News and Media

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...

Tech Advantages Abound in Washington County

Thursday, April 08, 2021

Minnesota’s Twin Cities region is one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the country for tech companies and employment. Washington County is a significant driver in that growth. Located just outside St. Paul, Washington County offers an excellent mix of available land, excellent utilities, skilled workforce, favorable financial environment and immediate domestic and international access that tech companies seek. Minnesota has more than 11,300 businesses in the tech sector that represent over $30 billion and 9% of the state’s economy. Washington County is the third-fastest growing county in the state and uniquely positioned to facilitate continued growth of the state's tec...

A Family Affair

Friday, February 12, 2021

Although Ramon Ruiz emigrated from the warmth of Mexico to San Francisco, Calif., he’s planted his roots in the Minnesota cold; and after years of dreaming about owning an Italian eatery, those dreams are coming to life in our local suburbs. “I started [cooking] in California, outside of San Francisco, making pizzas … At the time I was so young, and I had no experience in Italian food,” Ruiz says. After a 10-month stint spinning pizzas, Ruiz was sent to White Bear Lake, Minn., for two weeks to train for a Two Guys From Italy franchise. “My boss had asked if I wa...

Roma Restaurant opens specialty meat market

Wednesday, February 03, 2021

Roma Market in Mahtomedi will be returning to its roots this February by replacing one of its dining rooms with a specialty meat market. The decision was partly spurred by the steep drop in in-person dining during the long months of the coronavirus pandemic. “Grocery is something the government’s not going to shut off,” said Roma Manager Brian Pilrain. “It makes more sense long term to have this wing as a grocery store, and we still have the west wing for dining.” Pilrain said the east wing of the building has been basically empty for nearly two years. The pandemic followed swiftly o...

Entira Family Clinics Expands To Hugo

Wednesday, January 27, 2021

While many larger health care systems are closing clinics, Maplewood-based Entira Family Clinics is expanding. The independent, physician-owned group will open a new primary care clinic in Hugo next fall. Entira is the largest independent organization of family medicine providers in the state of Minnesota. Hugo will be the group’s 11th clinic. But people in Minneapolis or the western side of metro may never have heard of Entira: All of its locations are in the East metro in communities like Woodbury, White Bear Lake, Shoreview, and Inver Grove Heights. Read full article.

Goal set high for business donation effort

Tuesday, January 26, 2021

A Hugo resident is doing all he can to ensure that small businesses in the community stick around once this pandemic is behind us. Mike Roberts, who is originally from North Carolina, is no stranger to small business. At the young age of 5, he remembers helping out with his parents’ small business. When Roberts was a senior in high school, his parents’ business of 30 years went under and they had to file for bankruptcy. “My parents lost everything … They ended up having to work at a competitor in Atlanta, which was like four to five hours away (from home...

Launch Minnesota Receives National Award as a Small Business Administration “Super Connector”

Friday, January 22, 2021

Launch Minnesota – an initiative of the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) designed to accelerate the growth of startups and amplify Minnesota as a national leader in innovation – has received a national award as a “Super Connector” in the new Lab-to-Market (L2M) Competition sponsored by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) in partnership with the National Science and Technology. The competition drew over 160 submissions from across the country and awarded $330,000 in prizes. Launch Minnesota was one of four recipients in the Super Connector category which recognizes “current efforts to successfully attract and/or support networks of underrepresented communities in th...

Trends in Office and Industrial Parks

Monday, January 18, 2021

Of course, the big factor impacting office and industrial parks going into 2021 is COVID-19. The pandemic has reduced business production and workforce (through illness, social distancing, and remote working), disrupted the supply chain and cash flow, and brought about significant investments in technology. Across the nation, the demand for suburban office parks is rising as more skilled workers move back to suburbs, due to concerns about housing costs and quality of education — they also feel safer from COVID-19 and the civil unrest that is happening in some larger cities. “The most notable shift is toward lower-intensity spaces, where getting int...

How to navigate mask usage in the office as companies reopen

Friday, January 15, 2021

To help reduce the spread of COVID-19, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends wearing a mask in public settings when social distancing is difficult to maintain. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released temporary guidance under the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to improve U.S. supplies of face masks for COVID-19. During the COVID-19 emergency, the FDA is using enforcement discretion to relax regulatory requirements and allow more masks onto the U.S. market faster. This article describes what you, as a business leader, need to know about masks as you bring employees back into the office during the COVID-19 pandemic. Let’s start with some definitions First...

