Collective Impact Winter 2019

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Collective Impact is published quarterly by the Greater Green Bay Chamber, 300 N. Broadway, Ste. 3A, Green Bay WI 54303. Collective Impact is supported by advertising revenue from member companies of the Greater Green Bay Chamber. For information about the advertising rates and deadlines, contact sales at 920.593.3418. Collective Impact (USPS 10-206) is published quarterly for $18 a year by the Greater Green Bay Chamber, 300 N. Broadway, Ste. 3A, Green Bay, WI 54303. Periodicals postage paid at Green Bay,WI. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Collective Impact, 300 N. Broadway, Ste. 3A, Green Bay WI 54303. PH: 920.593.3423.

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2 Collective IMPACT | Winter 2019

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS Chamber finalizes two-year legislative agenda

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overnment relations is a key component of the Chamber’s efforts.

Without the right mixture of taxation and regulation or a strong transportation infrastructure, conducting business in Wisconsin would be extremely difficult.

Every two years, the Chamber releases its legislative agenda to showcase the priorities of the Greater Green Bay business community over the next legislative session. Our priorities have not changed as a result of the recent election; we will continue to advocate for what’s best for our community.

The agenda covers the board categories of: workforce education & development; economic development; transportation & infrastructure; taxation & regulation and health care. Below is a sampling of our priorities for the 2019–2021 legislative agenda.

Workforce education & development • Open the Department of Workforce Development Youth Apprenticeship (YA) program to all 16 career clusters. Currently, high demand areas such as education, business administration, public safety and public administration are ignored by the YA program.YA is a proven program that has helped students find their career path and employers reach a sustainable workforce pipeline.

• Streamlining the Wisconsin Fast Forward program so businesses have capacity to apply for the employee training grant. A portion of Fast Forward dollars should be available to pay wages for those going through training. Many businesses would use this program; however, the expense of loss of productivity can be a limiting factor. By offsetting the capacity and financial concerns, more Wisconsin workers can be trained for higher wage jobs.

Transportation & infrastructure For the past five years, the Chamber has taken an active role in the pursuit of a Southern Bridge Corridor so that businesses located in the southern portion of Brown County have

adequate access to highway infrastructure to remain competitive. Due to a lot of work by many of our municipal leaders, our state elected leaders and Department of Transportation, this project keeps gaining momentum.

During the next state budget debate, our Southern Bridge Coalition will ask for significant funding to complete this project. Funding secured in the 2019-2021 budget means the Southern Bridge Corridor could be completed around 2026.

Taxation & regulation Protecting the Manufacturing and Agriculture Tax Credit (MATC) again will be a priority. This tax credit allows Wisconsin to be competitive with other states in attracting and retaining family supporting jobs. The two largest sectors of Wisconsin are manufacturing and agriculture.

Without MATC, we could lose many legacy employers in Northeast Wisconsin.

Economic development Relocating the Green Bay Correctional Institution (GBCI) is the solution to several local concerns as well as an incredible opportunity to redevelop and repurpose a 120-year-old property. While the GBCI’s facility is no longer a safe, efficient or effective way to house and rehabilitate offenders, it offers the opportunity for redevelopment that could generate $60 million to $100 million in property value and create approximately 1,400 jobs. We support efforts to relocate the GBCI. Health care The federal government has a rule that caps the number of medical residents for which Medicare will reimburse a health system. This rule was put into place in 1984 and has challenged our area health systems when recruiting new doctors to our area. Each medical student at the Medical College of Wisconsin – Green Bay has to perform a medical residency to become a doctor. Unfortunately, this law creates a tremendous burden that results in our community losing out on the talent we’re helping to educate.We will ask our federal lawmakers to ease the cap on the number of general practice physician residents for the Greater Green Bay area.

The only way we are going to be able to accomplish this bold agenda is if we, as a community, work together. So many Chamber members have worked to shape the priorities of this agenda but many more are needed to assist in completing each task. Next time you run into one of our elected officials, please take a minute to express the important these initiatives. Your voice matters.

Winter 2019 | Collective IMPACT 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Greater Green Bay Economic Development Strategic Plan updates

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he Greater Green Bay community has been actively working on moving forward the strategies and tactics that comprise the 11 initiatives in the Greater Green Bay Economic Development Strategic Plan. The initiatives are divided into several task forces that have been meeting regularly over the past year to move the plan forward.

Here’s a recap on what these task forces have been doing:

Initiative 2 Respond to the needs of existing employers & industries.

