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Built Here, Growing Here: Celebrating Local Investment in Chippewa County

Chippewa Falls, WI — June 8, 2026 — The Chippewa Economic Development Corporation (CEDC) joined community leaders, business partners, and members of the Chippewa Falls Area Chamber of Commerce on Monday to celebrate the continued growth of Water’s Edge Cheese Curds with a ribbon cutting for its new production facility in the Lake Wissota Business Park. The event marked a significant milestone for the family-owned company and highlighted strong local collaboration supporting business expansion and job growth in the Chippewa Valley. Led by owners Luke Grube, Rick Drolet, and Sara Drolet, Water’s Edge Cheese Curds has quickly built a reputation for quality, innovation, and commitment to Wisconsin’s dairy tradition while expanding its footprint in Chippewa Falls. “This project represents more than just a new building. It is a meaningful investment in the future [...]

Built Here, Growing Here: Celebrating Local Investment in Chippewa County2026-06-08T20:51:27-05:00

Beyond Deals and Dirt: How Advocacy Is a Strategic Economic Development Tool

Entrepreneurial development doesn't happen in a vacuum. While ideas, talent, and capital are critical, the policies and programs that shape the business environment often determine whether entrepreneurs can start, grow, and stay local. That's why legislative advocacy is a core part of Chippewa Economic Development Corporation’s (CEDC) economic development strategy. At the CEDC, our work to support entrepreneurs extends beyond direct business assistance. We actively engage with state and federal policymakers to ensure that laws, funding programs, and regulations support—not hinder—entrepreneurial growth in Chippewa County. Policy Affects Entrepreneurs Entrepreneurs are directly affected by public policy, often in ways that aren't visible until they create a barrier. Access to capital, workforce availability, housing supply, infrastructure investment, broadband access, and regulatory clarity all have a direct impact on small businesses and startups. CEDC Advocacy helps [...]

Beyond Deals and Dirt: How Advocacy Is a Strategic Economic Development Tool2026-03-27T14:34:47-05:00

Empowering Local Growth Through the Revolving Loan Fund

Since its establishment, the Chippewa Economic Development Corporation (CEDC) has continually sought innovative ways to support local businesses and stimulate economic growth. A significant milestone came in 2005 when CEDC spearheaded efforts to create a regional Revolving Loan Fund (RLF). This initiative consolidated various local loan funds—many originally seeded by federal dollars—into one robust pool of resources known as RBF, Inc. Empowering Small Businesses Since 2006, a dedicated committee of CEDC board members has been reviewing and recommending applications for the Chippewa RLF, and since 2007, for the RBF, Inc. Chippewa County loans as well. Today, these funds stand as powerful tools for nurturing our local economy. By providing essential financial resources to startups and small businesses, these RLFs foster a sustainable cycle of support that transforms our communities. Revolving Loan Funds act [...]

Empowering Local Growth Through the Revolving Loan Fund2026-03-09T16:06:04-05:00

2025 A Year of Progress, Placed Piece by Piece

The story of 2025 for the Chippewa Economic Development Corporation (CEDC) is really the story of a community placing one puzzle piece after another—each CEDC supporter, collaborator, and partner helping to complete a clearer picture of what Chippewa can become. Every event, pitch, training, connection, and conversation added a new edge or corner, and by December, the table was covered in signs of progress that only came into focus because so many hands chose to build together. Communities at the core In May, more than 450 leaders gathered for CEDC’s 30th Annual Meeting under the theme “Communities at the Core,” filling the Eau Claire Event District with a sense of shared purpose that set the tone for the entire year. National workforce leader Sylvie Nelson challenged local employers to go “above and beyond” [...]

2025 A Year of Progress, Placed Piece by Piece2025-12-31T13:56:38-06:00

HATCH 2025: Honoring Veterans, Inspiring Entrepreneurs

Imagine a room buzzing with energy — a vibrant mix of entrepreneurs, small business owners, investors, and mentors breaking down barriers over drinks and hors d’oeuvres. Conversations flowed freely, laughter echoed over shared stories of failure, and new ideas sparked with every exchange. This was the Failing Forward cocktail hour at East Bay Lodge on Veterans Day — a prelude to CEDC’s HATCH 2025, our high-energy, shark tank–style pitch event designed to transform bold ideas into thriving ventures. Hosting HATCH on Veterans Day was no coincidence. CEDC proudly took the opportunity to honor the courage, leadership, and resilience of those who have served our country. Veterans embody the same qualities that define great entrepreneurs — grit, adaptability, and a commitment to something greater than themselves. That spirit wove through the evening as we [...]

