Public53%

Private47%

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Moving the 7 Rivers Region Economy Forward 2011 ANNUAL MEETING HIGHLIGHTS

INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO KEY ENERGY ISSUES BASED ON ADVANCED ANALYTICS AND STRATEGIC THINKING.

What Happened COMPACT SIGNING

Signers of our Regional Principles of Collaboration Compact united to celebrate the signing of the document that commits them in thinking regionally, collaborating, cooperating, being good stewards of our region’s assets, thinking win-win, focusing our resources, seeking innovation, and measuring and celebrating our successes. Additional signers continue to be sought and celebrated.

PYRAMID AWARD WINNERS: KWIK TRIP & ORGANIC VALLEY

Kwik Trip and Organic Valley received the Pyramid Award for their collaborative and cooperative actions.

CELEBRATING 2010

Highlights can be found at http://www.7riversalliance.com/docs/AnnualReport2010.pdf

LOOKING FORWARD: THE 7 RIVERS NOW AND BEYOND PRESENTATION

The 7 Rivers Region presented the short-term and long-term goals for the region:

WHO ATTENDED

CONNECTING BUSINESS • INSPIRING INNOVATION • STRENGTHENING THE REGION

Vicki Markussen Executive Director

608.787.8777 vicki@7RiversRegion.com

La Crosse 39%

Winona 38%

Mankato 5%

La Crescent 4%

Caledonia 2%

La Farge 1%

Lewiston 2%

Camp Douglas 1%

Chatfield 1%

Madison 1%

Onalaska 1%

Rushford 1%

Trempealeau 1%

West Salem 1%

Westby 1%

Short Term Plans

Help companies enter new markets by holding a conference that provides resources and connecting businesses already exporting to particular markets

Promote using local vendors by creating a supply chain/company directory, promoting its use, and training companies on maximizing supply chains

Continue to market the region by showcasing our unique beauty and telling our success stories

Pursue innovation through attractions and retention of our creative class

Work on government collaboration by continuing our meetings of economic development professionals, pursuing a regional council of government, and communicating to multi-state governments areas to work together

Long Term Vision

To make our region more prosperous, we must ensure we have strong companies that bring fresh money into the region (i.e. exporting companies). These jobs pay higher wages, are more innovative, and have higher wage growth.

Recognizing that there are tremendous markets to be seized outside our state and national borders. Exporting companies that are competing with companies worldwide. The sooner we unite and leverage our shared assets, the more prosperous our region will be.

Making sure our region addresses the top factors in company’s competitiveness:

Talent-driven innovation

Cost of labor and materials

Energy costs

Taxes

We have the assets. We must think, act, and plan regionally to maximize them. MORE

The Path to Prosperity

FROM THE 7 RIVERS ALLIANCE ANNUAL MEETING April 8, 2011

The long-term goal is to become a region that recognizes our regional, shared assets, and together we

work to protect and grow them, making the businesses and therefore the people of our region more

competitive and prosperous. The steps to get there:

CHANGE MINDSETS

Get the public and private sector recognizing that the municipality next door is not the competition, but rather an ally in making our workers and our companies more competitive. Blur borders Form partnerships that are win-win Recognize that sometimes working with your competition makes both of you stronger — create an atmosphere of “cooptition”) Build Trust Break down silos of thinking (ex. industry specific) and form collaborations to overcome challenges and pursue new opportunities.

LINK OUR ASSETS

To generate a robust, localized ecosystem that can turbocharge our economy, we must make companies more competitive by linking our assets

People Institutions Capital Infrastructure

This means focusing on our opportunities as a region, pulling in companies, financing agencies, public entities and education to pursue these opportunities.

USE TOOLS FOR STRATEGIES

Link like-businesses that we have clusters in (healthcare, metal manufacturing, food processing, composites) for process, technology and labor innovation Look at the education our workforce has and how the skills are adaptable to emerging markets

Measure our ability to turn ideas into products and new businesses

Focus our resources, collectively, on our regional efforts

BUILD A PLATFORM FOR INNOVATION

With our assets identified, networking, and the right culture we will output innovation, high productivity and be prosperous. These foster even more assets that can be used for growth. We become more prosperous. We expand our recognition in the marketplace, generating interest in our region and retaining our businesses.

400 SEVENTH AVENUE NORTH, LA CROSSE, WI 54601 — 608.787.8777 t — 608.789.6290 f

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What Attendees

Said Afterwards

I was impressed with the level of interest and involvement from area businesses. Everyone I talked to gave me the impression of being passionate about the Alliance and what it does for the region. Stay the course, associations such as yours help to pave the way toward a stronger state and a stronger nation. I applaud your efforts. On the benefit of attending: Knowledge of focus and markets in your region that may or may not be available to us. Met some people who may or may not open some lines of introductions in networking. Afforded me the opportunity to consider different angles with to apply our regional focus initiatives.” Continue to encourage regional collaboration.”