NWBDC Founder Don Sidlowski spent the last two days at the 2013 Governor’s Northwoods Economic Development Summit held in Pembine, WI at the Four Seasons Resort. During the course of the two days, Sidlowski met and/or spoke with Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch (and her policy advisor Robert Schlaeger), DNR Deputy Secretary Matt Moroney, DOT Secretary Mark Gottleib, Revenue Secretary Rick Chandler, DOT Deputy Secretary Mike Berg, Public Service Commissioner Ellen Nowak, WEDC Secretary and CEO Reed Hall, Representative Jeff Mursau (R – 36th Assembly District), Representative John Nygren (R – 89th Assembly District), WHEDA Executive Director Wyman Winston among others, on a wide range of topics involving broadband expansion and adoption as the means to economic development. NWBDC had the privilege of serving as a Premier Level Sponsor for the Summit, at which Sidlowski was himself a speaker on Day 2, joining members of the Public Service Commission and the UW-Extension Office of Broadband Sustainability on the topic of “Broadband in Wisconsin”.

Representative Mary Czaja (R – 35th Assembly District) lead a mini-summit today in Antigo hosted at the offices of the Langlade County Economic Development Corporation. Joining the summit participants were Rob Swearingen (R – 34th Assembly District) and his legislative aide Dan Perchinsky, via speakerphone Jennifer Esser, the Chief of Staff for Senator Tom Tiffany (R – Senate District 12), NWBDC Founder Don Sidlowski and the Executive Directors of the following county economic development corporations: Christine Berry (Langlade), Susan Ryman (Lincoln), Roger Luce (Oneida) and Dennis Heiling (Shawano). The discussion focused on five key economic development policy initiatives which the county EDs in attendance had outlined in a letter to members of the Joint Finance Committee. At the summit, Sidlowski informed the legislators that he had been appointed as Executive Director of Grow North Regional Economic Development Corporation and stated that Grow North strongly supported the policy initiatives being advanced at the summit by the member counties.

NWBDC Founder Don Sidlowski has announced that a mini-summit has been scheduled for Monday, December 9 in Antigo in which the featured participants will be Rep. Rob Swearingen (R – 34th Assembly District), Representative Mary Czaja (R – 35th Assembly District) and executive directors of the eco-dev corporations in the two assembly districts. The discussion will focus on a wide range of economic development policy initiatives related to broadband expansion and adoption

NWBDC Founder Don Sidlowski announced that on November 11, 2013 the Coalition enrolled to become a Premier Level Sponsor for the upcoming 2013 Governor’s Northwoods Economic Development Summit being held on December 16-17 in Pembine, WI. “This is the most important annual conference held in the Northwoods and attended by all of the cabinet secretaries, the Lt. Governor and the Governor himself and so those of us who are active in the economic development arena have a responsibility to help support and fund the summit”. In addition to the sponsor commitment, Sidlowski will serve as a speaker on Day 2 of the summit.