Accelerate Magazine July 2020

WAUKESHA COUNTY BUSINESS ALLIANCE, INC. | WAUKESHA.ORG A STRONG PARTNERSHIP FOR THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY Four years ago, the Waukesha County Business Alliance joined forces with Waukesha County, the University of Wisconsin Small Business Development Center and the City of Waukesha to create a new economic development organization called the Waukesha County Center for Growth. Waukesha County, at that time, was an economic engine in Southeast Wisconsin with record low unemployment. Driver industries such as construction and manufacturing were booming, fueling a vibrant supplier network and strong consumer confidence. Despite a thriving economy, county leaders saw the need for an organization that could connect businesses to the resources they needed to expand or locate in Waukesha County. The Center for Growth partnered with the Business Alliance to create a one-stop shop to support the business community. Workforce development became a high priority for both organizations, as many employers were facing serious difficulties finding skilled workers and filling open jobs. Fast-forward to today, we’re facing an economic crisis created by a global pandemic. COVID-19 resulted in the most sudden economic shutdown and surge of unemployment in our nation’s history. Unemployment topped 20 percent nationally and is at about 12 percent in Wisconsin. Small businesses have been the most heavily impacted, particularly those in the entertainment, hospitality, restaurant and retail industries. This new economic reality has somewhat shifted the focus of the Alliance and Center for Growth, although our role of being the premier advocate and resource for business remains the same. Visiting a customer’s manufacturing facility just outside of Tokyo in Japan. SUZANNE KELLEY President & CEO, Waukesha County Business Alliance, Waukesha County Center for Growth Board Member 24