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So far Staff has created 71 blog entries.

Growth Starts With a Conversation

When Sam Walton was building Walmart, he made a point of visiting communities and seeing things firsthand as he looked for places where his business could grow. He understood the value of getting to know an area and the people behind the businesses and communities he encountered. That hands-on approach reflects a principle that still matters in economic development today: understanding a business and its community is an important part of recognizing its potential. Every business starts somewhere. An idea takes shape, an entrepreneur takes a chance, or an established company begins considering what's next. But growth doesn't always come with a clear roadmap. Sometimes, the first step is simply asking a question, talking through a challenge, or exploring what's possible. At CEDC, those conversations are an important part of what we do. [...]

Growth Starts With a Conversation2026-10-20T17:17:46-05:00

HPE Expansion Reinforces Chippewa Falls as a Place to Invest, Innovate, and Grow

Chippewa Falls has a long history of innovation, manufacturing, and technology. The latest expansion announced by Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) is another important chapter in that story. Recently, Governor Tony Evers, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), and HPE announced that the company plans to invest $75 million over the next five years to expand its operations in Chippewa Falls. The project is expected to create 75 new high-skill jobs, adding to the nearly 500 Wisconsin employees currently working at the Chippewa Falls operation. The expansion will increase HPE's testing, warehousing, and manufacturing capabilities in Chippewa Falls. The investment is intended to help the company respond to growing worldwide demand for artificial intelligence and high-performance computing technologies. For the Chippewa Economic Development Corporation (CEDC), this announcement represents something equally important: the power of [...]

HPE Expansion Reinforces Chippewa Falls as a Place to Invest, Innovate, and Grow2026-10-16T13:14:26-05:00

The Stage Changes. The Support Doesn’t.

On October 6, CEDC was proud to be in Milwaukee for Launch Wisconsin, an event hosted by the Wisconsin Technology Council that brought together entrepreneurs, investors, business leaders, economic development professionals, and supporters of Wisconsin’s growing entrepreneurial ecosystem. The Wisconsin Technology Council deserves a lot of credit for putting together an event that creates meaningful opportunities for entrepreneurs to showcase their businesses, make connections, and learn from others who are working to build and grow companies across the state. The energy throughout the event was a great reminder of the entrepreneurial talent and momentum happening throughout Wisconsin. For CEDC, the trip had a particularly important purpose: showing up for one of our own. From Chippewa to Milwaukee Earlier this year, Jose Lagunas Jr., founder of Rockwell Home Management, stepped onto the stage at [...]

The Stage Changes. The Support Doesn’t.2026-10-07T17:18:23-05:00

Preparing Today for the Opportunities of Tomorrow

Economic development is about more than responding to the opportunities that are in front of us. It is also about being prepared for what could be next. That is why CEDC staff, board members, stakeholders and regional partners recently took part in Exploring Data Centers: Impacts & Planning Considerations, held September 29 at the Eau Claire Event District. The day-long program brought together local government leaders, planners, economic development professionals, utilities and community stakeholders to learn more about data center development and the considerations communities should understand before a project ever reaches the table. For CEDC, opportunities to learn alongside our partners are an important part of being prepared to support the Chippewa Valley. Learning before the opportunity arrives Data centers are becoming a bigger part of economic development conversations across Wisconsin. They [...]

Preparing Today for the Opportunities of Tomorrow2026-10-02T13:07:20-05:00

A Bucket Full of Economic Development 101

Imagine your community as a bucket. Every time a business invests, a company expands, a new project moves forward or a new opportunity comes to town, a little more water is added. Jobs are created, economic activity increases and the local tax base grows. But communities can have leaks, too. People, businesses and investment can leave. Residents may work in one community but spend much of their money in another. Employees may work locally but live elsewhere, taking much of their household spending and community involvement with them. Businesses may need to purchase goods, services or specialized labor outside the region. And opportunities can pass by when communities are not prepared with the sites, infrastructure, workforce or other resources needed to support growth. Not every dollar can, or should, stay within one community. [...]

