Iowa County Wisconsin. Entrepreneurship focus generates 60 new jobs developed, and 28 new jobs attracted. Many valuable startups launched. New businesses downtown. Entrepreneurship at work in economic development.

When I applied for the job of starting up an economic development program in rural Wisconsin I was as green as could be in this world. My first day on the job, the Great Recession was declared and the Dow dropped about 700 points.  There was economic carnage everywhere.  

My kind of startup.

Our brand new Iowa County Area Economic Development Corporation (ICAEDC) set out to find new opportunities in this difficult environment and we did it.  

What worked was our focus on entrepreneurship and helping existing businesses grow. 

A new report I'm now circulating to our ICAEDC Board identifies at least 60 new jobs our group is being credited with helping develop.  We are also credited with supporting the development of Barneveld's amazing new business park which has just attracted a planned 28 good new jobs to Iowa County.  

Photo is from the groundbreaking last week of Bio-Vet's new facility in the new Barneveld Business Park.  Bio-Vet is a globally relevant, life sciences research and technology company we are thrilled to welcome to Iowa County.

Here is what past Barneveld Village President Mike Peterson had to say about our ICAEDC support for Barneveld:

"Rick Terrien and the Iowa County EDC have been a valuable resource in helping the Village of Barneveld develop our new Business Park.  As Village President, I often called Rick for continuing updates and information about economic development news and opportunities.  This was a great value to me and the Village of Barneveld." 

Thank you Mike, and thank you Barneveld.  My focus has always been entrepreneurship.  Barneveld is so strategically located it jumps off the page with possibilities for entrepreneurs to grow. 

I think economic development emerges from strategies and actions that make the whole place increasingly entrepreneurial.  Everyone should have opportunities.  Among those 88 jobs developed and attracted, we're counting 32 new jobs for people with disabilities, now working at the amazing Wisconsin Innovation Kitchen.

We've helped great new local businesses open in our downtowns.  We've helped our existing local businesses grow.  We've nurtured many new startups and helped launch some of the coolest new rural economic development stories in the country.  I'm very proud of these results.



Other Iowa County Area Economic Development success stories circulating on the news feed at our home page.
 
Original article about Bio-Vet in Dodgeville Chronicle

Bio-Vet

Pictured in photo (l to r) is Scott Leahy, Barneveld Village President, Bill Zimmer President of Bio-Vet, and Rick Terrien.  Photo credit for this shot goes to former Village of Barneveld President Mike Peterson.  Thanks Mike.  Beautiful Blue Mound State Park is in the background. One of 3 wonderful state parks in Iowa County, WI. 

2013 Wisconsin Grilled Cheese Championship winners! With ingredient lists... Yum!

We had a wonderful day in Iowa County Wisconsin for the 2013 Wisconsin Grilled Cheese Championships.

Great turnout.  About 2,000 people.  I had a lovely chat with a group from London England.  They had read about the event in the Chicago Tribune while visiting there and drove up for the day.  How cool.  

Who says economic development can't be focused on food and fun!  I'm very proud that our Iowa County (WI) Area Economic Development Corp. hosted this amazing event.  

This was another great opportunity to prove how valuable food and agriculture can be to economic development.

Many thanks to my friend and former Board Chair of the Iowa County EDC, Dr. Lorin Toepper who created and organized this great event.  We are also grateful for the support from the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board and many other sponsors.
 
Here is a list of winners in each category, including ingredients:

Professional Best of Show (top photo)
Mason Grode, Neenah, WI
Category:  Classic Plus Extras
Ingredients:
Saxon's Greenfield
Red Barn 1-year Cheddar
Pleasant Ridge Reserve
Expresso Bellavitano
Micro Kale
Cured Olives 
Gooseberry Jelly
Hickory Nuts
on Hop sourdough 
 
Amateur Best of Show
Bryn Bowden, Platteville, WI
Category:  Classic Dessert Grilled Cheese
Ingredients:
Maple Syrup 
Classic Italian Bread
Apple Jack Cheese
Chocolate Cheese

Professional Classic
Katherine Rehfeldt-Tonn
Gouda Girls, Milwaukee, WI
Ingredients:
Chipolte Ole-Beechwood
Moody Blue-Smoked Blue - Roth
Buffalo Jack-Star Dairy-Zito
Tuscan Bread
Butter

Amateur Classic
Mark Landgraf, Madison, WI
Ingredients:
Tomato Basil Cheese
Sour Dough Bread
Butter
Basil

Professional Classic Plus One
Evan Talbert
Best Western Inn Towner, Madison, WI
Ingredients:
Country Bread
Babcock Dairy Brick
Bacon
Jalapeno Jam

Amateur Classic Plus One
Lance Orr, Milwaukee, WI
Ingredients:
Cheddar Bacon
North Star Weyauwega Bacon - Haen Meat Market

Professional Classic Plus Extras
Mason Grode, Neenah, WI
Ingredients:  (above)

Amateur Classic Plus Extras
Katherine Cahill, Dodgeville, WI
Ingredients:
Maple Goat Cheese
Prosciutto
Organic egg Yolks
Seeded Bread "Breakfast"
Parmesan Lace Garnish

Professional Classic Dessert
Caitlin Way

Amateur Classic Dessert
Bryn Bowden , Platteville, WI
Ingredients:  (above)

Young Chef
Evie Lynch, Madison, WI
Ingredients:
Brioche
Nutella
Marscapone
Butter
Salt
Raspberry Sauce 

Congratulations to all the winners! Thanks to all competitors, volunteers and Lorin Toepper who made this all happen.  Many thanks to everyone who visited our Wisconsin Grilled Cheese Championship in beautiful Iowa County, Wisconsin.

Food and fun.  My kind of economic development!

Official web site of the Wisconsin Grilled Cheese Championship

Iowa County Area Economic Development