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The Rise of the Entrepreneurial Generation: How CEDC Is Aligning with Tomorrow’s Founders

A quiet revolution is reshaping the workforce. Today’s rising generation doesn’t just want a job—they want to plant, nurture, build, and grow something of their own. According to recent research, 84% of Gen Z express interest in entrepreneurship. That’s more than a passing trend; it represents a fundamental shift in how young people think about work, risk, and opportunity. Where previous generations often sought long-term security through employment—perhaps at a local manufacturing company—Gen Z increasingly views entrepreneurship as the safer bet. They are driven by purpose, autonomy, and ownership. For many, building a business isn’t just about chasing an idea; it’s about creating stability, flexibility, and a future they control for themselves and their families. At CEDC, we’ve been watching this shift unfold across Chippewa County, the Chippewa Valley, and throughout Wisconsin—and we’re [...]

The Rise of the Entrepreneurial Generation: How CEDC Is Aligning with Tomorrow’s Founders2026-02-25T15:11:56-06:00

BEAR Discussions Podcast: Elevating Local Business Stories in the Chippewa Valley

The BEAR Discussions Podcast has become a cornerstone of how CEDC connects with and supports entrepreneurs and existing businesses across the Chippewa Valley. As part of CEDC’s Business Expansion and Retention (BEAR) Program, the podcast highlights honest, real-world conversations with local business leaders, offering insight into the challenges, decisions, missteps, and opportunities shaping the region’s economy. Hosted by CEDC President and CEO Charlie Walker, often alongside co-hosts Lisa Bruhn, Karen Smith, and Ken Pearson, BEAR Discussions focuses on authentic business stories rather than scripted success narratives. Entrepreneurs and business owners are encouraged to speak candidly about what didn’t work, how they adapted, and what they learned along the way. This “fail forward” mindset reinforces trust, partnership, and long-term relationship building—values central to CEDC’s economic development approach and essential to a healthy entrepreneurial ecosystem. [...]

BEAR Discussions Podcast: Elevating Local Business Stories in the Chippewa Valley2025-12-24T11:57:28-06:00

Revolutionizing Quality Control: How AI-Powered Vision Inspection is Transforming Manufacturing

The second session of the Manufacturing Competitiveness in the 21st Century series, held today at the Chippewa Valley Technical College (CVTC) campus in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, spotlighted the transformative potential of Vision Inspection with AI Deep Learning. Organized in collaboration with the UW-Stout Manufacturing Outreach Center (MOC), Wisconsin Procurement Institute (WPI), and CVTC, the event brought together manufacturing professionals eager to explore AI-driven automation as a catalyst for operational excellence. AI-Powered Machine Vision: A New Standard in Quality Control Dr. David Ding, Professor and Program Director at the University of Wisconsin-Stout's College of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Management, led discussions on how AI-powered machine vision systems are revolutionizing quality control and defect detection. Using advanced techniques such as pattern recognition, image segmentation, and deep learning, these systems achieve up to 99% accuracy [...]

Revolutionizing Quality Control: How AI-Powered Vision Inspection is Transforming Manufacturing2025-02-17T11:00:45-06:00

Learning over Lunch: Real Estate Wire Fraud

With a rise in electronic payments across the world, homebuyers and consumers need to be especially careful when working with their lenders and realtors to make sure that they don't release funds or personal information to the wrong person. According to a 2021 American Land Title Association (ALTA) survey on Wire Fraud, over 13,000 homebuyers/potential homebuyers were scammed out of a total of over $200 million. In addition, the losses due to fraud have risen due to the pandemic, from $1.8 billion in 2019 to $3.3 billion in 2020. To help the community better understand wire fraud, title insurance, and the other risks that come with the purchase of property, Knight Barry Title Group asked the CEDC to bring people together at the Willow in Chippewa Falls to learn about how to prevent [...]

Learning over Lunch: Real Estate Wire Fraud2022-06-28T11:39:37-05:00

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

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

When to Exit

There are countless stories - we read about them all the time - businesses are being purchased left and right. As entrepreneurs, sometimes time slips away. It seems like just yesterday that the business started, and now the thoughts of "How do I get out of the success that I've created?" or "How do I sell?" start coming to mind. In our BEAR Visits and Discussions, many of the region's business owners mention that "it's about time." With this in mind, CEDC organized an intimate BEAR Lunch & Learn that approached the subject of succession planning realistically. Staying abreast of these business owners as they transition out is an important proactive economic development strategy for the community. By being proactive, an economic development organization such as the CEDC can be on the front [...]

When to Exit2021-12-20T14:08:40-06:00
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