Washburn County Economic Development Corporation
December 2017 Newsletter

 
Director's Notes                                      
Dear Members,

As 2018 is just around the corner, it's time for the Washburn County Economic Development Corporation to begin our membership drive.  WCEDC is a 501(c)(3) organization and our mission is to "Expand the tax base, create jobs, and retain existing jobs in Washburn County."
 
2017 was a busy year for Economic Development in Washburn County and 2018 is beginning to look like it will be busy as well.  I want to list a few of the accomplishments from the past year for you.
  • We have worked tirelessly to increase broadband speeds and availability for the entire county.  Reliable, fast, and affordable broadband is key to attaining all of our future economic development goals.  Broadband is not an amenity anymore, it's a utility.
  • We continue to help new and existing businesses expand with financing through the IDA's revolving loan funds.  In the past year, The WCIDA has been able to offer low interest loans to help new and existing businesses in Washburn County in total of almost $600,000.  This is a significant increase from loaning $0 the previous year.  This is a good sign that things are happening!  This has also led to an addition of at least 30 new jobs to the area.
  • We held the first annual WCEDC Awards banquet where we were able to recognize businesses from around the County for their excellence.  This is the only event in the area that brought business leaders from the entire County together for celebration of what they do.
  • We increased the amount of workshops and seminars for business leaders to help with anything from social media marketing to tactical business planning.  We will continue to grow these programs as the year goes on.
  • The WCEDC took over the demographic research of the county which is important for understanding where we're at, and where we're headed in terms of economic and community development.
 
In the coming year, we hope to make even larger strides to make Washburn County's future bright and successful.  The work to increase broadband internet in Washburn County will be a long one, but is vital to our present and future economic needs.  It takes support from the communities and the businesses in our area to make this a reality. 
 
I am writing you today to ask for your support in the coming year.  Your contributions to this organization help make everything we do possible.  Everything we do, is with growth and a prosperous future for generations to come in mind.  Please consider being a part of this extraordinary movement within Washburn County, today!
 
If you're a visual person, please feel free to watch the annual report video I put together that helps name some of the things we've accomplished in the past year.  

Finally, the holidays are upon us, so make sure to be safe and know that the WCEDC wishes you the warmest of seasons.  In the meantime, I look forward to updating you on more happenings in January, 2018!
 

Kind regards,







Joel Zimmerman 
Executive Director 
Washburn County Economic Development Corporation 
208 Vine Street 
Spooner, WI 54801 
www.washburncodevelopment.com 
Office: 715-635-8242
Help the Future of Washburn County!

In November, we mailed out membership applications and also made them available on our website.  

A huge thank you to those that have sent the 2018 memberships in already!  If you forgot to send yours in, did not receive an application or are still considering your membership, please take the time to send yours in.  

Memberships to our organization are vital to our ability to continue making economic progress!

Help the future of Washburn County by supporting the Washburn County Economic Development Corporation!  To learn about the benefits of becoming a member and to view the Membership Application, Click 
  HERE.


December Featured Business Member:
Barron Electric Cooperative



Barron Electric Cooperative is a member owned business that provides energy, products and services to improve the quality of life in the areas we serve.  Barron Electric serves electricity to 18,000 members in the rural areas of Barron County and the southern half of Washburn County as well as parts of Chippewa, Dunn, Burnett, Pok, Rusk and Sawyer Counties.  Our headquarters is located on Hwy 25 in Barron and we also have an outpost at 1550 Paulson Drive, Spooner, WI.

Welcome Whitney!

Although Whitney has worked for the WCEDC since April of 2016 and has done a fantastic job in everything she's done for us, Whitney is now working for the WCEDC full-time as of December 1st.  Whitney is now the Administrative Coordinator for the WCEDC.  Feel free to stop in and greet her if you're in the area.  Whitney is a hard worker, dedicated, professional, and friendly.  Congratulations to her!


