News and Events

On Thursday, January 26, 2012, Jeff Borling represented the region at the 2012 Minnesota Green Chemistry Conference, delivering a presentation highlighting the many opportunities available in northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin for chemical and fuel companies utilizing renewable wood resources to produce value-added goods. Borling noted the closure of the three Ainsworth wallboard factories in northern Minnesota as a clear opportunity for these growing companies, both in the advantage of leveraging existing assets at the plant sites themselves, and in the advantage of recapturing the un- or under-utilized timber resources no longer being harvested for these production facilities. 

An overview of the progress made by APEX and the Itasca Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) in redeveloping one of these plants as the Itasca Eco Industrial Park was also provided, with high-level information regarding the integrated development concept IEDC and APEX are leveraging to promote the growth of synergistic wood products companies at this location. As talks progress with a potential anchor tenant at the site, this site could offer significant competitive advantages to co-located companies seeking to produce green chemicals and other value-added goods from wood, or from the byproducts generated by the anchor tenant. 

Aditional speakers at the conference included representatives from Dow Chemical Company, SC Johnson, Ecolab, Segetis, Reluceo, the Minnesota Dept. of Employment & Economic Development (DEED), and the BioBusiness Alliance of Minnesota, among others.  These and many other well known companies are in the process of developing and/or bringing to market exciting new products that could very well be made from wood feedstocks in the near future. 

These products include plastics, reinforced composites, pigments and inks, paint additives, adhesives - even compostable baby diapers - all of which would be a welcome addition in helping to diversify the forest products industries of Minnesota and Wisconsin and all of which would be welcome additions as manufacturing processes housed at the Itasca Eco Industrial Park.

To learn more about Minnesota's Green Chemistry activities or the opportunities available for your business at the Itasca Eco Industrial Park, please contact Jeff Borling: 218-326-9411 x.23

On January 24, 2012, members of the APEX staff and leadership attended the 2012 Legislative Priorities dinner hosted by the Minnesota State Chamber of Commerce. As in year's past, this high profile event attracted a sellout crowd of over 1,500 business leaders, elected officials, association representatives and local chambers of commerce. APEX attended as guests of the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce.

In addition to an overview of the State Chamber's policy agenda on key business issues, the program featured a keynote address from Governor Mark Dayton, who presented his Administration's priorities for the upcoming year.  Other members of the legislative leadership provided their views on the top priorities for the upcoming session, with comments regarding the need to continue efforts to streamline the permitting process and a shared desire to put together a deal to build a new stadium for the Vikings.

For a complete overview of the Minnesota State Chamber's key priorities for 2012, please visit:

http://www.mnchamber.com/priorities/

After nearly eight years as President & CEO, Rob West has announced his intention to resign from APEX in mid-2012 to pursue new opportunities.  West informed the APEX Executive Committee of his decision in July of 2011, in order to allow for a full year of succession planning and executive recruitment.

On Thursday, November 3, 2011, at a regular meeting of the APEX Board of Directors, West and APEX Board Chair Dr. Tom Patnoe provided members with an update on the management succession plan the APEX Executive Committee has developed in preparation for West's departure. Although none are pleased to be saying goodbye to APEX's founding executive after nearly a decade of successful leadership, APEX members were quick to offer their feedback and support for the executive search process, which will be led by KeyStone Search out of Minneapolis.

Rebecca Driscoll, Principal with KeyStone Search, was on hand to provide an overview of the executive search process and to answer any questions members had about the methodology, the types of candidates being sought, and the basic philosophies KeyStone pursues in meeting the needs of their client organizations. At the heart of KeyStone's approach lies a proprietary process to understand, identify and create a common language to describe the client organization's culture and core values. 

Rather than relying on their "gut feel" to understand APEX's unique culture, KeyStone focuses on 14 components which must all be executed with excellence and in true partnership with the client organization, before the "right" candidate can be secured. Interviews with APEX members, economic development partners, staff, and other relevant stakeholders were held during the final weeks of 2011, as KeyStone works to assess the culture and core values this dynamic organization upholds.

APEX members raised various questions, including several regarding the emphasis placed on candidates with local ties to the region APEX serves.  Although Driscoll acknowledged the importance of place and the need for APEX's next CEO to understand the unique values and characteristics of northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin, she also noted that as APEX continues to grow, it is important that the next leader be measured against successful executives nationwide. She cited the executive search process KeyStone recently concluded for the Blandin Foundation in Grand Rapids as an example of similar work in the region.

Rob West joined APEX nearly 8 years ago and has successfully led the organization from a grassroots campaign led by a handful of local executives, to a regional engine for business and economic development activity in a nine-county territory of northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin. With support from over 65 of the region's leading private sector employers, APEX, together with its partners, has helped to create or retain more than 2,700 jobs and has spurred on millions of dollars in new economic activity under West's leadership.

Although Rob is quick to correct anyone who suggests this is a "retirement," his departure from the organization is indeed pending and the new chief executive is expected to be in place sometime around June of 2012. Over the next several months, we at APEX hope you will join us in thanking Rob for his leadership and his service to the region over the past decade.  There's no telling what will be in store for him over the next ten years, but no doubt his work will continue to benefit the region and all those who work with him. 

