CCEDC 2022 Annual Report

Refreshing Reason

INVEST IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

$ PARKS

TAXES EMPLOYEES

SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSES

SOCIAL FABRIC

COMMUNITY

SAFETY

a reimagined Chippewa economy – resilient, always renewing, equitable, sustainable, growing, and powerful! Growing our local hometown style economy provides a healthy and high standard of living for us all. We pursue our vision by being extremely collaborative in all economic development programs of entrepreneurialism, leadership, advocacy of public policy, strategic assistance to business and government.

QUALITY OF LIFE

HOUSING FUNDS

PUBLIC EMPLOYEES

VisionMission

The primary mission of the CCEDC is to be a catalyst for economic development in the Chippewa Valley and to foster a strong economic environment which supports talent, businesses, and nurtures growth and new investment in the region. CCEDC is dedicated to promoting and facilitating economic development and to improve the quality of life in Chippewa County by increasing its economic base.

THE TEAM

FINANCIAL REVIEW

CORE VALUES

A special thank you to our 2021-22 Board of Directors for their continued commitment and leadership.

THE TEAM

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Tom Waldusky, Chair Benedict Refrigeration Rebecca Reinhardt, Vice Chair CCF Bank

Mary Stabenow, Treasurer Nohre & Co, S.C.

Maureen Carlson Greenfire Management Services

Ron McGill County Board of Supervisors

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Nicole Anderson Marshfield Clinic

Klaus Bauer Huebsch Services

Lisa Bruhn Say No to Meth Campaign

Deb Chilson Chilson's Corner Motors of Cadott

Shirley Gutsch PMI LLC

Ron Haas Martino's Restaurant

Nicole Hager Stanley Correctional Institution Ryan Hartzell Citizens Telephone Cooperative, Inc.

STAFF

Charlie Walker, MPA, CEcD, MPED President/CEO

Ed Holand C & N Manufacturing

Rick Kaiser

Xcel Energy

Cathy Leibke Holiday Inn Express Rob Mooney Alliance Plastics Corp

Melissa Peterson Frandsen Bank & Trust

Sheri Scheidler Mule Hide Manufacturing Karen Smith Security Bank

Emilu Starck Ruder Ware, L.L.S.C.

John Wagner HSHS St. Joseph's Hospital

Dawnette Schult

Administrative Assistant

IVERSITY OLLABORATION

ETHICS

Who We Are

The Chippewa Economic Development Corporation (CEDC) is a private 501(c)6 not-for-profit organization founded in 1996. CEDC is Chippewa County’s leading economic development organization dedicated to championing local growth and enriching the economic vitality of our community. We use expert analysis to highlight our advantages that prove why we are the best place to raise a family, invest, work, and grow a business. We are proud to be serving our community for over 26 years!

FINANCIAL REFLECTION

In 2021 we promised to continue to help stabilize, rebuild, and grow our economy in unparalleled times. I am pleased to report that our private investor/program support revenue increased from 2020 to 2021, slowly returning to the level of private investor support that we experienced prepandemic. Annual membership investment in the CEDC provides cooperative action, real impact, and substantive direction through involvement with top business, education, government, and nonprofit leaders in the Chippewa Valley and they are an important portion of our revenue stream.  With this being saidCEDC is in a strong financial position and all indicators show that our investors and community leaders are feeling renewed and eager to move forward from the pandemicfurthering CEDC ability to support businesses. Together with collaboration, commitment, and teamwork, we will continue to bounce back. We once again engaged Clifton Larson Allen (claconnect.com) to complete the IRS Form 990 and perform the annual financial statement review.  On behalf of the Board of Directors, I would like to thank our investors, supporters, and stakeholders for continuing to support CEDC and to remind you that your renewed support and partnership is what drives us forward as we assist our community in this post-pandemic world.

Mary StabenowTreasurer

CEDC

REVENUES VS EXPENSES

B.E.A.R.