Recruiting and Retaining Today’s Manufacturing Workforce

Friday, January 15, 2021

AD: How has COVID-19 changed the employee experience in manufacturing, and what facets of this should organizations retain going forward? Zenk: Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, employees have been experiencing a drastically different work environment. Thousands of manufacturers across the U.S. and around the world were deemed essential during the pandemic, and their production lines haven’t stopped. They’ve continued to produce essential goods that the global community relies on — from the food we eat to the clothes we wear and cleaning supplies we use in our homes. As some manufacturers increased output and others reconfigured operations to satisfy urgent demands...

The Future of the Workforce Is a “Better Normal”

Thursday, January 14, 2021

The world as we all knew it changed earlier this year with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Seemingly overnight, everything that we used to think was normal had changed, and things that once were deemed impossible for the workplace became the “new normal.” Now, seven months later, most of us have gotten used to this “new normal” — embracing the work-from-home lifestyle, using new technology, wearing masks, social distancing, and connecting virtually. But what comes next? Eventually this pandemic will end, a vaccine will be readily available, and we will attempt to return back to our “normal” lives. Bu...

Welcome, Alma Flor Ada

Monday, January 11, 2021

Alma Flor Ada’s ribbon cutting ceremony was held in August 2020 and officially opened its doors the following month, therefore creating new opportunities for Woodbury families to have bilingual preschool education and cultural exposure. Read full article.

Chamber announces new board directors

Thursday, January 07, 2021

The Greater Stillwater Chamber of Commerce announced three new members to the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors: Sarah Jesperson, Nathan Pulscher and Annette Sallman. Annette Sallman Annette Sallman is the director of community education for Stillwater Area Public Schools. She has more than 25 years of experience in education. After joining the Stillwater school district in 2004, Annette served in several roles before assuming the director’s position in 2014. Although she does not live in Stillwater, she considers it her community. In addition to her work from the school district, she is a board member for United Way Washington County East, serve...

Get Creative to Uncover Top Talent When You're Hiring

Saturday, January 02, 2021

“She looked so good on paper.” Sound familiar? In your haste to fill an open position to keep your company running smoothly, you make a hiring decision that turns out to be a big mistake. If this is the case, you are certainly not alone, and the problem isn’t a lack of judgment. A US Chamber of Commerce Foundation study released earlier this year confirms what many of us on the front lines of recruiting candidates already know: There is a skills gap in the current labor market. The study found 48% of respondents lamenting that candidates lack the skills to fill the jobs at hand. In a...

Mattson Funeral Home has passed the test of time

Wednesday, December 30, 2020

Driving north through Forest Lake’s downtown, one might not think twice about the historical significance of Mattson Funeral Home, 343 North Shore Drive. On the surface, the 20-year-old funeral home and cremation service facility gives no hint of its long tenure here. It is a modern-looking facility that speaks to current times. But long is its history. This year marks the 100th anniversary for the funeral home in Forest Lake, and its roots go even deeper in Washington County’s history. The business relocated here from Scandia in 1920 after serving families there for many years. In a century of service, Mattson’s ha...

DEED Update: New Federal Stimulus Legislation

Tuesday, December 29, 2020

Today, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) shared an important update on new federal stimulus legislation. This new legislation, recently passed by Congress, may impact the unemployment benefits for Minnesotans. Effective Dec. 27, 2020, the legislation will provide: 11 more weeks of benefits under the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) program. 11 more weeks of benefits under the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program. A $300 per week supplemental payment to anyone receiving unemployment benefits from any program. A new program called Mixed Earner Unemployment Compensation (MEUC), which provides a $100 per week supplemental payment for certain self-employed people/independent contractors who are collectin...

New dental office coming to Woodbury

Friday, December 25, 2020

Tyler Rohr, DDS will soon be offering dental services to the community of Woodbury at his new office, City’s Edge Dental Care, 4021 Benjamin Drive in Woodbury. The family dental practice is set to open on, Jan. 15. Rohr and his dental team the opportunity to provide the most up-to-date procedures and services to their patients, according to a press release from the dentist’s office. City’s Edge Dental Care will offer routine cleanings and simple fillings to more in-depth restorative and cosmetic services. Read full article.

New concept proposed for downtown

Thursday, December 17, 2020

HUGO — The Cattle House Grill proposal for Egg Lake’s western shore is no more, but a new concept has been proposed. The City Council has approved a purchase agreement, subject to review by the city attorney and financial adviser, for the city-owned property across Highway 61 from City Hall. Denny Trooien, of Dennis Properties LLC, would like to develop the property along the lake with uses such as a restaurant, retail and office. The Economic Development Authority (EDA) has agreed that the concept generally meets the development criteria the city has for the property and directed city staff to negotiate ...

