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Where Big Ideas Take Root: BEAR at the Orchard & the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem

Ask almost any successful business owner in the Chippewa Valley how they got where they are, and you'll rarely hear a story about doing it alone. Behind nearly every thriving local company is a network of mentors, lenders, investors, educators, fellow founders, and community members who showed up at the right moment. That network is the entrepreneurial ecosystem, and strengthening it is at the heart of what we do at CEDC. An entrepreneurial ecosystem is the network of people, organizations, and resources that help businesses launch, grow, and succeed. It includes access to capital, mentorship, technical assistance, and training—plus the relationships that help founders keep moving forward when challenges arise. Think of it like an orchard: a single tree can survive on its own, but a healthy orchard—with good soil, pollinators, and careful [...]

Where Big Ideas Take Root: BEAR at the Orchard & the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem2026-07-30T12:50:27-05:00

Powering the Future: What AI, Data Centers, and Electric Cooperatives Mean for the Chippewa

At CEDC, we value opportunities to learn directly from our economic development partners who keep our communities powered and growing. Recently, we joined Chippewa Valley Electric Cooperative (CVEC) and other economic development stakeholders for a “large load” education tour-an informative look at how cooperatives manage significant commercial and industrial energy users. This includes one of those emerging class of 2–5 MW data-center-style loads that support AI and advanced computing. Electric cooperatives like CVEC were built to serve rural and small-community members with reliable, affordable power. Today’s landscape includes new large loads that bring both opportunity and the need for careful planning. Loads in the 2–5 MW range sit in a sweet spot for many distribution cooperatives: large enough to meaningfully improve system load factor and help spread fixed costs across more kilowatt-hours, yet [...]

Powering the Future: What AI, Data Centers, and Electric Cooperatives Mean for the Chippewa2026-07-30T12:49:22-05:00

Dream to Destination: How 6Four Accord is Creating the Chippewa Valley’s Newest Agritourism Experience

What began as an entrepreneurial vision and opened it's doors in October 2025 -6Four Accord is quickly becoming one of the Chippewa Valley's most unique destinations. Nestled just outside Cameron, Wisconsin, 6Four Accord is redefining what it means to visit a unique gathering place. More than a reindeer farm, it is a place where agriculture, entertainment, local food, and community come together to create an experience unlike any other in the United States. During a recent CEDC Business Expansion And Retention (BEAR) Visit, our team had the opportunity to explore the growing property, learn about the journey of owners De Anna and Tyler Westphal, and record an upcoming episode of the BEAR Discussions Podcast. Walking the grounds, it quickly became clear that this isn't simply another business—it's the realization of a dream that [...]

Dream to Destination: How 6Four Accord is Creating the Chippewa Valley’s Newest Agritourism Experience2026-07-08T17:06:53-05:00

Over 15 Years of Driving Success: CEDC Annual Charity Golf Outing

If you are There is a unique kind of magic that happens when business acumen meets community spirit on the fairways. For the past decade and a half, the (CEDC) has harnessed this exact synergy through its Annual Charity Golf Outing. This year marked a monumental milestone: the 15th anniversary of an event that has become a cornerstone of both local CEDC’s philanthropy and economic stakeholder networking combination. What began fifteen years ago as a humble gathering of local business leaders looking to connect outside the boardroom has blossomed into one of the most highly anticipated events on the region’s corporate and social calendars. But the CEDC Charity Golf Outing is much more than just a day of friendly competition and fresh air—it is a powerful engine for local economic development’s charitable giving. While [...]

Over 15 Years of Driving Success: CEDC Annual Charity Golf Outing2026-06-29T12:41:15-05:00

Rogers Groundbreaking More than Turning Dirt!

CEDC was proud to celebrate the groundbreaking of the new Rogers Behavioral Health hospital in Chippewa Falls—a project that represents a major accomplishment for our organization, our partners, and the entire Chippewa Valley. The groundbreaking event was more than just turning dirt. It was in part about a gathering in a field to witness a shared belief that strong communities don’t happen by accident — they believe in economic development and are built on purpose. One of the things we talk about a lot in economic development is speed to market. Communities that move quickly — and thoughtfully — are the ones that win. This project is a great example of that. From vision to action, Rogers Behavioral Health, the city, the County, the State (From the Senate, Governor, and agencies)- all working [...]

