Thanks to the nearly 200 community, political and business leaders who attended the DCEDC annual investors meeting on Wednesday, May 10th at the Stone Harbor Resort and Conference Center in Sturgeon Bay. Our keynote speaker was Wisconsin Department of Transportation Secretary Frank Busalacchi, highlighting the more than $134 Million his Department is investing in Door County for important transportation infrastructure improvements such as the current State Highway 57 four lane expansion, the new Oregon to Maple bridge starting construction this year and the rehabilitation of the Michigan Street bridge, beginning in 2008. You can read more about local transportation improvements on our website at the link below

In addition to the remarks by Secretary Busalacchi, the annual investors meeting included the presentation of the Door County Industry of the Year and Entrepreneur of the Year Awards. The Industry of the Year Award winner was the Washington Island Ferry Line. The Entrepreneur of the Year Award went to Greg Rohde and Tom Voegele of Bay Pharmacy in Sturgeon Bay.

DCEDC is helping facilitate the formation of an angel investment group in Door County. Angel investors are high income/high net worth individuals, typically with $200,000/year annual income and/or net worth of over $1 Million, who are willing to assume the risks associated with financing seed stage and start-up businesses.

By making seed stage and start-up business financing available in Door County, entrepreneurs will be able to find the money available to fund the start- up of new companies and to fund the growth of new business ventures. The formation of a Door County angel investment group is one of our priority action steps from the Door County Economic Development Adjustment Plan. For more information regarding the Door County angel investment group, please contact Sam Perlman, Economic Development Manager, at (920) 743-3113 x204

DCEDC is thrilled to be participating in this year’s Beacons Around The Bay program, coordinated by our friends at the Sturgeon Bay Visitors and Convention Bureau (SBVCB) and HELP of Door County. Kudos to Ron Halverson, DCEDC Board of Directors member and Hatco Corporation COO, who enthusiastically engaged the Hatco fabrication team to design and build a sleek, stainless steel lighthouse from materials used in the manufacture of the Hatco line of food service products.

The DCEDC/Hatco lighthouse, with working light (!), is located on the west side of Sturgeon Bay at the base of the Michigan Street Bridge, in front of the Door County Maritime Museum. All 23 of the beacons will be displayed around downtown Sturgeon Bay until the September 2 party and auction at Bay View Park.

For more information regarding Beacons Around the Bay, contact SBVCB at (920) 743-6246.

In January, the Door/Kewaunee Business & Education Partnership (DKBEP), in cooperation with the Door and Kewaunee County economic development corporations and dozens of area businesses, submitted an application to the Wisconsin Department of Commerce for a Community-Based Economic Development (CBED) grant. The application for a “Door and Kewaunee Counties Regional Youth Training and Development Program” proposed four initiatives: a Door County career awareness program; post-high school training and employment programs; developing and expanding a youth co-op and apprenticeship program; and the development of a high school house construction project.

The programs are designed to provide career awareness and training programs for area youth to help fill the current and future employment needs of businesses in the region; the establishment of workforce bridges for young people into area business sectors is essential for the long-term survival of our regional industrial base. DKBEP has already begun the process of implementation of the four program initiatives and welcomes business and community participation. If you would like to help inspire Door County youth to enter the local workforce, please contact DKBEP Program Manager Sharon Spengler at 920-743-3113 x205.