Expand your Market: Learn about Doing Business in Central Europe

Are you a new or active exporter? Is your company looking to expand to new markets? Want to find opportunities for business growth overseas? Then this Business Expansion And Retention (BEAR) Discussion is for you! Join the Chippewa Economic Development Corporation (CEDC), Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), UW-Stout Manufacturing Outreach Center (MOC), Momentum West, and the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) for an interactive discussion, Q&A session, networking, and breakfast. Nicola Michels, the Senior Manager and Consultant at WEDC’s Trade Representative in Germany, is joining us to meet with Wisconsin businesses, answer questions, and discuss market opportunities in Europe (excluding the UK, France, Ireland, and the Benelux countries), with an emphasis on southern Germany and Austria. WEDC is planning a trade venture to that region with stops in Munich, Germany and Linz and [...]

Expand your Market: Learn about Doing Business in Central Europe2021-12-17T12:49:07-06:00

Workforce Innovation Projects Worthy of Funding

This week, CEDC staff and board members attended Gov. Tony Evers' announcement of the Workforce Innovation Grant Program's winning projects in the Chippewa Valley at the Davies Student Center on the UW-Eau Claire campus. Also in attendance were Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) Secretary and CEO Missy Hughes, Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Secretary-designee Amy Pechacek, UW-Eau Claire Chancellor James Schmidt, CVTC President Dr. Sunem Beaton-Garcia, and other dignitaries. Of the $60 million awarded, over $19 million was allocated to projects that CEDC supported, promoted, and worked on in some degree! It seems like only yesterday when CEDC staff and board members were invited to a meeting at CoLab in Eau Claire to attend a round table discussion and a call for the first round of projects/ideas for the Workforce Innovation Grant Program. [...]

Workforce Innovation Projects Worthy of Funding2021-12-22T09:43:25-06:00

Generations Academy Students Receive Tour of CVIC

Generations Academy is a non-profit charter school in Eau Claire, WI that specializes in individual development and project-based learning. Recently, the Generations Academy students had a business unit; every child from five to eighteen years old was instructed to come up with a business idea. In addition to the hands-on experience they got from their business projects, two groups of students were also able to see small businesses in action by receiving a tour of the Chippewa Valley Innovation Center (CVIC). CVIC Board President and CEDC Board Chair, Tom Waldusky, guided both groups of students through each bay in the building. The students also got to hear from and speak with two CVIC tenants: Dave Espeseth, owner of Excel Medical Corp., and Anthony Nied, owner of Safe & Simple Organic Lawns. Both had their [...]

Generations Academy Students Receive Tour of CVIC2021-12-04T12:03:51-06:00

CEDC Speaks at Local Workforce Solutions Summit

CEDC’s Charlie Walker was invited to participate in the Eau Claire Chamber of Commerce’s Workforce Solutions Summit at the Pablo Center. As part of a breakout panel discussion, he highlighted the collaboration between CEDC and Momentum West in developing the regional economic development organization’s video series. The Workforce Solutions Summit is specifically designed to provide area employers with practical solutions. The Regional Talent Initiatives panel also consisted of Alms Creative owner William Alms, UW-Stout Chancellor Katherine Frank, Jenny Radcliffe of Dairyland Power, and Brian Elwood of Xcel Energy. Over 40 attendees participated in the panel discussion. The importance of communicating to the next generation of talent cannot be overemphasized. CEDC Executive Board Member Maureen Carlson was instrumental in launching the promotional video series when she chaired the Momentum West Board of Directors. Maureen continuously [...]

CEDC Speaks at Local Workforce Solutions Summit2021-12-03T11:13:39-06:00

Chippewa Falls High School STEAM Night

  S.T.E.A.M. Night is an annual family event that focuses on science, technology, engineering, art and math. This is an opportunity for families to enjoy a variety of activities and to explore different S.T.E.A.M. phenomena. The Science, Math, Tech. Ed. and Art Departments are proud to host the 7th STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) Open House on Tuesday, March 15th, 2022.  Our goal is to connect students to STEAM careers in the Chippewa Valley, and we need your help to make this event a success! We’re thankful for the community support and are excited about the career opportunities the Chippewa Valley brings to our students.  We hope that this event will help build career connections for our students as well as employers in the Valley.  This year we are continuing the STEAM scholarship [...]

