Corporate Sponsors
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2012 Corporate Sponsors:
Diamond Sponsorship
www.wedc.org
The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) is the state’s lead economic development organization. We are taking bold leadership to better serve more Wisconsin businesses, generate better results on economic development investments and bring more resources together to strengthen and promote Wisconsin’s economy.
WEDC has key areas of focus to elevate Wisconsin’s economy to be the best in the world:
Economic and Community Development – Elevate Wisconsin’s economy by investing in high quality job creation and expansion and by enabling a world-class, high performing state economic development network.
Entrepreneurship and Innovation – Elevate Wisconsin’s economy by increasing the amount of R&D and investment capital, and by providing an effective entrepreneurship support network.
Business and Industry Development – Elevate Wisconsin’s economy by advancing targeted, high growth business consortia and industry sectors
International Business Development – Elevate Wisconsin’s economy by increasing Wisconsin exports, increasing foreign investment and expanding export assistance capacity in the state
Marketing and Public Affairs – Elevate Wisconsin’s economy by advancing business growth supporting policies and promoting Wisconsin as a business-friendly location
Finance and Administration – Elevate the Wisconsin economy by providing WEDC and its economic development partners with the tools, technology and support necessary to meet strategic goals and operational advantage
Platinum Sponsorship
AT&T Inc. is a premier communications holding company in the United States and around the world, with operating subsidiaries providing services under the AT&T brand. AT&T is the recognized world leader in providing IP-based communications services to businesses and the U.S. leader in providing wireless, high speed Internet access, local and long distance voice, and directory publishing and advertising through its Yellow Pages and YELLOWPAGES.COM organizations. AT&T is the nation’s premier wireless carrier based on subscribers, serving 58.7 million customers under the AT&T Wireless brand. As part of its three-screen integration strategy, AT&T is expanding video entertainment offerings to include such next-generation television services as AT&T U-verseSM TV.
Gold Sponsorship
Alliant Energy, headquartered in Madison, is a Fortune 1000 energy-services company. Alliant Energy provides electric, natural gas, water and steam to more than 1.3 million customers in the Midwest. Our Economic Development Department provides professional business expansion and relocation services to a variety of businesses. As part of our commitment to expanding Wisconsin's business vitality, we work confidentially and professionally with key executives to select new locations or expand existing ones.
American Transmission Company
www.atcllc.com
American Transmission Co. provides the pathway for power into communities in portions of Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota and Illinois. ATC owns and operates the high-voltage electric transmission system that helps to keep the lights on, businesses running and communities strong. 2010 WEDA Platinum Corporate Sponsor
Xcel Energy
Xcel Energy is the fifth-largest combination natural gas and electricity company in the nation with regulated operations in 8 Western and Midwestern states. The company was named to the 2006-07 Dow Jones Sustainability Index which recognizes its standing as an economic, environmental and social leader in North America. Xcel Energy is the nation’s leading purchaser of wind energy and the largest renewable energy provider in Wisconsin. It provides a variety of economic development resources for businesses looking to relocate or expand to its service territory in Wisconsin, including five industrial park partnerships. Xcel Energy’s Wisconsin headquarters are located in Eau Claire and the company serves 240,000 electric and 90,000 natural gas customers in the state. More information is available at www.xcelenergy.com
Wisconsin Business Development Finance Corporation
www.wbd.org
Wisconsin Business Development Finance Corporation is a private, non-profit, member-based organization created to assist small businesses gain access to capital, create jobs, and promote community development through long-term, fixed-rate financing at a market-based interest rate. WBD's mission is to provide the knowledge, service and resources that foster economic development solutions to grow jobs, businesses and communities.
Silver Sponsorship
Madison Gas and Electric Company
Madison Gas and Electric (MGE) is an active development partner with public and private organizations. MGE is an information source for business growth, employment growth, economic and investment trends, and an active advocate and resource provider to the area business community. MGE also has an active history of working with entrepreneurs and supporting business incubators. MGE works closely with business and community leaders to ensure well-planned economic growth and stability.
Marshfield Clinic, one of the largest comprehensive medical systems in the United States, is the largest private group medical practice in Wisconsin with 781 physicians and 6,500 additional staff at 48 locations. The Clinic system sponsors significant research and substantial education programs through Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation and Marshfield Clinic Education Foundation; has a Division of Laboratory Medicine with clients throughout Wisconsin and across the United States; and owns and operates its own health maintenance organization, Security Health Plan of Wisconsin, Inc.