Josh Bernhardt, business retention & expansion specialist

• A strong focus has been put on responding to the needs of existing employers and industries. This task force, in conjunction with the business retention & expansion (BRE) program coordinated by the Chamber’s economic development arm, have made revisions to the BRE survey conducted with area businesses to gain a deeper understanding of their needs as they relate to: • Airport usage and desired destinations • Conference and convention activity of local businesses The BRE program is learning what conferences local companies are currently traveling out of the area to attend in an effort to explore opportunities to host those conferences in the Green Bay area. This work is being done in coordination with the Greater Green Bay Convention and Visitors Bureau and the alignment & conferences task force.

The BRE program has focused on working with the NEW Manufacturing Alliance and other partner organizations and local municipalities to leverage these connections and build relationships with existing employers. In order to be more focused and intentional about which companies are visited, a target strategy was developed based on insights from past visits, communication with municipalities and other partner organizations.

• Efforts to work on new business development and investment opportunities include working with regional partners on local engagement strategies.

For example, partners have explored ways for local businesses to engage in Foxconn supply chain opportunities to leverage significant investments made in the state.

4 Collective IMPACT | Winter 2019

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Initiative 3 Recruit new businesses & investments.

The business development task force has met with partners including the Greater Green Bay Chamber, NEW Manufacturing Alliance, Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation and the New North to solidify current relationships and explore new opportunities for collaboration in an effort to build the region’s manufacturing strengths (Initiative 1).

Initiatives 4 and 5 Expand the size/scope of regional higher education assets and Attract, retain and develop talent.

• Asset map in the works. The talent & education task force is working on expanding education assets along with attracting and developing a talented workforce.The task force has developed an asset map to identify opportunities and potential gaps with current programs and resources. For example, expansion opportunities in the downtown area for education are being explored. Another exciting example of local educational resources being expanded is the new University of Wisconsin-Green Bay mechanical engineering program. The new School of Engineering, which includes a 63-acre research park and innovation center, is an exciting step forward for Greater Green Bay. Targeting college alumni. A sub task force hosted a meeting of college alumni directors, assembling materials to showcase to area college alumni to showcase why they should consider a return to the area (if they don’t live locally) as well as calling attention to area offerings to alumni who do live here.

Initiative 6 Accelerate downtown and urban development.

• Visiting Indy. The Downtown Green Bay & urban development taskforce has been hard at work on Initiative 6. Their first action step was to explore best practices of successful downtowns in other areas. The task force engaged in a site visit to Indianapolis. The itinerary for this visit covered innovation, housing and arts & culture (see article on pg.16 about this visit). More trips are planned to other areas in the coming year.

• Additionally, they’ve developed a subcommittee to enhance and elevate the role of arts and culture in downtown Green Bay.

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Initiatives 8 and 9 Encourage greater alignment with the Green Bay Packers and Elevate the role of events & conferences.

Initiative 7 Build a robust ecosystem for innovation & entrepreneurship.

• Startup Hub. The seventh initiative centers around creating collaboration and coordination among the various players in the innovation space through the emergence of the Startup Hub, which is both a physical space and the virtual front door for the innovation ecosystem in Greater Green Bay. In addition, we’ve hired a new manager for the Startup Hub. (We’ll cover this at length in the spring issue of Collective Impact.)

• Titletown Tech update. The alignment & conferences task force offers full support to the Green Bay Packers in their development of Titletown Tech and support to the Greater Green Bay Convention & Visitors Bureau in elevating the role of events and conferences. Phase II of Titletown Tech is underway with filling their 40,000-square-foot building with offices on the upper floors and retail, dining and entertainment on the ground floor. The next piece to Phase II will be the construction of a residential building.

• Conference survey. In coordination with the BRE program and the business development task force, the Chamber recently sent out a survey to identify conferences local businesses are attending in an effort to explore the possibility of hosting those conferences in Greater Green Bay. Additionally, as part of the collaboration efforts between the CVB’s event promotion efforts and economic development business recruitment efforts, the CVB will host professional planners in fall 2019.

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Initiative 10 Ensure diversity & inclusiveness.

• CEO Action Pledge Breakfast. The diversity & inclusiveness task force hosted its first information session for the Diversity & Inclusion CEO Action Pledge. The CEO Action Pledge is a proactive step local business leaders are taking to show their commitment to being a workplace and community that is welcoming to all. Local leaders are able to be connected with best practices and resources from around the country; the CEO Action Pledge is national. Read more about it at www.CEOAction.com/pledge/i-act-on-pledge.

Initiative 11 Enhance transportation access and connectivity.

