The New M7 Campaign: Invest in the success of our region’s economy

By: Tim Sheehy, President, MMAC

At a time when economic uncertainty rules the day, you may find it reassuring to know that we have a dedicated team that wakes up every day thinking about how to enhance the Milwaukee Region’s ability to compete on a national and global stage – both today and in the future. I know I do.

Since 2005, the Milwaukee 7 Partnership for Economic Development has served to unite the seven counties of Southeastern Wisconsin and coordinate efforts to attract, retain and grow the businesses and talented
employees that serve as the heartbeat of our regional economy. But the M7 team can’t do the work they do without support – and that’s where you come in.

In this issue of Milwaukee Commerce, we’ll introduce the M7 Partnership for Economic Development Campaign for 2022-2025, and make the case for how an investment in this campaign benefits you, your business and our region. As of the writing of this column, we have commitments of over $4 million as
we reach toward our overall goal of $6 million.

These investments support:

Jobs and capital investment
With 21 corporate attraction and expansion wins, accounting for 4,960 new jobs (56% of goal), and $1.08 billion in capital investment (100% of goal), the M7 team is well on its way to achieving goals it has set for 2025. These projects are delivering jobs with an average wage of $71,487 -- 42% above the average regional wage.

Since M7’s inception, 121 project wins have produced more than 25,000 jobs, with a combined payroll of $1.5 billion and $3.8 billion in new capital investment. These “but for M7” results help fuel the region’s prosperity. Your investment funds research, marketing and outreach to locationally active companies. It provides a one-stop shop for staffing, site visits, proposals and meeting the ongoing needs of companies after they invest here.

Talent development
Whether a company is new to the region, expanding in the region, or a legacy employer, developing, retaining, and advancing talent is central to success. M7 is investing in proprietary workforce analytics to help companies and education partners better match existing and emerging talent to employer needs. Your investment also supports the Region of Choice initiative to increase representation of Black and Brown talent at all levels of employment.

Strategy
Employing the expertise of site selection professionals, we will update the strategy that has been so successful in guiding our effort over the past decade. We are developing a forward-looking assessment of the region’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as the threats and opportunities we face, to remain globally competitive.

If you already have pledged a contribution to the new M7 campaign, thank you! If not, please consider supporting this team and those efforts moving forward. Building on a strong track record, we will go further together.