Cold Storage Is Hotter Than Ever

Tuesday, December 15, 2020

Our attitudes about food and beverage influence the brands we purchase, how we socialize, where we shop — and sometimes even where we live. Our expectations are high when it comes to product mix and availability. When our wants and needs are not met quickly, as was the case at the start of the pandemic, we are highly dissatisfied. While food transport has been occurring for centuries, modes of delivery, advances in food safety, and time-sensitive supply chains have evolved to meet the changing desires of consumers across increasingly broad geographies. Often, new trends become ingrained habits that can alter consume...

In Focus: The Evolving Role of Outdoor Spaces

Tuesday, December 15, 2020

This year has been hallmarked by re-evaluation. On all levels, people have taken a second look at their habits, spaces, and lifestyles and have had to adjust greatly to meet the new needs of today. With safety as a priority, people entered their homes in March, and most have not returned to a “normal” lifestyle. On a macro-level, spaces must be reimagined in order for people to return safely and once again participate in day-to-day activities without fear of getting sick or infecting others. One solution is moving traditionally indoor spaces outdoors. The office is a great example of how outdoo...

E-Commerce Growth Surge Sparks a Logistics Free-For-All

Monday, December 14, 2020

E-commerce has exploded in recent years, but as COVID-19 emerged the sector has seen unprecedented growth. While many industries battled disruptions, e-commerce provides opportunity. E-commerce and logistics companies are accelerating planned innovation and restructuring initiatives to stay ahead of the curve — if that’s even possible — spurring the implementation of three to five years of advancements in a span of just five months to keep up. It’s akin to upgrading the jet while traveling at Mach speed. This significant growth in online sales shows no signs of slowing, with Deloitte forecasting e-commerce sales to increase by 25–35 percent year-over-year during this upcomin...

How to Navigate the Reshoring of Pharmaceutical Manufacturing

Monday, December 14, 2020

In recent years, geopolitical and economic trends have been encouraging pharmaceutical drug manufacturers to shift their active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) sourcing and physical manufacturing plants onto domestic soil or near-shore locations. This has been a gradually turning tide that accelerated this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and, in its wake, a presidential Executive Order requiring all essential medicines to be manufactured within the United States. While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not yet disclosed the list of essential medications, it has become apparent that having a strategy for the reshoring of pharmaceutical manufacturing is crucial. There ar...

Washington County Gets Active in Winter

Monday, December 14, 2020

Minnesotans eagerly await the winter months, with a reputation for snowy days and cold nights. But Washington County is more adequately described as a winter wonderland for residents and visitors alike to enjoy the outdoor opportunities present in the parks, frozen lakes, open fields, and rolling hills nestled between St. Paul and the St. Croix River. Downhill Skiing One of the most notable winter destinations in Washington County is the Afton Alps ski area. Located along the St. Croix River in the southeast corner of Washington County, Afton Alps has been one of the Midwest's premier winter draws for over 50 years...

Front Line: Vocational Training Alliances in Tough Times

Friday, December 11, 2020

many face shortages of appropriately skilled workers to keep their tech-savvy factories competitive. A 2018 report by Deloitte and the Manufacturing Instituteestimated the manufacturing industry would have as many as 2.4 million jobs to fill by 2028. Last year, the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) reported in 3rd Quarter 2019 that the top concern among manufacturers was the inability to attract and retain a quality workforce. Stephen Gold, president/CEO of the Manufacturers Alliance for Productivity and Innovation (MAPI), recently wrote in IndustryWeek that the skills gap today isn’t so much about a lack of STEM majors, but companies foregoing investment in training and four decade...

Recruiting and Retaining Today’s Manufacturing Workforce

Friday, December 11, 2020

2-Time Citizen of the Year Roger Green is 'the Most Impactful Person' in Woodbury

Thursday, December 10, 2020

Roger Green is known for giving his time and efforts to the community, twice receiving the Woodbury Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year award. Nominated by fellow community members, the Citizen of the Year award recognizes active individuals who bring significant value to the area through their own personal commitment to making Woodbury a more welcoming, functional and philanthropic place. “It is really important to our organization to recognize the businesses and the people who make this community in sync,” president of the Woodbury Chamber of Commerce Laurie Staiger says. “Woodbury is the way that it is because of the people that liv...