The transportation access & connectivity task force has been taking a deep dive into the history of Green Bay Austin Straubel International Airport and the Port of Green Bay. The new airport director has recently been added to this group along with a representative from Schneider to provide added value strategies for enhancing transportation access and connectivity.

Currently, more than 400 companies and organizations have signed onto the pledge throughout the nation. Six local organizations have committed so far and more are forthcoming. For more information, comtact Laurie Radke at 920.593.3405.

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WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT Find Your Inspiration – Connecting tomorrow’s talent with today’s businesses

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he Find Your Inspiration career exploration experience is an event with many audiences.

For students (and through them, their parents), it’s an opportunity to explore potential career paths that range from joining the workforce or the military after high school to embarking on apprenticeships, technical college, a four-year degree or beyond. For educators, it’s an integral part of ongoing efforts to engage eighth-graders in career education, learn about occupations available locally and understand how they align with current curriculum. And for businesses, it’s a chance to connect with future talent and share the depth and breadth of the positions available and skill-sets needed within their industries.

Black Creek Middle School students

The 2018 Find Your Inspiration event on Oct. 10 brought 3,600 students together with 70 businesses interested in connecting with tomorrow’s workforce.

“We’re all facing this workforce shortage, so they’re seeing this as a long-term workforce development opportunity, retaining and attracting the students to stay here in greater Green Bay and not move out of the state,” said April Pingel, youth career development manager for the Greater Green Bay Chamber and organizer of the event. “You’re not going to see an employee who’s going to apply tomorrow. But businesses know we need to talk to students now or risk losing them.”

Employers showcase their businesses with exhibitor booths that engage students in conversation and hands-on activity that doesn’t just tell the student about a job but lets them experience it. Career profiles created by the businesses outline the classes needed in high school and college, salary ranges right here in Greater Green Bay for those positions (including a per-hour breakdown this year to put it into perspective for teens), and the type of field and career cluster of the work.

If students show an interest in particular career clusters, it can help in planning their class schedules and co-curriculars at a time when that planning needs to take place.

West De Pere Middle School students 10 Collective IMPACT | Winter 2019

“We’re hitting them before they have to start making these decisions, so that way, they have an idea before high school,” Pingel said.

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT West De Pere Middle School students

De Pere Middle School students It takes a village Briana Fitzgerald, a sophomore at Notre Dame Academy, was one of the participants in Greater Green Bay Teen Leadership, a program of the Chamber, who volunteered to help at FYI. Her responsibilities included helping with the sponsored busing that allows so many students to attend the free event.

“Most of the feedback was really good. I think most of the kids got a lot of out of it,” she said, noting that students who appeared disinterested at first, quickly became engaged. “When they saw there were so many different options and so many different cool things they could do, they grew interested.”

It’s really a learning experience for everyone, said Sue Zittlow, vice president of workforce and leadership development for the Chamber.

As academic and career planning becomes a greater priority in K-12 and businesses in the Greater Green Bay area continue to expand the range of job opportunities available here, exposure to the possibilities becomes more important. Knowledge is often limited to personal

Edison Middle School students experience, which can impact how parents and teachers can be involved.

“You’re trying to provide guidance, but what you know is what you’ve gone through,” she said.

“I don’t know that parents always know what’s here in our community, and I don’t know that they understand the different resources that are available to them.”

Exposure to the possibilities is a starting point, and if students discover a passion or strength, that can be key to retaining them in the community.

Bringing it all together Life skills are another critical component of the event and its associated programming, Zittlow said. Students rotate through the business exhibits, but each rotation begins in a “welcome zone,” where volunteers work with the students in activities ranging from eye contact and firm handshakes to elevator pitches and introductions. They discuss how to remember names, how to dress and more.

“We know no matter what your journey looks like, the life skills element is critical,” Zittlow said.

The event is inclusive to all eighth-graders in the Partners in Education participating schools, which means students are coming to the table with a variety of experience with these skills and a wide range of exposure to these potential career paths.

“Students come from different economic backgrounds, have different role models in their lives,” Pingel said. “So it’s important for them to see themselves in these roles.”

That message of accessibility and possibility is a recurring theme for all audiences involved in this event.

“The jobs do exist and they’re attainable by everyone,” Pingel said.

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WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT FYI offers first sneak peek event - Community Preview Night

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he 2018 Find Your Inspiration event introduced a free Community Preview Night that welcomed parents, educators and the community to take a peek at what businesses in Greater Green Bay have to offer. Held the evening before the FYI event on Oct. 9, it included workshops on college financing and emphasized parental engagement, something the Chamber’s workforce development team hopes to continue to foster.

