Energy is Essential
We already knew energy was essential and 2020 confirmed it. Many of our member organizations such as Xcel Energy, Alliant Energy, Dairyland Power, We Energies, Eaton Corporation, A.O. Smith, Leonardo DRS, Faith Technologies, Manpower, LEM USA, Advanced Ionics, Present Power and more stayed working to supply electricity, build components, design new technologies and train for tomorrow’s technicians today.
It was an unpredictable and uncertain year that most scenario planning did not see coming. When uncertainty sets in human nature is to eliminate it; instead, M-WERC staff and partners dug in and worked through it. We are here today and getting things done. Uncertainty can bring out anxiety; and it can bring out creativity, grit and optimism. We chose grit. We continued our work because perseverance is part of our networked grid, or DNA, of our team and partners.
Supporting M-WERC and preserving by our side, includes, but limited to:
- Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation
- Economic Development Administration
- Bader Foundation
- City of Milwaukee
- Old National Bank
- Greater Milwaukee Foundation
We are playing a clear role in the future of Energy, Power, and Controls by driving Science and Technology Driven Innovation. We do this by solving complex problems with our partners. We do this through our partnerships in research and demonstration projects, talent and training, and market insights.
There are many partners to thank. Specifically in Talent, we want to give a shout out to Employ Milwaukee, Maximus, WI Department of Workforce Development, Milwaukee Area Technical College, Innovative Education Solutions Institute, Milwaukee Jobs Works, Northwest Side CDC, City of Milwaukee, and our local student participants in starting our Electrical Assembly Technician Certificate program.
Our WERCBench Labs accelerator started its sixth cohort virtually. Thank you to Jude Anders, Dave Zachman, Brian Thompson, John Bobrowich, Elliot Berman, Brian Walsh and others for their resources and dedication.
In Technology Innovation, we give big high fives to We Energies, UW Madison, Marquette University, UW Milwaukee, Argonne National Labs, Johnson Controls, Leonardo DRS, A.O. Smith, Eaton, LEM USA and others for their open innovation mindset.
For Market Insights, our co-chairs Renee Clair, Jeff Polenski, Ivan Velazquez, Alan Howard, Chet Kolodziej, Tim Baye, Jeff Mackey, and Mike Luettgen also persevered by making events happen, going after significant grants, and publishing reports. The policy workgroup finished and submitted the Wisconsin Energy Distribution and Technology Innovation Report with 14 specific recommendations. Thank you to Art Harrington, Godfrey & Kahn; Dan Terrance, Franklin Energy; and the Great Plains Institute for their leadership and bringing this report to the finish line.
M-WERC is working to advance the next generation of technologies and training in clean energy. 2021 will be an epic year. Opportunity is upon all of us. M-WERC will rely on its values of community, collaboration and taking on complexity to bring opportunity to fruition.
Complex problems are what we help our partners solve. Specifically in our big three cross cutting technologies - advanced materials, embedded systems, and extreme power conversion - is where numerous opportunities lie. This includes training technicians in these technologies from the heart of the Milwaukee region for tomorrow.
Let us know what complex problems you would like solved in 2021. We will be there!
~The M-WERC team