We Energies is the largest electric and natural gas provider in the state of Wisconsin, serving over 18 thousand square miles of electric and gas in Wisconsin and over 5 thousand square miles of electric in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. We Energies serves more than 1.1 million electric customers in Wisconsin and Michigan and more than one million natural gas customers in Wisconsin. We Energies is the trade name of Wisconsin Electric Power Company and Wisconsin Gas LLC, the principal utility subsidiaries of Wisconsin Energy Corporation (NYSE: WEC). Visit the We Energies Web site at www.we-energies.com. Learn more about Wisconsin Energy Corporation by visiting www.WisconsinEnergy.com.
www.wisconsinpublicservice.com
Wisconsin Public Service Corporation, headquartered in Green Bay, is an investor-owned electric and natural gas utility that serves 11,000 square miles of northeastern and central Wisconsin. The company works with local communities to assist new and expanding businesses with job creation and investment opportunities in Wisconsin.
www.wppienergy.com
WPPI Energy is a regional power company serving 51 customer-owned electric utilities. Through WPPI Energy, these public power utilities share resources and own generation facilities to provide reliable, affordable electricity to more than 190,000 homes and businesses in Wisconsin, Upper Michigan and Iowa.
Bronze Sponsorship
Ayres Associates is a multi-specialty architectural/engineering consulting firm that has assisted public and private clients since 1959. Corporate headquarters is in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Our staff provides services in transportation, civil, structural, water resources, levee, and river engineering; energy corridors; architecture; environmental science; surveying; grant and planning services; geospatial services; and GIS.
Center for Community and Economic Development
The Center for Community and Economic Development (CCED): Working with UW-Extension county and campus partners we create, apply and transfer multi-disciplinary knowledge to help people understand community change and identify economic development opportunities. The CCED is a unit within Cooperative Extension, a Division of the University of Wisconsin Extension that extends the knowledge and resources of the University of Wisconsin to people where they live and work.
Center for Innovation & Business Development: UW-Whitewater
The Center for Innovation & Business Development at UW-Whitewater provides assistance to businesses to advance economic development in the state. Our Wisconsin Innovation Service Center (WISC) provides market research services to assist in commercializing new technologies, conducting customer assessments, identifying market diversification opportunities, as well as other assistance. Our Small Business Development Center (SBDC) office provides Merger & Acquisition help to identify potential targets and assist in making those connections.
Ehlers is an independent advisory firm. We've been in business for over fifty years working exclusively for public sector clients throughout the Midwest. Our mission is to design customized financial solutions that help build outstanding communities. It starts with relationships. We work closely with clients to better understand what it is they need and want to accomplish - whether that's a new water system (for healthier living), a new road (for less accidents) or a new school (for greater learning). Once the need is defined, we then help clients find the financial resources to make the project a success and minimize risk to taxpayers. Ehlers has chosen the words "outstanding" and "community" on purpose. Our clients want to improve lives, and we help them strategically and tactically build stronger, financially stable, outstanding communities. We've structured our company and services to help in those efforts.
www.kellerbuilds.com
Keller, Inc. is a commercial design/build company with offices in the Fox Cities, Madison, Milwaukee and Wausau. With almost 200 employee owners, Keller recently celebrated 50 years in business. As a leading Design/Build Firm covering the Midwest, Keller is proud to be the Top Metal Builder in the Nation as reported by Metal Construction News. Keller’s 30 Project Managers are passionate about building up Wisconsin and pride themselves on finding creative financing to help their customers grow their businesses.
Kikkoman Foods, Inc. is the first manufacturing plant in the United States and was opened in June of 1973 in Walworth, Wisconsin. Today it is the world’s largest naturally brewed soy sauce plant. Walworth, Wisconsin was chosen for its centralized location for U.S. distribution, high quality labor force, clean air and water and the close proximity of soybean and wheat producers.
Kikkoman’s goal is to blend the best of our traditions with modern technological approaches to create new products and increase customer satisfaction. Beyond just manufacturing and selling products, we will continue to be good corporate citizens by reinforcing our commitment to local communities and contributing to the protection of the environment.
The Transportation Development Association of Wisconsin is a statewide, non-profit organization working to promote an efficient transportation system for safe mobility and economic growth.
For 87 years Twin Disc has been developing, engineering, manufacturing and distributing power transmission products that make things work. They are seldom seen, but they go into machines that contribute to the standard of our lives.
UW-Madison Office of Corporate Relations
The Office of Corporate Relations is the University of Wisconsin-Madison unit devoted to developing Madison’s, Dane County’s and Wisconsin’s economy. Since 2003, OCR has facilitated more than 5,000 connections between the university and business and industry. OCR helps companies, organizations and entrepreneurs access UW resources for:
- Recruitment of top quality talent
- Executive education and professional development
- Faculty and staff expertise
- Technology transfer
- Global Competency
- Entrepreneurship
OCR is committed to helping strengthen the Wisconsin economy. Learn more about OCR at www.ocr.wisc.edu or call toll free at 1-877-OCR-WISC (1-877-627-9472).
