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Sponsored in part by & // 2024 VISION // THE LEADER-TELEGRAM 5 Published four times per year by the Leader-Telegram. Copyright 2024 Leader-Telegram, 701 S. Farwell St., Eau Claire, WI 54701. All rights reserved. 800-236-7077. leadertelegram.com GRAPHIC DESIGN & LAYOUT - Angela Rediess What a year for the Chippewa Valley. This is the second year we’ve taken this approach to the Business Leader, with a look at how the region handled 2023 and what industries are looking forward to in 2024. The past 12 months saw employment in the Eau Claire metro area rise, though the housing market cooled considerably. The shift in the housing market saw sales drop, though there’s still plenty of pressure because the available housing doesn’t meet demand. That meant the median sales price still rose. Those changes were long expected. While it’s impossible to say exactly what 2024 will bring, there’s little question it will hold surprises. We have elections and uncertainty to navigate, but leaders are still optimistic. David Minor, the Eau Claire chamber’s president, told us he believes the expansions and new arrivals for business in 2023 show the region is getting the word out about the opportunities. Others see similar reasons for confidence. So enjoy the Vision edition of the Business Leader. It’s a good way to start off 2024. EDITOR’S NOTE BY THE NUMBERS . . . 29 CALENDAR . . . . . . . . . . 28 2024 V ISION // contents // 8 // BUSINESS & INDUSTRY 13 // TRANSPORTATION 18 // HEALTH CARE 23 // HIGHER EDUCATION
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“Nothing is certain except death and taxes.” Ben Franklin,American Philosopher “Exceptional advice prepares you for life’s certainties.” Tim O’Brien,Wisconsin Attorney You spend a lifetime creating your legacy. Make a plan to preserve it. Since 1985, Bakke Norman has been helping people create and preserve their legacy.Whether transitioning ownership of a business or farm, preserving assets for family members, or contributing to causes that matter to you, our accomplished attorneys can help. Contact Bakke Norman’s business, estate and tax attorneys to bring certainty to your plan! EAU CLAIRE • NEW RICHMOND • MENOMONIE • BALDWIN Jason Brasch Bryan Tillman Tom Schumacher MaiVue Xiong Tammy Skoglund Paul Mahler Deanne Koll Lindsey Kohls GENUINE PEOPLE. ACCOMPLISHED ATTORNEYS. EXCEPTIONAL ADVICE. HONORED BY SUPER LAWYERS & BEST LAWYERS IN AMERICA 800.328.5630 | www.bakkenorman.com The information you need for the life you want. All residents of Wisconsin have access to a local Aging & Disability Resource Center. ADRC’s provide Wisconsin residents with unbiased information related to aging or living with a disability. The goal is to help people maintain their independence by connecting them with the right resources. Contact us for a free, confidential consultation to get unbiased information about local resources for individuals ages 60+, and adults with disabilities. ADRC of Chippewa County715-726-7777| ADRC of Eau Claire County715-839-4735 ADRC of Dunn County 715-232-4006 We welcome everyone to the ADRC, regardless of race, age, color, national origin, ethnic background, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or socioeconomic, marital or military status. Your ADRC respects the diversity of our customers, employees, and communities. www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/adrc Sponsored in part by & // 2024 VISION // THE LEADER-TELEGRAM 7
8 THE LEADER-TELEGRAM // 2024 VISION // Sponsored in part by & // BUSINESS & INDUSTRY Saying ‘welcome’ to the Chippewa Valley By Matthew Baughman Leader-Telegram Staff photo by Matthew Baughman Redevelopment of Eau Claire’s Block 7 will bring new housing into the downtown area. This five-story building plans to consist of 111 to 115 apartments and a first-floor commercial space.
Staff photo by Matthew Baughman With a grand opening on Nov. 30, the first Chick-Fil-A in Eau Claire has been busy to meet the demands of their customers as business stays steady and continues into 2024. Sponsored in part by & // 2024 VISION // THE LEADER-TELEGRAM 9 When it comes to business and industry, a lot of the Chippewa Valley communities are looking at a time of growth and development. Although not an uncommon thing to happen every year, the significant highlights of last year are certainly worthy of talk because of how they will pave a way for the businesses and industries in the local area moving forward. When local Chambers were asked about the prospects for the new year, looking back on 2023 and seeing what major developments occurred are what will bleed into the coming year and help foresee what business and industry will be big in 2024. INCOMING BUSINESSES Some highlights of Eau Claire that occurred within the past year was the introduction of two major chains to the local area: ChickFil-A and Costco. “The importance of those beyond the economic impact and the jobs, which are phenomenal, is that, nationally, both of those companies do not just expand to expand. It is very strategic,” said David Minor, president of the Eau Claire Chamber of Commerce. Looking into that quote further, the prospects that these businesses bring shows that places like Eau Claire are a growing and viable market which is worthy of development. With how long and extensive a process it took to interview and open the Chick-Fil-A, Minor said it was not a split second decision to come and invest in the local area.