“One student came with her mom and brought her to all the different IT booths so she could understand what she was talking about when she says she wants to go into a career in IT,” said April Pingel, youth career development manager and organizer of the event.

Parents mindful of the costs of higher education learned about financial assistance as well as job

openings right here in the area that don’t require a college degree, apprenticeships, job shadowing options and businesses that pay for additional schooling.

“Career paths can look different for everybody,” Pingel said.

The evening event also was an opportunity to encourage educators at other grade levels to check out the event.

“We want educators to see how easy it is to integrate into their career planning,” Pingel said, noting that that classes around a subject such as environmental science can quickly be connected to the work of a local employer. “It allows the student to start making the connections and see this in those careers.”

FYI opens student’s eyes – and sparks career conversation

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tacie Bryant and her 13-yearold son, Josh, were walking the dog one afternoon when her questions about his school day – typically met with the standard 13-yearold non-response responses – were met with some color.

He began to talk about the school trip his eighth-grade class had taken for career exploration. He talked about the dealership he spoke with and told her about learning how a diesel engine is started.

The experience had made an impression on him – and sparked a conversation that Bryant is eager to have with her kids – what might the future hold for them?

“I remember when I was that age, I didn’t have anyone telling me what all was out there,” Bryant said.

She tries to be more proactive, but that can be easier said than done with teens 12 Collective IMPACT | Winter 2019

who aren’t always thinking long-term.

She didn’t know much about the Find Your Inspiration career exploration event until Josh began describing it.

Josh had seen a few displays he was interested in and went into some detail with Bryant about the diesel engine.

She’s been talking to her kids about career options since preschool. Kids often have a lot of ideas, with younger kids especially responding with anything from firefighter to astronaut. An event like this can remind students that unique and attainable jobs are right here in their own communities.

“I think it was a really good initiative on this part and on the part of schools for participating,” she said of the Greater Green Bay Chamber’s event.“I hope they continue, because that kind of information is actually invaluable especially going into high school.”

Stacie Bryant and her son, Josh

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

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s youth career development manager, April Pingel is critical to community connections.

The coordinator behind the 2018 Find Your Inspiration career exploration experience, Pingel is also responsible for the Greater Green Bay Teen Leadership program, the Your Future Greater Green Bay website and School to Career Connections. She is a critical liaison with initiatives including Achieve Brown County and the Greater Green Bay STEM Network. She’s helping businesses, educators and students connect, giving everyone a better understanding of how all of the work fits together and providing a cohesiveness to disparate initiatives all charging toward similar goals.

Introducing the face behind FYI:

April Pingel

“All of those are critical as we look to working with our future workforce at an earlier stage of the game,” said Sue Zittlow, vice president of workforce and leadership development at the Chamber.

Taking this position with the Greater Green Bay Chamber in July meant jumping directly into event planning and preparation for FYI. But Pingel wasn’t a newbie to that realm. She volunteered last year with FYI and had a chance to see the event in

action before her career path led her to planning it. She also has been involved with Current’s Young Professionals Network and joined the Chamber’s workforce development team with a solid understanding of all the moving parts of its goals and work – while bringing a fresh perspective.

Pingel credits a supportive staff for a smooth transition.“The workforce development team is a very small team that does a lot of very important work in our community, and it’s amazing what it has accomplished.”

For Pingel, highlights so far in her role include working with teen leaders.

“They’re amazing,” she said of the group’s ability to interact with businesses and the community.

“When I was in high school, giving back was kind of a new concept, and now it feels ingrained in the students.”

Pingel grew up in and lives in Dyckesville and went to school for communications at Ripon College, minoring in biology and philosophy. Initially looking at science writing, she found she was drawn to more impactful interactions, a hallmark of this new role.

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WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Kewaunee Middle School students

De Pere Middle School student

Trinity Lutheran School student

Find Your Inspiration: Far more than a one-day event

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ometimes an event is more than an event.

Those who have heard of the Chamber’s Find Your Inspiration career exploration experience for local eighth-graders can likely call to mind a crowded KI Convention Center where students participate in hands-on activities with local businesspeople. And the day-of activities certainly are significant.

But in the hands of school guidance counselors and students, the preparation begins long before the October event and continues well past the closing session.

Educators are given pre- and post-event lesson plans, including, this year, an interactive map and mobile app that offered additional opportunities for planning and participating. The tools provide added exposure that allowed students to anticipate the event, make a plan, consider the career clusters and connect to the curriculum.

