Welcome to the 7 Rivers Alliance State of

Welcome to the 7 Rivers Alliance State of the Region November 13, 2019 1

Welcome 7 Rivers Alliance President Tony Chladek 2

2019 Rising Stars Winners Rusty Cunningham Executive Editor, River Valley Media Group 3

Sam Bachmeier Town of residence: La Crosse, WI. Occupation/company: Economic Development Coordinator, LADCO.

Willie Bittner Town of residence: La Crosse, WI. Occupation/company: Owner/Lead Designer - Great Lakes Trailbuilders, LLC.

Justin Blaken Town of Residence: Melrose, WI. Occupation/Company: Vice President & Senior Loan Officer.

Kate Carlson Town of residence: Winona, MN. Occupation/company: Partnership Director at Visit Winona.

Kayleigh Day Town of residence: La Crosse, WI. Occupation/company: Community Health Educator, Monroe County Health Department.

Josh Dreps Town of residence: New Albin, IA. Occupation/company: Processor at City Meat Market.

Christine Feller Town of residence: Houston, MN. Occupation/company: Healthcare Administration, Mayo Clinic Health System.

Michelle Clark. Forsting Town of residence: Alma Center, WI. Occupation/company: Family Medicine Physician, Krohn Clinic.

David Gregerson Town of residence: La Crosse, WI. Occupation/company: Product Development Engineer, RTP Company.

Rob Grover Town of residence: Rural Galesville, WI. Occupation/company: Co. Owner: Winghaven Pizza Farm, Economic Development & Tourism Coordinator for Trempealeau County.

Jesse Horn Town of residence: Buffalo City, WI. Occupation/company: Motivational Speaker.

Tony Kirchner Town of residence: La Crosse, WI. Occupation/company: Part-Owner and President, Kirchner Custom Builders.

Jeremy Miller Town of residence: Winona, MN. Occupation/company: Co-Owner of Wm. Miller Scrap Iron & Metal Co. and Minnesota State Senator.

Oakley Moser Town of residence: Tomah, WI. Occupation/company: Physics teacher, Tomah High School.

Ryan Nelson Town of residence: La Crosse, WI. Occupation/company: Teacher, School District of West Salem.

Amanda Nogle Town of residence: La Crosse, WI. Occupation/company: Director of Development, Gundersen Medical Foundation.

Liz O’Brien Town of residence: Holmen, WI. Occupation/company: Entrepreneur/Business Management (Old Town Center, The Grind Coffeehouse, Serenity Waters, O’Brien & Associates).

Sarah Petersen Town of residence: La Crosse, WI. Occupation/company: Sarah Schultz Photography and a local non-profit p. s. I love you inc.

Randi Pueschner Town of residence: La Crosse, WI. Occupation/company: Self Employed Proposal Consultant and Co-Owner of Smith’s Bike Shop.

Kaitlyn Riley Town of residence: Gays Mills, WI Occupation/company: Farm News Director, Mid. West Family in La Crosse.

Justin Running Town of residence: Viroqua, WI Occupation/company: Owner, Running Inc.

Emelee Volden Town of residence: La Crosse, WI. Occupation/company: International Educator, UWL.

Alana Voss Town of residence: Mauston, WI. Occupation/company: Agriculture Educator for Juneau and Sauk Counties UW-Madison Division of Extension.

Becky Zoellner Town of residence: La Crosse, WI. Occupation/company: Treasury Management Officer, Merchants Bank.

Lee Rasch Community Partnership Award Presented by Patti Balacek Director of Regional Workforce Western Technical College 28

7 Rivers Alliance 2019 Executive Survey Cameron Knight Marketing and Events Intern 29

2019 Executive Business Survey Cameron Knight

Wisconsin 62. 8% Minnesota Iowa 14% 23. 3% 7 Rivers Region Southwest Wisconsin, Southeast Minnesota, and Northeast Iowa. Survey Outreach

Survey Responses • Retail/Trade • Healthcare/Insurance • Manufacturing/Construction

Research Sectors Business Climate Employee Conditions Business Conditions Challenges www. 7 riversalliance. org

Business Climate

Business Climate 2. 4% How would you rate the economic strength of the 7 Rivers Region? 7. 3% 43. 9% 46. 3% 2. 4% Excellent 46. 3% Above Average 43. 9% Average 7. 3% Below Average 0. 0% Poor

Business Climate 51. 2% - Better 42. 9% - No Change 4. 8% Worse

Business Conditions

Business Conditions (52. 4%)

Business Conditions 1 Workforce Availability 2 New Technology 3 Government Regulation Impactful Factors on Business Growth

Employee Conditions

Employee Conditions 1 Affordable Healthcare 2 Affordable Housing 3 Affordable Childcare 4 Transportation Access ?

