Industry Experts

Missy Hughes is the secretary and CEO of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), the state’s lead economic development organization. She was appointed to the post by Governor Evers in September 2019. Prior to joining WEDC, she was chief counsel and chief mission officer for Organic Valley, a Wisconsin-based, nationwide cooperative of organic dairy farmers.

In her role at WEDC, Secretary Hughes oversees efforts to attract businesses to Wisconsin and help existing businesses expand, meet current and future workforce needs, promote global trade and investment, support thriving communities and small businesses, encourage entrepreneurship and innovation, address the unique needs of rural residents, and advance the economic well-being of every resident.

Speaking Topics:

• Economic Development
• Rural Economic Development
• Forward-looking economic development strategies
• WEDC Overview

Sam Rikkers is deputy secretary and chief operating officer for WEDC. Prior to joining WEDC in November 2019, he served as strategic economic initiatives director at the Wisconsin Department of Administration.

Sam has an extensive background in rural development, both in the U.S. and internationally. He served in the White House from 2013 to 2014 as director on the energy and environment team in the Presidential Personnel Office, then was administrator of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Business-Cooperative Service. Before returning to Wisconsin in 2017, he launched and led the Rural Opportunity Initiative of the Georgetown University McDonough School of Business.

In Wisconsin, he served as executive director or Tiny Earth, a global initiative based at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, harnessing the research of undergraduate students to discover new antibiotics.

A native of Stoughton, Rikkers holds a juris doctor degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School, a master’s degree in international affairs from Columbia University, and a bachelor’s degree in political science and philosophy from Macalester College. He also served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Zambia.

Speaking topics:

• Rural and urban economic development
• Business attraction
• Business retention and expansion
• WEDC programs and operations
• Sustainability and resiliency

Khadija Mims is chief financial officer for WEDC. In her role, she oversees finance and credit and risk divisions.

Khadija has almost two decades of experience in financial planning and analysis, budgeting, and government grants compliance, both in the U.S. and internationally.

Prior to joining WEDC in March 2021, she was the controller at Breaking Ground in New York City, where she oversaw all nonprofit financial activities and government contracts. Her previous positions include client manager (CFO) at BTQ Financial. In this role, she provided outsourced CFO services for various nonprofit organizations in New York City. Before moving to the U.S., she was the finance manager for Dubai Women Establishment, a government agency in the United Arab Emirates.

Khadija earned her master’s degree in business administration from the University of Wisconsin, Madison and her bachelor’s degree in business, accounting from Edgewood College.

Speaking Topics:

• Governmental and nonprofit financial management
• Financial compliance with WEDC award contracts
• Strategic financial planning and budgeting
• Internal controls

Speaking topics:

• Rural challenges and opportunities
• Entrepreneurial ecosystem building
• Small business access to capital
• Wisconsin Environmental Equity Tool
• Collaborative projects with Native American tribal nations
• Financial resources for rural projects

Joshua Robbins is vice president of technology and information systems for WEDC. He joined WEDC in December 2011, and joined the executive staff in September 2015.

In his prior role as IT systems analyst, he was responsible for testing, building, maintaining and implementing WEDC’s IT systems. He also handled asset management efforts and research and development on new product lines; utilized project management skills to implement new software and systems; wrote documentation; was responsible for internal monitoring of all WEDC IT systems; and planned and developed IT security strategies for user security during international travel.

Joshua holds an associate’s degree in computer networking systems and a bachelor’s degree in information systems and cybersecurity, both from ITT Technical Institute in Madison.

Speaking Topics:

• Implementation of SaaS systems, risks vs. rewards
• International travel security compliance: the balance between productivity and security
• Customer service as an IT professional
• BYOD implementation
• Navigating the hardware landscape: picking the right endpoint machines for your organization

Vice President of Productivity and Sustainability Francisco J. Sayu leads WEDC’s efforts to support businesses, communities, and people in Wisconsin to take advantage of the economic opportunities the clean energy economy presents.

Francisco has worked in the clean energy sector for more than a decade and has experience in clean energy policy, advocacy, and small business development. Before joining WEDC, he served as emerging technology director at RENEW Wisconsin. Before that, he was program manager for the Focus on Energy® New Construction Solution, a statewide program that helps people and businesses in Wisconsin make informed energy decisions and save money.

Francisco holds a master’s degree in engineering and a bachelor’s degree in biological systems engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Speaking topics:

• Energy efficiency
• Beneficial electrification
• Electric vehicle infrastructure
• Electric school buses
• The Inflation Reduction Act

Katy Sinnott is vice president of international business development with WEDC. In this role, she is responsible for developing and implementing strategies to grow Wisconsin’s economy through helping Wisconsin companies expand their exports and through attracting foreign direct investment in Wisconsin.

Katy has more two decades of business management and financial services experience, working in more than 40 countries with an emphasis on China. Before joining WEDC, she was the CEO and a board director for ERIC Paris Salons, a chain of salons based in China. Under her leadership as CEO, the company expanded from three salons to 38 in three years. At its peak, the company had revenues of $6 million and 450 employees.

Prior to that, Katy was a consultant in Hong Kong for McKinsey & Company, a global management consulting firm. In this role, she oversaw the merger of two global television tube manufacturers spread across multiple continents and helped design a customer loyalty program for China’s second-largest oil company. Katy also held several positions in Hong Kong with HSBC Ltd., one of the world’s largest banking and financial services organizations. She is experienced in redesigning bank business processes and ensuring information services are business-driven.

A Wisconsin native, Katy holds a BS in finance from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. After college, she was awarded a scholarship to attend the Chinese University of Hong Kong through Yale University, where she completed a nine-month intensive studies course in Mandarin. She is conversant in Chinese and French.

Speaking Topics:

• Global trade
• Foreign direct investment
• Doing business in China
• International business development
• Country-specific export trends and opportunities
• Cross-cultural communication
• Barriers/opportunities facing companies that export
• Free trade agreements
• Wisconsin export data and trends
• Eximbank

Mike Ward joined WEDC in September 2022 as vice president for business and community development. To his work at WEDC, he brings more than 25 years of experience in banking with U.S. Bank and its predecessors. Mike has held leadership positions in sales management, commercial lending, marketing, sales support and underwriting—all focused on small business. Helping and learning about small businesses and the communities they support has been Mike’s passion for his entire career.

Mike has done volunteer work with a number of groups including various United Ways, the Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation, the Waukesha Redevelopment Authority and the Waukesha County Economic Development Corporation. He is a current board member of BizStarts and the Urban Economic Development Association as well as an active volunteer with Kiva. He also serves as a member of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago’s Wisconsin Economic Roundtable.

A Madison native, Mike received his bachelor’s degree in economics and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Minnesota. He lives with his wife in Waukesha and has three adult children.

Speaking topics:

• Regional economic development
• Business retention and expansion
• Available financial resources