Wisconsin Governor's Business Plan Contest
open for 2018 entries through Jan. 31, 2018

     The 15th annual Wisconsin Governor's Business Plan Contest is accepting entries online for the 2018 competition until 5 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2018. 
The contest is designed to encourage entrepreneurs in the startup stage of tech-based businesses in Wisconsin. The contest links up-and-coming entrepreneurs with a statewide network of community resources, expert advice and mentoring, management talent and possible sources of capital.
     Over time, the contest has led to valuable public and media exposure for the top business plans and spurred economic growth in Wisconsin. Finalists will share in more than $100,000 in cash and in-kind prizes.
     For their initial entries, contestants will submit a 250-word (about 2,000 characters) idea abstract online at  www.govsbizplancontest.com. That's where contestants will also find business plan templates and other information, such as the Entrepreneurs' Toolkit. The  toolkit provides business startup information and assistance, networking contacts and technical resources.
     Contestants who advance to subsequent contest rounds will expand their plan in stages. More than 70 judges drawn from the finance, sales, marketing, research and technology sectors across Wisconsin will score the entries and provide feedback on submissions.
     To get started, contestants must create a simple account at  www.govsbizplancontest.com.  All entries are submitted through the website. Contestants use their account to gain access to mentors throughout the process, as well as review the judges' comments and feedback.
Since its inception in 2004, more than 3,520 entries have been received and about $2.2 million in cash and services (such as legal, accounting, office space and marketing) have been awarded. Contest categories are Advanced Manufacturing, Business Services, Information Technology and Life Sciences.
Wisconsin residents 18 years old and older are eligible, as are teams from Wisconsin-based businesses and organizations. Businesses or teams from outside the state are also eligible to compete if they demonstrate intent to base or expand their business in Wisconsin. Entrepreneurs may also enter multiple ideas, though each idea must be separate and distinct.
     Companies or individuals that have raised less than $25,000 in private equity for their plans in a current form are eligible to enter. Generally speaking, private equity refers to angel and venture capital.
As with past contests, the 2018 competition will take place in stages:
  • In Phase 1, which is open until 5 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2018, the contest will accept idea abstracts on the website. Entries should be roughly 250 words (or no more than 2,000 characters, including spaces) and will be graded by the pool of BPC judges. The top 50 idea abstracts will advance to Phase 2.             
  • In Phase 2, which runs from Feb. 19 to 5 p.m. March 12, 2018, the top 50 idea abstracts will submit an executive summary. The top 20 executive summaries will advance to Phase 3. A mentored "boot camp" for contestants will be held in early March.
  • In Phase 3, which runs from April 2 to 5 p.m. April 23, 2018, the top 20 executive summaries will prepare full business plans. Judges will review the plans and pick three finalists from each of the four categories to advance to the final presentation round. Mentored practice sessions will be offered to the top 12 in late May.
  • The top 12, or "Diligent Dozen," will square off with oral presentations during the Wisconsin Entrepreneurs' Conference on June 5 at Union South in Madison.
     Past finalists have launched companies that have raised more than $200 million in angel, venture, grants and venture debt over time - all while creating jobs and economic value for Wisconsin. The contest's major sponsors include the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp.
     The 2017 grand prize winner was Northern Star Fire, an Eau Claire startup company whose device is an eight-directional compass that firefighters place inside their breathing apparatus and helps maintain and/or regain their orientation in low visibility conditions.Category winners in 2017 were Northern Star Fire (Advanced Manufacturing), Compost Crusader (Business Services), DotCom Therapy (Information Technology), and Nano Red (Life Sciences).
To enter, become a judge or learn about sponsorship opportunities, visit www.govsbizplancontest.com 



Wisconsin Technology Council |  455 Science Dr. #240 | Madison | WI | 53711 | US |  608-442-7557


Support the Christmas for Kids Program in Washburn County

Save the date December 6th 2017 All Day.
 
Come on out to the Spooner Family Restaurant and have a great meal!  
Breakfast, Lunch and Supper.  
Waiters/Waitresses will be Law Enforcement.
ALL  proceeds will go to the Christmas for Kids program.
If you don't have time to stay-get it to go!


For recent news on the Christmas for Kids Program, visit this article by the Spooner Advocate!
January Workshop:
Understanding Financials for Non-Financial Owners and Managers


David Kochendorfer of Achieve Results LLC will offer a seminar, sponsored by the WCEDC on understanding financials for non-financial business owners and managers.

  • The seminar will explain the three key financial reports (income statement, balance sheet and cash flow statement).
  • How to read each statements
  • How they are constructed
  • How often they should be generated
  • How to identify opportunities for improvement
  • How to use for budgeting
The workshop will be at the WCEDC offices located at 208 Vine Street, in Spooner on Wednesday, January 24th from 5pm-7pm.  The cost is free for WCEDC members and $10.00 for non-members.


Register TODAY!!!

 

Residential Rental Listing on Website

The WCEDC website now has an area to list residential rental properties available.  Landlords can submit available properties by clicking the link below.

Special Thanks to our Newsletter Sponsors:

Washburn County Economic Development Corporation | 715-635-8242 | joelz@washburncountyedc.org | www.washburncodevelopment.com 
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