Expansion and Business Development in the New North
650 miles of rail line in Wisconsin, UP sold
WLUK
(WLUK) -- About 650 miles of railroad tracks in Wisconsin and upper Michigan are being sold.

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation says logistics company Watco is buying the tracks from Canadian National. Watco currently operates the Wisconsin and Southern Railroad, which connects to the CN line.

"More than 170 million tons of freight move by rail in Wisconsin each year," Wisconsin DOT Secretary-designee Craig Thompson said in a news release. "For many of Wisconsin’s major industries – agriculture, manufacturing, and wood products – rail is the most cost-effective way to move freight...
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Encourage Educational Attainment
St. Norbert College receives grant to help produce STEM teachers
NBC26
DE PERE — In a press release, St. Norbert College announced The National Science Foundation has awarded the college a one-year $118,000 capacity-building grant for a project entitled, “Creating a Minor in Education as a Pathway for Science, Math or Computer Science Majors to Obtain Teaching Licensure.”

St. Norbert, in partnership with Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (NWTC) and the Green Bay Area Public School District, will collaborate to increase the number of highly qualified, diverse STEM-committed students choosing and completing STEM education programs at St. Norbert...
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Leadership in the New North
People to Know: Dr. Kimberly Barrett
Insight Publications
Diversity and inclusion aren’t just buzzwords to Dr. Kimberly Barrett. They are values she lives and are embedded in the work she does every day at Lawrence University.

Barrett, vice president for diversity and inclusion and associate dean of the faculty, says the university’s focus on diversity and inclusion has “changed the way we do things. For example, in our hiring practices, we seek out a wide pool of applicants and do what we can to diminish implicit bias” when choosing the final candidate.

She adds most people want to be fair, just and inclusive, but society “isn’t built that way...
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Expansion and Business Development in the New North
Riverfront reveal: Development Plans in Place for Peninsula Along Manitowoc River
Insight Publications
For years, Manitowoc Mayor Justin Nickels sought to purchase 20-plus acres of undeveloped land on a peninsula owned by CN along the Manitowoc River.

“What mayor wouldn’t want 20 acres of land along the riverfront? It bursts with opportunities,” he says.

Nickels got his wish in 2018 and now its first developments are coming into focus. The newly named River Point District will feature a mix of residential, commercial and entertainment uses. It also will include plenty of public space and provide access to the river...
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Promote the Regional Brand
Associated Bank recognized as a top employer by Equal Opportunity magazine
Associated Bank
Equal Opportunity magazine recently recognized Associated Bank as one of their 2021 top 50 employers.

Readers of the magazine were asked to name the employers for whom they would most like to work or that they believe would provide a positive environment for people with disabilities.

Associated Bank recognizes the value and skills workers with disabilities bring to the workplace. This allows the bank to best carry out its vision of making a difference in the community....
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Expansion and Business Development in the New North
Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry buys Wabash Castings, adds 100 workers, new products
Herald Times Reporter
MANITOWOC - Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry is on the grow again.

The company, which completed an expansion in Manitowoc in late 2020, announced Wednesday it has purchased the assets of Wabash Castings, which is based in Wabash, Indiana.

“Wabash Castings in renowned for their ability to produce high-volume, complex castings, and is the perfect complement to our existing breadth of production lines,” Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry CEO Sachin Shivaram said in a release.

The acquisition accelerates Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry's electric vehicle and consumer goods markets, he noted. They will continue to use the Wabash Castings brand name, he said...
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Expansion and Business Development in the New North
Amtrak releases 'aspirational' map for next 15 years with hub in Madison, new stops in Green Bay, Eau Claire
Wisconsin State Journal
A new map released by Amtrak Wednesday shows the potential growth of rail service across the country over the next 15 years, including a hub in Madison.

Amtrak’s 2035 vision includes plans for new routes with stops in Madison and fellow Wisconsin cities Eau Claire and Green Bay, according to the new map.

The company also plans to improve a number of existing routes, including several from Chicago...
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Encourage Educational Attainment
Microsoft targets 50,000 jobs with LinkedIn 're-skilling' effort
Reuters
(Reuters) - Microsoft Corp said on Tuesday that it aims to place 50,000 people in jobs that require technology skills as part of a broader push being undertaken with its professional networking website LinkedIn to help workers affected by the coronavirus pandemic move into new fields.

The effort started last year as pandemic-related business closures hit service workers much harder than technology workers and other white-collar employees who could work from home. LinkedIn made free many of its paid digital skills training courses, covering topics such as software development, data analysis and financial analysis...
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