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UPFRONT regional roundup » Highway 41 Corridor Brown, Calumet, Outagamie, Winnebago, Fond du Lac Counties Fox Cities Region sees lower economic rating Outagamie and Calumet counties and the northern section of Winnebago County saw their economic growth ratings slip compared to the rest of the nation, according to an annual study by NewGeography.com, an online economic development publishing network. The study assessed the nation's 398 metro areas based on performance and robustness, measuring regions' total economic outputs and grading the regions – the lower the score, the healthier the region. The score is calculated from a weighted summary of the following categories: » Recent growth trends: current and prior year's growth rates. » Mid-term growth: average annual 2007-2012 growth rate. » Long-term trend and momentum: the sum of the 2007-2012 growth rates. » Current year's growth. The rankings of the Appleton and Oshkosh-Neenah Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA's) are above average. However, the Appleton region's performance ratings dropped from 90 to 126 from 2012 to 2013, while the Oshkosh-Neenah region dropped from 52 to 101. "To the extent that this sector is losing ground to the rest of the country, we should be very concerned," says Larry Burkhardt, executive vice president of the Fox Cities Regional Partnership. While the study is only a single measure of the region's economic w w w. i n s i g h t o n b u s i n e s s . c o m Development in the New North By S ean Lyons For links to economic development groups in the New North, visit www.thenewnorth.com/communitiesmap performance, Burkhardt still believes that it should be interpreted as a "wake-up call." "For many years, the Fox Cities Region has enjoyed strong economic performance, largely based on the growth and success of our primary industries," Burkhardt says. "By importing new dollars into the local economy, these employers provide the revenue that supports the retail, service and professional sectors throughout the Fox Cities." MetJet establishes direct flight to Cancun De Pere-based air service provider MetJet has a new direct flight route from Green Bay to Cancun, Mexico. The company will begin offering the travel option starting Dec. 7. The flight will depart every Saturday morning from Austin Straubel Airport in Ashwaubenon and will include a fuel stop in Fort Myers, Fla. "We are excited to be able to offer residents of Northeast Wisconsin the opportunity to fly directly to Mexico," says Michael Heisman, founder and owner of MetJet. "The five-and-a-half hour flight leaves Green Bay in the morning and makes a short refueling stop in Fort Myers. Our flight times allow for an early departure and a late return to maximize vacation time." A 162-passenger Boeing 737-800 jet will be used for the flight by Sun Country Airlines and will be operated as a public charter. Fox-Wisconsin Heritage Parkway receives grant The Fox-Wisconsin Heritage Parkway received a $125,000 grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in New Franken for plans to restore [continued] » Offering full-service engineering/ architectural services. 920.751.4200 www.mcmgrp.com The financial future of your company depends on decisions you make today "Being a fast paced, dynamic business requires sharp and quick decisions. Guident allows us to move forward with confidence by offering an excellent perspective backed by financial and strategic experience." M.E. — President Spark Advertising, Inc. 920.427.5077 www.guidentbusiness.com A u g u s t 2 013 • Insight | 11