The 2025 Wisconsin Economic Summit, held October 15–16 at the KI Convention Center in Green Bay, emphasized that economic vitality stems from cooperation among communities, businesses, and government. With over 400 attendees, the event centered on the theme of unlocking investment—not just in financial terms, but in people and places across the state.
Sam Rikkers, Deputy Secretary and Chief Operating Officer of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), stressed that long-term prosperity relies on vibrant communities and expanding enterprises. He highlighted that investments in workforce development, infrastructure, and entrepreneurial ventures strengthen the foundation for business expansion.
Chef Paul Bartolotta, founder of Bartolotta Restaurants, shared insights from his experience building a hospitality group that now includes 18 establishments in the Milwaukee region and supports around 1,000 jobs. He attributed success to prioritizing employees, fostering their ambitions, and reinforcing local identity. “Supporting our team creates pathways for growth that benefit everyone,” he noted, adding that strong community ties are essential to visibility and progress.
Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich underscored collaboration as a cornerstone of urban advancement. He cited a $500,000 WEDC grant that catalyzed redevelopment of a former power plant site along the Fox River, transforming it into public space for recreation and events. Additionally, a $1.8 million state allocation helped manage public safety during the 2025 NFL Draft, which brought approximately 600,000 visitors to the city.
Educational initiatives, including programs at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, have equipped workers with critical trade skills. A partnership with Harvard University and Bloomberg Philanthropies is also modernizing municipal data systems to enhance service delivery. Genrich emphasized regional unity, stating that neighboring communities thrive collectively—progress in one area benefits all.
Shayna Hetzel, WEDC’s Vice President of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, pointed out that Wisconsin receives less venture capital than nearby states, despite having a skilled labor force and robust supply chains. She urged stakeholders to embrace innovation as a shared responsibility and to present the state as a compelling destination for investors.
Tehassi Hill, Chairman of the Oneida Nation, discussed how tribal enterprises generate more than $750 million annually in economic impact. Gaming operations, beginning with bingo halls in the 1970s and expanding to the Oneida Casino in 1994, have funded essential services for tribal members. Beyond revenue, these ventures affirm sovereignty and support long-term planning across seven generations.
The Nation operates diverse businesses—including a golf course, engineering firms, retail outlets, and an apple orchard—providing about 3,000 jobs. It ranks among the top employers in Brown and Outagamie Counties. Tribal revenues support education, healthcare, utilities, law enforcement, and social programs. Hill emphasized education as a top priority, noting that the Nation’s K–12 school saves surrounding districts nearly $6 million in costs annually.
Governor Tony Evers made a surprise appearance, receiving two standing ovations. He announced that WEDC has committed over $91 million in grants, loans, and tax incentives in fiscal year 2025—the highest level in five years. He highlighted major projects, such as Microsoft’s collaborations with UW-Milwaukee and the Green Bay Packers, and Eli Lilly’s acquisition and planned expansion of the Nexus Pharmaceuticals facility in Pleasant Prairie. These developments are expected to generate thousands of high-paying jobs and advance sectors like advanced manufacturing and personalized medicine.
Evers encouraged continued collaboration, saying, “We roll up our sleeves and find a way forward.” He called on attendees to build an inclusive economy that serves every part of Wisconsin.
— news from WEDC
— News Original —
Collaboration breeds growth: Wisconsin Economic Summit 2025 ignites inspiration
Building a thriving economy in Wisconsin takes cooperation, collaboration, and a determination to pursue a vision for the future, speakers told the 2025 Wisconsin Economic Summit. n nUnlocking investment in Wisconsin’s economy was the theme for this year’s conference, held Oct. 15-16 at the KI Convention Center in Green Bay. More than 400 people were registered to attend the event. n n“Unlocking investment isn’t just about dollars. It’s about the people and places in Wisconsin,” WEDC Deputy Secretary and Chief Operating Officer Sam Rikkers told the gathering. “Wisconsin’s success depends on community vitality and business growth.” n nBartolotta: It’s all about people n nChef Paul Bartolotta, owner and co-founder of Bartolotta Restaurants, echoed that message, saying the success of his company is “about people and community. They live together.” n nBartolotta, the conference’s opening featured speaker, said his restaurant group—which encompasses 18 restaurants and catering facilities in the Milwaukee area and employs about 1,000 people—aims to “elevate the social fabric of the communities in which we operate … I want Milwaukee to be visible to the world.” n nWauwatosa natives Paul and his brother Joe Bartolotta (who died in 2019) opened their first Milwaukee-area restaurant in 1993 after Paul had worked in restaurants in France, Italy, New York City, and Chicago. Bartolotta said their vision for the company centered around hiring good employees and supporting them. n n“It’s all about our people. Let’s take care of them first and invest in them. Believe in their vision and support their vision. Give them the opportunity and they will help you grow,” he said. “Growth helps everyone. It creates career pathways. It creates opportunity.” n nGenrich: Collaboration is key n nIn his luncheon address to the summit, Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich also emphasized the importance of working together. “It starts and ends with partnership and collaboration,” he said. “Partnerships are so essential to growing this city.” n nGenrich said support from WEDC and from the Wisconsin Department of Administration have helped with job