News and Media

Washington County Gets Active in the Fall

Tuesday, September 28, 2021

Activities like summer boating on the lake or winter cross country skiing may steal the headlines, but residents highly anticipate the fall season in Minnesota. In Washington County specifically, fall offers some of the best outdoor activity to be found anywhere. From hiking through the vibrant color display of area trees to apple-picking through plush orchards, Washington County outdoor activities are plentiful even as the days get shorter! County and State Parks The amount of outdoor space that comes alive in Washington County in fall is staggering, with over 4,400 acres of parks and trails for resident and visitor enjoyment. In 2019...

Washington County is Grateful for its Manufacturers

Tuesday, September 28, 2021

Manufacturing is the backbone of the U.S. economy, from national conglomerates to the smallest of startups. Washington County is fortunate to have a thriving collection of manufacturing companies located within its borders that produce goods made by a talented workforce using the latest technologies. Beginning with Manufacturing Day on Friday, October 1 and continuing throughout the month, the Washington County Community Development Agency (CDA) is celebrating these companies for their employment opportunities, innovations and dedication to our community. Manufacturing Day Stretches Through the Whole Month of October Launched annually on the first Friday in October with events that continue throughout the month...

2021 Leaders Lab Profiles

Thursday, August 12, 2021

Leaders Lab is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to engage Minnesota’s developing business leaders (approximately late 20s to 30s). It will enhance your personal and professional growth, connect you with business leaders statewide, and provide understanding into what drives Minnesota’s economy and how policy affects the success of business in our state. The program consists of four sessions two-day sessions. To learn more about Leaders Lab, click here. Check back to this page as more of our wonderful 2021 Leaders Lab participants are profiled! Read full article.

Project Who Am I helping teens choose ideal careers

Tuesday, August 10, 2021

When Oie Dobier's daughter Nya was looking at colleges in her sophomore year of high school, she realized it was like looking for a needle in a haystack. Oie said, “I asked myself, 'Where do you start?' Looking at the career first is the wrong approach. We should start looking at who she is as a person and what she values first before she chooses a career,” Nya’s mother said. “And that’s pretty much when Project Who Am I began.” Read full article.

Grand opening celebration finally happening for lift bridge loop trail

Friday, August 06, 2021

STILLWATER — Even though the Lift Bridge loop trail has been open for a year, its grand opening has been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The community will finally celebrate the newly constructed loop trail system that connects the historic Lift Bridge with the St. Croix River Crossing Bridge, beginning with a long-overdue ribbon-cutting at the west end of the Stillwater Lift Bridge at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 14. According to the Greater Stillwater Chamber of Commerce, dignitaries from both the state of Minnesota and Wisconsin will be at the ribbon-cutting to celebrate the reopening of the Lift Bridge an...

Minnesota’s Angel Tax Credit Program Renewed

Friday, August 06, 2021

Minnesota’s Angel Tax Credit program has been very popular with investors and entrepreneurs since it launched in 2010. Early in this year’s legislative session, backers of the program put out the call to renew the program citing its importance to the state’s startup ecosystem and the Minnesota economy as a whole. But somehow amid the focus on Covid-19 recovery and other big issues at the Capitol this year, news about fate of the tax credit program got lost in the shuffle. The program received $15 million in new funding: $10 million for 2021 and $5 million for 2022. Gov. Tim Walz signed th...

Why California’s new pork rules could mean big changes for Minnesota hog farmers

Friday, August 06, 2021

If you order a pork chop, a side of bacon or tacos al pastor anywhere in the U.S., there’s a decent chance the meat in your meal was raised in Minnesota. As a state, Minnesota is second only to Iowa in pork production. There are roughly 9.3 million hogs in Minnesota at the time of a 2020 U.S. Department of Agriculture survey. Most of Minnesota’s pork is exported outside the state’s borders, and a lot of it is sold in California, the most populous state in the nation. But California’s rules about what kind of pork can be sold to its supermarkets an...

Are PEPS The Next Frontier For Employer Retirement Plans?

Thursday, August 05, 2021

Offering your employees benefits makes you competitive. But providing benefits can be expensive and complicated to manage. Are you a small business trying find top talent? Is it a struggle to afford the benefits – like a 401K for employees – that candidates expect? The Minnesota Chamber and Securian Financial formed a strategic alliance to offer high-quality, affordable solutions to help you compete. Pooled Employer Plans (PEPs) are retirement plans that bring down cost by allowing multiple employers to participate. These plans help streamline administration and allow for better investment access for smaller businesses that was previously only achievable fo...

DEED Offers Career Opportunity Webinars As Pandemic Unemployment Benefits End

Thursday, August 05, 2021

ROCHESTER, Minn. - Community members who receive extra pandemic unemployment benefits have a month to attend a number of webinars aimed at helping Minnesotans find a new career path. The unemployment benefits through Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) or Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), will be ending on September 4. Currently, participants are receiving an additional $300 a week on top of regular unemployment benefits. However, the Department of Employment and Economic Development wants to help Minnesotans prepare for the transition. Read full article.

