Dear Readers,
Welcome to our fourth annual edition of WisconsinBiz Magazine. It’s been an exciting time to follow Wisconsin’s business climate. Our state is making a focused effort to attract and retain companies and talent here, including tax credits like the Qualified New Business Venture Program that rewards early stage investors and the Manufacturing and Agriculture tax credit that virtually eliminates corporate taxes on Wisconsin’s two largest industries.
But some of the most promising – and profitable – economic development is happening at the regional and local level. Wisconsin is divided into nine distinct economic development regions. Each has distinct strengths and challenges as it strives to make a strong showing for the 21st century, and the biggest successes have been achieved when cities, companies, civic organizations and individuals come together.
With that in mind, this year’s WisconinBiz theme is “Connected” and we’re excited to share some powerful stories of intra-regional cooperation that have resulted in good things, from the creation of innovative manufacturing clusters for the water, defense and aviation industries to a shovel-ready site certification program and the revitalization of one of the state’s historic small cities.
I encourage you to sit down and spend a little time with WisconsinBiz 2016; it’s worth the read. Additional print copies can be requested throughout the year by calling the BizTimes Media office at 414-277-8181. You can also find these articles and a complete digital edition at wisconsinbiz.com.
If you’d like to share your own thoughts about WisconsinBiz, feel free to email me at
dan.meyer@biztimes.com.
Sincerely,
Dan Meyer
Publisher, BizTimes Media LLC