10 THE LEADER-TELEGRAM // 2024 VISION // Sponsored in part by & “What that tells me is that we’re sending that signal or more companies, more developers that Eau Claire is on the rise,” he said. “What took place is there was a conversation in some companies office that said, ‘Why haven’t we looked at Eau Claire?’” Furthermore, this sentiment and impact was seen in the Chippewa Falls area with major developments at the Chippewa Crossing. Namely, President of the Chippewa Falls Chamber of Commerce Allyson Wisniewski said that the construction of Festival Foods, Quick Trip, Caribou Coffee and Riverstone Suites were major highlights of that area. When looking at what impact that has on the Chippewa County community, Wisniewski said that it supports the needs of their population and that these businesses making investments are supported by local employees and consumers. “I think our variety of businesses, for people that are working here and looking for different industries or have different skill sets, we have opportunities for them to be employed here and to be employed in jobs that provide a liveable wage…” she said. “When you’re looking for we have a great sense of community for the things that we do and the assets that we have for a community of our size, which I think is a draw for not only businesses, but for people living here or wanting to live here as well.” In total, Wisniewski said they participated in 30 ribbon cuttings and five ground breaking events for their area alone, showing that places like the Chippewa Crossing and other places in their area are becoming noticeable real-estate. Staff photo by Matthew Baughman The new Costco Wholesale location in northeast Eau Claire employs a staff of over 200 people and brings the multi-billion dollar global retailer to the Chippewa Valley. Cont. on pg.12
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12 THE LEADER-TELEGRAM // 2024 VISION // Sponsored in part by & Notably with Festival Foods, a company that is very prevalent in the Chippewa Valley, introducing a food court at their Chippewa Falls location shows willingness to invest into the community. In that way, it’s a sense of collaboration between business and the community that is pivotal to these developments, and Minor agrees with a similar perspective on Eau Claire. “The only way this stops is if we as a community do something to harm that process,” he said. “What I have said for six years since coming here is: the level of collaboration to all want to succeed is at a level here that I have not seen in other communities.” In looking at the Chippewa Valley and all of its parts, the communities in Dunn County also share in this sentiment. “One of the big things that happened in 2023 was more collaborative conversations,” said Ashley DeMuth, president of the Menomonie Chamber of Commerce. In Menomonie and the larger Dunn County area, advancements and developments see state-of-the-art technology introduced to their area at the Walmart Distribution Center last year. “What they’re doing is putting a robotics system in that will actually enhance their workforce, it will increase more skill ability opportunities for that workforce and overall make the job easier on humans, because it is doing the heavy lifting,” said DeMuth. “That is a really innovative advancement for our community, the first of its kind. It is a significant investment in the industry.” But like the area as a whole, these business and industry investments are what will pave the way into the next year. As 2023 was the year of implementation, 2024 will be the year of action and conversation as the Chippewa Valley in Wisconsin becomes a growing hotspot for this field. “Those are not things people see or understand every day, but that growth is fueling everything,” said Minor. CREATING SPACES FOR GROWING RESIDENTS Minor pointed out that with growing business and workforce needs come people, so investing into housing and developing apartments will certainly continue to be a highlight into the coming year. “One of our core pillars at the Chamber is ‘workforce,’ meaning we’re trying to draw people to the state of Wisconsin. We all know we have a housing shortage, so what does that look like?” said Minor. “Certainly by census numbers, we’ve seen our population grow.” Minor also said that the option to rent is becoming increasingly more viable, as current college students and graduates look to renting as they first try to balance their finances with student loan debts. Because of that, the new houses that are being developed are looking more at meeting the needs of a younger generation, with updated components and even pet accessibility as a major selling point. Development in this housing market certainly looks at fulfilling a housing need, but