State of the Association: WEDA President and CEO Mary Perry

WEDA CEO & President Mary Perry

Hello WEDA Nation! We start our traditional summer season honoring the brave men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice, courageously giving their lives fighting for our freedom. We hope you have a safe and happy Memorial Day, surrounded by friends and family, and in remembrance of our fallen patriots.

Even though the “lazy days” of summer are here, behind the scenes, WEDA continues to work on exciting program planning and development activities. Here is a glimpse into WEDA’s upcoming events and offerings:

The WEDA Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) Network virtual statewide meeting will be held on June 24. Please note the meeting was originally scheduled for June 17. The CRA Network aims to connect development organizations with community and economic development projects that may be eligible under the Community Reinvestment Act to potential funders. It essentially creates a match making tool to help financial institutions collaborate locally and statewide on Community Reinvestment Act eligible opportunities and strategies.

The WEDA Academy continues to offer exciting economic development programming. Earlier this week, we held a tremendous webinar on Business Attraction and Selling your Community Efforts. On August 4, the Academy will hold a seminar on Managing Economic Development Organizations, which will be taught by leading experts in the field. Look for registration to open soon on this great learning opportunity.

The Basic Economic Development Course (BEDC) will be held September 13- 16 at the Pyle Center at UW-Madison. The four-day BEDC is designed to provide an understanding of the basic concepts, theories, methods, and practices, which will be taught by professionals who have earned the CEcD designation and members of the University of Wisconsin Extension Center for Community and Economic Development.

WEDA Legislative Day will be held in-person on September 15 in Madison. This free, WEDA member only event brings economic development professionals from across the state together in the State Capitol to build relationships with lawmakers and educate them on key economic development policy issues that drive opportunities for growth and prosperity.

The 2021 Community and Economic Development Awards ceremony will once again be held in-person on September 15 at the Edgewater Hotel in Madison. The CEDA Awards was established to recognize the businesses, projects, and organizations that are making significant contributions to economic development in Wisconsin – and are making their community a better place to live and work.

The inaugural WEDA Best Practices Conference (previously know as the Fall Conference) will be held in Appleton on September 28 – October 1. This year’s conference will feature an interactive community RFP scoring exercise led by internationally known site selector Minah Hall of Compass Key Solutions. Come for the networking and professional development—stay a few days to enjoy the “Fall in Wisconsin” experience!

These events and programming alone are enough to illustrate the value of a WEDA membership. if you are not a member yet, why not? We strive to advance economic prosperity through effective education, networking, and advocacy. Click here to find out more about individual and corporate memberships.