featured in a program on RFD TV promoting Holstein cows. Check out this insightful clip to learn more about the Brey family’s work with genetics and the environment toward a bright future by clicking on the button below.
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Renard's Cheese celebrates expansion | |
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RENARD'S CHEESE, an iconic Door County family-owned business established in 1961, is about to begin the second phase of its three-phase building and expansion project.
The second phase features a 4,200-square-foot addition to the popular Renard’s Artisan Cheese retail store on County Road DK in Sturgeon Bay near Southern Door Schools. The new addition will house a state-of-the-art cooler and freezer and much-needed storage space that’s aimed at enhancing the store’s operations and providing a better experience for customers.
The first and third phases of the Renard’s Cheese project involve its manufacturing facility Rosewood Dairy located on County Road S. Those projects include a new 50,000-square-foot production facility and a remodel of the existing warehouse facility that will make way for new equipment and support the company’s growth and increased production.
Renard’s Cheese is owned and operated by Ann and Chris Renard, a third-generation cheese maker.
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CONNECTING BUSINESSES AND STUDENTS | | |
Students visit manufacturers county-wide | |
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Operating a huge gantry crane with a remote control, touring a shipyard that builds and services massive Great Lakes vessels, and sampling coffee and cheese that’s made right here in Door County were just a few of the many cool experiences that students from five area high schools enjoyed during a special Manufacturing Month event Oct. 12.
Approximately 400 students from Sturgeon Bay, Southern Door, Sevastopol, Gibraltar and Algoma high schools toured 12 Door County businesses to learn about careers in manufacturing and some of the fascinating products that are locally manufactured. Participating companies included Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding, Marine Travelift/Shuttlelift, ExacTech, Hatco, Therma-Tron-X, N.E.W. Industries, Pro Products, Midwest Wire Products, Renard’s Cheese, Door County Coffee, Itasca Automation Systems and Door County Candle Company.
The Door County Economic Development Corporation organized the tours in partnership with the participating businesses and schools, and the Door County Manufacturers Association.
“This is an exciting career-awareness event that helps connect students to businesses in ways they don’t encounter in the classroom,” said DCEDC Marketing and Communications Director Korey Mallien. “Some students, for example, even had an opportunity to operate a Shuttlelift gantry crane with a 50-ton lifting capacity. The interaction that takes place during the tours can be inspirational for the students and beneficial for our local businesses.”
Many of the businesses that participated in the event offer opportunities for students to further engage in manufacturing through youth apprenticeships, summer employment, part-time employment and job shadowing.
The event was featured on Fox 11 News and NBC 26.
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DCEDC welcomes new staff members, YA | |
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The Door County Economic Development Corporation is pleased to announce the addition of two new staff members and a youth apprentice.
The new members of the team are Devin Vandertie, Director of Business Development; Kathy Lasee, Coordinator of Accounting and Operations; and Gabriella Tjernagel, who is working as a youth apprentice in marketing and communications.
Vandertie earned her undergraduate degree at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and is pursuing a master’s degree in business administration through UW-Parkside. Prior to joining DCEDC, Vandertie served as an assistant laboratory supervisor at Door County Medical Center in Sturgeon Bay.
A Door County native, Vandertie is passionate about cultivating a community that is not only a desirable destination, but also an exceptional place to live and work. She is eager to support entrepreneurs looking to get started in Door County, help small local businesses thrive, and assist the next generation of the county’s workforce.
Vandertie lives in Southern Door County and is active in the community through a variety of activities, including advocating with the Sexual Assault Center, as a first responder in Southern Door and with the Holy Name of Mary food pantry.
Lasee is also a Door County native and joins DCEDC in a part-time role. She previously worked as office manager for Kevin's Automotive in Sturgeon Bay.
Lasee is semi-retired and enjoys spending time with her three sons and four grandchildren and riding her Harley-Davidson motorcycle on trips throughout the state. She has a bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay in music and a minor in business administration. She plays clarinet and is a charter member of the Peninsula Symphonic Band.
Tjernagel is a junior at Sturgeon Bay High School and is part of the Northeast Wisconsin Youth Apprenticeship program. She is excited about the opportunity to work with the DCEDC staff on marketing and communication projects, including a video business feature segment titled “Gabbing with Gabi.”