Menomonie and Dunn County have also looked into meeting their population’s housing needs. “I think when we really start talking about those economic developments, addressing ways that we can increase housing. MLS listings are really low (in quantity) throughout the entire county,” said DeMuth. “We’re really talking about some strategies in not only Menomonie but also some of the municipalities, like Colfax who is doing a really great job with some of their land availability, building the tax role through housing developments and such.” With that, the conversation can stem into what needs these Chippewa Valley communities need to fulfill to support their growing workforce. KEEPING BUSINESSES LOCAL In working with local business, one major addition that Eau Claire saw in the past year was an in-person office for the Hmong Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce. Lar Kong Xiong, business development specialist, is one of these individuals who collaborates and partners out of his Eau Claire office as part of the Hmong Wisconsin Chamber. “With that being here, now I am physically here. Having an office here is very important to being more noticeable,” said Xiong. “Coming into the business development role, where I’m at; it’s a passion for me helping out others. Not only minorities, but other diverse individuals. We have options in our organization to help them out, whether it is business development, technical assistance or our member management loan programs.” So far, Xiong has highlighted that they were able to help close to $65,000 in grants for local businesses seeking this need and additional $85,000 in loans towards others. A big part of 2024 will be to continue networking and going out to help local entrepreneurs, as Xiong seeks out and helps businesses in places even beyond Eau Claire County. Similarly, Chippewa Falls also highlighted that a big part of their community is keeping their businesses running that develop in town. Although the service of the Hmong Wisconsin Chamber serves a more specific purpose, the success of Chippewa Falls certainly highlights the motive of keeping and supporting businesses in the area. “We have been incredibly strong in retaining businesses as well, so not just looking to get new businesses into the community but retaining those ones that are here. And, how are they investing in their current facilities, but then in their current workforce as well to keep those people here,” said Wisniewski. But with both this addition to and current vision on their communities, the belief seems to focus on keeping that business in the area and supported. Cont. on pg.12
Sponsored in part by & // 2024 VISION // THE LEADER-TELEGRAM 13 // TRANSPORTATION The Eau Claire area has no access to passenger trains but after 2023 they have officially taken their first steps towards getting passenger rail service. In 2023, two corridors were approved to get $500,000 from the Federal Rail Administration’s Corridor Identification and Development Program to start their journey to create a passenger rail service. The program is funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law signed in 2021. The two corridors that will go through the Eau Claire area are the Eau ClaireTwin Cities Corridor and the Milwaukee to Madison to Eau Claire Corridor. The Milwaukee to Madison to Eau Claire Corridor was applied for by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and the Chippewa-St. Croix Rail Commission applied for the EC-TC corridor. Eau Claire Chamber Vice President Governmental Affairs and commissioner with the Chippewa-St. Croix Rail Commission Scott Rogers said when applying for the grant they had to identify which corridor they were discussing, the reasons it would be successful, and the planning it had already completed. The grant will be used to help the organizations get information to create a service development plan, said Rogers. The plan will include information about stations, equipment, and schedules. “It’s the first stage and a pipeline of federal programs that would lead to the development of the corridor,” said Rogers. The passenger rail services will be developed on pre-existing tracks. “The reason a lot of us in the business community think this is important is because it’s an opportunity to compete for talent, to take advantage of economic development, and be competitive economically…” said Rogers. “So it makes TRANSPORTATION IN THE PAST YEAR AND BEYOND By Aidan Sanfelippo Leader-Telegram The road ahead: Staff photo by Aidan Sanfelippo The Chippewa Valley Regional Airport’s new Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Building can now hold two fire rescue vehicles. It was one of the projects the Chippewa Valley Regional Airport finished in the last year.