White Bear Lake engineers find their niche

Thursday, August 05, 2021

President of Reigstad Engineering Gordon Reigstad moved to White Bear Lake in 1989 with his family. Now, more than 30 years later, his sons Jared Reigstad and Jason Reigstad have helped their father expand the firm and develop a new product that will change the landscape of construction moving forward. Gordon earned his Ph.D. in structural engineering from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and started Reigstad Engineering in 1979, a structural engineering company that works primarily in the design of commercial buildings. Since then, the firm has worked on projects such as both Grand Casino buildings in Hinckley and Mille Lac...

Evolving DEED's strategy in the CareerForce system to grow opportunity

Wednesday, August 04, 2021

Minnesota's CareerForce system, a network of partners designed to help Minnesotans find jobs, is essential to our economic recovery from the pandemic. DEED plays an important role in this system, and we're committed to evolving our efforts to better connect Minnesotans with family-sustaining work – and help employers find the workers they need to grow and thrive. The pandemic highlighted – and in many cases accelerated – disparities that existed long before COVID-19, which workforce development leaders in the state, like DEED, need to address. Guiding our work is the One Minnesota strategic plan, which provides vision for all state agencies t...

Community Awards Gala

Sunday, August 01, 2021

The Annual Community Awards Gala featured a community awards presentation to deserving Woodbury area recipients. Pictured are the 2020 award recipients, who were celebrated at the Denim and Diamonds Virtual Gala this past January. Read full article.

Mall Of America Community Commons Entrepreneurs Shine At Women In Business

Thursday, July 29, 2021

At the Minnesota Chamber's recent Women in Business Conference: Changemakers from challenges, a group of four women entrepreneurs who took part in the Mall of America’s Community Commons program shared their inspirational stories. Community Commons is a space within Mall of America that offers a temporary home for 17 businesses impacted by the unrest in Minneapolis and St. Paul. "Community Commons is a project that was developed in response of the community unrest last spring," said Jill Renslow, Executive Vice President of Marketing and Business Development, Mall of America who moderated the conversation. "Just over a year ago as we watched the trauma that Minneapolis and St. Pau...

Sustaining Black-Owned Businesses in the Twin Cities

Thursday, July 29, 2021

Founder of Minneapolis-based Black Business Enterprises (BBE) Nancy Korsah doesn't mince words in describing the support for Black businesses in the long months after George Floyd's murder. "Ninety-two percent of our allies abandoned us. They were there when it was hot, but well… 'We did our part,'" she says. Other local business owners are more optimistic, but Korsah's experience hints that the wave of support that flooded the country may have dried up in some places. It's about the long term In the weeks immediately after Floyd's death, an outpouring of support for Black-owned businesses appeared, helping some shops see 4,400% year-over-year increases. Twenty-five retailers signed the 15...

2020-2021 Leadership Minnesota Participant Profiles

Wednesday, July 28, 2021

Minnesota’s economic engine is powered by more than 100,000 businesses, a diverse landscape interconnected in ways not understood by the casual observer. For a select group, Leadership Minnesota opens the window to a behind-the-scenes look at what makes our state’s economy tick. This exclusive program also helps you understand how public policy crafted at the Capitol impacts the vitality of each and every Minnesota company. By establishing a rich network of Minnesota business leaders, your shared experiences make you more effective leaders at your workplace. Profiled on July 28 What is the best part about your current job/role in your company? The best part o...

Tell us what you think about economic development marketing

Wednesday, June 02, 2021

If you are an economic development professional, we want to know what you think about place marketing - whether you're a marketer yourself or not. This survey is being shared with economic development and investment attraction professionals all over the world. Your contribution to this project benefits the industry as a whole; by sharing your perspective, you will be able to benchmark and compare your responses with economic developers everywhere. Read full article.

Digital Disruption: Designing A Security Strategy For An Era Of Uncertainty

Tuesday, June 01, 2021

I was fortunate to address the RSA conference this year, and one of the first things I told the global audience of security professionals is that data is central to solving the world’s toughest problems. We’re now living in a data age where it’s becoming mandatory to develop the capabilities that allow us to draw inferences and correlations across the massive ocean of data that continues to grow around us. Without this ability, we will continue to struggle to address the many pressing issues, from cybersecurity to crisis response. Between attending RSA and reviewing Splunk’s just-released global research report, The Stat...

First Person: Engaging the Workforce with Empathetic Leadership

Monday, May 31, 2021

AD: What are the most important soft skills needed for leadership today? Kerber: There are many important soft skills, but the three I have found most important are communication, giving effective feedback, and empathy. Good communication skills are essential for conveying information, decisions, and your thought processes to your team. Giving effective feedback is also essential, but often fundamentally uncomfortable for many people, which makes them reluctant to move into leadership roles. Empathy is hugely important for effective leadership today, especially during the pandemic. I have seen plenty of successful and not-so-successful leaders who fell across the spectrum, ranging from highl...

