Economic Development

Building southeastern Wisconsin’s economic future through regional development

Southeastern Wisconsin thrives on a powerful combination of Fortune 500 companies, promising startups, world-class cultural assets and a skilled workforce. But in today’s rapidly evolving global economy, maintaining our competitive edge requires a strategic, unified approach to economic growth.

The power of regional economic development

Why regional collaboration matters

  • Increased competitive advantage in the global marketplace 
  • Shared resources and coordinated infrastructure development 
  • Unified approach to business attraction and retention 
  • Stronger voice in state and federal initiatives 

Economic impact multipliers

  • New jobs create additional employment through supply chain growth
  • Increased wages boost spending at local businesses
  • Business expansion attracts complementary industries
  • Growing tax base funds community improvements

Huge Corporate Investments

Microsoft

  • $3.3 billion capital investment
  • Data center campus in Racine county

Milwaukee Tool

  • 4,000 new jobs
  • More than $500 capital investment in the region
  • Owned by Hong Kong-based Techtronic Industries (TTI) Group

Haribo

  • $325 million capital investment
  • Global headquarters in Grafschaft, Germany

Komatsu Mining

  • 348 new jobs
  • $285 million capital investment
  • A subsidiary of Japanese multinational corporation Komatsu LTD

The ripple effect:

How business growth benefits everyone

When a new company, such as HARIBO, arrives in southeastern Wisconsin or a local company expands, it boosts the region’s economy by creating jobs and increasing income.

These companies spend money on supply chains, professional services, hospitality and entertainment-stimulating local businesses. Employees also spend this new income on housing, services, retail and education.

Without this new income, the economy would stagnate, merely recycling existing dollars. That’s why such projects are central to our economic development efforts.

  • New high-wage jobs
  • Capital investment
  • Infrastructure improvements
  • Enhanced tax base

  • Supply chain growth
  • Professional services demand
  • Increased B2B opportunities
  • Technology transfer

  • Retail and restaurant growth
  • Housing market strength
  • Educational opportunities
  • Cultural amenities

The ripple effect:

How business growth benefits everyone

When a new company, such as HARIBO, arrives in southeastern Wisconsin or a local company expands, it boosts the region’s economy by creating jobs and increasing income.

These companies spend money on supply chains, professional services, hospitality and entertainment-stimulating local businesses. Employees also spend this new income on housing, services, retail and education.

Without this new income, the economy would stagnate, merely recycling existing dollars. That’s why such projects are central to our economic development efforts.

  • New high-wage jobs
  • Capital investment
  • Infrastructure improvements
  • Enhanced tax base

  • Supply chain growth
  • Professional services demand
  • Increased B2B opportunities
  • Technology transfer

  • Retail and restaurant growth
  • Housing market strength
  • Educational opportunities
  • Cultural amenities

Learn more about

regional development

Discover how the Milwaukee 7 Regional Partnership is attracting new businesses, supporting local company growth and building a stronger economic future for southeastern Wisconsin.

Success through partnership

For nearly two decades, MMAC has driven regional economic development through our Milwaukee 7 Regional Partnership. This collaborative approach has delivered impressive results:

139

Major project wins

Throughout Southeastern Wisconsin

32,000+

New jobs created

$8.4B

Capital investment

$74,947

Average wage

46% above the regional average

Define the relationship between MMAC and M7

MMAC is a long-standing business organization that serves as a key economic development advocate for the Milwaukee region. The Milwaukee 7 Regional Partnership (M7), formed in the mid-2000s, emerged as a strategic economic development initiative that builds upon the groundwork laid by MMAC. 

They have a collaborative and supportive relationship focused on economic development in the Milwaukee region. Specifically, the relationship can be characterized by: 

While MMAC is a broader business membership organization, M7 is a more focused regional economic development strategy group.

MMAC has been instrumental in providing leadership resources to the M7 partnership. Many MMAC leaders are actively involved in shaping and driving the overall M7 regional strategy.

Both organizations aim to strengthen the economic competitiveness of the Milwaukee region, attract businesses, support job creation and promote regional economic growth.

While MMAC works through direct business support, advocacy and networking, M7 focuses on broader regional strategic planning, targeting specific industry clusters, and creating a unified regional economic development approach.

The relationship is essentially one of mutual reinforcement, with MMAC providing a foundational business support structure and M7 offering a more coordinated, cross-county economic development strategy for the Milwaukee region.