14 THE LEADER-TELEGRAM // 2024 VISION // Sponsored in part by & us more competitive and helps us continue to grow our economy and tourism” Rogers said they were cautiously optimistic that a service could be available as soon as three to five years from now. BUILDING UPDATES The area also saw the completion and continuing construction of two buildings in the area that would benefit transportation. Eau Claire County’s Highway Department Facility was finished in August 2023, said Eau Claire County Highway Commissioner Jon Johnson. “The new facility houses the Highway Department, Meals on Wheels, and Emergency Operations Center. It provides better care for our fleet and increases our ability to respond to storm events by having our vehicles housed inside,” said Johnson. The Transit Transfer Center is currently being worked on in the City of Eau Claire. According to Community Services Operations Coordinator Cory Tietz, the center and the two parking levels above it will be completed in January 2024. Even though it is planned to be completed early in the year, the center will be waiting to open until fall 2024 because of the development of apartments above it. “Regarding the apartment building, the final drafts of the condominium agreement and closing statements are in the process of being approved by the various boards, commissions, and city council,” said Tietz. “Once complete, the residential scope of the project will start.” When the exterior of the apartments is built to the point of being safe for the public, buses will start to be used in the new center, said Tietz. The parking levels will be closed until the interior construction is finished. Tietz is optimistic the project will start around March 2024. The project is planned to take around 14 months. NORTHWEST WISCONSIN TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS One project in Eau Claire County during the upcoming year will be on I-94 from the I-94/ US 53 interchange to Mallard Road. The project will include replacing pavement from the Otter Creek Bridges to Mallard Road, resurfacing the I-94/US 53 interchange, and replacing the east- and westbound bridges over County D and J with higher and wider structures. According to WisDOT Northwest Region Communications Manager Christena T. O’Brien, the construction is planned to start in the spring of 2024 and be completed in 2026. Two lanes of traffic on eastand westbound I-94 will be available to motorists during the construction but they may be reduced to one each during nonpeak weekday traffic periods. The I-94 project in Trempealeau County from County Highway NN north of Osseo to the east county line will be finished this year after being started in 2022. O’Brien said the project included replacing the east and westbound I-94 pavement and the pavement for the on- and off-ramp at the I-94/US 10 interchange in Osseo. It also included adding right-turn lanes at the interchange and finishing a polymer chip seal on the US 10 bridge over the interstate. I-94 will also have two lanes available except during off-peak travel times when one lane might be closed, said O’Brien. The I-94 project in Eau Claire County from just west of the Highway 312/County Highway EE interchange to the Chippewa River Bridge was completed in October 2023. The project replaced the Staff photo by Aidan Sanfelippo Menomonie Street as it passes the future County Materials Complex and Menomonie Street Dental in October 2023. The future roundabout will be made here and connect the street, complex, and dental office with 10th Avenue and Water Street.
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16 THE LEADER-TELEGRAM // 2024 VISION // Sponsored in part by & construction is near a school or any large events in the city. If it is near a school they will wait until the school is out of session. “We look at projects in that sense, but otherwise we work with the contractor to allow them to schedule the projects within the construction months,” said Ness. The Menomonie Street roundabout was approved April 2023. It will be connected to five roads including Menomonie Street, Water Street, 10th Avenue, a driveway to Menomonie Street Dental, and the County Materials Complex parking lot. The project is planned to start in spring 2024, said Ness. AIRPORT PROJECTS AND FLIGHTS In the past year, the Chippewa Valley Regional Airport has seen a significant increase in both passenger and tower operations. According to Airport Director Charity Zich, their partnership with Sun Country, which was made in 2022, has been well received with over 50,000 passengers in 2023. The last time the airline exceeded that number of passengers was in 2004. The airport has also gone over 23,000 takeoffs and landings counted by their air traffic control tower in the last year for the first time since 2013, said Zich. The airport has also finished some projects in 2023 it started in 2022. Zich said the Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Building finished its reconstruction in May 2023. The former building was unable to fit two aircraft rescue and firefighting vehicles or the larger and newer model the airport plans to get. The airport was also able to occupy the new 25,000-square-foot corporate hangar in September, said Zich. “This new 25,000-square-foot hangar allows the airport to accommodate all large cabin business jet aircraft,” said Zich. A project to replace the perimeter fence at the airport has wrapped up its first phase in 2023, said Zich. The project will continue in the spring of 2024. Sun Country will offer two nonstop flights per week to a seasonal destination that changes during the year, said Zich. The rotations go to Fort Myers, Florida in the winter, Orlando, Florida in the spring and summer, and Las Vegas, Nevada in the fall. Three flights will also go to Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport each week, said Zich. This year Sun Country will also have more flights in March to respond to a heightened demand. “We are grateful for our partners who have helped us achieve these increases in airport utilization and look forward to another busy year in 2024,” said Zich. Staff photo by Aidan Sanfelippo The Transit Transfer Center on 414 South Farwell Street in Eau Claire will be completed in January 2024. Buses will move to the center in fall 2024 and the top two parking levels will be unavailable until apartment construction is finished.
