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| SHOW ME THE $$$$! |
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According to the Consumer Price Index Inflation Calculator, $100 in 2005 had the same buying power as $53.20 in 1984. In other words, it costs about $100 now for what we could have gotten for around $53 in 1984.
Forward Wisconsin's total budget in 1984 was about $940,000. To just keep up with inflation, and market at the level we did in 1984, our current budget would need to be at about $1.76 million. Our current total budget is actually about $850,000.
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| HOW ABOUT THAT! |
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Jeff Bartell was not only working on launching Forward Wisconsin in 1983, he also opened the Madison office of Quarles & Brady that same year. About 40 lawyers currently practice out of the Madison office.
Quarles & Brady has more than 400 lawyers nationally, practicing from offices in Chicago, Illinois; Madison and Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Naples, Florida; and Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona.
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| NOT IN THE PHOTO |
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Using Forward Wisconsin's 1984 Annual Report as a reference, the following individuals served on our Board in 1984 but were not in the picture to the right.
They are: Senator Lynn Adelman, J. Stephen Anderson (Robert W. Baird & Co.), Senator Robert Cowles, Lt. Governor James T. Flynn, Leila Fraser (Marine Corporation), Jon Hammes (Trammel Crow), Robert Hoffer (Wisconsin Gas), Senator Barbara Lorman, Philip McGoohan (M&I Bank), Michael Morris (ANR Pipeline), David Nelson (Wisconsin Bell), Gary Scheppke (Auto/Truck Dealers Assoc.), James Taylor (Dairyland Power Coop.), and Paul D. Ziemer (Wisconsin Public Service Corp.).
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In 1984, Forward Wisconsin had three office locations: Madison in the M&I Bank of Madison Building at 1 West Main Street; Menomonie at UW-Stout; and, Milwaukee at 11270 West Park Place.
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| WHAT'S UP JACK? |
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In Jack Schultz's book titled "Boomtown USA: The 7 1/2 Keys to Big Success in Small Towns", he coins a new term: "agurban areas." Agurban areas are towns that are predominantly agricultural and are far removed from a major city. His book focuses on what causes some small communities to boom while others slowly die.
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| WANNA LINK? |
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In last month's Flash, Forward Wisconsin announced its "Partner Link" program. The premise is simple. You link to our web page at ForwardWI.com and we'll link to yours.
So far, we've linked to nine different groups but we'd like to add many more links. Just notify Sharon Seffrood (by clicking below) that you have a link to us on your page and she'll add yours to our Partner Link section.
Email Sharon to Join Partner Link
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Dear Reader,
In this month's Flash, I am making a rare departure
from my normal style of commentary and asking for
your support. Specifically, I am asking for your
support of Senate Bill 513 -
legislation to increase matching state funding for
Forward Wisconsin for the first time in our 22-year
history. Our current state funding level is
significantly less than it was when we were formed in
1984; yet the importance of attracting businesses to
Wisconsin and promoting our state’s positive business
image has grown tremendously in that time. SB
513 is critical for our state because it will
address the lack of resources for business attraction
and economic development that have put us at a
serious disadvantage with other states and regions.
Click here: Wisconsin Legislative
Council comparative state data.
We are not, however, just looking for a handout.
Forward Wisconsin must match any additional public
funding before we can receive it. So, an increased
state investment in our group leverages increased
private sector investment. In fact, the private
sector has invested over $13 million in Forward
Wisconsin since 1984. SB 513 has been referred to
the Senate Committee on Job Creation, Economic
Development and Consumer Affairs. The members
include Senators Kanavas (Chair), Decker, Lassa,
Reynolds and Zien. I ask that you take a few minutes
and visit the Legislative Action
Center on our web site to learn more about
SB 513 and how you can help.
Thank you for your support! Please contact me
directly at 608.261.2508 or via email for more information.
Pepi Randolph
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Last "Original" Moves On . .
Jeffrey B. Bartell Leaves Board
He made it 22 years and that's literally more than
anyone else can say. But now, it's the end of an era!
Jeff
Bartell, a partner in Quarles & Brady's Madison
office, has decided to step down from the Forward
Wisconsin Board of Directors.
Jeff joined the Board in 1984 but his involvement with
Forward Wisconsin goes back to 1983 when our group
was struggling to get off the ground. He wrote the
original bylaws for Forward Wisconsin and has served
as legal counsel and treasurer for many years - in
addition to his informal role as Forward Wisconsin
historian.
From everyone with Forward Wisconsin, we thank
you, Jeff, for everything you have done for us. We
wish you the best! Quarles & Brady still remains very
involved with Forward Wisconsin as Mark T.
Ehrmann
now carries on the tradition of support from the firm
through service on our Board.
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Flashback Photo: Forward "Founders"
Pictured (L to R) are many of the original
Forward "founders" and Forward Wisconsin Board
members. The photo was taken in 1984 at the
Wisconsin State Capitol.
- Patrick A. LeSage, Forward Wisconsin
President
- Jeffrey B. Bartell, Quarles & Brady
- Daniel Griffith, Wisconsin Bell
- Kevin O'Conner, First Wisconsin National Bank
- Rep. Jeffrey Neubauer
- Robert Sorenson, WI Board of VTAE
- Clifford Messinger, Fortec, Inc.
- Edward Theisen, Northern States Power Co.
- Governor Anthony Earl
- Dr. Frank Horton, UW-Milwaukee
- Charles McNeer, Wisconsin Electric Power Co.
- James Cordes, ANR Pipeline Company
- G. Frederick Kasten, Robert W. Baird & Co.
- James R. Underkofler, Wisconsin Power & Light
Co.
- John Yingling, Wisconsin Dept. of Development
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Maybe He Can Predict the Future?
Futurist Highlights Governor's Conference on ED Program
He has lived 14 years overseas, visited over 50
countries, has lectured on Free Market Systems at
the University of Moscow, spoken about the Global
Economy for the Saudi Arabian Central Bank,
keynoted the Australian IT Summit, spoken for the US
Department of Commerce, advised the Heavy
Equipment Industry in Santiago, Chile, counseled
Inupiat Indians about energy development on the
Arctic Slope, dined with the Malaysian Prime Minister
in Dubai, and survived a volcanic eruption in
Indonesia.
Who is this guy, anyway? Well, he is Don Reynolds a
futurist, consulting economist, professional speaker,
and self-proclaimed "21st Century Forecaster." And,
he is one of the featured speakers at the 2006
Governor's Conference on Economic Development.
Reynolds will join Governor
Doyle, MPI Group
CEO and
founder John Brandt and Jack Schultz, Agracel CEO
and author of Boomtown
USA - and several other
excellent presenters - on the February 8-10 program.
This year's Governor's Conference on Economic
Development will take place at the Monona Terrace
Convention Center in Madison. The theme
is "Meeting the Competition of Tomorrow: Wisconsin's
Challenges." Don't miss this opportunity to explore
hot topics in economic development and learn what
you, your organization and your community must do
to strategically address those issues.
Quick Click: 2006 Governor's Conference on Economic Development
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1225 Buildings, 471 Sites and Counting
Building and Site Database Going Strong
Since its debut in March 2005, the Wisconsin
Available Building and Site database has really taken
off with local development officials across the state
submitting over 1200 available buildings and nearly
500 available sites.
Remember, however, that the
database includes more than just available buildings
and sites. It includes community profiles,
demographic information, maps and the ability to
generate reports in "PDF" format and in Excel
spreadsheets . . . and more.
If you are interested in how to list available
buildings and sites in your community, please contact
Sharon Seffrood at 608.261.2501 or
sseffrood@commerce.state.wi.us.
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