Via Rail Logistics is a site development engineering company which provides services to a broad network of industrial developers, economic development professionals, shippers, and railroads. Via Rail ensures effective client representation acting as a liaison to railroads in an industry that is difficult to navigate. Utilizing their Class I experience, Via Rail assists clients with railroad infrastructure development; performing services from feasibility studies and cost estimates, to railroad approvals and construction documents.
Vierbicher is recognized as an expert in community planning and economic development. Vierbicher strives to improve quality of life in Midwestern communities by assisting Clients to plan and execute sustainable development and revitalization projects with a focus on strengthening local tax base and employment. Vierbicher delivers creative, yet proven and responsible solutions for their clients through the collective expertise and collaborative vision of their planning, community development and engineering teams. Please visit their website at www.vierbicher.com
Voltedge, Inc. is a marketing consultancy specializing in brand strategy, website development and marketing communications. We partner with Ady International Company, a leading site selection consultancy, to uniquely serve the needs of EDOs and utilities’ economic development departments. Together we have consulted on dozens of EDO websites, developed branding strategies and websites for numerous EDOs, and provided training and education to hundreds of E.D. practitioners nationwide.
Wisconsin Entrepreneur's Network
About WEN: The Wisconsin Entrepreneurs' Network (WEN) provides entrepreneurs with access to a statewide network of resources and expertise; identifies high-potential entrepreneurs and helps move their businesses forward; facilitates collaboration between entrepreneurs and between organizations that assist entrepreneurs; and helps create and grow minority-owned businesses. WEN has four regional directors with more than 75 years of relevant business development and technology commercial experience and concentrated expertise in federal research and development funding, technology transfer, engineering and funding. Working individually or collaboratively, the WEN Regional Directors are a critical source of expertise to guide and advise Wisconsin's technology business community.
Associate Sponsorship
Centergy is the Central WI Alliance for Economic Development covering Marathon, Portage and Wood Counties. Our mission is to stimulate measurable economic development in Central Wisconsin by aligning resources, encouraging cooperation among all sectors of our regional economy, and promoting the value of doing business in Central Wisconsin.
www.gcgrp.com/beloit The Greater Beloit Economic Development Corporation is public/private investor-based non-profit organization that fosters economic development in the Greater Beloit area. The GBEDC provides value-added services tailored to meet the needs of investors and the community, including financing assistance, site selecting services, access to training grants, and workforce development services, and marketing focused on targeted industry clusters.
Grow North Regional Economic Development Corporation
Grow North Regional Economic Development Corporation was created in 2004 to foster cooperation among economic development partners and foster economic growth efforts in Forest, Langlade, Lincoln, Oneida and Vilas counties. Although the communities in each county have their own unique attributes, economic development partners throughout the region have recognized the value of collaborative efforts to grow and diversify the Northwoods economy. The natural beauty and ample recreation opportunities make the Grow North region an excellent place to work live and play. Grow North’s mission is to assist the counties and communities throughout our region in their efforts to recruit and retain businesses, stimulate new job creation and to foster an environment conducive to entrepreneurial growth and new company formations. Our partners include private-sector businesses, regional service providers, educational institutions, local economic development organizations and others who are interested in supporting our mission.
Lincoln County Economic Development Corporation
Lincoln County Economic Development Corporation is a not for profit organization dedicated to promoting economic development in Lincoln County by; attracting new businesses; assisting businesses in maintaining and expanding their operations; building cooperative and collaborative relations with city, town, regional and state agencies that improve the opportunities and quality of life for all the citizens of the county.
LCEDC offers free and confidential assistance in the areas of financial packaging, site planning, business planning and workforce development for businesses located in Lincoln County and those seeking to do business here. A Revolving Loan Fund is available providing gap financing for businesses to assist in implementing growth plans.
PFM is the Nation’s Leading Independent Municipal Financial Advisory firm specializing in Financial Planning, Capital Planning, Investment Advisory, Arbitrage Compliance, Debt Management, Strategic Consulting and Investment Consulting. Our goal is to provide the highest quality advice to enable our clients to raise, invest and manage the resources they need in the most cost-effective manner possible.
Sheboygan County Economic Development Corporation
The Sheboygan County Economic Development Corporation, a countywide private/public partnership, leads economic development efforts to improve the economic well-being and long-term prosperity of the businesses, residents, and communities of Sheboygan County, through collaborative retention, expansion, and attraction efforts for business and employment development.
Wisconsin Housing & Economic Development Authority
WHEDA is Wisconsin’s state housing authority. WHEDA serves Wisconsin residents and communities by working with government agencies, lending institutions, private developers and other community-based organizations to provide creative financing resources and information. Its goal is to stimulate and preserve affordable housing, small business and agribusiness. WHEDA's housing programs receive no state tax revenue assistance.