The Southern Wisconsin Agriculture Group (SWAG) has an immediate opening for an Executive Director.  SWAG is a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting the cultural and economic benefit of all aspects of agriculture.

The director will serve as the main point of contact for SWAG and will be charged with budgeting, strategic planning, media and donor relations, event planning, and developing a quality communications plan with the board of directors and other key partners.

Qualified candidates will possess a passion for, and demonstrated knowledge of, agriculture; ability to speak to a variety of audiences; a working understanding of and/or experience with the UW System, workforce development organizations and state/local governments; and the ability to manage people and money.  A bachelor’s degree in a field related to agriculture or management is preferred but experience may substitute for education.

Salary will be dependent on qualifications. Submit resume and cover letter to:
Anne Wilder at awilder@madisonregion.org or mail to:

Madison Region Economic Partnership 
615 E. Washington Ave. 
Madison, WI 53701

SWAG will conduct interviews in October.

EOE

Excerpted from Wisconsin State Journal
By Judy Newman

Medical device manufacturing is nothing new to the Madison area.

The former Datex-Ohmeda, now GE Healthcare Life Support Systems, has been making anesthesia machines since 1904 and Nicolet Biomedical, now Natus Medical, has produced brain and nerve-related instruments since the mid-1960s.

In the late 1990s, TomoTherapy joined the ranks, with its radiation systems for treating cancer patients.

But a different version of the medical device industry is starting to take shape here, with companies working on compact, specialized products aimed at updating and improving on past medical equipment and procedures.

More than a dozen young companies have emerged in the past five to 10 years that could be the nexus of a new medical device cluster in the Madison area, some say, with products ranging from surgical tools to tongue exercisers, newfangled wheelchairs to prosthetic hands.

“I do think that Madison has the potential to be a specialized medical device cluster. We have a ways to go yet to get to that point, but I think it will happen,” said Terry Sivesind, entrepreneur, investor and co-founder of Merlin Mentors, a group that serves as mentors to local entrepreneurs.

“Where information technology intersects with health care has really been an intriguing spot, and many of those would be considered medical devices,” said Nicholas Mischler, a co-manager at Wisconsin Investment Partners, a Madison angel investment group.

Read the full article.

Evansville Mayor Sandy Decker’s Column
As appeared in the Evansville Review

In 2010, the City of Evansville became a member of Thrive, the eight-county economic development organization that includes Rock County.  We had learned about Thrive in 2008, shortly after it was launched by the Collaboration Council, a forum of 38 leaders from business, government, academia, and nonprofits in our region that were dedicated to building a regional culture and enhancing quality of life. 

Our city saw the many economic challenges resulting from the recession and recognized the value of a regional approach to addressing business development.  The annual fee for governmental “investors” in Thrive is based on population.  The yearly cost for Evansville participation has been just under $400.

Two years ago, Thrive undertook an extensive process to create economic development strategies and an implementation plan to ensure a strong economic future for the Madison Region.  In December 2011, Thrive made a presentation of the nearly completed Advance Now initiative to the Evansville Economic Development Committee and the Chamber of Commerce.  The launch of the Advance Now implementation plan occurred in May of 2012.

Implementation of Advance Now includes goals, objectives, yearly action plans, and measurement tools.  The five goals identified by Advance Now are:  Advance the Madison Region’s Story; Advance Innovation and Entrepreneurship; Advance Human Capital; Advance Economic Competitiveness; and Advance Regional Cooperation, Leadership and Diversity.

A key objective in advancing the region’s story is promoting the region nationally and internationally.  The organization name was changed this spring to better identify the region.  The Madison Region Economic Partnership (MadREP) was selected to provide identification to external audiences; thrive remains a great descriptor of organizational purpose for our region.

Market Street Services, the Atlanta-based economic development consulting firm that spearheaded the Advanced Now process, has pointed out that Midwesterners are rather stoic; we do not broadcast our successes.  We need to do a better job at telling our stories.  Promotion will be an ongoing effort throughout the five-year implementation plan.

MadREP has worked on the goal of advancing innovation and entrepreneurship in Evansville.  At this month’s Evansville Inventors and Entrepreneurs Club, the director of Sector67, a successful hacker incubator, was the speaker, and was sponsored by MadREP.  Michael Gay, Senior Vice-President of MadREP, attended and participated in the meeting.  Our I&E Club is a regional success story!  Many area I&E clubs are fizzling.  Our vibrant Club has had strong attendance since its formation in 2008. 

Evansville Women Entrepreneurs began meeting this spring and provide valuable networking opportunities and resources to the more than 70 women current business owners and prospective entrepreneurs.  MadREP is very interested in seeing further development of the entrepreneurial environment here.

Advance economic competitiveness is another goal where MadREP has been at work in Evansville.  Business retention and expansion are critical components to improving our region’s business climate.  MadREP President Paul Jadin visited Evansville in February to talk about Advance Now and tour three of our large employers, Baker Manufacturing, VP Buildings, and Landmark.  While here, he learned of our businesses’ specific regulatory issues and roadblocks to expansion.  Paul has provided valuable subsequent assistance to the City in working with our businesses.

