October 19, 2022 – Minn PACE & I-WE Designation
Capacity Building Seminar

MinnPACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) Speaker: Pete Klien – Saint Paul Port Authority

An innovative finance solution for building owners interested in energy efficiency and renewable energy upgrades. The PACE structure overcomes financial challenges that hinder the adoption of such projects by eliminating upfront costs, providing low-cost, long-term financing and making it easy for building owners to transfer payment obligations to tenants, as well as new owners, in the case of sale.

I-WE Designation (Inclusive Workforce Employer Designation) Speaker: Leslie Wojtowicz-Development Manager Central MN Jobs & Training Services

You can be recognized as an employer of choice with a designation as an Inclusive Workforce Employer. Take the first step in becoming a part of a forward-thinking group, committed to helping your business and community grow. The Inclusive Workforce Employer (I-WE) Designation is supported by the Workforce Development Board of Southeast Minnesota and the Winona Workforce Development Board. It was established by the Regional Workforce Alliance of Northwest Minnesota.

May 18th, 2022, SBA – Preparing to Apply for a SBA Loan
Capacity Building Workshop

Session 2 of Starting or Expanding you Business in Wright County

May 18th, 2022, OutDo Work – Cost Effective Marketing for Small Businesses
Capacity Building Workshop

Session 1 of Starting or Expanding you Business in Wright County

Amanda Kiviaho discussed cost effective marketing stratagies for small businesses. 

September 29, 2021 Worforce Trends in Wright County
Capacity Building Seminar

Commissioner Steve Grove, Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), will be speaking about the economy in Wright County.

Luke Greiner, DEED Labor Analyst, will present workforce trends in Wright County.

Maurice Harris M.P.A., Research Manager for Greater MSP, will discuss regional signs of recovery.

April 16, 2021 Pedestrian Studies
Capacity Building Seminar

Peter Bruce, Pedestrian Studies Expert, will be presenting examples from three communities in Wright County showing ways that they can improve the experience of potential customers.

His experience includes business community organizing, urban economic development, joint marketing for business communities, conducting of pedestrian retail traffic counts for property managers and retail districts in 25 major cities in the US. Since 1991 in downtown Minneapolis and Saint Paul, and for smaller cities in Minnesota during the last 10 years.

May 3, 2021 Chamber Summit

Vicki Stute is the vice president, programs and business services of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and is responsible for strategic development of Grow Minnesota! Partnership, Energy Smart, Waste Wise, and new programs and services. Additionally, Stute serves as executive director of Minnesota Chamber Business Services which implements the sale of group insurance products and provides professional association management services. She also directs the activities of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce Executives (MCCE), the professional association for local chambers across Minnesota.

She brings more than 25 years of combined executive leadership experience through her work in the Chamber of Commerce industry, having served Dakota County Regional, Saint Paul Area, TwinWest, River Heights, and Red Wing Area Chambers of Commerce. Vicki is actively engaged in several Twin Cities-based community organizations and currently serves on the Board of Directors of Metropolitan Economic Development Association and Mid-America Chamber Executives.

Prior to returning to the Chamber industry in 2013, she served as president of Angel Foundation, a Twin-cities based non-profit organization serving adults with cancer and their families. Vicki is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Leadership and Management. She is an avid hockey fan and enjoys reading, fitness, golf, and spending time with her husband Nick, and their two daughters.

March 23, 2022 Marketing Commercial & Inustrial Property

Kevin is the founder of Content Studios. He’s had an entrepreneurial mindset since he was twelve years old, offering odd jobs and then painting services to local
homeowners. While majoring in advertising, media psychology, and media persuasion at Indiana University, he saw the potential for marketing professional video content and 3D technology within the commercial market. Kevin will discuss what Content Studios offers and information on their “Thinking Outside the Box” ways to get you the best results.

Aaron Brossoit is CEO and a founder at Golden Shovel Agency, a firm specializing in communications for economic development. Aaron will be discussing Golden Shovel as a company and new trends and technology for promoting sites and real estate with a focus on virtual reality, virtual site tours and 3D visualizations.

September 29, 2021 Worforce Trends in Wright County
Capacity Building Seminar

Commissioner Steve Grove, Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), will be speaking about the economy in Wright County.

Luke Greiner, DEED Labor Analyst, will present workforce trends in Wright
County.

Maurice Harris M.P.A., Research Manager for Greater MSP, will discuss regional signs of recovery.

June 9, 2021 Business Finance in Wright County
Capacity Building Seminar

Join our panel of experts that will inform on the different programs available to assist startups, expansions, and relocations in our Wright County.

Rob Stark – Edward Jones –Presenting on retirement plans, partnering with individual employees, putting assets to work to accomplish long term goals for the organization, PPP, exit strategies, and more.

Randy Voeller – CorTrust Bank –Presenting on primary in-bank loan opportunities that are provided to borrowers daily, information on the SBA 504 program and other outside, non-bank lenders that support business development.

Bill Bach –USDA Rural Development – Presenting on business programs that provide financial backing and technical assistance to stimulate business creation and growth: Rural Business Development Program, Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant, Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program, etc.

April 16, 2021 Pedestrian Studies
Capacity Building Seminar

Peter Bruce, Pedestrian Studies Expert, will be presenting examples from three communities in Wright County showing ways that they can improve the experience of potential customers.

His experience includes business community organizing, urban economic development, joint marketing for business communities, conducting of pedestrian retail traffic counts for property managers and retail districts in 25 major cities in the US. Since 1991 in downtown Minneapolis and Saint Paul, and for smaller cities in Minnesota during the last 10 years.

March 10, 2021 Energy Efficiancy 
Capacity Building Seminar

Wright County Economic Development Partnership (WCEDP) wants Wright County Businesses to be educated and informed about sustainability through energy efficiency services provided in our Region.

Panel Experts Ryan O’Connor-Wright Hennepin Electric, Mike Meyers-Xcel Energy and Eric Laumeyer-Ameresco, will briefly present the programs that their respective organizations offer to Customers to help in the area of environmental stewardship, alternative energy, supply management, and much more.

May 3, 2021 Chamber Summit

Vicki Stute is the vice president, programs and business services of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and is responsible for strategic development of Grow Minnesota! Partnership, Energy Smart, Waste Wise, and new programs and services. Additionally, Stute serves as executive director of Minnesota Chamber Business Services which implements the sale of group insurance products and provides professional association management services. She also directs the activities of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce Executives (MCCE), the professional association for local chambers across Minnesota.

She brings more than 25 years of combined executive leadership experience through her work in the Chamber of Commerce industry, having served Dakota County Regional, Saint Paul Area, TwinWest, River Heights, and Red Wing Area Chambers of Commerce. Vicki is actively engaged in several Twin Cities-based community organizations and currently serves on the Board of Directors of Metropolitan Economic Development Association and Mid-America Chamber Executives.

Prior to returning to the Chamber industry in 2013, she served as president of Angel Foundation, a Twin-cities based non-profit organization serving adults with cancer and their families. Vicki is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Leadership and Management. She is an avid hockey fan and enjoys reading, fitness, golf, and spending time with her husband Nick, and their two daughters.