PROGRAMS & RESOURCES

B.E.A.R. Programs

In our 26-year history 2021-22 was one of the most challenging years for small businesses. CEDC’s award winning Business Expansion and Retention program (BEAR) tackled this unprecedented pandemic and its impact on Chippewa Valley businesses with additional staff, extraordinary resources, and record levels of one-onone consulting with at-risk businesses and entrepreneurs. Our BEAR Program is an integrated approach allowing CEDC to bring our workforce development partners, consultants, mentoring programs, industry analysis, economic research, and related programs together to help many of our local businesses reboot, recenter and return to normal operations. These activities included:

• Conducted 34 one-on-one business needs intake assessments with at risk businesses.

• Referred 61 businesses to needed resources

• Organized 10 BEAR business resource webinars and Lunch & Learns that reached over 60 businesses

• CEDC received and responded to 125+ outreach and technical assistance calls

• Assisted 54 businesses with the Grant Programs funded by American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA).

• Successfully returned from all virtual events in 2020 to in person events in 2021/22, reaching new audiences within the state and region.

• Participated in 6 BEAR Company Tour Visits

CEDC’s BEAR Podcast (Co-hosted by Lisa Bruin) helps find the right connections, it is a safe haven where business connections are nurtured, resources are gathered, and guests freely share their experiences. Listeners get to hear from leaders and entrepreneurs and know that they are not alone in the tough world of business, that their aspirations are backed, supported, and motivated. The Podcast experienced an increased listenership in 2021-averaging of 110 per month!

20 YEARS OF DEVELOPMENT SUCCESS

LAKE WISSOTA BUSINESS PARK

We know that without PRODUCT there can be no PROJECTS. One of the major reasons Chippewa County has been able to compete for and win economic development projects is because with the help of CEDC, our community leaders had the foresight to take the Chippewa County Farm and transform it into a place where businesses want to be. The Certified Shovel-Ready Lake Wissota Business Park (LWBP) is celebrating 20 years of success and is one lynch pin in CEDC’s business attraction program. CEDC’s investment attraction activities continued this past year in telling our community story to grow and expand job creation, talent, and investment throughout the region.

• Continued the organization’s work to expand the number of shovel-ready sites available for development within Chippewa County.

• Utilizing a variety of platforms, pivoted to a virtual model in mid-2020 through the end of 2021 and continued offering community tours and development presentations to prospects and projects.

• Hosted 3 familiarization tours and 16 site visits that showcased Chippewa’s attributes, workforce, and properties and helped them gain a thorough understanding of what Chippewa has to offer.

• The CEDC organized a site selection inventory program in partnership with CEDC Investor Short Elliott Hendrickson Inc (SEH). This process identified several areas across the county that would be suitable for industrial park development. This information is valuable to Chippewa County so continued industrial park planning efforts keep moving forward.

• Worked with over 11 companies on various aspects of their expansions, 5 resulted in local expansion and retention projects. These projects led to a combined new investment of over $80.5M. We were pleased to be able to work with these great companies to aid in their growth resulting in 2022 Net New Construction of $144,061,700 in Net New Construction up 2.05%.

• Since, April of 2018, Chippewa County has one census tract nominated to be designated an Opportunity Zone by the U.S. Department of Treasury and CEDC continues to market Chippewa County Opportunity Zone for new capital investment.

• Reinstituted the Chippewa Developers Conference.

• Hosted the Xcel Energy Economic Development Team giving them an update on economic development goals.

• Participated in an array of virtual events with leading industrial, commercial and development organizations.

OVERCOMING HURDLES

FUNDING COLLABORATION

Revolving Loan Funds

An important economic development tool, the RBF, Inc. and Chippewa County Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) program consists of locally controlled capital used to provide “gap” financing for new or expanding businesses looking to create or retain jobs. These programs target small to medium-sized businesses, manufacturing companies, with the goal to stimulate, develop and advance economic development - ultimately reducing unemployment and creating jobs. The Revolving Loan Fund works cooperatively with lending institutions on loans the institutions might not ordinarily make on their own. The organizations rely on the CEDC Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) Committee. This committee is made of seven CEDC Board Members who work to ensure that the RLF Programs are efficiently marketed in Chippewa County, provide input into the lending strategies, helps with application review, and approval recommendations.

