The head of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation touts the private/public agency’s accomplishments since its inception seven month ago. CEO Paul Jadin said these include better regional resources and a push to expand exports. He shared these ideas at the annual Governor’s Conference on Economic Development in Madison.
WEDC has reshaped the former commerce department’s positions of regional development managers into regional account managers with an emphasis on local engagement.
Jadin recalled during his time as Green Bay mayor he had little communication with the regional commerce representative, “I probably ran into him more at church than I did my office.”
WEDC has added regional account managers in the “New North” and “M-7” area of Milwaukee.
The agency head talked of expanding markets globally. The state has offices in Canada, Mexico, Brazil and China but Jadin said they are looking into similar expansions in Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Russia.
Jadin said this spring the state will take trade missions to Vietnam, Thailand and Singapore; to India; and to Brazil, Chile and Colombia.