Sheehy provides parting thoughts as his tenure closes
Metro Milwaukee is competing for prosperity with regions all over the globe. Every day the MMAC team is focused on making this a better place to invest capital and grow jobs, utilizing your support to help the region and your company grow. My 30-year tenure as MMAC President is coming to an end with 2023. Thank you for the privilege of serving this membership. Here are some parting thoughts on my experience.
Change – Our best opportunity for continued prosperity is to invest in the assets that make this region attractive to jobs and capital investment.
Of the nine Fortune 500 companies headquartered in Milwaukee in 1983, Rockwell is the only one that remains on the list in 2023. The economy never rests. It’s restless and change is its only constant. Plant floors of the past give way to the factories of the future. While manufacturing has declined, Milwaukee still ranks No. 2 of the top 50 U.S. metros in the percentage of workforce employed in manufacturing. Manufacturing remains our fastball, with 112,000 jobs at an average wage of $82,000. But it’s not Milwaukee’s only pitch, the other six headquartered Fortune 500 companies represent fintech, energy, retail and financial services-all additive to our economic growth.
Growth – To win we must recognize, first and foremost, that we are an economic entity, not a map of political jurisdictions.
Everyday metro Milwaukee competes for jobs and capital investment. Regions will win and regions will lose. We must sort out our differences, break the huddle and execute on plays that moves us forward. The region has proven it can do this, moving from a hap-hazard economic development effort to a best-in-class M7 team providing regional reach and a singular focus on jobs and capital investment. A focus that now boasts 28,000 new jobs, over $1.2B in payroll and $5B in capital investment. And the Microsoft impact may yet be the best testament to a regional economy.
Everyday metro Milwaukee competes for jobs and capital investment. Regions will win and regions will lose. We must sort out our differences, break the huddle and execute on plays that moves us forward. The region has proven it can do this, moving from a hap-hazard economic development effort to a best-in-class M7 team providing regional reach and a singular focus on jobs and capital investment. A focus that now boasts 28,000 new jobs, over $1.2B in payroll and $5B in capital investment. And the Microsoft impact may yet be the best testament to a regional economy.
Leadership – Business leaders must take responsibility and lean in on the issues that hold us back and propel us forward as a great place to live, work, learn and play.
It can be messy, political, risky and time consuming, but only by taking responsibility to address our faults will we have the freedom to choose our future. At the risk of sounding self-serving, a relatively small group of people can make a big difference. For 162 years, MMAC has been the place for the region’s business leaders to pursue the goal of building a globally competitive region that supports high-value jobs to sustain a vibrant quality of life for all.
It can be messy, political, risky and time consuming, but only by taking responsibility to address our faults will we have the freedom to choose our future. At the risk of sounding self-serving, a relatively small group of people can make a big difference. For 162 years, MMAC has been the place for the region’s business leaders to pursue the goal of building a globally competitive region that supports high-value jobs to sustain a vibrant quality of life for all.
Future – The torch is passing, that’s good.
I am hopeful I can say, in some small way, that the work of MMAC and its members left metro Milwaukee better off; that the next generation of leaders can start on taller shoulders. I have great confidence in Dale’s capability to serve this membership. The future is for you all to mold. Don’t look around for what others can do, look in the mirror at what you can do.
I am hopeful I can say, in some small way, that the work of MMAC and its members left metro Milwaukee better off; that the next generation of leaders can start on taller shoulders. I have great confidence in Dale’s capability to serve this membership. The future is for you all to mold. Don’t look around for what others can do, look in the mirror at what you can do.
Thank you, it has been an honor and one that I have thoroughly enjoyed.