• In 2021/22-the CEDC Revolving Loan Committee assisted with over 40 Bounce Back Grant verifications and reviewed and recommended over $650,000 in loans for approval.

FDI EXPORTING ASSISTANCE

CEDC’s Foreign Direct Investment and Exporting Assistance Program focused its efforts on building the pipeline for more leads in 2022. We worked with Wisconsin Economic Development Corporations sector-focused colleagues to help promote Chippewa’s value proposition and differentiators to build a compelling case on why foreign investors should invest in the area. CEDC collaborated with the Chippewa Valley Innovation Center (CVIC), Momentum West, Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at UW-Eau Claire, WEDC, and the UW-Stout Manufacturing Outreach Center (MOC) to highlight the business assistance

programs available to companies looking at the German Market by hosting a “Berlin BEAR” Discussion.

• Over 20 local businesses gathered to learn more about exporting and how it is a strategy to expand a business’ market. Learning how to do business in Germany and the Broader European Market was the topic presentation of the meeting.

TALENT

HATCH

HIGHLIGHTING TALENT

Government data shows that there are more jobs available than there are unemployed people, which means that local businesses are working harder to attract talent. The talent issue is the number one hurdle for all local businesses; many have had to trim their operating hours, increase wages, and improve benefits just to maintain their operations.

• The CEDC helped over 70 local businesses gain more exposure and highlight themselves to available talent by organizing and promoting 2 job fairs, 3 career days, during 2021/22.

Hatch

In 2021/22 CEDC stayed focused on stimulating more entrepreneurial activity in the Chippewa area.  Beginning with The Startup Chippewa Valley Week-a celebration of everything entrepreneurial-CEDC organized another successful HATCH event during the Heart of Startup Chippewa Valley Week. Held during the month of November, CCEDC’s HATCH21 Pitch Competition was a success. The well attended Shark Tank – like business pitch competition brought some of Wisconsin’s top entrepreneurs to the stage to compete for a cash prize, and a package made up of in-kind services and products. Eight entrepreneurs presented their sweetest business ideas, products, or plans to a panel of judges while over 100 attendees encouraged them and voted for their favorite.

Knowing that entrepreneurs are not alone, they have a network of supporters to encourage them and listen to their ideas can make all the difference. HATCH21 provided participants- before their pitch- the opportunity to engage and connect with many of the Western Wisconsin’s leading financial institutions, investors, and like-minded individuals at a VIP Reception.

Since its inception in 2018, the Chippewa Valley HATCH Pitch Competition has assisted over 30 entrepreneurs throughout the Chippewa Valley in overcoming earlystage hurdles.  Dozens of attendees have improved their pitch, been introduced to capital sources, and mentoring. Thus helping them for the next stage of their development journey.

BEING THE VOICE ADVOCACY

CEDC is our area’s primary voice promoting and supporting the interests of local economic development in Madison. Through the Committee, CEDC takes a proactive approach to working with the members of the Wisconsin Assembly and Senate and other government players whose actions and decisions impact our local business climate and its ability to recruit new employers and help existing ones grow. CEDC’s advocacy and policy work committee is chaired by CEDC Investors Dr. Lona Cook and Mark Seyer. The committee utilizes field-level knowledge gained through interaction with community, business, and industry partners to inform public policy leaders with ideas and positions

that support targeted economic growth and development in our community. This committee also works with stakeholders and partners to advocate for policies, initiatives and programs that promote job creation, encourage investment and result in economic prosperity in our communities.

• Engaged with Wisconsin Legislative Committee members on Committees on Workforce Development, Trade and Supply Chain, Substance Abuse and Prevention, Small Business Development, Rural Development, Science, Technology and Broadband, and Committee on Colleges and Universities.

