Accelerate Magazine January 2022

Hiring of individuals is expected at all levels, with 50 percent of businesses planning to add 1-9 employees, 40 percent planning to add 10- 99 employees, and nine percent planning to add more than 100 employees. “We're happy that our growth provides additional career opportunities to the community, and we are working hard to be an employer of choice in the area. Menomonee Falls is our home. We considered many ways to expand and felt very strongly about staying right here and continuing to support all the stakeholders involved,” said Glenroy’s Jablonka Nelson. Generac Power Systems, a leading global designer and manufacturer of energy technology solutions and other power products, recently recommitted to Wisconsin with a major expansion of its corporate operations into the City of Pewaukee. The company has invested more than $8 million to purchase and renovate a 75,000-square-foot office building off I-94. The new location, which houses approximately 300 employees, is now home to the company’s new Customer Contact Center, key sales and support groups, as well as portions of Generac’s marketing team. “The combination of an aging power grid and extreme weather are resulting in more frequent and longer lasting power outages,” states Aaron Jagdfeld, president and CEO of Generac. “This, in turn, has created phenomenal demand and growth for Generac’s high-performing backup power systems. Our expansion in Waukesha County is allowing us to continue to grow Generac to serve our customers, partners and our people, as we work to meet the incredible market demand.” A Great Place to Live, Work and Play Waukesha County continues to rank well as a great place to live, work and play, demonstrated by growth throughout the county and not just limited to business. According to the survey, more than 90 percent of businesses reportedWaukesha County as a desirable or somewhat desirable place to do business. In Oconomowoc, the first phase of Wangard Partners’ complete re- imagining and revitalization of the historic property that was once home to the Olympia Hotel and Resort is underway with the Locklyn at Olympia Fields, a new luxury apartment development. The Locklyn will bring 178 units to Oconomowoc as part of seven new Class-A apartment buildings, sitting on 10.5 acres and representing a nearly $40 million investment in the community. “The Wangard team is very excited about the opportunities the Olympia Fields development provides to both residential and commercial tenants,” saidWangard President/COO Matt Moroney. “Our team took a blighted property and redesigned it to be a vibrant area with a mix of retail and residential, and the project design will accommodate a much larger residential development immediately to the west on the vacant 200+ acre golf course. This development will support many restaurants and commercial retailers that seek to locate in the vibrant community of Oconomowoc,”Moroney added. In addition to growth at the business, municipal and housing level, many start-up companies continue to be created. In 2020, SMART SPACES launched as a new small business through collaboration with BSI. SMART SPACES, a BSI integration partner, delivers flexible spaces with technology capabilities built right in. SMART SPACES President/CEO Victor Hernandez said that after one full year in business, the company has nearly doubled its number of associates to support the demand of technology driven design projects. As the new year is now underway, Waukesha County is poised for continued growth and expansion. And the momentum is on track to carry through into the years ahead as well. What will it take to continue driving business growth in Waukesha County? It’s clear our county’s greatest challenge remains a workforce shortage, which is exacerbated by an aging population and low population WAUKESHA COUNTY BUSINESS ALLIANCE, INC. | WAUKESHA.ORG 20