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So far Charlie Walker has created 331 blog entries.
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Showing Off Some STEAM

I was amazed: I didn’t need a ticket, and I attended a great event! The curtain went up at Chippewa Falls Senior High School (“Chi Hi”) and opened the STEAM production. It was alive with activity as hundreds of students circled the campus, taking the time to visit with a large array of Chippewa Valley businesses and educational institutions. This was STEAM Night, and it was about learning, it was about the opportunities of our area, and it was about “showing off” some STEAM Careers. So, what is STEAM, you ask? Originating from the STEM educational movement started in the early 2000s, STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics. Its aim is to round out the US educational curriculum to include hands-on activities that help our young future workers develop practical [...]

Showing Off Some STEAM2022-06-13T08:48:21-05:00

Water’s Edge Cheese Curds Expands to Downtown Chippewa Falls

This week, Water’s Edge Cheese Curds made their official debut in the city of Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin by hosting the Chippewa Economic Development Corporation's (CEDC's) Business Expansion and Retention (BEAR) Visit and a tour of their production facility. CEDC's BEAR Visit program is aimed at recognizing and supporting the accomplishments of our local businesses. We understand that 80 percent of all jobs created in a community are those from existing businesses whom we support and encourage. The BEAR Visits also open up a dialogue for everyone present to engage in a conversation about the supply chain, workforce, the business climate, and other economic issues. Over 12 years ago, Water’s Edge Cheese Curds started in a small building in Jim Falls, Wisconsin. Beginning as a secret recipe in the kitchen of a Northwoods Wisconsin supper [...]

Water’s Edge Cheese Curds Expands to Downtown Chippewa Falls2022-03-09T09:29:54-06:00

Advocating for Solutions

Dr. Lona Cook, Chair of the Chippewa Economic Development Corporation's (CEDC's) Advocacy Committee, noted that “the CEDC has been busy this past quarter working with our local legislators to support the use of Environmental Remediation Tax Increment Districts (ERTIDs), support more broadband funding, reduce healthcare costs, continue funding workforce apprenticeship and customized training grants, and take steps to solve the Chippewa Valley’s workforce housing crisis.” Recently, Charlie Walker, President and CEO of the CEDC, went to Madison to voice the organization’s support for establishing a state income tax income program for workforce housing. Through CEDC’s Business Expansion and Retention (BEAR) Visits, one of the main topics of concern for our local companies are (1) finding available talent and (2) having adequate housing for this talent in our communities. With this feedback, the CEDC's [...]

Advocating for Solutions2022-03-04T18:00:54-06:00

PMI- Bloomer’s Talent Creator

There are some who believe that within the next 15 years about half of all US Manufacturing firms will close their doors! Currently, worker shortages are empowering existing workers to do some rethinking. They now have the opportunity to reconsider what jobs they want to do, where they want to live,  and what industries they want to work in. Manufacturing appears to be at a disadvantage because many potential workers do not view manufacturing jobs as secure and stable compared to those in other industries. Finally, there is an acceleration to all things digital-Industry 4.0 that has the potential to leave many manufacturers behind because they are slow to invest in technology. To survive manufacturing companies need to move away from being consumers of talented workers and become better creators of manufacturing talent. [...]

PMI- Bloomer’s Talent Creator2022-02-22T20:05:11-06:00

We Love Our Board!

Any organization wouldn’t be what they are without its Board of Directors. For CEDC, these are members of our business community who volunteer their Time, Talent, and Treasure. Doing this, they ensure that the mission of the organization is carried out by formulating economic development policies and programs that are unique, engaging, and effective. Just over the last several weeks, there have been numerous examples of where the CEDC Board of Directors have gone above and beyond. They continue to set the standard as best in practice for economic development corporations' Board of Directors. It's only fitting - on Valentine's day - that we not only send a shoutout to our loved ones, but we at CEDC remind them of how much we appreciate them with all our hearts. BEAR Listening Sessions They [...]