Students are encouraged to download the app and explore the site before arriving at FYI – a tactic that organizers hope brings it to life for them. Students upload pictures, participate in 14 Collective IMPACT | Winter 2019

an online quiz bowl and map out their game plan to ensure a comprehensive look at the offerings on a tight schedule.

sets it apart from other career education opportunities, Bunker said.

“It gets them talking,” he said. “They may not In tandem with his fellow student counselor talk with us, but amongst themselves, they do it.” at West De Pere Middle School, Leon Bunker A couple of months after attending FYI, those takes the pre-event activities into the classroom, students begin registering for high school courssharing a PowerPoint and prep work with stu- es. And soon, they will consider the types of dents and following up after the extracurricular activities they This is event, including an end-of-year want to be involved in. slideshow that again prompts the probably one Post-event lesson planning is students to recall the experience. of the best reflective in nature, focusing “From the counselor’s perspecattention on not only events that students’ tive, this is probably one of the the event, but to grasp what’s we do with meaningful and purposeful about best events that we do with the kids,” he said. the event.

the kids.

With complete buy-in from the administration early on,West De Pere Middle School has had the opportunity participate since the event began four years ago.

The time spent with their classmates, talking about what they’re seeing and learning, is what

“They’re so engaged,” Bunker said. “I have yet to see a student just walking around [at the event] doing nothing.”

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

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ith a workforce shortage looming in skilled trades, the construction industry is not alone in having gaps to fill in its workforce pipeline. It’s also not alone in being misunderstood, said Tracey Griffith, human resources compliance manager for Walbec Group. Northeast Asphalt, a Walbec Group, participated in the Chamber’s Find Your Inspiration event for the first time this year.

“People think the construction industry is very much low skill, anyone can do it, and that’s not the case,” she said, noting that math, mechanics and spatial ability, problem solving, reading building specs and engineering can come into play in the industry. This leaves the door open for a wide range of employee skill-sets. “Not every brain works the same way.”

Which means the industry may be a perfect fit for some, including those who may not be interested in a four-year degree. A job after high school can be a continuation of the education – and a different way to educate altogether, said April Pingel, youth career development manager and organizer of the FYI

event. Businesses can support apprenticeships and additional education, allowing employees to work while taking classes.

Griffith’s work on behalf of Walbec Group involves creative outreach initiatives to build a pipeline of employees for the company, and the Find Your Inspiration event allowed Northeast Asphalt to share information about the company and its work with a new audience – one the company is strategic about approaching.

“The more you see things, the more you hear things, the more you touch things, the more it stays with you,” she said. “Hopefully these kids will circle back to us as they get older.”

“We have to get into the schools and share the information about what opportunities exist,” she said. “And for parents and teachers to understand – hey, look at this, this is some really great stuff.

Although she has seen improvements, Griffiths notes a lack of information often available about the skilled trades and opportunities that exist locally in construction. Northeast Asphalt is a heavy highway contractor, but that description belies the levels of skill and layers of opportunity within the company.

Edison Middle School students

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WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Pictured (from left): Patrick Schillinger,Wisconsin Public Service Corp.; Paul Belschner, Base Companies; Laurie Radke, Greater Green Bay Chamber; Jayme Sellen, Greater Green Bay Chamber; Julian LaMue, Associated Bank; Mayor Jim Schmitt, City of Green Bay; and Jeff Mirkes, Downtown Green Bay, Inc.

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ibrant downtown, a downtown in which people of all demographics choose to live, work or explore. Initiative 6 of the Greater Green Bay Economic Development Strategic Plan recognizes the importance of our downtown and urban areas to the overall health of a community.

This initiative and the corresponding taskforce has identified four areas our downtown and urban areas must focus on to continue the momentum our community is currently experiencing. They are: • Innovation • Mixed-use development • Arts and culture • Engaging waterfront activity Our Downtown Development task force set off on a road trip to Indianapolis this fall to 16 Collective IMPACT | Winter 2019

learn how that city has been able to successfully revitalize its downtown. We met with a large contingent of community leaders including Mayor Joe Hogsett and a handful of his staff. We also met with a number of supporting organizations including Downtown Indy, the Indy Chamber, the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP), 16Tech and the Indianapolis Cultural Trail, Inc.

2. Importance of a unified message of cooperation and community first.

It is apparent that the economic development organizations, foundations, nonprofits and city/ county government in Indy are working together. Every meeting we attended had the theme of collaboration and putting the community before everything else. Indianapolis has achieved so much because they are willing to work together.

