By John W. Miller
WEDC Secretary and CEO
Although I’m just starting my new role at WEDC, I am no stranger to the two sides that come together to create a successful partnership between the public and private sectors.
I spent the early part of my career as a congressional staffer working on policy initiatives and helping to connect businesses with government programs that would help them grow. Later, I ran an agricultural equipment manufacturing company here in Wisconsin, then created a venture capital fund aimed at giving startups the tools they need to move to the next level.
My two decades in the business community have enabled me to understand what companies need to execute their business plans—and I’m excited to engage companies both big and small across Wisconsin so their dreams become reality.
In my new role, I am guided by the Wisconsin Idea, a philosophy developed at the turn of the 20th century when University of Wisconsin-Madison President Charles Van Hise and other Progressive leaders declared that Wisconsin’s universities—and state government as a whole—should reach out and benefit people in every corner of our state.
WEDC’s mission to build an Economy for All where everyone can thrive has its roots in that same tradition. WEDC has a broad and balanced portfolio—from helping businesses here take root and grow to building strong communities where people want to live, work, and raise their families—and our team is committed to Wisconsin’s success.
One of my first visits as WEDC secretary was to Tootsie’s Tea, a small business in Milwaukee that received a Building Bridges Grant, which was funded by WEDC’s Small Business Development Grant Program. A few days later I was in Eagle River visiting Minocqua Popcorn and Puffs, which recently received assistance from the Main Street Makeover initiative to make it more attractive to customers. These visits reinforced to me the importance of supporting the community retailers that are so vital to our local economies.
Another critical component of the Wisconsin Idea is making sure our state’s excellent educational resources are available to everyone. Our businesses depend on skilled workers, so ensuring a steady pipeline of job-ready applicants is critical to economic growth.
Through the Workforce Innovation Grant Program, WEDC and the Department of Workforce Development have been working with communities and businesses throughout the state to address their biggest workforce challenges, such as affordable housing, worker training, transportation, and child care.
I recently joined Governor Tony Evers on a visit to the Early Learning Campus at Madison College’s Goodman South Campus, which has transformed a former fire station into a 20,000-square-foot facility providing licensed care for 85 to 100 children from six weeks to five years old. The child care center, made possible with a $3 million Workforce Innovation Grant from WEDC and DWD, will increase the supply of trained child care workers while allowing parents to access affordable child care as they complete their own education.
Over the coming weeks and months, I will be crisscrossing the state—from Grant County to Brown County and from Kenosha County to Ashland County—to meet with business, Tribal, and local leaders and learn how WEDC can continue the legacy of the Wisconsin Idea as we keep our communities growing.
