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 April 14, 2007 - Initiative boosts printing business By Andrew Hellpap, Daily Tribune staff David Pryor has owned his business for 14 years, and he credits the Community Progress Initiative for making it stronger than ever. Quality Plus Printing, 3515 Eighth St. S., started with two full-time and two part-time employees, and Pryor saw an opportunity for growth when organizers of the initiative were discussing its creation in 2003. “I had heard they were going to do something; my first reaction was this gives me a platform to change things now,” he said. After attending early informational meetings about the initiative, he attended two study tours: one of the paper industry in Appleton, the other at Sotra Enso in Wisconsin Rapids. The tours sparked an idea. Through the connections he made and knowledge gained on the tours, he entered the flexographic printing industry. Today, he employs six people full time and is working to hire another. Through the initiative Pryor found grants and made connections in the new industry. Pryor is not the only one benefiting. Heart of Wisconsin Business and Economic Alliance officials state that numerous jobs have been created from the initiative through programming, industry clusters, $20,000 matching community progress funds, progress teams, leadership speakers and various study tours. In 2004, the initiative’s inaugural year, approximately 1,180 jobs were created through new businesses, expansions, relocations or employee retention, while in 2005m 308 jobs were created and 2006 saw 506 new jobs, said Connie Loden, Heart of Wisconsin executive director. Some might criticize the job creation because it is not in the manufacturing sector, Loden said, but new business ownership is fundamental to job creation. “All of the businesses we have tend to play and complement a whole of what we have to offer as a community,” she said. Job creation is one important aspect of the initiative, said Kelly Lucas, Community Foundation of South Wood County president and chief executive office, but so is the initiative’s positive impact on community attitudes. “Equally as important as quantitative, is qualitative,” she said. “The numbers tell one story in terms of outcome measurements; it is difficult to measure how attitudes are changing.” Pryor couldn’t agree more. Community optimism has grown during the years, he said. “It’s a community win; not just a Quality Plus win,” Pryor said.
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