Tjernagel loves living in Door County, especially during the colorful fall season, and is interested in pursuing a college degree and career in marketing and communications.
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Don't miss this opportunity for capital
and promotion of your small business!
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Geneva Ridge to include 24 single-family homes | |
A new subdivision designed specifically for Door County’s workforce is proceeding in Sturgeon Bay.
CITY OF STURGEON BAY officials, JPEJ DEVELOPERS LLC, PORTSIDE BUILDERS, and local residents celebrated the groundbreaking earlier this month for the Geneva Ridge residences. The new development, located on a 5.5-acre parcel off of South Hudson Avenue in Sturgeon Bay, will consist of 24 much-needed single-family homes.
The project is in the permitting stages and construction is expected to begin soon, with two of the houses already sold.
Pictured above, from left to right: Joe Shefchik of JPEJ Developers, District 4 Alderman Spencer Gustafson, Community Development Director Marty Olejniczak, Mayor David Ward, and PortSide Builders Vice-President Joel Daoust.
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Arts generate $38 million to Door County economy | |
The Peninsula Arts and Humanities Alliance (PAHA) announced that Door County’s nonprofit arts and culture industry generated $38.6 million in economic activity in 2022. The data was generated from the newly released Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 (AEP6), an economic and social impact study conducted by Americans for the Arts.
That economic activity -- $16.8 million in spending by nonprofit arts and culture organizations and $21.8 million in event-related spending by their audiences -- supported 738 jobs and generated $6.2 million in local, state, and federal government revenue. The study demonstrates locally, as well as nationally, arts are a critical economic driver of vibrant communities.
“We value the arts for their intrinsic worth, and this study reminds us now, more than ever, that we must value their economic contributions to our community,” said Brian Kelsey, managing director of Peninsula Players Theatre, PAHA president and chair of the Wisconsin Arts Board. “The arts and cultural institutions of Door County play a critical role in the economic vitality of our community and are central to our tourism-driven economy.”
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Help plan new Door County multi-use trails | |
The VILLAGE OF EGG HARBOR, in partnership with the TOWN OF EGG HARBOR and TOWN OF GIBRALTAR, is looking to develop four safe, off-road, multi-use trails that would connect the northern Door County community with surrounding neighborhoods and towns. The project would include an Egg Harbor-to-Fish Creek trail.
The total length of the proposed trails would be approximately 11 miles. The trails would be funded through a combination of grants and private donations and be designed for all ages and abilities.
The Village of Egg Harbor is asking residents and visitors to share their thoughts, insights and concerns on the proposed trails by completing the survey. Community feedback is invaluable and will help shape the process.
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FINCANTIERI BAY SHIPBUILDING recently held a Steel Cutting Ceremony to mark the beginning of its big construction project of a Service Operation Vessel for Crest Wind. The 288-foot ship will be used to transport personnel and equipment to and from North America’s largest offshore wind farm, Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind, situated off the coast of Virginia.
Brian Stephens, president and CEO of DOOR COUNTY MEDICAL CENTER, has been recognized as one of “67 Critical Access Hospital CEOS to Know,” by Becker’s Hospital Review.
Stephens is part of a select group of leaders from more than 1,300 critical access hospitals nationwide that “are lauded for their dedication to innovation, safety and quality. These CEOs are devoted to the continuous improvement of their critical access hospitals, knowing just how crucial they are to the communities they serve.”
Stephens has served as CEO since 2019 at DCMC, which has more than 175 physicians, an outpatient medical center and skill nursing facility. DCEDC is proud to have Stephens as chairman of its board of directors.
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Did you know that the Door County Economic Development Corporation (DCEDC) is a public/private partnership dedicated to improving the economic vitality of the county and its residents?
DCEDC partners with companies and entrepreneurs to help build successful businesses in Door County and continuously improve the area’s economic climate. It’s a relationship that allows businesses to tap into the expertise of area leaders, and provides them with access to a variety of local, state and federal resources.
| FREE No Cost Services to Door County Businesses | |
Hundreds of businesses and entrepreneurs have benefitted from DCEDC services at no cost!
- Workforce Development
- Entrepreneurship Assistance
- Financial Assistance
- Attraction & Site Selection
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