• CEDC Board members and staff continued participation in meetings -the Wisconsin Economic Development Association, Momentum West, area Chamber of Commerce meeting and events-focusing on uniting business and economic development leaders statewide under a common cause of improving our state and local business climate.

• Assisted, promoted, and advocated for the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin approval of $6 million in grants to extend broadband internet within Chippewa County.

• Worked in conjunction with Eau Claire Area EDC, Eau Claire County, the City of Eau Claire, and Chippewa County in addressing the facility needs of the Chippewa Valley Innovation Center (CVIC).

• Collaborated with the Annual Meeting Committee by arranging Governor Evers attend and speak at the 25th o “Back in The Saddle” Annual BEAR Awards that highlighting the resilience of our region to an audience of more than 250 businesses and community leaders.

• Supported, promoted, and worked on in some degree over $19 million in Workforce Innovation Grant Program's winning projects in the Chippewa Valley.

• Organized a first legislative speed listening event in Bloomer, Wisconsin.

• Identified workforce housing as a legislative priority and have been working with our Wisconsin elected officials Senator Kathy Bernier and Assembly Representative Rob Summerfield in suggesting and supporting possible solutions. Rep. Summerfield introduced Assembly Bill 156/Senate Bill 172, whose aim is to utilize Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) to award up to $42 million in tax credits each year to spur development of additional workforce housing units throughout the state.

CELEBRATE

STRATEGIC THINKING TALENT

FTD

Farm Tech Days

ON THE HORIZON FOR CHIPPEWA COUNTY

CEDC aggressively worked with Chippewa County to be tapped to host Wisconsin Farm Technology Days (WFTD) in 2024. Twenty years ago CEDC assisted the agricultural community with hosting the event in 2004. During 2021/22 the Farm Technology Day’s Committee-chaired by Rob Mooney-continued their work on selecting the host farm site for the early August 2024 event. The economic impact that agriculture has on our area can not be overstated. The WFTD event is

Celebrating

CEDC Board of Directors served on committees that organized events during Manufacturing Month, Week, Start-Up Chippewa Valley Week, and Economic Development Week.

During Economic Development week communities celebrate, recognize, and thank the many staff, volunteers, and economic development organizations that work diligently to build wealth in our communities. Their daily actions create

an excellent opportunity to showcase its diverse agricultural and economic base. The three-day outdoor event is the only farm show of its size in the U.S. organized by and run entirely by volunteers. The first WFTD show was named Farm Progress Days and was held in Waupaca County in 1954 and is now in its 65th year.

Chippewa County

ECONOMIC

more economically vibrant and livable places. CEDC utilized the week to not only pat ourselves on the back but to congratulate our partners, collaborators, and colleagues for a job well done. It is always productive to take a moment to reflect on the accomplishments, gather to network, and rejuvenate each other so the mission of economic development can continue to be strategized and implemented.

Talent Pipeline

CEDC has seen too many of our small businesses experience intense economic injury due to the pandemic. Significant small business closures and job losses continued at the beginning of 2021. Yet, at the same time the Chippewa County area has also seen historic growth in the real estate, housing construction, industrial development, manufacturing, distribution, and healthcare sectors. Employers in all industries are continuing to see significant labor shortages and labor imbalances. With an unemployment rate below 3 percent 2021/22 saw the war for talent rage once again. Strategically locating a talented pipeline of candidates has become one of the most important ways CEDC helped Chippewa Valley employers.

• Expanded our focus on workforce needs by expanding our outreach and partnered with relevant stakeholdersassisting in helping to develop, promote, and enhance initiatives that will assist employers.

• Advertised and helped organize several strategies to help employers with their recruitment efforts. Activities such as Manufacturing Day, Career Fairs, STEAM, and Economic Development Week provided opportunities for employers to connect with local high school students so they can learn about employment opportunities available.

• Participated in 5 virtual attraction events and conferences.

•

The organization continued connecting employers, colleges, and jobseekers to strengthen economic opportunity and mobility and align talent development with the evolving needs of our employers.

• Over 110 regional employers participated in CEDC workforce events.