From these meetings, we brought home the following nine lessons:

3. Collaboration means sharing resources and funding.

Working together simply isn’t enough for the community partners in Indianapolis. Each entity felt there must be more invested in their efforts. They “upped the anty,” sharing personnel and investing dollars into mutually beneficial endeavors.

1. Intentional risk-taking works.

Indianapolis decided it wanted to be known as the amateur sports capital.To do so, they built a football stadium without having a football team.

This bold move lead to the NCAA moving its headquarters to Indy, hosting several college championship games and the relocation of other sports-related businesses to Indy.

4. Business, foundation and university leaders must work together.

The leaders of large corporations, foundations and post-secondary institutions in Indianapolis formed the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP). Together, the CICP has identified the strategic and collaborative efforts needed for the region’s prosperity and growth. As a result, the CICP has spun off nine corporations to implement its strategy.

5. Indy foundations and endowments set the direction.

The top 40 charitable foundations and endowments in Indiana give more than $570 million annually.

How they direct their funding aids in setting the direction for all of Indianapolis. It was clear, the success of Indianapolis is tied directly to the very generous charitable giving of that area.

6. Unigov has eliminated parochialism in Indianapolis.

Everyone we spoke to pointed to the unified city/county government as being more nimble in addressing community needs and development opportunities.

In 1970, 11 towns within Marion County, Indiana consolidated and four remained independent, however, they all have maintained their own unique identity and charm.

7. Indianapolis constantly works on regionalism.

Every month, the chief elected officials in Central Indiana get together for lunch.At these meetings, they discuss one topic: regionalism.

Mayor Hogsett emphasized the importance of constant communication focusing on working as a region. Through these meetings, the elected officials have discovered how they can work together to the benefit of all of their communities.They even work together to advocate for legislative change at their state house.

8. Conventions fuel economic development.

Many in Indianapolis point to their convention center as a catalyst for economic development. This goes beyond the dollars spent by visitors at hotels, restaurants and local attractions. The strong presence of the convention center in downtown Indianapolis has led to a number of new residents and business moving to the area.

9. Arts, culture and recreation inspire revitalization.

Indianapolis has been very successful in combining the arts, culture and recreation for revitalizing economically challenged areas within their community through the Indianapolis Cultural Trail.The trail connects destinations with a clearly identifiable bicycle and pedestrian trail, public art pieces and cultural amenities. A 2015 study showed the eight-mile trail had increased property values by more than 148 percent or $1 billion.

As the Downtown Development task force of the Greater Green Bay Economic Development Strategic Plan, we feel confident and excited for what’s to come for downtown Green Bay and the surrounding communities. We aren’t looking to turn Greater Green Bay into Indianapolis but we do believe the knowledge and relationships we’ve gained while in Indianapolis will help our community implement specific strategies to build upon our success for the businesses, communities and residents of Brown County.

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Article submitted by: Mayor Jim Schmitt; Paul Belschner, Base Companies; Julian LaMue, Associated Bank; Jeff Mirkes, Downtown Green Bay Inc.; Pat Schillinger, Wisconsin Public Service; Laurie Radke, Greater Green Bay Chamber; and Jayme Sellen, Greater Green Bay Chamber.

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Winter 2019 | Collective IMPACT 17 A_EC20-0318 Element Recruitment_Collective_Impact Half Vert_Final.indd 1

4/20/18 11:35 AM

MEMBERSHIP SERVICES MEMBERSHIP SERVICES Don’t throw away money. Get smart with Smart Business Savings.

D

o you regularly order copy paper, pens, envelopes and other office supplies? Or provide mobile devices with service to your staff?

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These are just two areas in which Chamber members can receive significant savings. All you have to do is participate in the Chamber’s exclusive Smart Business Savings program.

Reduced or free postings of jobs online via NationJob.com • If you are a member with fewer than 35 employees, you can take advantage of FREE job postings on NationJob.com. NationJob.com is aligned with other job sites including the ever-popular Indeed.com.

The premise is simple.Vendors provide exclusive discounts to Chamber members; Chamber members simply sign up and begin using these benefits.

The benefits are diverse, including: Office supplies from Staples • Save on more than 23,000 products, including not only regular office supplies but also hardware, office furniture and even cleaning supplies.

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Savings on health insurance and other ancillary insurance lines through UnitedHealthcare Corporate memberships to the YMCA • Enjoy no member processing fee, a free twoweek trial and preferred pricing regardless with Greater Green Bay YMCA is most convenient for you.

Learn more details on all these exclusive discounts at www.GreaterGBC.org/ SmartBusinessSavings.

