2025 Wisconsin Rural Summit Agenda |
Vibrant Rural Communities
April 30 & May 1, 2025 | Fort Atkinson, WI
Wednesday, April 30 Schedule |
Time | Description |
Two Options to tour Fort Atkinson Area |
4:30 pm | Bus Tour of Fort Atkinson Area Hosts: Rebecca Houseman, City Manager and Sarah Weihert, Public Relations Executive Assistant Bus Leaves Country Inn & Suites |
5:00 pm | Walking Tour of Downton Fort Atkinson Our Walking Tour will give you a feel for how our downtown's history connects to today's initiatives. It will highlight businesses of the past and present, some of the infrastructure changes, and there might even be a few laughs along the way!!! Hosts: Shauna Wessely, Executive Director, Atkinson Area Chamber of Commerce Meet at the Fort Atkinson Area Chamber of Commerce |
6:00 pm | Welcome Reception | PaddyShack Golf & Game Lounge Enjoy appetizers and drinks |
7:30 pm | Bus Returns to Country Inn & Suites |
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Thursday, May 1 Schedule | The Riverstone Event Center |
Time |
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7:30 am | Registration & Continental Breakfast |
Visit Exhibitors
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8:15 am | Welcome to Fort Atkinson |
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8:30 am | Fort Atkinson's Strength | Stories of Collaboration A Fireside Chat in which panelists share their experiences and perspectives on what it takes to be a successful business owner who contributes to our community’s vibrancy. Session Sponsored by |
Conversation Facilitator: |
9:00 am | Break - Visit Exhibitors |
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9:30 am | Jefferson County Welcomes Onego Bio: Understanding the Selection Process of the Site Onego Bio, a food ingredient company that produces egg protein powder through fermentation, will be the second tenant at Jefferson County’s Food and Beverage Innovation Campus. This session will discuss Baker Tilly and Onego Bio's process to identify the flagship Manufacturing Facility's U.S. location and why Jefferson was ultimately chosen from a multi-state search down to a single site. Learn how your community can become more competitive in attracting similar projects like Onego Bio. | Chris Urchell, Senior Manager, Baker Tilly Brad Elmer, Managing Director, Baker Tilly |
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10:00 am | Innovative Use of State Programs Join us for a panel discussion featuring rural community representatives discussing local success stories for initiatives leveraging state grants to achieve local goals. Panelists represent communities that have leveraged one or more WEDC programs to help stretch local funds and implement projects that support economic growth. | Panelists include: Greg Grohman, Grant Writer, Waupaca City/School District/Chamber Larkin Brekel, Economic Development and Marketing Coordinator, Vernon County Jason Scott, WEDC Regional Director & Brownfields Specialist |
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11:00 am | Break - Visit Exhibitors |
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11:15 am |
Boost Fort Atkinson: A Challenge for Local Communities Fort Atkinson is soliciting business ideas from entrepreneurs to fill downtown space, they are partnering UW Whitewater and Chamber – Free rent for the year with the goal of long term rental/businesses.
| Dr. Choton Basu, Professor, UW Whitewater, Entrepreneur, Consultant, Innovator Shauna Wessley, Executive Director, Fort Atkinson Area Chamber of Commerce |
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12:00 pm | Lunch | Top Rural Development Initiatives (TRDI) Presentation |
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1:00 pm | Community Visioning in East Central Wisconsin: A Case Study Discover how small communities are leveraging community support, regional programs, and innovative projects to create lasting impact in Wisconsin. This session will highlight successful outcomes that continue to build local momentum for unique placemaking efforts. Melissa Hunt will moderate the discussion, providing key insights on post-pandemic community and economic development trends. Melissa Kraemer-Badtke, Executive Director of ECWRPC, will outline the Small Community Technical Assistance Program, its funding sources, and its impact. A community representative from an ECWRPC-funded project will share firsthand how the program has benefited their community. Keely Campbell, Ayres Associates, will discuss this initiative and other programs that have contributed to advancing placemaking efforts. Noah Wiedenfeld, New Richmond City Administrator, will highlight a local project and its broader impact on the community.
| Melissa Hunt, President & CEO, Wisconsin Economic Development Association Melissa Kraemer-Badtke, Executive Director of ECWRPC Noah Wiedenfeld, New Richmond City Administrator |
1:45 pm | Break - Visit Exhibitors |
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2:-00 pm | Collaborative Leadership for Economic Growth: This session will detail the creation of the Greater Dunn County Director of Economic Development position, a role born from a collaborative initiative involving the City of Menomonie, Dunn County, the University of Wisconsin-Stout, and local development corporations. The position was created in response to challenges identified at a countywide economic development summit, and it addresses business retention, entrepreneurship, and workforce housing. Participants will learn how this model—combining financial and strategic resources across public and private sectors—can be adapted to meet economic development needs in other rural communities. | Adam Accola, Director of Economic Development, Dunn Economic Development Seth Hudson, Innovation in Dunn County & Executive Director for Corporate Relations and Economic Engagement, UW-Stout |
2:45 pm |
2025 Legislation: Federal and State Updates With the daily changes of funding at the federal level and the state in the midst of hammering out the budget, many are wondering how to plan their own organizations' budgets. Rob Marchant and Michael Welsh will give the latest updates, give the insider scoop, and answer your questions. This is a not-to-miss session for all organizations, from small businesses to state-level leaders. | National View: Rob Marchant, Managing Principal and Director of Growth, HB Strategies State View: Michael Welsh, WEDA Lobbyist & PW Government Relations Group, LLC |
3:45 pm | Thank you! Looking forward to 2026 |
CONTACT US
Wisconsin Rural Partners
601 Sawyer Terrace #5184
Madison, WI 53705