| Quick Link to Our Featured Partner |
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Marketing outside Wisconsin to attract new businesses, jobs and increased economic activity to Wisconsin | |
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| Dear Jan, |
 Spring greetings! There are many exciting things happening at Forward that I want to share with you. As you know, Forward and Commerce reached an MOU for Commerce to provide management as a way to put more resources into marketing Wisconsin. This simple agreement should allow us to be more efficient and to provide for improved communication between Forward and Commerce.
With the help of Jan and Sharon, we have been reviewing our program of work and evaluating each one of our initiatives. This includes marketing venues, formats, target markets, publications, marketing missions and industry tradeshows. This process will help identify our priorities, strengths and areas of improvement so we can move forward in a cost-efficient method. With our limited resources, we plan to strategically target our market contacts. This marketing approach requires more research to identify industry leaders and match-making opportunities for Wisconsin businesses. Surgically targeting qualified leads should improve our success rate in recruiting investment in Wisconsin.
We have just started a strategic planning process. The objective is to review the current status of Forward and our role as the public/private partnership charged with marketing Wisconsin to attract new businesses, jobs and increased investment to the state. As part of the process, we will obtain input from economic development professionals from across Wisconsin on how best to redefine and re-invigorate the role of Forward Wisconsin. The strategic plan will allow us to determine how to best utilize the resources available to market Wisconsin. Over the next few months, I will be traveling around the state to hold a series of listening sessions to get your feedback on what you feel are the priorities for Forward Wisconsin. If you have meetings at which you would like me to discuss Forward Wisconsin, please call me at (608) 266-6675.
It is an important time to work together to strengthen our statewide marketing efforts and investment opportunities. A strong collaborative partnership will help expand our reach and tell the diverse and rich Wisconsin story. I look forward to working with you.
Best regards,
J. Mickey Judkins
Forward Wisconsin |
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| What's New in LOIS |
 Recently, I attended the LocationOne Information System (LOIS) quarterly Advisory Council meeting in Des Moines. We talked about current enhancements as well as enhancements yet to come. A grand new feature that's currently being worked on is the new look and feel of the LOIS presentation site. This enhancement will generate a more user-friendly layout with a new navigational menu, thumbnail photos, a map and links to detailed pages. Stay tuned for more info in future newsletters.
LOIS is the software system used to power Wisconsin's available buildings, sites and community profiles. It's important that we all use it to make a strong statement. LOIS works well when we all participate to make this a great marketing property tool.
If you're not part of LOIS, contact me at 608-261-2501. As always, I will be sending your LOIS administrator targeted e-mails which will keep them up-to-date on the latest enhancements. |
| Forward's Upcoming Marketing Initiatives |
 These past several months have been extremely busy. In addition to handling the statewide prospecting activities and a number of other things, I have been organizing and coordinating the following industry tradeshows/conferences listed below. If you would like to be a part of any of these marketing initiatives, please call me at 262-691-7873 or email at jalf@execpc.com. Your participation in events like these are a very cost-effective way to market your area and help us promote the state of Wisconsin.
Given the importance of bioenergy and industrial processing technologies to Wisconsin, we have recently added the World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology & Bioprocessing conference/exhibition -- and the Chicago location this year is certainly a plus. The World Congress is the only global conference dedicated solely to industrial biotechnology. Specific educational tracks pertain to issues such as biofuels and bioenergy, renewable feedstocks, food ingredients and pharmaceuticals, business development, infrastructure and public policy.
Join us in showcasing Wisconsin!
April 27, 2008 - April 30, 2008
World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology - Chicago, IL
The World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology & Bioprocessing is the premiere gathering of thought leaders, investors, researchers and business executives from around the globe. The 2008 conference will present the latest issues involving scientific innovation, market growth, policy developments and future trends in the industrial and environmental applications of biotechnology. Over 1,000 people attended the 2007 World Congress and these numbers are expected to grow to over 1,350 in 2008. This is a great opportunity for Wisconsin to position itself as a leader in this emerging industry sector.
May 18, 2008 - May 21, 2008
Recon (ICSC) - Las Vegas, NV
The ICSC Annual Global Retail Real Estate Convention (RECON) & Exhibition gives us an opportunity to showcase Wisconsin to a broad audience of more than 50,000 real estate professionals. ICSC is the global trade association of the shopping center industry and has over 70,000 members in the U.S., Canada and more than 80 other countries include developers, investors, lenders, and other professionals as well as academics and public officials.
June 17, 2008 - June 20, 2008
Bio 2008 - San Diego, CA
Wisconsin will once again be participating in the world's largest biotechnology conference (BIO 2008) in June. Representatives from around the world will come to San Diego for this internationally recognized 4-day event. Forward Wisconsin continues to coordinate the 1,600-square-foot Wisconsin Pavilion and will be repeating the ever popular Wisconsin BioTheatre. It is anticipated that over a dozen companies/organizations will deliver exciting presentations and answer questions from visitors.
August 20, 2008 - August 23, 2008
International Woodworking Fair (IWF) - Atlanta, GA
The International Woodworking Machinery & Furniture Supply Fair - USA (IWF) is the largest woodworking technology trade show in the Western hemisphere. It is held every other year at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, GA and is recognized around the world as the preeminent event for introducing and selling manufacturing equipment, supplies and innovative new technology. IWF attracts over 43,000 visitors from every level of the industry and over eighty countries. IWF 2008 already has nearly 1,000 exhibitors and close to 800,000 net square feet of exhibit space sold.
September 13, 2008 - September 17, 2008
IAMC Fall Professional Forum - Oklahoma City, OK
The Industrial Asset Management Council is the leading association of industrial asset management and corporate real estate executives, their suppliers and service providers, and economic developers. It is a member-focused association with nearly 450 members providing strategic insights, highest quality educational resources and exclusive networking opportunities for the leaders of the manufacturing and industrial asset management industry. Some of their member companies include Alcoa Inc., Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc., BASF Corporation, Dell Inc., FedEx Express, Honda of America Manufacturing, Lockheed Martin/LMCPI and Weyerhaeuser Company. The Fall Forum will be held at the Skirviin Hilton and the Colcord in Oklahoma City, OK.
November 09, 2008 - November 12, 2008
CoreNet Global Summit - Orlando, FL
CoreNet Global is the world's leading professional association for corporate real estate and workplace executives serving leading multinational companies from the Fortune and Global 1000. More than 7,000 members manage over $1.2-trillion in real estate and workplace assets in Asia, Australia, Europe, Latin America and North America. Forward Wisconsin's presence includes exhibiting, attending educational sessions and having a presence at various scheduled social functions to network, specifically with site consultants and corporate real estate executives. |
| This Month's Featured Partner |
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We're working together to build a strong Wisconsin. Please join us as a contributing member. It's important that Wisconsin have a strong statewide marketing organization! See this month's featured partner below.
Quarles & Brady LLP provides broad-based, national-level legal services through a strong network of regional practices and local offices. In their Firm's distinguished 115-year history, they have grown from a small, well-respected local Milwaukee law firm to a place among the Am Law 200, building a national practice and earning a comparable reputation throughout the United States. Their lawyers (more than 400) practice from offices in Chicago, Illinois; Madison and Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Naples, Florida; and Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona. Through all the changes, one attribute has remained constant: they bring a common-sense, solution-oriented approach to our clients' complicated legal problems.
Their success has been based on the strength of their client relationships. It is their philosophy that we have reached their goals only when their clients' objectives have been met-and exceeded.
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