Smart Business Savings – The Konop Companies dial up great savings The Konop Companies has been a member of the Chamber for more than 40 years. We choose to support the Chamber because it promotes the growth of business in Greater Green Bay which, in turn, increases our potential customer base.

Tom Konop, Mary Borley and Dave Konop

“In addition, we have been associated with Cellcom for more than 20 years. They are cost-competitive and provide us with outstanding service. We began participating in the Chamber’s Smart Business Savings program – through which we obtained Cellcom services for an even more affordable price – about eight to 10 years ago. It’s been a great experience; taking advantage of the savings is easy and we look forward to continuing our relationship with both Cellcom and the Chamber for years to come.

– Mary Borley, co-owner of The Konop Companies

18 Collective IMPACT | Winter 2019

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Green Bay, WI | (920) 433-6650 | admissions@bellincollege.edu Winter 2019 | Collective IMPACT 19

WE ARE THE CONVENER OF OPPORTUNITY OUR MISSION To strengthen member businesses by enhancing economic and workforce development, resulting in improved quality of life in our community and region.

In 2018, we were 1 of 3 national finalists for the prestigious Chamber of the Year Award by the American Chamber of Commerce Executives.

OUR 4 PILLARS Economic development

Workforce development

Government affairs

Membership services

1,172 member businesses

Members employ 93,700+ people

We have been a member organization - by members, for members since

1882

WE ARE

WE ARE

ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL. 97 percent of the 30 largest businesses in Greater Green Bay area are members.

23 employees

35 ambassadors

innumerable other volunteers 20 Collective IMPACT | Winter 2019

80 percent of our membership is small business (50 or fewer employees)

WHY DO BUSINESSES JOIN THE CHAMBER? • To build…

• To promote…

• To obtain recognition for… their business.

• To be heard at a legislative level

• To connect/ network with other members • To save money on common business expenses

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1997-2017

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Oshkosh • Green Bay • Appleton • Manitowoc Winter 2019 | Collective IMPACT 21

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

CHAMBER MISSION: To strengthen member businesses by enhancing economic and workforce development, resulting in improved quality of life in our community and region.

CHAMBER VISION: The Greater Green Bay Chamber will be acclaimed as a leader in building prosperous businesses and a thriving community.

A

s we enter a new year, we as individuals consider new goals and with that, set new levels of accountability for ourselves. The same rings true for organizations as they assess where they stand compared to plans, goals and metrics.

The Chamber is no different.We are a nonprofit organization but to me, that means selfassessment is even more crucial because a) we have limited resources and b) these resources need to be applied to the initiatives and efforts that are most closely aligned with our mission.

We’ve reflected on 2018 and highlight a few that strongly reflect what the Chamber is here to do at the end of the day: to serve as a convener.

As that convener, in November we hosted a CEO Action Pledge Breakfast focused on introducing a national initiative to commit to practices of diversity and inclusiveness to businesses in the Greater Green Bay area. We convened a cross-section of individuals and sectors for the breakfast to unveil some of the work of the Diversity and Inclusiveness task force of the Greater Green Bay Economic Development Strategic Plan. Representatives of manufacturing, nonprofit, healthcare, financial, education and other sectors of our community came together for this. They learned why embracing best practices in diversity and inclusiveness is an integral part of taking Greater Green Bay into the future as a destination not only for businesses but the employees who make them a success.

22 Collective IMPACT | Winter 2019

This breakfast was not a one-time thing. Having organizations sign and commit to the pledge isn’t an effort made in isolation. No, the community leaders introducing this initiative are vetting out questions businesses have about coming on board with the pledge. And they are collecting best practices from larger organizations that have purposeful diversity and inclusiveness efforts as part of their culture. We know we don’t need to reinvent the wheel but we do need to cull and share these efforts to set up other businesses wanting to do the same for success. The Chamber is not only promoting and convening this but embracing it; we are the first chamber of commerce in the United States that has signed onto this national pledge. We do so alongside six significant businesses. With signing this pledge comes responsibility and we’re here to connect businesses with the support and guidance. If you’d like to learn more about this for your business, please reach out to me.

We can see, from other communities on board with this, how transformative doing so can be.

Another development that comes to mind as I reflect on 2018 is bolstering parental engagement in their children’s career exploration and in particular, the development of these students’ life skills. The Parents, We Need You initiative has brought business and education to the same table to acknowledge that many of the employees entering the workforce are, to put it bluntly, lacking in life skills (also previously known as soft skills). These are skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, working independently and

creative thinking. Creating more awareness of the need to develop these skill-sets is something our workforce development team has been working on for the past two years, and in 2018, we further spread the word with a series of Public Service Announcements (PSAs) on a variety of media.

