A Joint Initiative Between     Heart of Wisconsin     Business & Economic Alliance and     Community Foundation of     South Wood County

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 March 12, 2007 - Working together will expand the pie By Connie Loden, for the Daily Tribune During the recent strategic and scenario planning events, an important conversation regarding regional planning emerged. Participants in the process, which included a cross-sector representation of area interests (municipalities, the county and various businesses and non-profit organizations), developed a vision for what our area could become as a center for inspiring innovation. A clear understanding surfaced that to achieve this vision for our area, we need to all be on the same page and working as one area. There was a call and demand to see the area pull together around a regional plan -- a plan that has agreement and commitment from all of the municipalities involved. To clarify -- this would be a regional plan that identifies action and commitment to support the implementation for the area to achieve the vision that was developed as the scenario of "Inspiring Innovation." (See www.progressinitiative.com for more detailed information on the planning sessions.) I am inspired by the vision of the participants, as they communicated a need to collaborate and partner. Giving up competitiveness and replacing that with an identification of the appropriate niche and complimenting role each of the entities could play in the process, and in turn, we expand the pie and all win. Wisconsin Rapids Mayor Mary Jo Carson has initiated a few regional meetings to bring municipalities together. This can be an excellent place to start to develop some regional agreements for how we move forward to create our preferred scenario for our region and to inspire innovation in how we accomplish this. Jon Evenson's recent Daily Tribune article captured this concept quite well, as he was a participant in the planning sessions and voice for us to be innovative and take actions now for an area approach. I agree with his assessment. The timing is right; the time is now. Let's pull together and make it happen. Let's work to expand our pie and all benefit from the improved economic climate that will result from pooling our efforts and resources together for maximum benefit. Connie Loden is executive director of the Heart of Wisconsin Business & Economic Alliance.
		Copyright © 2005, Community Progress Initiative, South Wood County & Town of Rome