Employee Conditions Childcare Healthcare Housing 19% 32% 29% Transportati on 21%

Employee Conditions Housing 57. 1% (2018) 44. 1% (2017) 61. 9% (2019) Housing Development Issue?

Employee Conditions Childcare 52. 4% impact 14. 3% would subsidize

Challenges (Open-Ended Questions)

What is your firm’s biggest challenge right now? 1) Worker Shortage (38. 2%) 2) Government Regulation (29. 3%) 3) Financing/Development (<10%)

Main Takeaways • Workforce Shortage (Qualifications) • Employee Conditions (Housing, Childcare, Transportation) • Business Climate - Thriving

Questions? Email us at info@7 riversalliance. org Visit our website at www. 7 Rivers. Alliance. org

Jorge Beltran Executive Director La Crosse Area Development Corporation 49

Chris Hardie CEO 7 Rivers Alliance Workforce Development Plan Update 50

7 Rivers Alliance Workforce Development Plan 51

Workforce Gap of 15, 549 by 2026 Based on current projections… No concerted action over the next 10 years Will result in -228 net new workers available for 15, 321 net new local jobs which means a Net shortage of 15, 549 during the next 10 years 52

Consensus 7 Rivers Talent Challenges Talent Preparation Talent pool lacks essential/soft skills Disconnect between workforce readiness and perceptions of employer expectations and the hiring realities Companies/employees are not adapting to new technologies, causing workers to drop out of the labor force Talent Recruitment The region not attracting enough workers to keep up with employment demand The region’s population is not ethnically diverse Workers leave or out-commute for better wages, housing options, and job prospects for family members Rental and for-sale housing is inadequate or not affordable for entry-level and higher-wage workers. Talent Retention Older workers are leaving the workforce faster than new workers are replacing them Local childcare options are limited and unaffordable Too many students leave the region after graduation Younger workers seek appealing workplaces that they do not think they can find locally The region’s transportation systems are not adequately connected nor sufficiently reliable for commuting 53

Goals Talent Preparation 1. 1 Increase student and worker employability skills to ensure increased workplace readiness 1. 2 Educate students, teachers, parents, and others about requirements for high paying, in-demand careers 1. 3 Prepare incumbent workers and mature jobseekers for greater flexibility in the workplace Talent Recruitment 2. 1 Promote the 7 Rivers Region benefits to potential residents and workers 2. 2 Foster inclusive regional communities to better attract minority and underrepresented individuals 2. 3 Assist and engage new families to area communities for better retention 2. 4 Provide businesses/jobseekers with information to make more informed hiring or employment decisions 2. 5 Ensure the availability of affordable housing for the region’s workforce. Talent Retention 3. 1 Provide companies information and tools to prepare for retirements and worker transitions. 3. 2 Develop public-private childcare partnerships to increase childcare capacity and address cost 3. 3 Bolster connections between students, employers, and communities so more graduates remain or return 3. 4 Inspire businesses to implement initiatives that position them as “Employers of Choice” 3. 5 Improve transit, ridesharing, and multi-modal transportation options to make them more accessible 54

Workforce Development Plan Implementation Structure: 7 Rivers Alliance – General Coordinator and Convener Talent Preparation Skill Upgrades Action Group (Goal 1. 1) Career Exploration Action Group (Goal 1. 2) Business/ Education Collaboration Action Group (Goal 1. 3) Talent Recruitment Talent Attraction Action Group (Goal 2. 1) Diversity Engagement Action Group (Goal 2. 2) Newcomer Welcome Action Group (Goal 2. 3) HR Information Resource Action Group (Goal 2. 4) Affordable Housing Action Group (Goal 2. 5) Talent Retention Senior Worker Transitions Action Group (Goal 3. 1) Quality Childcare Action Group (Goal 3. 2) Student/ Community Connections Action Group (Goal 3. 3) Promoting Employers of Choice Action Group (Goal 3. 4) Worker Transportation Action Group (Goal 3. 5) 55

