WisBusiness.com

Travel Wisconsin Secretary Anne Sayers at a legislative hearing argued for increased investment in Wisconsin #tourism, supporting Governor Tony Evers’ proposed #budget that would boost #staff and #marketing funding. Sayers told the Assembly Committee on Tourism yesterday the department needs money for marketing to drive #visitors to Wisconsin, as well as more staff positions in the upcoming biennium. #Wisconsin was 27th in the nation for direct visitor spending in 2019, and jumped to 23rd in the nation in 2023, according to Sayers. She said a goal for the state is to reach top 20 in the coming years. Read on ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gmhWDgCu

The state Building Commission again deadlocked on the Governor Tony Evers' capital #budget, sending it to the #GOP-run Joint Finance Committee with no recommendation as #Republican lawmakers argued more discussion was needed. Senate President Mary Felzkowski, R-Tomahawk, told #Evers at the outset of yesterday’s meeting that a lot of worthy projects had been proposed. But she raised concerns about the more than $3.8 billion in new bonding he had proposed, noting it was more than what the Legislature had approved in the past five capital #budgets combined. “I think to get to a more appropriate level, further discussion is needed, and we need to hear from stakeholders and the public, and that just hasn’t happened,” Felzkowski said. Read more at https://lnkd.in/g8jBHEvK

In the latest “Talking Trade” podcast, #WEDC Chief Operating Officer Sam Rikkers discusses tariffs, export trends and how the agency helps Wisconsin businesses reach international markets. He touches on a recent trade mission to Mexico that was organized by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. It included a handful of businesses across #agriculture, #manufacturing and #chemical industries. Rikkers called the trip “tremendously successful” for the companies, most of which had never been part of a #trademission before. “#Mexico, as Wisconsin’s second largest trading partner, is a place that we go back to quite regularly,” he said. “And that’s because our #Wisconsin companies, when they’re looking to expand their markets, they’re looking at our neighbor to the south as a place of just tremendous opportunity.” Listen to full 🎙 podcast, hosted by E.M. Wasylik Managing Director Ken Wasylik and M.E. Dey & Co. President and Managing Director Sandi Siegel, at https://lnkd.in/gWSq5SdF

UW Health plans to roll out a new #AI #transcribing tool to 300 more care providers as it seeks to cut #administrative burden on providers. The Madison #healthsystem recently announced plans to quadruple the number of 🩺 providers using its “ambient listening” #AI tool over the first half of this year. The program can record audio of a discussion between a doctor and patient, transcribe it and analyze it to create a “draft” visit note that’s later reviewed by the provider. Dr. Joel Gordon, chief medical information officer for #UWHealth, says the tool helps providers focus on interacting with the patient rather than typing into an 🖥 #electronichealthrecords (#EHR) system. “It’s an ubiquitous improvement almost instantly, for people to turn this on and say the same day they first use it, is an improvement in #workflow, an improvement in their care experience … so I’m really, really excited about what this gives us,” he said Friday in an interview. Read more at https://lnkd.in/dCBtYsjW

Amid the chaos posed by the ongoing #tradewar, experts say short-term pain is inevitable but they expect 🌏 #globaltrade will stabilize as the conflict plays out. Speaking yesterday during a “Talking Trade” 🎙 podcast event at Carroll University in Waukesha, panelists explored impacts of the #tariffs recently enacted under the Trump administration. They also talked about #retaliatory moves by targeted countries — both friends and foes alike. Tim Sullivan, dean of the Carroll University Sullivan School of Business and Technology, said “the business community is not happy” with the current uncertainty caused by Trump’s “unconventional and dramatic” approach to #tradenegotiations. “We like certainty, we like to plan,” said Sullivan, who used to run #Bucyrus. “If you’re a public company, you’ve got to come out quarterly and tell your #shareholders how you’re going to perform, not only for this quarter but for the year … #Trump is playing the long game. And the long game, though, is finite. He’s got four years.” 🔸 Ken Wasylik, managing director of international business firm E.M. Wasylik 🔸 Sandi Siegel, president of Milwaukee customs broker M.E. Dey & Co. 🔸 Alexandra Sielaff, Ph.D., CPC, director of Carroll University’s MBA program Read more - https://lnkd.in/g8_5mpXk

Many #lowincome #households in #Wisconsin were likely left footing the bill for 📶 internet services after #federalfunding ran out last year for the Affordable Connectivity Program. That’s according to Drew Garner, director of policy engagement with the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society in Illinois. He spoke 🎙 yesterday during a meeting of the Governor’s Task Force on Broadband Access, where he pointed to affordability issues as a main barrier to #broadband adoption. Similarly, access to broadband #internet is “heavily correlated” with 💰 #economic prosperity and better #health, Garner said. “When broadband is available, it increases #entrepreneurship and business #revenue,” he said. “Health outcomes get better … health care costs decline, because the more you can take advantage of #telehealth services, the less you have to rely on an ambulance to drive you from a rural area to a 🏨 hospital.” Read more at https://lnkd.in/gr_T6ZB9

Jill Underly, Ph.D. and Brittany Kinser

Firearm maker Henry Repeating Arms plans to move all #manufacturing operations to #Wisconsin after recently expanding its headquarters in Rice Lake. In a release yesterday, the #manufacturer announced its “firm commitment” to the move, which will involve transferring operations from its New Jersey plant to Rice Lake and nearby facilities in Ladysmith. In addition, the company says it’s buying a third location in Ladysmith this summer as it gears up to expand production. The business currently employs more than 800 people across its existing locations, where it makes various #rifles, #shotguns and #revolvers. Its specialty is lever-action firearms, and the company name references Benjamin Tyler Henry, who invented the Henry lever-action rifle in 1860. Read more at https://lnkd.in/g62mtxCk

An 🌎 international trade expert says business leaders should be “thinking #global from the very beginning” in order to unlock faster growth and higher #profits. Roxanne Baumann, global business strategist and owner of Baumann Global, LLC in Pewaukee, spoke yesterday during the Wisconsin Tech Summit in Milwaukee, an annual event hosted by the Wisconsin Technology Council. She noted 85% of the world’s purchasing power and 80% of global #economic growth is located outside of the United States, emphasizing the opportunity presented by #foreignmarkets. In #export conversations with leaders of small and medium-sized #manufacturers, Baumann often references the fact that 95% of all consumers live outside the U.S., she said. “I’m like, look at that number,” she said. “I mean, seriously … You guys are young, budding #entrepreneurs here. Are you going to bet your #business on the 5% of available #consumers that are here in the #UnitedStates? There’s a huge opportunity outside of our borders.” Read more and share your 🗣 thoughts! https://lnkd.in/gxnuX36M

MMAC President Dale Kooyenga says efforts to address the impacts of an #airquality classification change for southeastern #Wisconsin are “going well” as legislation to change #federallaw is in the works. In an interview last week, the former Republican lawmaker discussed the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s recent move to change a regional #ozone nonattainment classification from “moderate” to “serious,” which establishes tougher emissions requirements for local industry. #MMAC and other stakeholders are taking a multi-pronged approach to combat the change, arguing the region being bumped to the higher level is mainly due to #emissions coming from other states. Andrew Davis, the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce’s vice president of governmental affairs, has been frequently traveling to Washington D.C. to inform legislators about the issue, Kooyenga said. MMAC has also brought on law firm Michael Best & Friedrich LLP for its #lobbying effort, and is working with Wisconsin lawmakers whose districts would be most affected on a push to amend the #CleanAirAct of 1963. Read more at https://lnkd.in/gXzk9-F3