Issue link: http://www.insightdigital.biz/i/201303
UPFRONT face time P H OTO G R A P H B Y B i l l K ap i n s k i / I M A G E S T U D I O S , F O R I N SI G H T Ann Duginske The New North recently won two silver awards from the International Economic Development Corporation for its new business locator guide, competing internationally with communities with populations up to 10 million people. Insight Co-Publisher and Editor Margaret LeBrun spoke with Ann Duginske, director of marketing and development at New North, Inc. about the business locator guide, a tool that's designed to attract companies to this region, and the 10th annual New North Summit, planned for Friday, Dec. 6. w w w. i n s i g h t o n b u s i n e s s . c o m on making a global impression I think New North is to a point where we have an exciting opportunity to tell our region's story to other people. I think we feel lucky that we've developed the kinds of partnerships and the kinds of collaborations and the work that we've done so far – that we have so much to offer. We have defined industry clusters, we have very strong partners in local economic developers where we know that we can rely on those relationships and transfer prospects to them. We have excellent educational opportunities that are responsive to business needs. I just think we can start telling that story externally to other markets and start leveraging New North as a global brand. I've been with New North almost four years. It was my first position out of school, and I spent some time interning, too. I went to UW-Oshkosh in marketing and journalism. I was very involved in student government and I got to know Chancellor (Richard) Wells very well. He has been on the board of New North, and it was inspiring to think that there's this organization that brings everyone's separate passions together and fuels that into things that improve collectively our home, our place. No organization like this is so [continued] » N o v e m b e r 2 013 • Insight | 19