Today’s choices will shape our region’s future

The Milwaukee-Madison corridor is an engine for Wisconsin’s economy but competing with peers globally and across the Midwest requires tackling key challenges head-on. Housing, infrastructure, workforce development and more won’t improve without action.

Join leaders from Milwaukee, Waukesha, Jefferson and Dane counties for an afternoon of connection, candid discussion and collaboration focused on the region’s continued success.

The Opportunity in the Space Between

The program begins with a look at how Jefferson and Waukesha counties can strengthen the connections between Madison and Milwaukee. Benjamin Wehmeier, President & CEO of the Greater Watertown Community Health Foundation, will examine the trends and data shaping the region, opportunities to invest and collaborate, and decisions that could make the Madwaukee corridor more competitive globally in the decades ahead.

Ideas in Action

You’ll hear from speakers who along with their companies will share success stories about how they are making strides in the areas important to the region.

Concurrent Roundtable Sessions:

Three rounds of concurrent breakout sessions.

TABLE #1

The Road to the Future Begins and Ends with a Road

Everyone wants to go to heaven.  No one wants to die in order to get there. It is a simple fact that there is no Madwaukee Corridor without the backbone highway corridor of I-94. But that simple fact involves a lot of complex reality and tough choices.  With society at demographic and technological inflection points, this roundtable will discuss and reexamine how we prioritize, design, and pay for the transportation projects that are the table stakes for economic vitality. 

Presenter: Steve Baas, Executive Director, Wisconsin Transportation Builders Association

TABLE #2

Building the capacity to compete: A regional approach to local growth

Smaller communities face many of the same opportunities as larger markets, often with fewer staff and resources to pursue them. This session will explore how shared economic and community development capacity could help communities respond to challenges, advance housing development efforts and prepare for future investment while maintaining local priorities.

Presenter: Deb Reinbold, President/Executive Director, ThriveED/Jefferson County Economic Development Consortium

TABLE #3

From Regional Growth to Front Doors: How Do We Build the Homes We Need?

The region’s future workforce will need more than a place to work—it will need a place to call home. As the Madison–Milwaukee corridor plans for growth, where will those homes come from, and what will it take to build them? From land availability and infrastructure to development costs and local approvals, producing more homes involves complex decisions. This roundtable will explore how builders, communities, and employers can work together to create housing options that serve a variety of workers, lifestyles, and life stages—and support the region’s economic future.

Presenter: Greg Loos, Owner, Loos Homes

TABLE #4

From the School of Hard Knocks to the School of Success.  What if your next great employee isn’t waiting for you to find them—but waiting for you to develop them? 

We’ll explore:

• How to develop your next generation of team members from within.
• Which qualities and capabilities matter beyond technical skills.
• How to identify potential and create pathways for people to grow.
• What one mid-sized, family-owned company has learned by taking this approach—and how you can apply those lessons to your own organization.

Presenter: Michaelene "Mickie" Healy, Quality Manager & ISO Rep, Superior Crane 

TABLE #5

Why real estate investors are looking at smaller markets

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Presenter: Shawn Swenson, Chief Financial Officer, Investors Associated

TABLE #6

Become the Champion Your Community Needs: A 90-Day Action Plan

Strong communities need people who can turn ideas into actions. This interactive discussion will help attendees identify one community challenge, map out a practical 90-day plan with a measurable outcome, and rally the right people to make it happen. Change begins with one person willing to take the first step.

Presenter: Shauna Wessley, Executive Director, Fort Atkinson Area Chamber of Commerce, University of Wisconsin Whitewater

TABLE #7

Answering the Call: Workforce Housing at the Speed of Need

Employers across the Milwaukee to Madison corridor are ready to grow, but their workers need homes they can afford. Habitat WJR is meeting that need by partnering with F Street on 20 new homes in the redevelopment of UW Milwaukee at Waukesha, growing its work in Jefferson County, and expanding into Rock County. Join the conversation to hear how each project is shaped around local community needs and leave with practical ideas for moving workforce housing from plan to progress.

Presenter: Melissa Songco, CEO, Habitat for Humanity Waukesha - Jefferson - Rock 

TABLE #8

Building the Interurban Trail: Partnerships, Persistence, and the Power of Community Investment

The Interurban Trail Project stands as a testament to long-term collaboration, strategic relationship building, and the creative funding approaches required to bring ambitious public infrastructure to life.  This roundtable offers a walkthrough of the projects history, highlighting how agencies, landowners, and multiple municipalities worked together across jurisdictions and priorities to build a regional recreation asset.  

Presenter: Kevin Wiesmann, Director Jefferson County Parks, Jefferson County Wisconsin

TABLE #9

Infrastructure

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TABLE #10

Transportation improvement planning though 2030

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Networking Reception:

The program concludes with an engaging networking reception, featuring  an open bar and a selection of light hors d'oeuvres. This is your chance  to mingle with the speakers and fellow attendees, exchange ideas, and  build valuable professional connections in a relaxed and inviting  atmosphere.