The Leader - January/February 2009 - (Page 50)

H eart la nd H o l d i n g S tr on g: M idweS t la yS g r ou n dw o rk fo r eco no Mi c re bo und devoted to Wisconsin economic development. “It’s one area where green energy is solving a real problem and creating jobs.” With the state’s bounty of dairy and other farmers, Forward Wisconsin has worked to reposition the state’s agricultural sector and commodities to appeal to high-end and specialty niches, resulting in 900 organic farming cooperatives, second in the U.S. behind California, and 28 artisanal cheese producers. But not only is the state focused on how we’ll eat better in the future, Wisconsin is also focused on what we’ll drink in the future. The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s School of Fresh Water Sciences and Great Lakes Institute is working with global giants like Siemens, General Electric and ITT, which all base North American water operations in the state, on water R&D to ensure and maintain future production of fresh water, what some warn could be the oil of the 21st Century. In addition to wind energy manufacturing, Wisconsin also is one of three states to receive a $125 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy for alternative energy development. The Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center at Madison will employ 300 and perform R&D on the gamut of alternative energy options, from improving battery efficiency and design to improving production of ethanol and other plant-sourced fuels. The state has stepped in, too, establishing the Wisconsin Energy Independence Fund, a 10-year, $150-million program for clean-energy R&D. The energy research in Madison may be outmatched by its biotech and stem-cell research, though. Wisconsin’s biotech sector has doubled in the past eight years, growing to an $8 billion industry that employs 32,000. For its part, the University of Wisconsin-Madison has received $905 million in biotech research grants, second only to Johns Hopkins. The university works with the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) to quickly license, move to market and monetize its biotech research. Additionally, the University of Wisconsin boasts and hosts the father of stem cell research, Dr. Jamie Thomson, whose research has literally transformed the world and how we view illness and injury. “Wisconsin has developed the R&D, talent and capital to become the stem-cell research and regenerative medicine capital of the world,” Judkins said. old Man river feeds iowa, illinois The mighty Mississippi plays an integral role in the nation’s economy and in the lives of millions. Few places feel its impact like the communities along its east and west banks, especially towns like Clinton, Iowa, and its sister city in Illinois, Fulton. The Clinton Regional Development Corp. works with towns on both sides, also including Comanche and Low Moor, Iowa, and Thomson and Albany, Ill. Here, again, agriculture and logistics intersect and play a pivotal role in the region’s economy. With its four barge terminals on the river and access to three Class 1 railroads – Burlington Northern Santa Fe, Canadian Pacific and Union Pacific – connecting to the Interstate 80 and I-88 corridor, Clinton is laying the groundwork for the next wave of logistics and industrial development with a 1,500-acre (607-hectare) intermodal industrial park that will include a 10,000-foot (3,048-meter) rail spur. Union Pacific also is building a new swing bridge across the Mississippi River, increasing the height over its current structure by 30 feet (9 meters), which will ease transit both across and up and down the river. “That’s a big positive for us,” said Steve Ames, president and CEO of the Clinton Regional Development Corp. “That’s the reason a lot of these industries located here in the first place, and it continues to be a big draw.” The Clinton region is primed for growth in renewable energy and agricultural research as well, as the area includes Houston-based Nova Biosource’s 10-million-gallon (38-million-liter) biodiesel plant, which utilizes soybean oil and other feedstocks, and a new manufacturing facility that longtime Clinton stalwart Archer Daniel Midland (ADM) will use to produce, a corn-based plastic. ADM plans to have the new plant in production early this year. “We’re really poised for growth in the renewable energy sector and to turn a positive chapter here,” Ames said. THE GREATER CLINTON REGION OF ILLINOIS AND IOWA Steven Ames The Armstrong Building 144 - 8th Avenue South Clinton, IA 52732 sames@clintondevelopmentcom 563-242-4536 www.clintondevelopment.com 2 0 0 9 tH e le ade r 50 january / february http://www.clintondevelopment.com http://www.clintondevelopment.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of The Leader - January/February 2009

The Leader - January/February 2009 Contents Leadership Message from the CEO Real Estate in the News Mergers and Aquisitions Assessing Green Building Performance Measuring Space You Actually Use Global Trends in Sustainable Real Estate Whirlpool’s Lee Utke Northmarq’s Kevin Farrell Plastics: Hoping for Resiliency in Resins Regional Profile: Heartland Holding Strong Industry Profile: Ascendas Brings New Age Business Space to Asia-Pac Industry Tracker From the Applied Research Center Discovery Forum Findings Capital Corner Career Development Young Leader Economic Development in the News Learning Spotlight Connect With CoreNet Global Index of Advertisers A Look Ahead In our Next Issue Calendar of Seminars

The Leader - January/February 2009

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