Chippewa Falls High School STEAM Night2022-03-14T12:58:06-05:00

Latest BEAR Discussions Podcast Episode

Patrick Ley and Steven Birkholz – Seeking and Applying Unique Workforce Solutions – Episode 131 CEDC’s Charlie Walker sits down with Patrick Ley and Steven Birkholz of Applied Care Services (ACS). ACS is based out of White Bear Lake, Minnesota, and offers counseling and employment assistance to individuals that struggle with mental health or substance abuse issues, while also helping businesses save money by taking care of their packaging needs. This week's podcast is back on the talent solution that so many businesses are struggling with; ACS is part of the solution. If you are struggling with mental health, Applied Care Services is here to help. Please consider reaching out by visiting their website or giving them a call at (612) 205 5332. Interested in signing up for the newsletter or learning more [...]

Latest BEAR Discussions Podcast Episode2022-01-19T14:42:14-06:00

Governor Evers Stresses Importance of Wisconsin Infrastructure While Fixing Potholes

Governor Evers spent the afternoon in Chippewa Falls, WI with a shovel in his hand while discussing the importance of Wisconsin’s infrastructure alongside Department of Transportation Secretary Craig Thompson. The duo is touring the state while fixing potholes to promote the governor’s proposed roads budget for 2021-2023. Evers and Thompson also made stops in Wausau and Appleton. Evers discussed repairing bridges, roads, and investing in our transportation throughout the state as local communities like Chippewa Falls need reliable infrastructure to allow people to safely get to point A to point B. “Thompson and I want to emphasize that we feel very strongly about this issue. The hard work for repairs is done by local workers, municipalities, and cities as they are responsible for this. The state has to do their job to financially [...]

Governor Evers Stresses Importance of Wisconsin Infrastructure While Fixing Potholes2021-03-31T13:51:32-05:00

Happy International Women’s Day!

CCEDC would like to wish a Happy International Women's Day! It is important to celebrate the women who lead, inspire and achieve every day!  This year's theme is #ChoosetoChallenge, calling on us all to think critically about our own thoughts and actions and how we can better promote gender inequality and celebrate women's achievements. We can all choose to seek out and celebrate women‘s achievements here in the Chippewa Valley and beyond. Collectively, we can all help create an inclusive world. From challenge comes change, so let’s all choose to challenge!

Happy International Women’s Day!2021-03-08T16:09:49-06:00

COVID 19 return of workers

In commenting about the COVID 19 return of workers- Joseph Briggs, an economist at Goldman Sachs (GS), noted in a report to clients in December 2020 that “Young workers’ participation in the labor force has nearly fully recovered – likely reflecting both lower health risks from the virus and a decline in college enrollment – while the participation of older workers and women has recovered more slowly,” He estimates that there were some 830,000 “excess retirees” in October 2020, which represents about a quarter of the difference between the pre-pandemic workforce and the current workforce.   Did you know that having a great Brand image helps in reducing hiring recruitment costs? There is no doubt that it is a highly competitive talent market. Local companies must always work to improve their "Employer Brand" [...]

COVID 19 return of workers2021-02-22T15:37:37-06:00

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Planning to Invest $22 Million into the Chippewa Falls facility

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company (HPE) in Chippewa Falls, WI. announces plans to invest $22 million into their Chippewa Falls facility formerly run by supercomputing company Cray Inc. to turn it into high-performance computing center of excellence and create more jobs in the process. The computer technology company will receive $8 million in Enterprise Zone tax credits over the next five years under an incentive package approved by Governor Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) board of directors. Under the plan approved the Chippewa Falls location would be designated as the Enterprise Zone (EZ) and continue retaining its current workforce of almost 500 high-paying jobs in Chippewa County. The company plans to establish the Chippewa Falls site and invest millions in improvements, moves that would create 30 new jobs. HPE’s renewed [...]

Hewlett Packard Enterprise Planning to Invest $22 Million into the Chippewa Falls facility2021-01-27T12:31:36-06:00
Go to Top