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18 THE LEADER-TELEGRAM // 2024 VISION // Sponsored in part by & Labor shortages have plagued virtually every industry the past few years. The healthcare industry is no exception. In Wisconsin, the demand for care continues to rise, and the workforce is struggling to keep up as the population ages. “This is a challenge faced by all industries. The challenge is compounded for healthcare, though, as the aging of our population is also rapidly increasing health care demand, an impact health care will feel for decades after the last of the baby boom generation reaches retirement age and the impact on other industries eases,” reads the 2023 Wisconsin Health Care Workforce Report by the Wisconsin Hospital Association. Coined “The Silver Tsunami,” those nearing retirement age in Wisconsin outnumber those under the age of 18 by 10%, meaning the youth population is too small to replace the retiring baby boomers over the next couple decades. According to the report, one in five healthcare workers have retired or left the profession over the past few years, amidst the increased demand for care as well as a decrease of people graduating and entering healthcare professions. “We all recognize there has been a shortage of healthcare workers across the U.S. for a number of years. This is not unique to any particular area,” Dr. Richard Helmers, regional vice president of Mayo Clinic Health System in Northwest Wisconsin, said. Area health professionals and providers are continuing efforts to strengthen the healthcare industry and address public health concerns despite challenges. INVESTING IN EDUCATION Investing in and aiding the education of the future local healthcare workforce is a priority for local health care providers in addressing the healthcare challenges facing rural communities. Since 2017, Mayo has had a research agreement with UW-Eau Claire, allowing the institutions to work together on projects to help prepare the next generation of scientists, innovators and health care providers and leaders. // HEALTH CARE LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS AND PROVIDERS CONTINUE TO COLLABORATE Working By Ashlie Fanetti together
Sponsored in part by & // 2024 VISION // THE LEADER-TELEGRAM 19 Last year the agreement was extended for ten years, expanding opportunities for collaborative education. The renewal cements a commitment to create educational experiences and career opportunities for students to help meet workforce needs in the field of healthcare. “Together, we are dedicated to enhancing the educational journey of future healthcare providers, a crucial component of our workforce. This collaboration not only opens doors to valuable research opportunities but also attracts top-tier students, facilitating their engagement with Mayo Clinic Health System and accelerating their entry into medical programs and jobs,” Sara Carstens, operations manager of Research and Innovation, Mayo Clinic Health System in Northwest Wisconsin, said. Through a Workforce Innovation Grant from the Wisconsin Economic Development Council, UW-Eau Claire and Mayo are working to address the ongoing labor shortage by training more healthcare professionals. The four pillars of the grant include nurses, teachers and social workers; health careers; care coaches or preventive health specialists, and innovation. One of the main initiatives of the grant is to increase the number of Bachelor of Science in Nursing graduates from UW-Eau Claire. Mayo’s Dedicated Education Units help with that. They allow students to train one-onone with a trained staff member in a clinical unit. The units continue to grow and serve an increasing number of students while providing rich learning opportunities in highly sought clinical areas. Mayo also provides robust internship opportunities for students through the grant. According to Amy Olson, D.N.P., a nursing education specialist, one of the goals this year is to grow the Dedicated Education Units in specialty and ambulatory areas to give students an immersive learning experience, and promote the continued professional and academic development of incoming and current workers to best support communities and patients’ needs. “In addition to supporting the incoming workforce needs, Mayo Clinic Health System continues to support current staff through a variety of professional development opportunities, including tuition support for advanced education programs,” Olson said. Mayo and UW-Eau Claire will continue to collaborate to offer innovative clinical opportunities and promote scholarly research opportunities. A key goal of the collaboration is to make the Chippewa Valley an attractive place for healthcare providers to live and work. We aspire to see many of these students choosing the Chippewa Valley as their permanent home, helping to strengthen the Staff file photo Over the past few years more people have retired or left the healthcare field, than entered it. Wisconsin’s healthcare industry is dealing with a labor shortage amidst a rise in demand for care.
