For Immediate Release November 4, 2009 Contact: Mark D. O’Connell WCA Executive Director Wisconsin Counties Association 1.866.404.2700

WCA Receives U.S. Department of Commerce Grant to Promote Economic Development in Flood Ravaged Areas of State 30 Counties to Participate in Project to Spur Growth

The Wisconsin Counties Association (WCA) enters a new era of hands-on involvement in economic development in the state with its recent receipt of a major grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce.

The grant of $313,774 provides federal economic development funding that will support a project to assist the 30 counties of southern Wisconsin declared disaster areas after the record floods in early 2008.

“It is our goal for this project to create promotional materials that will highlight opportunities for growth and development in the affected regions,” said WCA Executive Director Mark D. O’Connell. “By working with economic development professionals, local leaders in business and government and the talents of a major Wisconsin media firm we will identify, present and promote economic growth in southern Wisconsin. This truly is an exciting opportunity for all of our state.”

The grant came from the Economic Development Administration, a unit within the U.S. Department of Commerce. The amount of the grant is complemented by private-sector matching funds, bringing the total project investment to $627,548.

Counties participating in this project include Adams, Calumet, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Fond du Lac, Grant, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Jefferson, Juneau, Kenosha, Lafayette, La Crosse, Marquette, Milwaukee, Monroe, Ozaukee, Racine, Richland, Rock, Sauk, Sheboygan, Vernon, Walworth, Washington, Waukesha and Winnebago. As a part of the grant, four television shows will be produced that will highlight economic development opportunities in the region. The shows will be aired four times each over a two-year period. In addition, radio resources will also play a role. DVDs and audio recordings of the shows will be available for economic development workshops, trade shows, web-hosted video libraries and other venues. Related print materials will also be prepared.

“The DVDs are important, and will help lay out the needs and the opportunities in a way that can be shared and spread widely,” said Mark O’Connell, Executive Director of WCA. “They will also serve as a framework to begin making plans. They will help areas to consider what is possible, what are the needs and opportunities and how they can make things happen in the flood regions. Asking these questions will help the solutions take shape. We’re please to be part of that process.”

The project will include an expert analysis of the economic strengths and needs of the affected region, and an inventory of potential partners and participants in new development projects for the counties. From this work the project will develop a list of potential industry groupings or areas of opportunity concentration. Based on the sorts of industry groupings identified, the DVDs and related materials will present opportunities to prospective visitors, employers and investors.

Accompanying the DVDs, the project will develop marketing strategies which will focus on the use of regional assets for industrial growth. The marketing effort will include a public awareness campaign to promote interest and awareness.

Producing the DVDs, radio materials and related items will be Wisconsin Counties Association partner Discover Mediaworks. Discover Mediaworks is the creator of Discover Wisconsin, a weekly television series seen in 19 television markets in and around Wisconsin. Now in its 23rd year, Discover Wisconsin is the state’s longestrunning television series and is familiar to hundreds of thousands of viewers.

“We are thrilled to be a part of this project and believe through various multimedia avenues, we have the ability to improve the economic situation in these 30 counties,” said Discover Mediaworks Chief Executive Officer Mark C. Rose. “By working in conjunction with WCA, I believe we will able to reach a broad audience to achieve the long-term goals of economic growth.”

In its promotion of this project, WCA and Discover Mediaworks will have the assistance of the Wisconsin Department of Commerce. The Department of Commerce has provided technical assistance so that grantees could secure the funding for this project.

It is expected that the project will commence with a period of planning and research, which begins immediately. In early 2010, a series of meetings with regional leaders in business and local government will be held to provide local input and help assure that the project highlights needs and opportunities as seen in the region being affected by the grant. Throughout 2010 and into 2011, the DVDs, audio and print materials and other related items will be developed and finalized. A rollout of the project’s final products is planned for early to mid 2011.