DCEDC is pleased to announce the details for our annual investors meeting and luncheon on Monday, April 25, at the Stone Harbor Resort and Conference Center in Sturgeon Bay. The keynote presentation will be on the findings of the recently completed Door County Economic Development Adjustment Plan, with guest speakers David Storey, Deputy Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Commerce, and Dr. David Ward of NorthStar Economics.

In addition to the presentation of the Economic Development Plan and the annual report to investors about the accomplishments of the DCEDC during 2004, the annual investors meeting will include the presentation of the Door County Industry of the Year and Entrepreneur of the Year Awards.

Immediately following the annual meeting, DCEDC will host a Door County Economic Summit at Stone Harbor. The Summit will be a working meeting to discuss the implementation of the recommended strategies from the Door County Economic Development Adjustment Plan, featuring comments by Dr. Ward, the principle author of the plan.

The DCEDC annual investors meeting will start promptly at 12pm. Tickets for the April 25 luncheon are $25 per person and are available from the DCEDC office. The Door County Economic Summit will begin at 2pm and is free and open to the public.

May 4-6 will be the dates for the second Door County Legislative Day event in Madison. This year's events are building directly on the success of the first Door County Legislative Day in 2003, which brought the specific concerns of the community directly to elected representatives and influential government appointees.

Door County Legislative Day will again be headquartered at the Inn On The Park hotel on Capitol Square in downtown Madison. The event has been extended this year to provide more time for Door County delegates to meet with legislators, government leaders and state agencies. The main events are scheduled on Thursday, May 5th, when delegates will call on state legislators in the afternoon and enjoy a reception, an authentic Door County fish boil dinner and Door County entertainment in the evening. May 4 and 6 will be reserved for visiting selected state agencies.

A volunteer committee is currently working to develop the legislative and state agency agenda topics and issues that will be presented in Madison. The goal of this event is to educate state lawmakers and agency officials about Door County and to request legislative and state agency action that will help address local issues and concerns. To provide input or suggestions on the agenda, contact the Legislative Day Agenda Committee Chair, Rob Burke, at 920-743-2260.

The 2005 Door County Legislative Day will again require at least 100 local delegates in Madison to effectively call on legislators: anyone interested in participating should contact DCEDC. The cost to participate for delegates is only $25, made possible by a variety of local sponsors, including the County of Door, the City of Sturgeon Bay, local civic groups and several private businesses. Anyone interested in supporting Door County Legislative Day and helping to reach the goal of $12,000 in sponsorship funds should also contact DCEDC.

There is still space for local businesses that sell wholesale products to participate in the second annual Door County Wholesale Showcase Tour. The tour of area businesses will take place on Saturday, June 11, starting at 8am with registration and coffee at the Door County Chamber Visitor Center in Sturgeon Bay. From there, retail buyers will travel to a variety of area businesses to see the making of many Door County products first hand. The show will give potential buyers the opportunity to tour local businesses that make items such as candles, bath and body products, wine, home decorations, Door County food items or roast coffee beans. Wholesale business owners who would like to participate in the tour should contact Sam Perlman, 920-743-3113 x204 or sam@doorcountybusiness.com. Retail buyers are encouraged to register in advance by visiting the tour's web site: www.DoorCountyWholesale.com.

NWTC and the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce are proud to offer an opportunity for you to learn more about international trade, travel, business practices and diversity. The 10th Annual Summer Institute on International Education will be held at the Green Bay Radisson Hotel and Conference Center May 23-25, 2005. The theme is "Business and Education: A Global Partnership."

With heavy hearts, we bid a fond adieu to our friend and colleague Kay Jensen, who left DCEDC at the end of March, after fourteen years, to join the staff of the Door County Library in Surgeon Bay. Kay was an integral member of the DCEDC team and she will be sorely missed. Thankfully, we live in a small county and will be able to track Kay down whenever we need her. We wish Kay all the best in her new venture!