A Bucket Full of Economic Development 1012026-09-23T12:36:58-05:00

A Chippewa County Heirloom Is Competing for Wisconsin’s Coolest Title

CEDC is proud to support Chippewa County's own- C&N Manufacturing, Inc. and its "Momento Keepsake Trunk" in the 2026 Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin contest. There is something special about a product made in our community that will hold the moments that matter most: a wedding dress, a baby’s first keepsakes, handwritten letters, family photographs, or the small treasures that tell a family’s story over time. This is the idea behind the Momento Keepsake Trunk, handcrafted in Boyd, Wisconsin, by C&N Manufacturing, Inc. This Chippewa County-made product is competing in the 2026 Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin contest and needs your support to advance to the Top 16. For nearly four decades, C&N Manufacturing has been building durable trunks in its Boyd shop. Through the Momento line, that experience is paired with personalized [...]

A Chippewa County Heirloom Is Competing for Wisconsin’s Coolest Title2026-09-22T17:29:06-05:00

Building the Foundation for the Next Bioeconomy

Markets do not develop simply because resources exist. They develop when investors, developers, lenders, and manufacturers have access to trusted information, common standards, and credible market intelligence that reduce uncertainty and increase confidence. The same principle applies to the bioeconomy. Chippewa County is uniquely positioned to participate in the next generation of bio-based manufacturing. With abundant agricultural resources, strong transportation networks, established manufacturing expertise, and a long history of supporting value-added agriculture, the region possesses many of the ingredients necessary to support large-scale biomanufacturing projects. However, resources alone are not enough. Communities must be able to demonstrate to the marketplace that they are ready for investment. That is where the Bioeconomy Development Opportunity (BDO) Zone comes in. The BDO Zone Initiative was created to provide a standardized, investment-grade framework for evaluating and certifying [...]

Building the Foundation for the Next Bioeconomy2026-09-18T14:57:53-05:00

Champagne Orchard of Opportunity: Cultivating Growth

Few stories better illustrate entrepreneurial resilience than those of the Dixon's Apple Orchard owners-the Mullane family. Dixon's Apple Orchard has a long history in New Mexico and was once one of the state's most recognized apple-growing operations. The orchard was located near Peña Blanca, north of Albuquerque along the Rio Grande corridor, and became especially famous for its unique Champagne Apple, a variety discovered growing wild in a New Mexico canyon and cultivated by the family for generations. The family built one of New Mexico's most beloved agricultural destinations, dating back to 1944 and their orchard was more than a business; it was a treasured tradition for families throughout northern New Mexico.  Then disaster struck. A devastating wildfire, followed by severe flooding in 2011, destroyed much of the orchard and ultimately made it [...]

Champagne Orchard of Opportunity: Cultivating Growth2026-08-27T15:05:14-05:00

AI + TWI: The New Backbone of Modern Manufacturing—and a Powerful Economic Development Strategy

Across the US, Wisconsin and the Chippewa Valley, manufacturers are facing a familiar but intensifying challenge: how to build a skilled, efficient, and adaptable workforce in an era defined by labor shortages, rapid technological change, and global competition. While many companies chase the newest tools or automation trends, CEDC and UW Stout Manufacturing Out Reach Center (MOC) are helping the successful firms rediscover a foundational system that has quietly powered manufacturing excellence for more than 80 years—Training Within Industry (TWI). In the Chippewa Valley- thanks to the UW Stout MOC, TWI is experiencing a renaissance, especially as artificial intelligence (AI) transforms how companies train workers, improve processes, and manage operations. Together, AI and TWI form a modern workforce strategy that strengthens our local manufacturers, stabilizes our economy, and fuels long‑term growth. CEDC knows [...]

AI + TWI: The New Backbone of Modern Manufacturing—and a Powerful Economic Development Strategy2026-08-20T10:15:48-05:00

Showcasing Chippewa County’s Progress with WEDC

Chippewa’s economic development inertia is not built on a single project or a single conversation. It comes from the steady work of businesses, developers, local leaders, and community partners who are helping create the kind of places where people want to live, work, and invest. That spirit was on display recently when CEDC welcomed John W. Miller, Cabinet Secretary and CEO of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, and Ray French, WEDC Regional Economic Development Director, for a visit focused on the projects and partnerships shaping the future of our county. Led by Charlie , the morning offered more than a tour. It told the story of a community investing in its future through thoughtful development, strong collaboration, and a clear understanding of what drives long-term growth. Building for what comes next At Lake [...]

Showcasing Chippewa County’s Progress with WEDC2026-07-30T15:02:41-05:00
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