MadREP efforts to advance human capital can be seen locally as well.  MadREP has been supportive of the Southern Wisconsin Agricultural Group (SWAG) efforts to develop an agricultural education and career training facility that will provide workforce for agriculture and food systems and life sciences, business sectors clustered in our region.  MadREP held a meeting of its Economic Development Professionals at Larson Acres in May.

MadREP has begun addressing the goal of advancing regional cooperation, leadership, and diversity.  Locally, they have assisted Nicole Sidoff, our new Community Development Director, in obtaining information helpful to her job.  They have fostered communication among communities in our region.  I participated in a focus group meeting of the MadREP Economic Development Professionals that was led by a staff person from Market Street Services.  There were representatives from Madison, Sun Prairie, Jefferson County, Columbia County, Brooklyn, and Evansville.  We discussed current economic development activity in our specific localities.  We discussed MadREP recent efforts in our communities.

Advance Now implementation is in its second year.  MadREP is gathering metrics and other information, such as in the focus group discussion I attended, to determine the success of the action plan for year one of the five year implementation and to refine the year two plan.  I have communicated Evansville’s satisfaction with MadREP’s multiple efforts on behalf of our city.  With MadREP spearheading the effort, we look forward to future regional collaboration and cooperation in securing economic vitality for all. 

Excerpted from Janesville Gazette
By Jim Leute

A Stoughton-based manufacturer that acquired a Janesville company this year is planning a significant expansion in Beloit.

Universal Acoustic & Emission Technologies, a global designer and manufacturer of acoustic and emissions products for the power generation, oil and gas, industrial and original equipment markets, has signed a long-term lease at the Ironworks campus in Beloit.

Universal, which already has a manufacturing facility in Beloit, will lease 106,000 square feet of production and office space with an additional 67,000 square feet in reserve for potential expansion.

The added space will allow Universal to increase its manufacturing and distribution capabilities. The company said earlier this year the new operation could result in 100 new jobs.

The Beloit facility will become the home of Universal’s “Center of Excellence” that will put engineers, designers, business staff and manufacturing specialists under one roof. Established in 1959, Universal does business around the world from its headquarters in Stoughton.

The Ironworks Campus is a 750,000-square-foot mixed-use property that is home to more than a dozen companies representing a range of industry sectors. Hendricks Commercial Properties owns, manages and develops the property.

For nearly 150 years, the Ironworks site was home to the Beloit Corp., which began as a foundry but evolved into a manufacturer of papermaking machines. It closed in 1999.

Diane and the late Ken Hendricks purchased the Beloit Corp. site and renamed it the Ironworks.

“We are excited to be a part of the renaissance of this historic business complex, all while growing our capacity to provide better service to new and existing customers,” said Ron Jake, Universal’s marketing manager.

Mark Membrino, vice president of Hendricks Commercial Properties, said the agreement with Universal is a significant step for the Ironworks and the community.

“Beloit has a proud manufacturing heritage, and Universal’s long-term commitment here will help the city rebuild its strong industrial reputation,” Membrino said. “They are a world-class manufacturer that brings much-needed high-quality, sustainable jobs to our community.”

Read the full article.

Excerpted from Jefferson Daily Union
By Randy Ratke

When Charlotte-based manufacturing powerhouse SPX announced it was acquiring APV Americas and its APV Crepaco facility in Lake Mills on Dec. 31, 2007, many area residents hoped it would mark a turning point for the sprawling industrial plant that covers more than 12 acres on the city’s east side.

Those hopes were dashed, though, nine months later, when SPX announced it would be closing the plant and transferring most of the its operations and production to SPX facilities in Germany and Delavan.

The majority of the facility’s remaining 159 workers ended up looking for new jobs shortly after the announcement was made. Any hopes of seeing the plant return to the manufacturing prominence it had in the mid-1970s, when it was Jefferson County’s largest employer, seemed further dashed when SPX sold off the remaining machinery and manufacturing infrastructure during an auction following its closure in 2009.

Unable to sell the more than 500,000-plus-square-foot facility, SPX told the City of Lake Mills it was considering razing the entire building and turning it into greenspace. But the building avoided the wrecking ball, thanks to Seljan Company’s President Scott Seljan.

A year ago, Seljan announced plans to buy the building and move all of his company’s operations into what locals affectionally called “Big Blue.”

On Thursday afternoon, the company celebrated the industrial rebirth of the facility with an open house that brought hundreds of area residents past a new brick fountain and through the doors of a plant many had thought had closed for good four-and-a-half years ago.

Thursday’s open house celebration was not the end of good news for the area. Near the end of the interview Seljan said the company’s recent growth meant it was in the market for more workers.

“We’re hiring both full-time skilled and direct labor,” he added. “By the end of the year, we expect to be at 160 and 170 (workers).”

Read the full article.