THE SCORECARD Strategies in progress, with no conclusions or results: 4 Strategies not started: 6 Strategies ongoing, with some results: 12 56

TALENT PREPARATION Goal 1. 1: Increase student and worker employability skills to increase workplace readiness. Strategy 1. 1. 1: Increase exposure to workforce expectations among students to improve job readiness and employability. (In progress) Strategy 1. 1. 2: Strengthen business and education collaboration to better articulate skills needed for available jobs. (In progress) Goal 1. 2: Educate students, educators, parents and other community members about the educational requirements for high-paying, in-demand careers. Prepare incumbent workers and mature jobseekers to have greater flexibility in the workplace. Strategy 1. 2. 1 and 1. 3. 1: Create opportunities for students and jobseekers to learn more about careers at area businesses. Provide businesses with resources to train and educate the current workforce on skills required to meet entry level and more advanced needs. (In progress) Strategy 1. 2. 2: Market/promote two-year post-secondary education as a pathway to work OR an affordable four-year education. (Not started) 57

TALENT RECRUITMENT Goal 2. 1: Promote the 7 Rivers Region to potential residents and workers that may not be aware of the region’s benefits. Strategy 2. 1. 1: Create a marketing & branding for the region. (Ongoing) Goal 2. 2: Foster inclusive regional communities to better attract minority and underrepresented individuals. Strategy 2. 2. 1: Increase the visibility of minority groups in the region (not started) Goal 2. 3: Assist and engage newly arriving families to area communities to retain them in the region. Strategy 2. 3. 1: Provide local concierge services (Ongoing) Goal 2. 4: Provide businesses and jobseekers with comparative economic information that helps inform decisions about hiring and employment options. Strategy 2. 4. 1: Educate regional employers on relative wage differentials and engage businesses in efforts to boost wages across the region. (Ongoing) Strategy 2. 4. 2: Help companies learn about successful employee recruiting techniques. 58 (Ongoing)

TALENT RECRUITMENT Goal 2. 5: Ensure the availability of affordable housing for the region’s workforce. Strategy 2. 5. 1: Reshape public opinion to make the region more attractive for workers to remain (In progress) Strategy 2. 5. 2: Develop funding mechanisms to foster employer-led initiatives to provide housing. (Not started) 59

TALENT RETENTION Goal 3. 1: Provide information and tools that help companies prepare for pending retirements so local employers can prepare for worker transitions. Strategy 3. 1. 1: Identify and share best practices in flexible scheduling, job share and mentorship models with region’s employers. (Ongoing) Goal 3. 2: Develop public-private childcare partnerships to increase childcare facility capacity and address affordability gaps. Strategy 3. 2. 1: Identify and support public policy changes that would address childcare availability and affordability issues. (Ongoing) Strategy 3. 2. 2: Increase awareness among employers of the value or organized, subsidized childcare for employees and for the employers businesses. (Ongoing) 60

TALENT RETENTION Strategy 3. 2. 3: Conduct a full regional childcare analysis (expanding what has already been done in Jackson, Juneau and Monroe counties. ) (Ongoing) Goal 3. 3: Bolster connections between currently enrolled students, regional employers and local communities to encourage graduates to remain in the area. Strategy 3. 3. 1: Create sector-based Talent Upload program for students to connect with local businesses to develop relationships. (Ongoing) Strategy 3. 3. 2: Initiate regional activities that build enduring connectivity between graduates and the region. (Ongoing) Strategy 3. 3. 3: Seek ways to promote the professional development of young adults working in the region and engage them as community leaders. (Ongoing) 61

TALENT RETENTION Goal 3. 4: Inspire businesses to become “employers of choice. ” Strategy 3. 4. 1: Share best practices with businesses about how to become “an employer of choice. ” (Ongoing) Goal 3. 5: Improve transit, ridesharing and multi-modal transportation options and make transportation system more accessible. Strategy 3. 5. 1: Expand rideshare and carpool/vanpool programs in the region to fill gaps in public transportation service and provide flexibility in trip planning. (Not started) Strategy 3. 5. 2: Improve the park and ride system to support multi-modal transportation. (Not started) Strategy 3. 5. 3: Engage in short-term planning and policy initiatives for the potential future establishment of a Regional Transit Authority. (Not started) 62

Next steps Convene meeting early in 2020 of stakeholders to revisit plan Adjust plan, change committees and teams as needed Hold transportation summit Engage partners 63