20 THE LEADER-TELEGRAM // 2024 VISION // Sponsored in part by & Staff file photo UW-Eau Claire chancellor James Schmidt speaks during a press conference announcing a research partnership between UW-Eau Claire and Mayo Clinic Health System in 2017. The partnership was extended for 10 years last year. local healthcare workforce,” Carstens said. “Additionally, for practicing physicians, the chance to engage in scholarly pursuits with UW-Eau Claire’s distinguished faculty and students, recognized for offering exceptional research opportunities to undergraduates, adds allure to career prospects at Mayo Clinic Health System. This strategic approach plays a pivotal role in recruitment and retention, ensuring a sustained provision of high-quality healthcare in our local communities.” Like Mayo, Hospital Sisters Health System’s Sacred Heart in Eau Claire and St. Joseph’s in Chippewa Falls are also boosting their talent pipeline by supporting students. Last year, they launched their “extern” program designed for students in their last semester of nursing school. The program pairs students with experienced nurses to give them hands-on training in a hospital setting. Normally, a student wouldn’t get that training until after graduation. It also serves as “new colleague orientation” so students can start their clinical role right after they graduate. The extern program gives students a significant head start when they begin fulltime jobs in the hospital. “It gives students a four-month head start, so to speak, upon full-time employment; they will already have formed relationships with staff members, learned the mission and history of the hospitals, and become familiar with the hospital setting,” John Wagner, president and CEO for Sacred Heart Hospital and St. Joseph’s Hospital, told the Leader-Telegram last year. WORKING TOGETHER ON PUBLIC HEALTH A focus in public health in the past few years has been “to understand and impact things that make a difference in health outcomes,” according to Eau Claire CityCounty Health Department Director Lieske Giese. Health outcomes encompass all the things that make people healthier. Some obvious things that have an effect on health outcomes are a good healthcare system and good personal health behavior, but over the past year the Eau Claire CityCounty Health Department have put a lot of focus on things that have a bigger impact on overall public health. Things like: proper housing, childcare and employment as well as clean air and water. “We still work on individual health behaviors, but this past year we’ve been doing a lot of work with our community health assessment process with our hospital and United Way partners to look at what the biggest health priorities are,” Giese said. Moving forward, the Health Department is continuing to look at specific populations that have bigger barriers to things essential to overall health. Those who might not have access to good paying jobs, clean water, childcare etc. due to life circumstances. Areas of particular focus that have been and continue to be worked on in the Chippewa Valley are healthy water, housing, substance misuse, healthy youth specifically surrounding mental health and substance misuse and food inspections. All of these programs will continue. The goal is to keep them going for as long as possible, especially the preventative programs. In 2024 Giese said the Health Department is focusing on finding additional opportunities to partner with other organizations. For example, last year they partnered with the County Jail to get a Narcan vending machine installed. “We’d like to see where else in the community we can partner,” she said. “We also are looking at partnerships in our rural areas and with our business community to really think about ‘How do we prevent the problems that they’re seeing before they happen?’” Another big thing coming up is the Community Health Assessment. Through this, the Health Department, area hospitals and United Way work together to identify health priorities and address them with the Eau Claire Health Alliance. “No one organization can solve homelessness or mental health challenges, or any of those big problems on their own. We have a lot of really strong individuals
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Sponsored in part by & // 2024 VISION // THE LEADER-TELEGRAM 23 // HIGHER EDUCATION // LAW ENFORCEMENT With freshman counts up from last year, universities and colleges in the Chippewa Valley are looking forward to growing out of what has been a difficult time for enrollment. The effects of this time are still seen, as the last wave of four-year UW students graduated in the fall and caused a drop in overall enrollment with a change of -2.3% according to data from the UW System Administration. But this was partly expected due to enrollment drops from the pandemic. To make up for that, the aforementioned combined increase of 1.1% in new freshmen at UW-Eau Claire and UWStout highlight a small but promising growth to the universities’ populace. Even at Chippewa Valley Technical College, enrollment numbers have jumped up from 7,452 to 7,588 overall students with an increase of 3%. Freshman enrollment numbers within that data are also on the rise at 2%, showing that students are continually coming into or staying within the Chippewa Valley at a positive rate. By Matthew Baughman Leader-Telegram Building Up Education Staff photo by Matthew Baughman Located on Menomonie Street in Eau Clarie along the Chippewa River and on the former site of John and Carolyn Sonnentag’s familyowned business, the County Material Complex perseveres through the winter.