• Hosted monthly industry meetings to strengthen our region’s most important and highest-growth industry clusters.

• Held one CEO/Executive roundtable to understand the needs of local companies.

• Worked closely with local high schools on career fairs and helped showcase career opportunities to local grads.

Our economy grows when we develop & deploy our citizens In ways that maximize their productive potential! How talent is developed and deployed, therefore, is of fundamental strategic concern to CEDC.

VOLUNTEERED by our CEDC Board of Directors

Annual Meeting

TO OUR SUPPORTERS

AGENDA

AUGUST 19, 2022

7:00 a.m. - Call to Order, Tom Waldusky

7:05 a.m. - Networking Begins

7:25 a.m. - Introduction, Rebecca Reinhardt

7:30 a.m. - Welcome, Klaus Bauer Pledge of Allegiance Invocation

7:35 a.m. - Breakfast

a.m. - Keynote, Dr. Lona Cook

a.m. - Awards, Klaus Bauer

a.m. - Adjourn, Rebecca Reinhardt

SPECIAL THANKS TO

Architects,

Wisconsin State

Many communities just allow the future to happen to them.  Chippewa Economic Development Corporation (CEDC) recognizes that the future is something we can create. Over the course of 26 years, the organization has been steadily implementing an Economic Development Strategic Plan whose core strategies reflect the priorities of local public and private stakeholders. As Chippewa County continues to transform ahead of us, we are well positioned to become the magnet for diversified talent and  economic growth. Thank you for your ongoing support of the CEDC without your financial support we would not be able to implement our mission.

Viking Sink, KP Katering,

L

Dr. Lona Cook, Jodi Stevens Design and the photographers that have gone the extra mile to make the annual event a success.

For the past two years it has been my honor to serve as the Chairperson of the CCEDC Board of Directors. I am grateful to be surrounded by an outstanding CEDC board of directors and dedicated staff that is committed to carrying forth the organization’s legacy and enduring commitment to economic development within the Chippewa Valley. They truly care about making our area an amazing place to raise a family and grow a business.

Detailed in this Annual Report we reflect on this past year and begin the process of embarking on a future path, and rising to meet any new challenges as we continue working together as one community towards a brighter future.

Tom WalduskyExecutive Committee Chair

KEY NOTE SPEAKER Lona Cook

COOK CHIROPRACTIC

Author of the top selling book Reclamation: The Evolution of a Hot Mess. Dr. Lona Cook uses her life as a tool to teach others how to heal from the inside out and grow. Pointing out that we must recognize our own Innate intuitive guidance system if we are to be balanced, healthy, and full of grace and love. These basic principles not only apply to our health, but can be utilized by entrepreneurs and business leaders. Nudges and “wake up” signals are everywhere but for the most part we tend to be tone-deaf to them.

As an entrepreneur, investor, Doctor of Chiropractic, and healer for over a decade, Dr. Lona Cook walks her talk! She has seen thousands of patients and spent countless hours studying holistic healing modalities as a way of providing results that not only help patients' health but impact their whole life.

AWARD CREATOR Michele Paquette

ONE L METALS facebook.com/OneLMetals

Representing growth, partnership, and strength, this year’s CEDC Awards were crafted by One L Metals from Michele's geometric ascension series. Made from steel tube drops, each piece is uniquely assembled and sealed. Michele (Shelly) launched One L Metals two years ago after a long career in healthcare marketing. She and her husband Phil own Paquette Metal Fab (dba B & D Metal Fab), a job shop metal fabrication business in Chippewa Falls.

Her specialty is welding and flame painting one-of-a-kind sculptures made from metal drops, slugs and other remnants found from industrial jobs and locations. A true artisan that utilizes scrap materials, she is also a craftsman that can operate a punch press, press brake, shear, and a CNC plasma table to design and make those one-of-a-kind art pieces.

Having served as a military spouse for 20+ years Michele is a Chippewa Falls native, a proud mom of two young adults, and a champion for local small veteran owned businesses.

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