Article by: Mary Kennedy
The first week in October is traditionally named as Manufacturing Week across the nation. CEDA staff all over the territory we serve were busy supporting local manufacturers in a multitude of creative ways.
Allison Wagner, who serves the Houston County Economic Development Authority (EDA) helped coordinate Manufacturing Week Tours for students at CTECH in Rochester to visit Truss Specialists Inc. and Crest Precast Concrete in La Crescent.
Tom Nelson, CEDA representative serving the City of Jackson, delivered cookies and Certificates of Appreciation to manufacturing businesses, along with the Jackson Chamber of Commerce Director.
Marty Walsh, who serves the Fillmore County EDA assisted tours with Fillmore Central High School and the Rochester Alternative Learning Center, touring Valley Design in Fountain, Minnesota and Harmony Enterprises in Harmony, Minnesota.
CEDA team member Annie Leibel who serves Faribault County mailed thank you cards to all manufacturers within the community. Leibel also serves the City of Winnebago, where a Manufacturer’s Breakfast was hosted to support and show appreciation to local businesses.
Mary Kennedy, CEDA’s representative serving the City of Blue Earth, partnered with the Blue Earth Area Chamber of Commerce Director to visit with all of the manufacturers within the city limits and present them with handwritten thank you letters.
Emily Legel, the CEDA team member serving Northwest Illinois Economic Development, worked with her Board to send cards to area manufacturers thanking them for their contribution to the regional economy.
Joya Stetson, Stewartville’s CEDA representative worked with the City’s EDA, DEED, RAEDI, CEDA and CRB Consulting Group to host a workshop on Attracting and Retaining Manufacturing Employees, produced and shared an infographic with the economic impacts of manufacturing in the City, delivered personalized cards and cookies for employees at manufacturing companies in the City with the local chamber of commerce and held Stewartville’s October EDA meeting at a local manufacturer.
CEDA also collaborated with eight other Minnesota state and regional organizations for the second year in a row to help students gain a better understanding of manufacturing as a viable career option. For three days, October 1- October 3rd, 2019, 27 manufacturers opened their facility doors to over 500 high school and college students from 15 schools in southeast Minnesota.