24 THE LEADER-TELEGRAM // 2024 VISION // Sponsored in part by & Whether it’s a direct cause of or unrelated to enrollment, universities and colleges in the Chippewa Valley are certainly making significant additions and progress to their campuses. New or changing educational programming and facilities certainly paint a promising future for UW-Stout, UW-Eau Claire and CVTC. THE FUTURE OF CAMPUS FACILITIES AT UW-EAU CLAIRE The completed construction of the County Materials Complex, also sometimes called the Sonnentag Complex, will be a monumental addition to UW-Eau Claire, as the university aims for completion of the building by spring of 2024. When talked about in the fall of last year, Kimera Way, CEO of UW-Eau Claire Foundation, said that at that time the complex was “one of the largest projects we’ve ever done.” And with architecture designed by Ayres Associates, construction by Market and Johnson and project partners like Blugold Real Estate, Mayo Clinic Health System-Northwest Wisconsin, the City of Eau Claire and Visit Eau Claire, local businesses certainly have had an interest. “It’s an economic development driver, and it’s been employing local trades,” said Way. “Not only is this an added value to all our students, it also has the opportunity to provide jobs for our students.” UW-Eau Claire made use of the land when a monumental donation from John and Carolyn Sonnentag gave them a combined $50 million in property value and monetary donations. With the project now costing upwards of $107 million, this building will house a 172,502 square-foot major event facility capable of holding 5,000 people and, per request of the Sonnentag’s donation, a 120- yard artificially-turfed indoor fieldhouse with a 72-foot ceiling. Additionally, two-story UW-Eau Claire wellness and recreation facilities, Blugold Athletics offices, four sport courts suitable for basketball and other sports, large surface parking with electric vehicle charging and additional land for future expansion or development is also included. The complex is not just a university development, as the Sonnentag Complex also includes a Mayo Clinic Health System clinical location with sports medicine, human performance enhancement and imaging services. In 2024, UW-Eau Claire still projects that the County Materials Complex will complete construction sometime towards the second quarter of this year. “Great progress was made in 2023, and we are looking forward to construction wrapping up in the late spring/early summer,” said UW-Eau Claire Director of Communications Mike Knuth. “There are a lot of moving parts and pieces with a project of this magnitude, but we are thrilled with how things are taking shape.” But in the coming year, the County Materials Complex will not be the only major project highlighted at UW-Eau Claire. The Science and Health Science Building, Staff photo by Matthew Baughman The five-story $340.3 million Science and Health Science Building at UW-Eau Claire will occupy the former sites of Katharine Thomas and Putnam halls next to Vicki Lord Larson Hall and McIntyre Library on the university’s lower campus.
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26 THE LEADER-TELEGRAM // 2024 VISION // Sponsored in part by & ADDRESSING THE WORKFORCE Universities and colleges are continually addressing the need of employees in a continuing workforce with programming and employment rates, a highlight of the previous year that will drive these students into 2024. UW-Stout, for example, saw themselves continue to lead the state with a near perfect rate of employment for their graduates last year, said Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs Glendali Gonzales. In UWStout’s studies, post-graduate employment rates have been consistently above 97% since 2000 and that has not changed. “As a polytechnic university, applied learning and research, industry-sponsored projects, and career readiness is always the focus of our innovation… We remain uniquely positioned to fuel Wisconsin’s workforce and industry needs across a wide range of sectors, including engineering, business, design, science and technology, education, and human sciences,” she said. As meeting the needs of employers is done through training the students in the classroom, CVTC shared a similar excitement in pursuing this mission through their improved and new programs. For one of their programs, CVTC President Sunem Beaton-Garcia highlighted the seven-year exemplary status accreditation they received for their Culinary Management Program and said how that recognition bleeds into their facilities. “That was amazing, our program is relatively new and we have vibrant instructors and a thriving program, but we also have incredible spaces in which to learn,” said Beaton-Garcia. “So, the facilities also go with the academic progress and with the recognition that we are receiving nationally for our programs here. That is a lot to be proud of.” RENOVATING AND EXPANDING SPACES FOR BETTER EDUCATION With taking what they already have and building off of it, renovating facilities for the sake of their education and campus is another highlight to look forward to in 2024. “We dream big here at CVTC,” said BeatonGarcia. “One of the things that our faculty wanted along with our emergency services Contributed image The Science and Health Science Building will provide state-of-the-art labs and spaces to support a number of educational programs, as the university aims for July of 2024 to start construction.
Sponsored in part by & // 2024 VISION // THE LEADER-TELEGRAM 27 building was a simulation center for our police, fire, EMS, anyone in emergency services to be able to have a space that we can simulate the work that they would be doing out in the field.” In addition, expansion into River Falls with a new campus building and the addition of a new dentist lab are things supported by philanthropy dollars that have the technical college excited to utilize their new spaces and meet the demands of the growing workforce. “We are energized by this faith that others have in us, and we will meet that dream that they helped us fulfill. We’re very excited in 2024 to utilize some of these spaces… Now, this is the year of impact, this is the year of execution. We’ve been planning for a very long time for some of these spaces,” said Beaton-Garcia. In a similar mindset, UW-Stout shares a similar sentiment towards their future with major renovations of the Heritage Hall and Recreation Complex, increased programming and continual community involvement. “Stout’s vision for 2024 continues to focus on 5 key pillars- student success; employee success; institutional sustainability; equity, diversity, and inclusivity; and our polytechnic identity,” said Gonzales. Gonzales expanded on that perception of the coming year saying, “In 2024, you are going to see much of what 2023 put into motion continue to build and expand,” said Gonzales. “You can expect increased opportunities across Stout’s program options that embrace artificial intelligence, industry-driven design programs, and flexible offerings. Collaborations with regional and Fortune 500 companies will continue, as well as highly visible events such as the Make48 competition, Design Wisconsin, Stout Game Expo, and many more.” But all together, UW-Eau Claire, UW-Stout and CVTC seem to look forward towards the coming year as a chance to continue building off of the foundations that were built for them. Staff photo by Matthew Baughman With an extensive healthcare program providing courses on subjects such as dental health, one of the many ways that CVTC connects with its Chippewa Valley community is through events like “Give Vets a Smile.” As this service is free for veterans, first and second year dental students, community volunteers, Delta Dental sponsored fellowships and even past graduates make sure to put in the necessary work to make this event possible.