Attaining a Big-Picture Perspective With a Facility Master Plan

Thursday, December 10, 2020

Leading a successful site and facility master plan challenges even the most seasoned leaders. After all, how often have you undertaken a master-planning process, only to be disappointed in the outcome, or worse yet, end up with a building that doesn’t align with your business goals? Based on over 30 years of working with manufacturing organizations, we have identified several master-planning process “must haves” that are vital to achieving successful, actionable and, most importantly, implementable site and facility master plans. With construction cost trending upward at a rate of 3 to 5 percent annually — and an industry focused on continuou...

Broadway dancer opens fitness studio in hometown Hugo

Wednesday, December 09, 2020

The bright lights of Broadway beckoned Samantha Zack of Hugo as soon as she graduated from high school, and the talented dancer spent 13 years in show business in New York City. Zack, 33, has been back home for a year now, and opened Full Circle Fitness this past July. She feels her life in dancing serves her well to help clients. “I’ve been dancing since I was 2, and dancers have the best body awareness in general,” she said. “I’ve been teaching kids to work on themselves since I was 13. Dancers are training in front of a mirror and look a...

Best Small Cities In Minnesota: How Woodbury Performed

Tuesday, December 01, 2020

WOODBURY, MN — Woodbury is among the best "small cities" in Minnesota, according to a new report. The town is in the 94th percentile of those ranked in a new study from WalletHub. "No two small cities are made equal, though, so which ones outshine the rest? To find out, WalletHub compared more than 1,200 U.S. cities with populations between 25,000 and 100,000 based on 43 key indicators of livability," the report reads. "They range from housing costs to school-system quality to restaurants per capita. Read on for the winners, additional insight from our panel of experts and a full description of ou...

DEED Touts 30 Jobs Most In Demand During Covid-19

Tuesday, December 01, 2020

Steve Grove is trying to help. Really. Grove, commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), knows that the pandemic economy has been tough for many Minnesotans. Among the many hats he wears, Grove serves as a cheerleader for current job openings in the state. The big picture numbers are not pretty. Since March 16, nearly 1.1 million Minnesotans have filed applications for unemployment insurance. Weekly filings have been increasing again lately as the Covid-19 crisis continues to deepen. DEED’s most recently monthly employment statistics report showed that Minnesota is still down 187,897 jobs from October 2019 t...

How the Video Game Industry Drives DC Location Decisions

Monday, November 30, 2020

It’s natural to expect more data center capacity is needed to handle the boom in e-commerce, streamed programming and virtual meetings since the pandemic arrived. But there’s another subset of screen-based transactions that requires that expansion too. Statista reports there are an estimated 2.7 billion video gamers around the world in 2020. The largest proportion of these gamers, some 55% or 1.5 billion players, live in the Asia Pacific Region. North America, with 8%, claims just over 200 million gamers. Total prize money in 2018 for e-sports was $1.5 billion, with the 2018 League of Legends World Championship Finals reaching 99....

Chamber introducing ‘Chamber Bucks’

Friday, November 27, 2020

The Greater Stillwater Chamber will start selling Commerce Chamber Bucks as part of a gift-certificate program to support Stillwater area businesses during the pandemic. Chamber Bucks are gift certificates sold by the Chamber of Commerce and are redeemable to purchase merchandise, food, or service at any participating member’s business. A list of participating businesses on the Chamber of Commerce website and on the brochure itself when you purchase the Chamber Bucks. Read full article.

#GetTakeoutMN: Share Your Support for Minnesota Restaurants

Wednesday, November 25, 2020

St. Paul - As Minnesota takes necessary steps to battle COVID-19, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) is encouraging Minnesotans to shop and eat local this holiday season. In particular, helping your favorite local restaurants and eateries by ordering takeout is a simple way to support vital, beloved local businesses while enjoying a delicious meal in your own home. It’s a great way to help these businesses weather the impacts of the pandemic. “The best way to help your local restaurants weather this time is by ordering takeout whenever you can,” said DEED Commissioner Steve Grove. “They need our support no...

Veterans Virtual Career Fair Resources Offer Valuable Job Search Information

Wednesday, November 25, 2020

The Minnesota Veterans Virtual Career Fair is over, but the resources offered and connections made through the online event are continuing to benefit current and former military members and their spouses, as well as Minnesota employers. Here's what we've heard from two participating employers, 3M and Andersen Windows and Doors, both gold sponsors of the event. “As a fellow veteran, and 3M hiring manager, it is wonderful to be part of a local event that encourages companies to highlight opportunities for veterans,” said Jennifer Loveland, Enterprise Operations Black Belt and member of 3M’s employee resource group. “At the same time, it creates a central place for veteran...