We Love Our Board!2022-03-01T09:15:14-06:00

BEARs, Tacos, and Broadband Coverage

CEDC investors had the opportunity to gather around the lunch table, have some tacos, and receive a broadband grant update. This topic is of utmost importance because as we enter what is known as the Sixth Wave of Innovation, the foundational basis is broadband. Communities that do not have high-speed internet are playing catch-up and are classified as still being in the Fifth Wave. Artificial intelligence and robotics, the Sixth Wave of Innovation, will be the driving economic base for growing communities in the future. For the Chippewa Valley to remain competitive, we will need to get even more aggressive in our support of high-speed broadband deployment. Chippewa Valley telecoms have been aggressively working to expand high-speed internet coverage throughout the area, leveraging these broadband grant programs. Bloomer Telephone Co., Citizens Connected, Mosaic [...]

BEARs, Tacos, and Broadband Coverage2022-02-10T16:50:23-06:00

Human-Machine Team Managers Wanted

Truly, we live in a very competitive world. Our local businesses all have to compete for workers. In fact, one can say that the quality of their talent will determine how successful their businesses will be in the future. As robots continue to emerge and more advanced Artificial Intelligence heads our way, it only makes sense to have discussions with our children about the importance of STEAM. S.T.E.A.M. stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics, and was created to foster passions for the arts and sciences in children. These areas of education are all similar in that they require critical thinking for problem solving, and have many avenues of inquiry. Teachers use hands-on projects and real-world scenarios to help students come up with innovative solutions that they can apply throughout their lives. [...]

Human-Machine Team Managers Wanted2022-02-08T12:19:08-06:00

CEDC Investor Hosts BEAR Discussions Listening Session

Alliance Plastics engineers and fabricates custom plastic extrusions for a wide array of applications and industries. Established in 1987, the company continues to experience steady growth and has expanded their operations several times in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. As a major investor and supporter of the Chippewa Economic Development Corporation (CEDC), they had the opportunity to host the most recent Business Expansion and Retention (BEAR) Discussions Listening Session. One of the most important things that an Economic Development Organization (EDO) can provide is a platform or channel to educate, provide feedback, and help form policy decisions that improve or maintain a healthy business climate. These discussions provide an opportunity for our existing businesses to meet with policymakers about the issues that impact their operations. In the past, BEAR Discussions Listening Sessions helped form and [...]

CEDC Investor Hosts BEAR Discussions Listening Session2022-01-25T14:02:11-06:00

Music to Our Ears

A few of our friends took a vacation to Honduras to do some fishing. They had a blast and a great time. But it got us thinking about the value of having folks visit the Chippewa Valley: they are important and have a huge impact when they come to camp, fish, hunt, snowmobile, and listen to music. The more opportunities we have for visitors to experience our venues, the better our economy becomes. These venues form the fabric of the product that CEDC promotes. We work hard to - no pun intended - see to it [C 2 It] that these venues and activities are highlighted to company executives and business owners in our marketing campaigns. They know that workers and talent gravitate to areas that offer an abundance of quality of life [...]

Music to Our Ears2022-01-20T12:12:09-06:00

Environmental Health & Safety Update

While OSHA does have the ability to set workplace safety standards, the United States Supreme Court recently found that their Vaccination and Testing Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) went too far and beyond the organization’s scope, and that it is a “significant encroachment in the lives and health of employees.” OSHA was created to set workplace safety standards and not to set broad public health measures. However, the ruling leaves entrepreneurs and small businesses wondering how they can protect their workers and ensure a safe workplace in the wake of the pandemic. Anticipating a ruling one way or the other, CEDC hosted a BEAR Lunch & Learn to highlight the importance of OSHA and the EPA’s impact on small businesses. As a part of CEDC’s Business Expansion and Retention (BEAR) program, these lunches are [...]

Environmental Health & Safety Update2022-01-19T14:10:43-06:00
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