28 THE LEADER-TELEGRAM // 2024 VISION // Sponsored in part by & FEBRUARY Feb. 1: Chamber orientation. New or prospective investors in the Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce. 8-9 a.m. No cost, but registration is encouraged. See chamber website for information. Feb. 3: Winter Fun Day at Colfax Red Cedar Preserve and Rec Area. 1 p.m. check in. Children’s hike (1:30-2 p.m.) and adult snowshoeing (2-3 p.m.) are planned as a way to learn about winter ecology. Bonfire, s’mores and hot cocoa available. Feb. 7: Menomonie Small Business Clinic. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at WESTconsin Credit Union. No cost, but registration is required. Feb. 9: Chippewa Falls Chamber of Commerce Coffee & Commerce. 8-9 a.m. at Whirlybird Coffee Co. Feb. 12: Business After Hours. 4:30-6 p.m. at Valley Sports Academy. Meet and mingle with other Eau Claire chamber members in an informal setting. Feb. 13: Maximize Your Membership. 9-10 a.m. Connect with other Menomonie chamber members to share insights and answers. Feb. 16-18: Chippewa Valley Home Show at the Chippewa Valley Expo Center. Friday 1-8 p.m. Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Feb. 19: Business After Hours. Meet and mingle with Menomonie chamber members. 5-6:30 p.m. Location TBA. Feb. 26: Chippewa Falls Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours. 4:30-6 p.m. Meet and mingle with other members at Chippewa Falls Harley Davidson. Feb. 28: Chippewa Valley Chamber Alliance 30th Annual Chippewa Valley Rally. Full day lobbying legislators in Madison. Questions: [email protected]. MARCH March 7: Chamber orientation. New or prospective investors in the Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce. 8-9 a.m. No cost, but registration is encouraged. See chamber website for information. March 8: Chippewa Falls Chamber of Commerce Coffee & Commerce. 8-9 a.m. at Caribou Coffee. March 12: YP Morning Mingle. Young Professionals of the Chippewa Valley from 7:30-9 a.m. at Caribou Coffee — Nilssens Chippewa Falls. March 14: Red Cedar Watershed Conference. 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Learn about strategies and solutions for the Red Cedar watershed at Memorial Student Center at UW-Stout. March 18: Business After Hours. Meet and mingle with Menomonie chamber members. 5-6:30 p.m. Location TBA. March 20: Women to Women Luncheon. 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. The View on Lake Wissota. $25 for CF Chamber members, $35 for non-members. March 25: Chippewa Falls Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours. 4:30-6 p.m. Meet and mingle with other members at Chippewa River Distillery. March 27: Creating a Leadership Mindset. 8:30 a.m.-10 a.m. Explore the keys to effective leadership and how to address challenges. Menomonie location TBA. APRIL April 4: Chamber orientation. New or prospective investors in the Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce. 8-9 a.m. No cost, but registration is encouraged. See chamber website for information. April 8: Chippewa Falls Chamber of Commerce Coffee & Commerce. 8-9 a.m. April 8: Business After Hours. 4:30-6 p.m. at River Valley Architects. Meet and mingle with other Eau Claire chamber members in an informal setting. April 15: Business After Hours. Meet and mingle with Menomonie chamber members. 5-6:30 p.m. Location TBA. April 22: Chippewa Falls Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours. 4:30-6 p.m. Meet and mingle with other members at Smiles in Motion. CALENDAR FEBRUARY-APRIL
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30 THE LEADER-TELEGRAM // 2024 VISION // Sponsored in part by &
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