HATCH 2025: Honoring Veterans, Inspiring Entrepreneurs2025-12-22T13:06:33-06:00

A Day in the Life of a Founder

What it's like to be a HATCH or BEAR  finalist I arrive while the sky is still deciding between gold and indigo, the river breathing its cool across the street. The venue is a local treasure- a family-run roastery that turns into a candlelit listening room at night- brick walls warm with history, string lights threaded like constellations. It’s intimate the way a good idea is intimate: close enough to hear a heartbeat, big enough to hold a room’s attention. Name tag, handshake, another handshake. Early evening is for orbiting, they told us, and so I orbit: investors in soft blazers, judges with notebooks like shields turned into harps, mentors whose eyes crinkle with the kind of experience you can only earn by surviving. I mention my company in a sentence, then again [...]

A Day in the Life of a Founder2025-10-21T16:20:29-05:00

The Heartbeat of Western Wisconsin: The BEAR Podcast

If you care about the future of Chippewa, rural innovation, or the heartbeat of western Wisconsin, there’s one podcast you can’t afford to overlook: The BEAR Podcast, hosted by Charlie Walker of the Chippewa Economic Development Corporation. BEAR stands for Business Expansion, Attraction, and Retention—but it’s more than an acronym. It’s a mindset. It’s a movement. And it’s your front-row seat to the conversations shaping our region’s economic future. Podcasts have emerged as one of the most powerful tools for storytelling, knowledge-sharing, and community connection. For CEDC, the BEAR Podcast offers a fresh, engaging way to share insights, elevate local voices, and connect with stakeholders in a more personal, meaningful way. Unlike newsletters or press releases, this format brings warmth, personality, and authenticity to the table. It breaks through the noise of traditional [...]

The Heartbeat of Western Wisconsin: The BEAR Podcast2025-10-01T19:43:03-05:00

Shining a Spotlight on Second-Stage Success with BEAR ’25

Wisconsin—and the Chippewa Valley in particular—lags behind some other states and regions in new business formation and job creation per startup. The rate of new business launches has also declined in recent years. Recognizing this challenge, the Chippewa Economic Development Corporation (CEDC) has been working to change the trend. We’re focusing on increasing support density, backing founders, and building a stronger ecosystem for growth—especially for second-stage companies. You might be surprised to learn just how many second-stage companies operate right here in western Wisconsin. These are typically privately owned, growth-oriented firms with annual revenues between $1 million and $50 million and at least 10 employees. They’ve moved beyond the early hurdles of starting up and are now focused on scaling their operations, expanding into new markets, and creating lasting value in their industries. [...]

Shining a Spotlight on Second-Stage Success with BEAR ’252025-08-15T16:23:18-05:00

SBDC Celebrates New On-Campus Location at UW-Eau Claire

The Wisconsin Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire has officially moved onto campus, making it easier for Blugold students and faculty to support entrepreneurs and drive small business growth throughout the Chippewa Valley. On June 5, the SBDC transitioned from its former location at 221 W. Madison St. to Schneider Hall, home of UWEC’s College of Business. To mark the occasion, the SBDC joined the College of Business, Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce, and Chippewa Falls Area Chamber of Commerce in hosting a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The Chippewa County Economic Development Corporation (CEDC) was proud to attend alongside community and business leaders to show support for this important partner. “We’re often described as one of UW-Eau Claire’s best-kept secrets when it comes to supporting small businesses,” said Harlie [...]

SBDC Celebrates New On-Campus Location at UW-Eau Claire2025-08-05T12:15:48-05:00

Sarah Kowal Blogging for CEDC-From Founder to Capital Connector: A Western Wisconsin Entrepreneur Comes Full Circle with BEAR ’25

When I was building WeatherVane Creamery (note: website intentionally frozen in time), I was trying to do more than just open a vibrant Wisconsin-themed deli in River Falls- I was painting a vision. I wanted people to see what I saw: a vital, community-centered, proudly Wisconsin space that could become something special right now, not “someday.”   And thankfully, people did see it. I built an advisory board of experts, restaurateurs, and dairy industry insiders. I crowdfunded. I launched investor dinners. I had the American Cheese Society's stamp of approval. I got a ton of media coverage. It was alive and moving, being the scrappy Western Wisconsin founder working tirelessly to rally Cheeseheads.   What I didn’t have… was a clear investor path. Ask any rural founder in these parts, and they’ll likely tell you a [...]

Sarah Kowal Blogging for CEDC-From Founder to Capital Connector: A Western Wisconsin Entrepreneur Comes Full Circle with BEAR ’252025-07-31T16:47:34-05:00
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