Baseball may be the great American pastime, but the diamond at American Family Field had a true international feel Tuesday morning.
M7, MMAC, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) and gener8tor hosted dozens of ambassadors from around the globe, along with corporate leaders from around the region, for breakfast and a program focused on the benefits of corporate investment in southeastern Wisconsin.
While the state is proud of its history of agriculture and continued strength in the sector, preconceived notions of Wisconsin as a vast farm field were quickly dispelled.
“It’s quite impressive. I didn’t know (Wisconsin) had such a vibrant manufacturing community,” said Viorel Ursu, Moldovan ambassador. “It was an excellent presentation. It was interesting to see such unique selling points.”
Representatives from each of the hosting organizations pitched the region on the diverse makeup of businesses in the region, its strong base of talent, excellent quality of living and ease of doing business.
It’s for these reasons that companies continue to invest in southeastern Wisconsin – especially in the manufacturing sector, said M7 Senior Vice President of Corporate Attraction and Expansion Rebecca Gries.
“If we drill down into the Milwaukee region, we have 160,000 of those manufacturing jobs, the second-highest concentration among U.S. metros,” she said. “… Southeastern Wisconsin continues that legacy. It is still America’s manufacturing leader and continues to innovate, pushing the industry forward.”
Recent wins, like Microsoft’s decision to invest $3.3 billion in the region on its cloud computing and artificial intelligence operations, have given southeastern Wisconsin some true momentum.
“There are a number of reasons we’re bullish on the region, including modern infrastructure and a favorable investment climate,” said M7 co-chair Gale Klappa. “… But I would be remiss if I didn’t mention our quality of life in Milwaukee. It’s hard to beat. Parks, museums, a beautiful lakefront, a thriving art scene, great food and professional sports."
WEDC Secretary Missy Hughes said its teams like hers and the others hosting today’s event which make corporate investment easier, from the first site visit to onset of production and beyond.
“When a company chooses to locate in Wisconsin, our support doesn’t stop at the welcome mat,” she said. “We provide ongoing assistance to ensure your success. Our team of dedicated regional experts, many who are here today, regularly visit companies to understand your business processes, needs and growth potential.”
Sade Bimantara, deputy ambassador of Indonesia, walked away with a great impression of Milwaukee and the support international businesses receive when planning to invest here.
“This is a great city to do business in,” he said. “The environment built here for international investment is a good one.”