How Marketing Agencies Can Integrate Inclusivity Into Their Organization and Work

Friday, May 28, 2021

While inclusion and diversity have always been essential, they have become even more essential for marketers due to the industry's current pandemic and cultural climate. Simply put, we're dealing with two huge issues right now: a people crisis and an economic issue. By putting our efforts into inclusion, equity and diversity, we can provide a powerful solution to both problems we're facing. However, it's not as simple as changing a few policies and calling it a day. Instead, organizations need to work to expand these efforts to include the challenges of working during a pandemic. We are at a pivotal point where advertising...

For Opus, Minneapolis infill industrial project is a 'very rare' opportunity

Wednesday, May 26, 2021

Opportunities to build spec industrial in Minneapolis don't often come around. Opus has one with its Nordeas Business Center project. Minnetonka-based Opus aims to break ground on the 130,500-square-foot speculative office-warehouse by late summer or early fall. On May 24, it won Minneapolis Planning Commission approval for the project, which is located in Northeast Minneapolis on the city's border with Columbia Heights. Read full article.

Target Corp. begins search for City Center sublease tenants

Tuesday, May 25, 2021

Target Corp., which in March announced plans to vacate nearly 1 million square feet of office space in City Center in downtown Minneapolis, has quietly begun the search for tenants to sublease its former 33 S Sixth St. offices. Read full article.

Site Selection and the Guild Looking Forward

Friday, May 21, 2021

Rick: Welcome to Site Selection Matters where we take a close look at the art and science of site selection decision-making. I’m your host, Rick Weddle, president of the Site Selectors Guild. In each episode, we introduce you to leaders in the world of corporate site selection and economic development. We speak with members of the Site Selectors Guild, our economic development partners, and corporate decision-makers to provide you with deep insight into the best and next practices in our profession. In this episode, we have as our guest, Jay Garner, president and founder of Garner Economics and chair of th...

Front Line: Infrastructure Upgrades Vital to U.S. Economy

Wednesday, May 12, 2021

One of President Joe Biden’s first acts was to announce a $2.3 trillion bill to repair and upgrade the nation’s infrastructure. The bill addresses what has become a perennial topic of debate in Congress, and one that has repeatedly been set aside for action at some future date. It has been well-documented across the United States that years of neglect have resulted in roads and bridges in dire need of repair, outdated public transportation, subpar Internet service, and other critical infrastructure needs. In its most recent report card on the condition of America’s infrastructure, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE...

Site Selectors Guild Awards Five Economic Developers Ady Scholarship

Wednesday, May 12, 2021

May 12, 2021 – The Site Selectors Guild (the Guild), the professional association of the world’s leading corporate location advisors, announced the five winners of the Robert M. Ady Professional Scholarships program to support economic developers in need. Winners include the following economic developers: Tyler Engle, Executive Director, Joint Economic Development Board of Unicoi County, Tennessee Kelsey Foster, Executive Director, Algiers Economic Development Foundation, Louisiana Rob Harrington, Economic Development Director, Bourbon County Economic Development Council, Kansas David Hengel, Executive Director, Greater Bemidji, Minnesota Benjamin Vickers, Economic Development Director, Kaysinger Basin Regional Planning Commission, Missouri Read full article.

May is Perfect Time to Recognize Economic Accomplishments

Friday, May 07, 2021

Economic development is a strong driver in Washington County’s economic health, and the Community Development Agency (CDA) is working to promote and maintain momentum. Washington County is a vibrant community, offering ample opportunities for economic and personal growth. The CDA is the economic development organization committed to working with businesses to promote growth in Washington County. The CDA is celebrating 2021 National Economic Development Week, May 9 to 15. Take a look at the following business growth activities and accomplishments below. Predevelopment Finance Fund New economic initiatives stimulate a community’s vitality and growth. One tool the CDA uses to drive growth is the Predevelopmen...

7 Must-Do Tasks Before Creating and Opportunity Zone Strategy

Tuesday, May 04, 2021

Seven must-do tasks before creating an Opportunity Zone strategy include assessing housing needs; gauging commercial market conditions in your community; identifying key economic drivers; analyzing your community workforce; seeking available tools for economic growth; collaborating with existing partners; and finding the right experts to help guide you through this process. Let's take a deeper dive into these. 7 MUST-DO TASKS BEFORE CREATING AN OPPORTUNITY ZONE STRATEGY 1. Assess Your Community's Housing Needs Housing is a basic human need and increasing the quality of affordable housing is a priority for most communities. By providing residents and potential residents a variety of housing options at varyin...

'The Domino Effect Has Only Begun'

Monday, May 03, 2021

This is not your father’s Florida. If you still think that Florida is nothing more than beaches, theme parks, sunshine, lightning shows and sand, think again. The Sunshine State has become an economic juggernaut that rivals that of large countries. With a trillion-dollar annual GDP, Florida’s economy would rank 17th in the world, larger than Saudi Arabia, the Netherlands, Argentina and Switzerland. While Florida has been booming for quite some time, the events of the past year have added fuel to the fires of growth. “The impacts of the last year have accelerated recognition of Florida’s business-friendly climate that has existed for man...

News and Media

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News and Media

Why Washington County?

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