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Home About Us B2B Club Breaking News Contact Donate Events / Programs Feedback Ideas Incubator Industry Clusters Links / Resources Progess Funds Progress Teams Public Art / Murals Publications		Breaking News July 10, 2004 - Clusters Dive Into Details By Colin Atagi, Daily Tribune Staff Groups of "industry clusters" began mapping out their strategies this week to get businesses, organizations and government agencies to work together to improve the local economy. The cluster program is the next step in the three-year Community Progress Initiative and was officially kicked off last month. The groups are focusing on such industries as paper and forest products, agriculture, tourism, financial services, downtown revitalization, new industries, small business, education and workforce development. "They're looking at the kind of structure, how it works, what drives it and what opportunities they can identify," said David Beurle, an expert in rural leadership and economic development who has helped to guide and promote the Community Progress Initiative, a privately and publicly funded effort to revitalize the Wisconsin Rapids area. The groups are all responsible for their respective industries and will decide when and where they want to meet. Each group met in various locations throughout Wisconsin Rapids this week. The financial services group met Friday at the Heart of Wisconsin Business & Economic Alliance office, where they determined the importance of exposing entrepreneurs to the resources available to them. "You'll find there are many programs out there that the average entrepreneur doesn't know about," said David Stark, president of Bull's Eye Credit Union in Wisconsin Rapids and co-chairman of the financial services group. "We're trying to find a way to show entrepreneurs there's ways for them to obtain (financial) help." The downtown revitalization group met Thursday at City Hall. Members considered what needs to be done and how to better understand their role and the downtown's condition, said Gary Rosencrans, group member and the new owner of the Mead-Witter Building on West Grand Avenue. "We try to look at the big picture, in a sense of trying to understand the resources we have and what obstacles we face, and to establish a vision," said Rosencrans, who also is co-owner of Gary's Coins & Stamps.. More members joined the downtown revitalization group Thursday than participated at the launch last month. Although some cluster participants have missed meetings because of work or for personal reasons, industry group members said the commitment to the project is as strong as during the kick-off. "If not more so," said Doris McAllister, business training manager for Mid-State Technical College and co-chairwoman of the education industry group, which met Wednesday at the Wisconsin Rapids Public Schools office. "We're making sure the people are committed." Some of that commitment is coming from young residents of the Wisconsin Rapids area, including teenagers. "We need youths to keep us on track," said Deanna MacMillan, co-chairwoman of the education industry group. "What we're trying to do is improve the future - they're a part of it." Zach Vruwink, 16, owner of Zach's Web Site & Computer Building in the Mead-Witter Building, participated with the downtown revitalization group. "It was an excellent meeting and very concrete," he said. "This one was very structured. It was a good (opportunity) to organize ideas, and ideas were brought forth. There was just a positive attitude." You can reach Colin Atagi at 422-6728 or at catagi@wisconsinrapidstribune.com.
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