Highlights from Summit III:

Day 3

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Collaboration the key to moving Wisconsin's economy forward, council says

Wisconsin Economic Collaboration Council invites participation from Summit attendees

MILWAUKEE - A statewide council has been created to serve as a much-needed forum for public, private and nonprofit stakeholders to streamline and focus efforts to grow Wisconsin's economy.

Panelists announce the creation of the Wisconsin Economic Collaboration Council, a forum for public, private and nonprofit stakeholders to streamline their efforts to grow Wisconsin's economy.

The formation of the Wisconsin Economic Collaboration Council was announced during Wednesday's closing session of Wisconsin Economic Summit III.

The collaboration council, initiated by a group of business, government, education and nonprofit leaders, will provide a platform for conversation among the dozens of statewide, local and regional organizations with existing economic development action plans.

"Great ideas are not enough," said James Schneider, council member and president of the Wisconsin Economic Development Association. "Coordinated ideas are essential if we are to succeed."

The council plans to review current economic development strategies in the state and share "best practices" so organizations can avoid duplication, making their efforts more effective, according to a draft of the council's mission.

The council will also identify obstacles that keep local groups from working together, propose incentives for organizations to collaborate and explore taking on the responsibility of hosting the state's annual economic summit, which is currently organized by the UW System.

"The council is a group whose time has definitely come," said University of Wisconsin System President Katharine C. Lyall. "The UW System intends to be a very active part of it."

The council has been initially endorsed by a number of partners: Competitive Wisconsin, Wisconsin State AFL-CIO, Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, Wisconsin Supplier Development Network, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Economic Development Association, Wisconsin Technology Council, Wisconsin Biotechnology Association, Wisconsin Technical College System, Forward Wisconsin, Wisconsin Department of Commerce, Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority, the U.S. Small Business Administration and the UW System.

Directors stressed that the still-forming council is an open forum, and all business leaders and interested organizations are invited to contribute.

"You don't control the economy from the top. The economy is there, and what you do is nurture it," said Jim Haney, council member and president of Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce. "We're going to nurture those of you at the local level who are doing the heavy lifting."

—Read the Wisconsin Economic Collaboration Council's draft mission statement:
http://www.wisconsin.edu/summit/2002/collab.pdf

—The Wisconsin Economic Development Association is helping interested parties learn more about or join the Council. Visit the WEDA website at: http://www.weda.org

 

Doyle recognizes state's educational systems as essential for economic growth

Attorney General Jim Doyle, Democratic nominee for governor, explains that the University of Wisconsin System is important to his plans for improving Wisconsin's economy.

Wisconsin's future economic success hinges on the continued strength of the state's K-12 and higher education systems, said Jim Doyle, Democratic nominee for governor, during a Wednesday address at the summit.

The Wisconsin Idea is one of the state's greatest legacies, and the University of Wisconsin System makes invaluable contributions, from developing social security legislation to leading the search for cures to disease though stem-cell research, Doyle said, who is Wisconsin's attorney general.

"Our university system is one of the greatest treasures of our state," Doyle said.

Doyle said the state must recover its economy through world-class schools, better infrastructure, higher-paying jobs and an improved business climate. The university, he said, is essential to those goals as it makes major research advances, produces future leaders and educates the workforce.

"It is not enough to educate our students and then export them to San Francisco. We must stop the 'brain drain," Doyle said, adding that out-of-state students add value to Wisconsin. "Our challenge is once we've attracted them here, to keep them here."

Doyle said Wisconsin's economic recovery depends on balanced budgets and an energized business climate, supported by venture capital, banks and angel investors. Leaders also should borrow good ideas from neighboring states and build regional synergies to grow the economy in Wisconsin, he said.

"It would be a real mistake to stunt our economic growth by raising taxes," Doyle said. "Economic growth is still the best long-term strategy for Wisconsin's economy."

 

Milwaukee positioned as an economic catalyst for the state, mayor says

Milwaukee Mayor John Norquist explains the role the city of Milwaukee can play in helping Wisconsin's economy recover.

Milwaukee is home to a wealth of resources that will allow the city to play a major role in recovering Wisconsin's economy, Milwaukee Mayor John Norquist said during an address during closing sessions of the summit.

Norquist said the Milwaukee area boasts the state's densest cluster of technology firms, strong financial reserves and dramatic growth in the amount of affordable housing.

"People are wanting to live in the city and be around its complicated and beautiful center," Norquist said.

Norquist said Wisconsin must develop its economy in tandem with national trends, and economic development partners must look for the critical areas where supply meets demand.

"The idea that we're part of the free economy in the U.S., and increasingly in the world, is something we should embrace," he said. "That's what I want Milwaukee to be for Wisconsin, and that's what Wisconsin should be for the United States."

Norquist also thanked the UW-Milwaukee School of Design and praised UWM Chancellor Nancy Zimpher's "Milwaukee Idea" as having positively contributed to the changing face of the city.

In applying research to solve real problems for the people of Milwaukee, Norquist said the school exhibits "the Wisconsin Idea at its finest."

 

In other summit news:

Panelists for a session entitled "Transparent Borders - Working With our Neighboring States," offer insights on expanding regional economic development by cooperating across state lines.

—A panel of experts discussed their work in building Wisconsin's economy by expanding economic development efforts across state lines. The panelists for the session, entitled "Transparent Borders - Working With Our Neighboring States," offered their insights into regions that depend on cooperation across regional boundaries.

Examples include increased partnerships between northwestern Wisconsin's St. Croix Valley and Minnesota's Twin Cities region; manufacturing collaborations in the Janesville-Rockford, Ill. corridor; business connections in the La Crosse-Winona, Minn., region; and the promise of increased collaboration between Madison, Milwaukee and Chicago.

Summit co-chair Jay L. Smith commends summit attendees for their dedication to action at the close of Wisconsin Economic Summit III.

—Summit co-chair Jay L. Smith commended this year's summit attendees for their dedication to action. He predicted more progress in the upcoming year, including advances in developing industry clusters and increased collaborations.

Smith also assured the crowd that there would be a fourth Wisconsin Economic Summit. He told attendees that the Wisconsin Economic Collaboration Council would explore taking over the event, which will enjoy significant support from the Milwaukee-based financial services firm Robert W. Baird & Co., which Smith described as a "great corporate citizen."

Smith encouraged lawmakers and state officials to stay involved in statewide economic development plans, and especially urged business leaders to continue their collaborative efforts in the public and private sectors.

Photos by Deb Generotzky, UW-Milwaukee, and Christian Schauf, UW System.