Centergy News
Updates from your regional economic development alliance
May, 2010- Vol 1, Issue 3
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Centergy Awarded $100,000 marketing grant!
| Mickey Judkins, WI Department of Commerce, Division of Export and Investment, created some excitement at the 2010 Centergy Economic Summit when she recognized the alignment of Centergy's initiatives with the State's and announced a $100,000 regional Centergy marketing grant. These dollars must be matched with private sector investment and will be used for specific initiatives that will help Centergy attract talent and business outside of Wisconsin to the region.
Later at the summit, Centergy Board Marketing Committee Chair
Vicki Strobel unveiled Centergy's new branding strategy:
Life. Science.
Connecting to Tomorrow
Tom Neil of Kinziegreen then discussed the branding process that the region has gone through over the past several months. He went on to explain the motives behind the branding strategy.
"The 'Science' portion of the brand relates to high-tech jobs, attraction of high-tech and research companies, attraction of science talent and companies, advanced discipline driven by scientific thought," Neil said. "The 'Life' portion of the brand relates to the less-tangible side centered on the betterment/enjoyment of life, a region where people and business are highly involved with the quality of life, where life and science are inextricably intertwined."
To view Neil's full presentation, please click HERE.
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Meet the Centergy
Board of Directors
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Centergy is blessed to have a strong, diverse board of directors from both the public and private sectors. Meet them HERE. |
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Greetings!
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 2010 Centergy Economic Summit a huge success!
First of all, I would like to thank everyone who attended our May 11, 2010 Centergy Economic Summit and our event sponsors: Sentry Insurance, Associated Bank and the North Central WI Workforce Development Board.
The Summit brought together over 160 businesses and community leaders from the Centergy region interested in learning about the economic future of central Wisconsin. Everyone left the Summit in high spirits, expectant of the economic growth conjectured for our region given our organization's 2010 Plan of Work.
Here in our May newsletter I'd like to provide you a short overview of the Summit. Please click HERE to find a complete Summit summary and powerpoint presentation.
Barb Fleisner
Barb Fleisner
Executive Director
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Centergy FACTS
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 Bill Tehan, president of the Centergy Board, opened the 2010 Summit by reviewing the core concept of Centergy. Below are some facts of interest for those not completely aware of the driving forces behind the organization. 1.Centergy is one of seven officially designated regions in the State of Wisconsin.
2. Centergy works in alliance with all economic development authorities in Marathon, Portage and Wood counties, including the Wausau Region Chamber, the Portage County Business Council, the Heart of Wisconsin Business Alliance and the Marshfield Area Chamber of Commerce & Industry.
3. The Centergy Board of Directors consists of 32 board members (21 private sector/11 public sector) and is 85 percent privately funded. Centergy is also guided by an Executive Council of 41 top business executives from our region.
4. The following is a list of Centergy's inaugural investors:
· The Judd S. Alexander Foundation
· Dudley Foundation
· B.A. and Esther Greenheck Foundation
· Wausau Insurance/Liberty Mutual
· Ruder Ware/First Wausau Tower
· Wisconsin Public Service
5. Centergy's guiding principles include: collaboration, competitiveness, consensus, and capacity.
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NorthStar Economic Assessment on the Centergy Region
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In 2006, NorthStar was commissioned to perform an economic assessment of the Centergy region. That study formed the basis of our 2009 and 2010 Plan of Work.
Centergy invited NorthStar CEO David Ward as this year's summit keynote speaker to present a refreshed approach to growing central Wisconsin's economy. Ward pointed out that Centergy's Plan of Work (in the areas of biofuels, paper, health care, logistic, and agriculture & food processing) closely aligns with the global market demands of energy, fiber, and protein. In addition, his findings encouraged Centergy to include focus on identifying foreign direct investment, playing the global markets by exporting and attracting foreign direct investment.
To view Ward's full presentation, please click HERE.
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Summary of Centergy Plan of Work
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 The 2010 Summit concluded with a detailed conversation on Centergy's Plan of Work. That Plan of Work remains focused on three specific indicators
1. Workforce development
2. Business development
3. Community development.
For details concerning each indicator, please view the summit summary HERE or contact Barb Fleisner at the Centergy office at bfleisner@centergy.net.
Fleisner concluded the 2010 summit with a call to action for area business and community leaders. "We sincerely thank the many volunteers and investors in Centergy for the progress that has been made to date," Fleisner said. "But much work still lies ahead. Moving forward, the Centergy board will more thoroughly review the work of NorthStar Economics and make appropriate modifications to our plan of attack." Volunteers can always contact Fleisner to become more involved in the delivery of Centergy's Plan of Work.
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