Evers announces new Foxconn deal

Gov. Tony Evers and Foxconn execs this morning announced the state has reached a new deal with the company over its Mount Pleasant project. The state originally agreed to a slate of tax incentives for the company under former Gov.

Read More »

Panel: Wisconsin should seize esports industry

Proponents of esports see the competitive video gaming industry as poised for expansion in the state of Wisconsin.  “We don’t think of kids playing video games — we think of esports as a growing economic sector and a fast economic

Read More »

Broad backing for broadband

GOP and Dem Joint Finance Committee members agree that a big investment in broadband is needed in rural areas.  But that was the extent of agreement. During a Milwaukee business panel, Joint Committee on Finance members Evan Goyke, D-Milwaukee, and

Read More »

Bill aims to expand farm exports

Republicans and ag groups have rolled out legislation aimed at expanding the state’s farm exports by at least 25 percent in coming years. State Rep. Tony Kurtz of Wonewoc and Sen. Joan Ballweg of Markesan in a press conference promoted

Read More »

Altruize excited to increase volunteerism in 2021 and beyond

Volunteer tracker Altruize survived last year during the pandemic through organic growth, but now hopes to increase volunteerism as Wisconsin returns to normal. Beloit-based Altruize is a for-profit organization that allows volunteer workers to track their lifetime volunteer activity on

Read More »

Distillers find opportunity, innovation in pandemic

Wisconsin distilleries Driftless Glen and Wollersheim see opportunity and innovation amid the global pandemic.  Baraboo’s Driftless Glen made a conscious effort about four years ago to push its bourbon to off-premise consumption, such as in liquor stores. When the pandemic

Read More »

Wisconsin becoming a leader in ‘fintech’

Los Angeles, Silicon Valley, New York and now, Wisconsin.  “When people think about fintech in the United States, they don’t automatically think of Wisconsin, but many very well-known fintech companies and new entrants call Wisconsin home,” said Fiserv Inc. Chief

Read More »

Hospitality open to increasing minimum wage, but not now

The Wisconsin Restaurant Association chief says now is not the time to raise wages in restaurants.  Association President and CEO Kristine Hillmer was a panelist on the latest WisBusiness.com virtual luncheon “Hospitality industry stirs after year of COVID.” Yesterday’s lunch

Read More »

VC experts advocate for state investment fund

Talent retention should be the state’s main focus in its effort to create a Wisconsin fund of funds, according to a panel of venture capital and investment experts. MadREP President and CEO Jason Fields, Rep. Mike Kuglitsch, eCourt Reporters Founder

Read More »

Evers announces new Foxconn deal

Gov. Tony Evers and Foxconn execs this morning announced the state has reached a new deal with the company over its Mount Pleasant project. The state originally agreed to a slate of tax incentives for the company under former Gov. Scott Walker. But the company’s original vision for the project

Read More »

Panel: Wisconsin should seize esports industry

Proponents of esports see the competitive video gaming industry as poised for expansion in the state of Wisconsin.  “We don’t think of kids playing video games — we think of esports as a growing economic sector and a fast economic sector,” said Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce Governmental Affairs Senior

Read More »

Wisconsin tribes combat diabetes by returning to tradition

Native American communities in Wisconsin have started to take control over their health by controlling their food supply and by returning to traditional foods. Tribes, such as the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin, receive food from the USDA as part of treaty agreements. That food is highly processed, contributing to

Read More »

Broad backing for broadband

GOP and Dem Joint Finance Committee members agree that a big investment in broadband is needed in rural areas.  But that was the extent of agreement. During a Milwaukee business panel, Joint Committee on Finance members Evan Goyke, D-Milwaukee, and Jessie Rodriguez, R-Oak Creek, debated which provisions in the Gov.

Read More »

Bill aims to expand farm exports

Republicans and ag groups have rolled out legislation aimed at expanding the state’s farm exports by at least 25 percent in coming years. State Rep. Tony Kurtz of Wonewoc and Sen. Joan Ballweg of Markesan in a press conference promoted the bill as a means to help raise ag prices

Read More »

Altruize excited to increase volunteerism in 2021 and beyond

Volunteer tracker Altruize survived last year during the pandemic through organic growth, but now hopes to increase volunteerism as Wisconsin returns to normal. Beloit-based Altruize is a for-profit organization that allows volunteer workers to track their lifetime volunteer activity on an app. It acts as a “Fitbit” for volunteer data,

Read More »

Distillers find opportunity, innovation in pandemic

Wisconsin distilleries Driftless Glen and Wollersheim see opportunity and innovation amid the global pandemic.  Baraboo’s Driftless Glen made a conscious effort about four years ago to push its bourbon to off-premise consumption, such as in liquor stores. When the pandemic hit, that decision paid off with 2020 wholesales surpassing those

Read More »

Union rep urges state Legislature to tackle payroll fraud

Labor representative Andy Buck is urging the Legislature to take up measures to tackle worker misclassification and payroll fraud.  The Joint Task Force on Payroll Fraud and Worker Misclassification submitted its 2021 annual report to Gov. Tony Evers last month. Worker misclassification is illegally labeling employees as independent contractors in

Read More »

Chancellors advocate for R&D investment, Endless Frontier Act

The chancellors of Wisconsin’s top two research universities are pushing for investment in more R&D. “The only way that we stay at the front end of the world economy is by being on the front end in innovation,” UW-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank said, adding that other countries in key tech

Read More »

Wisconsin becoming a leader in ‘fintech’

Los Angeles, Silicon Valley, New York and now, Wisconsin.  “When people think about fintech in the United States, they don’t automatically think of Wisconsin, but many very well-known fintech companies and new entrants call Wisconsin home,” said Fiserv Inc. Chief Digital and Data Officer Byron Vielehr.  Vielehr opened up the

Read More »

Cocktails-to-go should have come a year ago, Tavern League says

— The hospitality industry notched a win with Gov. Tony Evers signing a bill allowing restaurants, bars and brewpubs to sell cocktails-to-go after bipartisan passage in the Legislature. During a WisBusiness.com event ahead of Friday’s action, Tavern League of Wisconsin President Chris Marsicano, a supper club owner from Delavan, urged

Read More »

Hospitality open to increasing minimum wage, but not now

The Wisconsin Restaurant Association chief says now is not the time to raise wages in restaurants.  Association President and CEO Kristine Hillmer was a panelist on the latest WisBusiness.com virtual luncheon “Hospitality industry stirs after year of COVID.” Yesterday’s lunch hour event featured Wisconsin’s eatery and alehouse leaders a year

Read More »

VC experts advocate for state investment fund

Talent retention should be the state’s main focus in its effort to create a Wisconsin fund of funds, according to a panel of venture capital and investment experts. MadREP President and CEO Jason Fields, Rep. Mike Kuglitsch, eCourt Reporters Founder Karen Renee and WEDC Deputy Secretary Sam Rikkers joined the

Read More »