3M Partnership Deal Focuses On Cleaner Aircraft Interiors

Monday, November 23, 2020

In the wake of the pandemic’s effects on air travel, Maplewood-based 3M Co. has teamed up with California-based Safran Cabin to design and create safer and cleaner aircraft interiors. Safran Cabin produces jet cabin interiors with components including overhead bins, lavatories, galleys, and more. The company has 25 sites across the globe, operates in 10 countries and has more than 9,500 employees. 3M’s aerospace division already produces a range of adhesives, films, and sealants used in aircraft design. The company’s Transportation and Electronics business segment accounted for $9.6 billion in sales in 2019; that translated to 29.9 percent of the company’s tota...

How To Poise Your Business For Success (And Survival) In The Covid Economy

Monday, November 23, 2020

Business life in the era of Covid has elements of both crisis management and an endurance trial. How can your business join the ranks of those that are succeeding in this environment? LJ Suzuki, founder and fractional CFO at CFOshare and I recently dissected this question together, with an eye toward the actionable steps you should be taking now–and the potholes you need to avoid. Micah Solomon, Senior Contributor, Forbes; Customer Service Turnaround Expert and Consultant: It’s been several quarters since Covid began to make inroads into the economy; how are small businesses faring? LJ Suzuki, Founder and Fractional CFO at CFOshare: The small businesses within my purview have see...

Jobs in Demand: Assemblers and Fabricators

Monday, November 23, 2020

With over 320,000 jobs, Manufacturing is Minnesota’s 2nd largest-employing industry sector. One of the top-employing occupations in this industry happens to be assemblers and fabricators. In fact, according to DEED’s Occupational Employment Statistics data, there are over 31,700 assemblers and fabricators employed in the state. Such workers are employed in a wide variety of areas, including everything from transportation equipment manufacturing to computer and electronic product manufacturing to medical equipment and supplies manufacturing. Simply put, assemblers and fabricators assemble finished products and the parts that go into them. More specific tasks may include reading and interpreting schematics and blueprints, positioning or alignin...

Startups Key to Minnesota Post-Virus Economic Recovery

Monday, November 23, 2020

First, I’d just note that we gathered state leaders, partners and startups from across the state last week for a virtual event to celebrate the one-year anniversary of Launch Minnesota, a program designed to accelerate startups. You can find out more in Launch Minnesota’s First-Year Progress Report. I’d like to share a message I wrote – which appeared in the Star Tribune on Sunday – about the importance of our startup community to Minnesota’s economic recovery. To say that 2020 has been a challenging year for the Minnesota economy would be an understatement. In the first three months of the COVID-19 pandemic, we lost a stunning 385,000 jobs. We'v...

Support Local Businesses During COVID-19 Now & Year-Round

Monday, November 23, 2020

Like thousands across the country, Washington County small businesses have faced severe economic hardship during 2020. Unlike ever before, local businesses need the help of their communities. There is no time like the present, beginning with Small Business Saturday on November 28, to recognize local small businesses for the positive contribution they make to our lives. Washington County communities are tight-knit and its residents know it is possible to make a considerable economic impact during the COVID-19 crisis by supporting local small businesses. American Express indicates two-thirds of every dollar spent at small businesses in the U.S. stays in the loca...

DEED, State Leaders Celebrate Minnesota’s Startup Community

Friday, November 20, 2020

St. Paul – This week, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) hosted a virtual event to celebrate Minnesota’s startup community and Launch Minnesota’s first anniversary. Participants included two state legislators, six startups and seven partners from across the state who are part of the Launch Minnesota Network. Launch Minnesota is a statewide collaborative effort to accelerate the growth of startups and amplify Minnesota as a national leader in innovation. It began last year with bipartisan approval and funding from the Minnesota Legislature and Governor Tim Walz. “This investment in our innovation ecosystem helps our state’s economy both now and into the future,” said Governo...

Minnesotans donate in record numbers to Give to the Max

Friday, November 20, 2020

Minnesotans donated a record $30.4 million to nonprofits and schools during the annual Give to the Max campaign, surpassing the previous record of nearly $22 million set in 2019. GiveMN Executive Director Jake Blumberg said donors gave money to more than 6,100 organizations, which is also a record. "What we were hoping donors would do and what we directly asked over and over again for donors to do was to expand their generosity this year," he said. Second Harvest Heartland Food Bank received more than $900,000 in donations. That was the most money given to a single organization this year. Read full article.

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