growth and economic development. n nIn particular, a $500,000 WEDC Idle Sites Redevelopment Grant authorized in 2021 was “the key” to kicking off a huge, multi-year waterfront redevelopment project, Genrich said. It allowed Brown County to purchase property that had been the site of a power plant and clear away remaining coal piles to incorporate the land into a promenade and public concert and recreation area along the shores of the Fox River that will be “transformational” to the city, he said. n nA grant for $1.8 million from the state’s Opportunity Attraction Fund, administered by WEDC, helped cover public safety costs that resulted from Green Bay hosting the 2025 NFL Draft in April, drawing about 600,000 visitors to the area. “We are so grateful,” Genrich said. n nEducational partnerships play a role, as well, he said, such as the courses at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College that have trained “so many tradespeople—work that is really essential to who we are in Northeast Wisconsin.” n nIn addition, a project by Harvard University and the Bloomberg Philanthropies City Data Alliance is redesigning Green Bay’s city government data systems to improve services to residents. n nGenrich said working with communities throughout the Fox Valley is also critical for the regional economy. “There’s a great spirit of collaboration across municipal boundaries. We recognize that we rise and fall together. If something is good for Ashwaubenon, it’s ultimately good for the city of Green Bay. If not for those collaborations, we would not be in the place where we are today,” he said. n nRikkers: Invest in communities n nRikkers acknowledged that the state has challenges to confront—including affordable housing, child care, and a workforce shortage—but said those challenges offer an opportunity to rethink strategies for growth. n n“Every time we invest in workforce, infrastructure, or entrepreneurship, we’re strengthening the communities that sustain them. And every time we invest in communities, we’re creating the conditions businesses need to grow,” he said. n nNoting that Wisconsin lags behind neighboring states in terms of venture capital investment in startups, WEDC Vice President of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Shayna Hetzel said investors should be taking a longer look at Wisconsin for its exceptional workforce and supply chain. n n“We have so much unmet potential in Wisconsin. We can have debates but when we leave the room, we are Team Wisconsin. We need everyone to lock arms and commit to innovation. Innovation is everyone’s job,” Hetzel said. n nOneida Nation chairman highlights education, job creation n nInvesting in community is not just an issue for Wisconsin’s cities and towns, it is also the keystone of the state’s 11 federally recognized Native American Tribes. n nOne of the featured speakers at the summit, Hill said the Tribe’s diverse businesses are an economic engine for the state, as well as for the Oneida Nation, providing an annual financial impact of more than $750 million. n nGaming—that started with bingo parlors in the 1970s and expanded to the Oneida Casino that opened in Green Bay in 1994—have provided financial stability for the Tribe. “Every dollar coming into the casino was earmarked for essential services to tribal members and still is, to date,” Hill said. n nBut gaming also represents more than just a revenue stream. “It was about standing firm in our sovereignty and building a foundation for the future of our people, on our terms,” Hill said. n nThe Oneida Tribe has more than 7,000 members in Wisconsin, and 59% of them live on the 65,400-acre reservation, he said. n nIn addition to the casino and hotel, the Tribe operates the Thornberry Creek golf course at Oneida and owns several engineering companies, retail shops, and an apple orchard. Hill said the tribe provides about 3,000 jobs. According to the Wisconsin Department of Administration, the Oneida Nation is the fifth-largest employer in Brown County and the 14th-largest employer in Outagamie County. n nRevenue from the businesses goes toward education, health care, public utilities, police operations, and social services for Tribal members. Education is the Tribe’s “leading priority,” Hill said, and the reservation’s K-12 school “relieves local school districts of almost $6 million in educational costs for our members’ children.” n nThe Oneida Nation was formally recognized as a sovereign nation in 1838 after the tribe was displaced from its original lands in New York in the early 1800s and many of its members were relocated to the Green Bay area. Tribal members persevered, with their “seven generations” philosophy, thinking about providing for their children, their children’s children, and beyond, Hill said. n n“Our ancestors forged a great path for us to follow and they have laid the foundation for this community in which we live today,” he said. n nGovernor Evers: Invest in Wisconsin’s future n nGovernor Tony Evers drew two standing ovations as he made a surprise appearance near the close of the two-day summit. n nGovernor Evers noted that WEDC has committed more than $91 million in grants, loans, and tax credits to projects and programs across Wisconsin in the 2025 fiscal year—the highest volume in the past five years. n n“Capital is important, but it’s about people investing in people and all of us investing in Wisconsin’s future,” he said. “That’s the Wisconsin way. We show up, we roll up our sleeves, and we find a way forward.” n nGovernor Evers referred to “incredible wins” the state has achieved through investments from global corporations, including Microsoft’s partnerships with the Green Bay Packers and the UW-Milwaukee, as well as the purchase and planned expansion of the Nexus Pharmaceuticals plant in Pleasant Prairie by Eli Lilly & Co. These projects will create thousands of jobs with good salaries and will ensure that Wisconsin moves forward in sectors such as advanced manufacturing and personalized medicine, he said. n nGovernor Evers said the Wisconsin Economic Summit has reflected the spirit of coming together to imagine what’s next for that state. n n“I hope you leave inspired to keep that collaboration growing. Continue building an economy that works for every person in every corner of the state,” he said.