Business also stepped up, providing a venue for reaching students through their parents, and we hosted our first session on life skills with employees at a local employer in December.

To us, it’s about finding new and innovative ways to reach both parents and students, be it through the PSAs, workplaces or, of course, the school setting. And speaking of providing an intersection of business and education: Our 4th annual Find Your Inspiration (FYI) career exploration event this fall was a rousing success.

More than 3,600 eighth-graders intersected with about 70 local businesses to experience hands-on activities and engagement related to career opportunities. What makes FYI unique is that it’s not merely a one-day event; there is carefully curated pre- and post-lesson plans that teachers incorporate into their curriculum to really get students thinking about what they want to pursue for their future careers. Read more about FYI, which is highlighted in the workforce development section of this issue.

Likewise, in terms of our government affairs pillar, our Public Policy Council finalized its legislative agenda. This document guides the Chamber’s efforts in the two years ahead, and outlines probusiness priorities as we embark on legislative efforts. These include integral items related to

FULL-SERVICE IN-HOUSE SOLUTIONS THAT HELP SHAPE OUR COMMUNITIES

stimulating job growth and fostering a competitive business climate in positions we take on issues at the local, state and federal levels of government.

And speaking of people: our members are at the root of everything we do. Nowhere is that more apparent than in our events, many of which are educational, some of which are inspirational but all of which provide a forum for like-minded individuals to come together and connect. This past fiscal year, we provided more than 100 carefully selected event opportunities to our members, and in doing so, served as the convener we strive to be. Introductions at events, meetings and other opportunities “spider web,” if you will, in connecting our members, be it in customer-vendor, peer-to-peer, mentor-to-peer or other relationships. And as we all know, business success is built upon relationships.

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The list goes on; I could easily fill this magazine with ways we’ve executed our mission this past year. Know that as we march into 2019, we continue to assess what collective impact – both the magazine and the premise of our organization – is all about. We often throw around the words “collective impact,” “connecting” and “collaborating.” All are well-intentioned.We seek ways to serve as a convener for collective impact, which is on another plane by focusing on systemic, intentional efforts toward common goals.

Collective impact is about complete alignment; everyone is on board with a common vision and take coordinated steps toward common goals with common measures. We are doing that both within our organization – as we continue to hone our strategic plan and its measurements – as well as with the many partner organizations with which we’re aligned in the community. I’m excited to see how much more we collectively attain as we continue to measure internally and align externally.

— Laurie Radke

President, Greater Green Bay Chamber Winter 2019 | Collective IMPACT 23

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24 Collective IMPACT | Winter 2019

CHAMBER MEMBER ANNIVERSARIES January/February/March

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Bankers Advertising Company Colortech of Wisconsin, Inc. Disabled American Vets, Dept. of WI Inc. Keller, Inc. The Mail Haus, Inc.

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68334ES jk 11_17

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Offer valid 11/26/18 through 1/1/19 or while supplies lasts. No rain checks. Activation at time of service, service agreement and credit approval required. New line activation or qualified upgrade required. A line set up fee, early termination fee, or device installment balance may apply. Additional charges on all service lines include Universal Service Fund (USF), regulatory, an E911 or police & Fire Protection Fee, and other recovery fees. Taxes, fees and surcharges vary and are subject to change without notice. See cellcom.com/fees for details. Trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners. Promotional offer subject to change. $1 Smartphones: Purchase of a LG K30 or Motorola G6 Play with a new Flex Agreement and data subscription required. Credit applied as a discount off full price and reflected in monthly installments. Restrictions apply. Visit Cellcom.com/holiday for details. 15 Day Guarantee: If within 15 days you are not completely satisfied with Cellcom’s wireless service, pay for the services you have used and return the equipment in acceptable condition. Other restrictions apply. See store for details. Trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners. Switch and Save Unlimited: New line of service, device purchase with agreement and data subscription required. Must port in a new line of service. To apply for credits, within 60 days of activation, a reimbursement form along with the entire copy of your last wireless bill from your previous wireless carrier that includes the charge for the early termination fee and device installments must be submitted. Restrictions apply. Visit Cellcom.com/special-offers-business for details. 15 Day Guarantee: If within 15 days you are not completely satisfied with Cellcom’s wireless service, pay for the services you have used and return the equipment in acceptable condition. Other restrictions apply. See store for details. Trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners.

Greater Green Bay Chamber 300 N. Broadway, Ste. 3A Green Bay, WI 54303

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