Rogers Groundbreaking More than Turning Dirt!2026-05-01T16:04:03-05:00

Chippewa Valley Bean: A Company with a Global Footprint

Recently, Chippewa Valley Bean welcomed regional partners for a Business Expansion and Retention (BEAR) visit and Familiarization (FAM) tour. The visit brought together Chippewa Valley economic development professionals, along with representatives from Dunn Energy Electric Cooperative and Dairyland Power Cooperative, for a firsthand look at one of the region’s quiet global leaders. At CEDC, BEAR visits are more than routine check-ins. When our team sits down with manufacturers, distributors, and logistics providers to ask structured questions—about import volumes, tariff exposure, supply chain pressures, and global customer bases—we are building the foundation for stronger international engagement across the region. This visit offered exactly that kind of insight. From receiving beans from local growers to cleaning, grading, and preparing them for shipment around the world, Chippewa Valley Bean demonstrated the full scope of an operation [...]

Chippewa Valley Bean: A Company with a Global Footprint2026-04-27T16:28:21-05:00

Keeping the Chippewa Running

Conversations around disaster are never easy. Whether it is a cyberattack, natural disaster, or unexpected operational failure, the topic forces our local business leaders to confront risk, uncertainty, and worst-case scenarios. Yet CEDC knows those are exactly the conversations that must happen before a crisis or disaster ever occurs. That’s why CEDC partnered with the Dirks Group to help over twenty local business leaders gather for an executive-level seminar on the topic.  The goal was simple and essential: help our local employers keep their businesses running and protect jobs when disruption strikes. This work is especially important right now. Through ongoing  BEAR  (business expansion and retention) visits, CEDC continues to hear a consistent theme across industries: many local businesses are not adequately prepared for a major disruption. Some lack clear internal roles during [...]

Keeping the Chippewa Running2026-04-15T17:54:28-05:00

From a Century of Care to a New Beginning in Chippewa County

When the groundbreaking begins for the new Rogers Behavioral Health hospital in Chippewa Falls, it will represent far more than the start of construction. It marks the continuation of a legacy more than a century in the making—one now taking root in the Chippewa Valley. A Legacy Rooted in Wisconsin Rogers Behavioral Health traces its origins back to 1907, when Arthur Rogers and his wife Theresa opened a small health retreat in Oconomowoc. What began as a quiet, nature-based place for healing has grown into one of the nation’s leading independent behavioral health systems. Over the past 100+ years, Rogers has expanded well beyond its original campus—advancing research, developing specialized treatment programs, and delivering care for mental health, addiction, and eating disorders. Today, the organization operates across the country, serving children, teens, and [...]

From a Century of Care to a New Beginning in Chippewa County2026-04-15T17:25:51-05:00

Yes, Wisconsin Has a Moss Industry—and It’s Global

Last weekend, I laced up my boots and headed to Beaver Creek Reserve in Eau Claire County—a beautiful 400-plus-acre mix of upland woods, river bottom forests, wetlands, and savanna just outside Eau Claire. The occasion: a moss hike, one of those wonderfully slow, ground-level experiences that shifts your perspective from the canopy to the carpet underfoot. As I crouched beside a lush emerald patch of sphagnum moss along a wetland edge, the usual questions kicked in: Who first saw commercial value in this stuff? How did an industry grow from bog moss? And is it still thriving today? The answers surprised me—and they should surprise most economic developers, nature lovers, and even many longtime Wisconsin residents. Wisconsin is the only state in the U.S. that commercially harvests sphagnum moss at scale. The heart [...]

Yes, Wisconsin Has a Moss Industry—and It’s Global2026-03-30T17:41:00-05:00

The BDO Zone Delivers Real Economic Treasure

Top o' the morning to our Chippewa Valley friends! As we gear up to celebrate St. Patrick's Day—a time for green rivers, festive parades, and the promise of new beginnings—it's the perfect moment to shine a light on something truly golden right here in Chippewa County: our certified Bioeconomy Development Opportunity (BDO) Zone. A newly published independent study from Dr. Burton C. English, Institute Professor Emeritus at the University of Tennessee, using the Renewable Energy Economic Analysis Layers (REEAL) model, provides the hard evidence we've been building toward. The research shows that biomanufacturing projects in certified BDO Zones generate an average of $423 million in annual economic impact per project—that's $4.23 billion cumulatively over ten years. Nationally, adding just 100 more BDO Zones could spark $21 billion to $64 billion in economic activity [...]

The BDO Zone Delivers Real Economic Treasure2026-03-16T16:53:06-05:00
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