Issue link: http://www.insightdigital.biz/i/90974
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT plans to add more as the company continues to expand its reach. Dave Mielke, president and chief executive officer of ChemDesign, says the company takes a look at what large chemical manufacturers, such as Dow, are working on and then parallel themselves to that. The company has a two-prong plan for growth – expanding business with existing clients and attracting new ones using online marketing channels, he says. "We like to take what we're doing A CLOSER LOOK Website puts Florence County in the spotlight F lorence County has a new website designed to attract not only more visitors to the region, but also – hopefully – more businesses. The county worked with students from Northeast Wisconsin Technical College and DMinteractive of Green Bay to get the project done, says Wendy Gehlhoff, director of the Florence County Economic Development Department. "The goal is to show off what the county has to offer when it comes to recreation," she says. "If we can then turn those visitors into people who want to spend more time here either by opening a business or working remotely, then all the better. " with existing customers and see how we can help them even more. We change as the industry changes," Mielke says. "We used to be heavily based in the paper industry, but as times change, so have we. We are now really seeing a spark in the agriculture sector. to grow, farmers are under pressure to produce higher quality yields and turn to science to do that, he says. ChemDesign has seen agricultural As the global population continues " The site highlights recreation, lodging and restaurant options in the county, where tourism along with forest products are the top two industries. In addition, there are economic development resources available on the site. For the past couple of years, students in a couple products grow from 20 percent of its business in 2007 to 62 percent today. "We are looking to go aſter higher- growth industries involved with ramping up productions of newer formulations," Mielke says. of NWTC classes looked at different pieces of the marketing puzzle, such as a tagline and what would be needed in a website. That information was then compiled and brought to DMi. Gehlhoff says the website does a great job of showing everything the county has to offer. "We are following what a lot of other counties are doing – incorporating their tourism websites and economic development websites together, " she says. Tourism is up in the county so far in 2012 – including an 8 percent increase in traffic this summer to the visitor center, which Gehlhoff credits to not only an improving economy, but a greater awareness of what the county has to offer. "We are doing a lot more trade shows and really target marketing the county's wild rivers – we have three of them. People who are into canoeing or kayaking are really attracted to that concept," she says. – MaryBeth Matzek employs a mix of technical and production employees. While finding good quality production employees is a smooth process, Mielke says luring chemical engineers and professionals The company operates 24/7 and High quality. Affordable MRI. NEWisconsin MRI Center can help you and your employees reduce healthcare expenses. Not all MRIs are the same. Quality matters. We understand that cost does too. That's why NEWisconsin MRI Center provides high quality images at affordable prices. Be a smart healthcare consumer. Your MRI provider is your choice. 40 | INSIGHT • November 2012 Choose… Green Bay | 800-353-4674 www.newmri.com www.insightonbusiness .com