Issue link: http://www.insightdigital.biz/i/468967
I N D E V E L O P M E N T 2 0 1 5 3 Sixth annual event gears up to get down to business By Margaret LeBrun, Co-Publisher/Executive Editor, Insight Publications LLC W hen our team at Insight Publications was approached six years ago to launch an event to bring commercial real estate developers, economic development professionals and related people into the same room together, we faced a little skepticism. This is what we heard: "Developers? In the same room? Good luck with that!" Fortunately, from the first InDevelopment conference we hosted in Appleton, we've successfully proven it can be done. This year we're mixing things up a bit, starting at 2 p.m. with our keynote followed by short presentations by regional developers and focusing heavily on networking. Rather than our morning speed networking session with the Northeast Wisconsin Regional Economic Partnership, we've asked NEWREP members to come prepared to mingle, with take-away materials at the ready. This booklet is a reflection of the highlights they've shared in advance with our Insight team. We encourage you to browse the developments we feature, all currently under way in the New North region. While we've reported on many of them in Insight magazine, it's exciting to see so many projects in the works with so much potential to improve our communities. The Village of Hobart, for example, is taking on the gutsy move of actually creating a downtown almost from scratch. Projects in the Fox Valley, in particular those by Stadtmueller & Associates — the Grand KaKalin project in Kaukauna, Eagle Flats in Appleton and The Cedars at Kimberly — are great examples of mixed-use projects designed to revive riverfront property. Anyone who hasn't spent time in downtown Green Bay in the past year or so will be blown away by all the development under way — everything from the KI Convention Center expansion and adjacent new Hampton Inn under construction, to the rebirth of the historic Hotel Northland and the ambitious project that will be Backstage at the Meyer. After slogging through the Great Recession, commercial and economic development professionals tell us they're poised for action. We think you'll find plenty to learn — and talk about — at InDevelopment. Taggert "T.J." Brooks 'entertaining' with economic trends D evelopers are always hungry for information on the economy. When you're dealing with multi-million dollar projects, you have to be. InDevelopment keynote speaker T.J. Brooks, Ph.D., has his fingers on the pulse of economic trends. The associate professor and chair of the Department of Economics at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse takes a keen interest in the subject. "There's more optimism in the state and the country, and that's leading to a building boom," Brooks says. "In the last 12 months, it's been 'sneaky good.'" Those who have heard him speak at recent events say he knows how to deliver: "… The reason they come is to hear Dr. Brooks' review and forecast for our local, regional and national economies. His presentations are well researched, meaningful and thought-provoking!" "… He brings an entertaining yet insightful interest to the local and national economy that has helped drive fear out of the numbers and replaced it with knowledge and understanding." " … Professor Brooks continues to turn out large crowds, for both his insightful analysis of the economy and his entertaining, and often times laugh-out-loud delivery."