'Wi be No. 1

Is this Business Heaven? I don’t know for sure, but CEO Magazine recognized Wisconsin as the biggest gainer in its annual Best States for Business issue (June 2011).

‘Wi jumped ahead of 17 bad business states this year (places like RI, VT, MS and MN). ‘Wi moved from one of the worst-to-24^th place! ‘Wi are a long way from #1, but hey, it’s an attractive trend especially now that competition to attract business is really, really HOT:

Spencer Eccles, executive director of UT Governor’s Office of Economic Development said, “Companies with strong balance sheets are in a good position to expand and grow. And they have to otherwise, they’re just resting on their dollars.” (UT is ranked #9.)

“As capital returns to dirt,” said Don Cardon, CEO of the AZ Commerce Authority, "the next 2 or 3 years will greatly determine where business goes in the US for the next 10-to-15 years, so we’re dead serious about becoming the leading state in terms of attractiveness” (AZ is #13.)

The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation convened its first board of directors meeting recently. Indeed, Wi is now: "Open for Business." It’s not just a clever political tagline any more; it’s a great day for business.

For whatever reason, our well-intentioned Department of Commerce became a bloated, bureaucratic bug-a-boo that busied itself with boiler plates and sewage tank regulation - just $22,000 was invested in Marketing! I always thought Commerce was supposed to be busy with business development, but it took a back seat to business regulation!

The new, Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation changes everything. Development now has its own advocate; its own partner; its very own angel investor at the highest levels in Madison. “Is this Heaven,” they asked in Field of Dreams? “No…it ain’t Iowa either. It’s Wisconsin.”

Really?

A tip of the baseball cap goes to Paul Jadin. Who would have thought our mild-mannered mayor and collegial Chamber president was a giant killer? (Would you have given anyone a snowball’s chance in hell to re-prioritize an entrenched, bureaucratic behemoth like Commerce?) Paul did it in 5 months…like he said he would!

Hats off to our Governor, too. Even though Scott Walker has had his hat handed to him on several occasions over the last five months, his directive to redo Commerce was Forward Thinking!

And Walker’s appointment of Dan Ariens to his Board? THAT’s a Hat Trick = another outstanding, management decision! (Although in reality, it was a no-brainer. Who wouldn’t want to work with Dan Ariens when it comes to Business Development? What he has done with the worldwide development of the Ariens Company is just short of miraculous.)

So now we have Jadin and Ariens on the same team with the likes of Congressman and Serial Entrepreneur Scott Klug, with Business Owners Don Weber, Lisa Mauer and C. Thomas Sylke? In 5 months...from almost worst, to this?

Wow, ‘Wi!

But CEOs and Business Owners know more needs to be done besides changing the slogan, the stationary and the sign outside the door. Jadin said Wisconsin is significantly behind other states in committing funds to attract business; CEO Magazine ranks ‘Wi way behind TX as the Best for Business: ‘Wi have a long way to go, but ‘Wi are on the right track.

The Economic Development Corporation will have staff dedicated to Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Marketing and Business Development. Sewerage Tanks and Boiler Plates will be relegated elsewhere in the bowels of the bureaucracy.

Jadin said he is going to get the funding to see Wi successful. The new Marketing budget is about $5 million...NOT enough to compete with TX, or IA or IN, but more competitive than $22K!

I have no idea how this will turn out, but I DO know this for sure:
The Nicolet Bank Business Pulse has been measuring the ups and downs of CEO Confidence for more than 10 years, and I am 100% positive that CEOs will be much more confident in the state of business in Wi now that the Economic Development Corporation is reality.

On Wi...Wii!