If you have any questions about APEX or the executive search process, or if you have a candidate you would like to recommend, please contact Rebecca Driscoll at: (612) 375-8841

On January 31, 2012, APEX is pleased to announce that Dr. Eric W. Kaler, President of the University of Minnesota, will be featured as the keynote speaker at the 2012 Annual Meeting, beginning at 3:00 p.m. at the Kitchi Gammi Club in Duluth.  At this invite-only event, APEX members will review the activities and outcomes of 2011, while looking ahead to another successful year in 2012. 

After the regular business portion of the meeting, Dr. Kaler will present the APEX Board of Directors and membership with information regarding his plans for the University system, including the role he sees for more rural campuses like the University of Minnesota-Duluth. With APEX members representing an effective cross-section of the region's business community, questions are sure to arise on the issues of workforce development, investments in the Arrowhead Region, and the potential for enhanced interaction between the University system and the local communities it serves. 

Prior to assuming the presidency at the University of Minnesota on July 1, 2011, Dr. Kaler served as provost and senior vice president for academic affairs and vice president for Brookhaven National Laboratory affairs at Stony Brook University in Stony Brook, New York. Kaler received his undergraduate degree from the California Institute of Technology in 1978 and his Ph.D. in chemical engineering from the University of Minnesota in 1982.

Kaler has received many awards and recognitions for his research, including election to the National Academy of Engineering in 2010. President Kaler and his wife, Karen, have two adult sons, Charlie and Sam. In addition to traveling with his family, Dr. Kaler loves to read, watch baseball and play with his dogs, Mo and Lida. 

Please join us in welcoming Dr. Kaler as the keynote speaker at the 2012 APEX Annual Meeting.  We look forward to visiting with you on the 31st and thank you for your ongoing support. To learn more about the APEX Annual Meeting, please contact Sandy Johnson at: (218) 740-3667 

On Wednesday, October 26, 2011, Elissa Hansen, APEX Director of Business Development attended the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce’s 2011 Manufacturers Summit in Minneapolis. The Chamber estimates that Minnesota manufacturers contribute more than $30 billion to the state's economy, representing 17% of the state’s gross domestic product. With nearly one in seven jobs in Minnesota tied to the manufacturing industry, Minnesota manufacturers are clearly the backbone of our economy.

As global pressures and changing demographics present new challenges for manufacturers, the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce's 2011 Manufacturers Summit provided an insightful glimpse into the future of this dynamic segment of our economy. The event was well attended and the attitude among the manufacturers present was generally optimistic.

Major takeaways for our local manufacturers included eight "best practices" designed to keep their operations thriving and growing in today’s highly competitive global marketplace.  These include:

 
1. Invest in training your workforce.
2. Invest in automation and high-tech.
3. Create a culture of continuous improvement.
4. Implement automated performance tracking.
5. Measure procurement and on-time delivery.
6. Manage vendor relationships to reduce costs.
7. Pass on pricing increases.
8. Expand into international markets.

It comes as no surprise to those of us in northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin that investing in a well trained, productive workforce is the #1 key to success in the manufacturing sector. Technologically Advanced Worker’s (TAWs) were stressed in various parts of the day’s discussions at the 2011 Manufacturers Summit, with speakers providing multiple examples of successful workforce training programs, including the Arrowhead's very own Applied Learning Institute.  

Other programs cited include "Dream !t Do !t" and the Obama Administration’s Board on Jobs & Competitiveness Council’s Right Skills Now program. In one way or another, all of these programs are focused on increasing the number of people entering the workforce in skilled production, technology, engineering, and other industry-focused areas.

To learn more about workforce development initiatives and other efforts to support manufacturing businesses in northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin, please contact Elissa Hansen at: (218) 740-3667

Or, if you are a manufacturer who needs focused strategic support as you grow your business and compete in the global marketplace, consider contracting with the APEX Strategic Resources Group.  Contact Peter Miller today to learn more.

On Thursday, October 25, 2011, Jeff Borling, APEX Director of Itasca Business Development, joined a delegation of regional business and community leaders to testify before the MPCA Citizens' Board in support of US Steel's expansion of the Keewatin Taconite plant in northeast Minnesota. The hearing centered on the approval of two water quality permits associated with the expansion project, which involves the re-commissioning of a portion of the mining operation that was shut down around 1980.

Borling represented APEX and IEDC in describing how economic and environmental issues are often inextricably entwined in Minnesota's natural resource-rich Arrowhead Region, resulting in a history of sound planning and development which has balanced the need for jobs against the desire to protect the natural environment in this beautiful place we call home. 

In considering the transparency with which US Steel has approached this project and the significant investments the Company has made in deploying new, cutting-edge environmental technology in the State of Minnesota, the majority of testimonials applauded the project and welcomed the much needed jobs and economic activity it will produce. Testimonials were also provided by Rep. Carly Melin, District 05B; Senator Tom Saxhaug, District 03; Jeremy Smolich, Plant Manager, Keewatin Taconite; Bud Stone, President, Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce; and Mayor Tom Sampson from the City of Keewatin, among others.

After careful deliberation, the MPCA Citizens' Board approved the water quality permits and said that together with the air quality permit approved by the board in September, these actions "show a way forward to protecting the environment while still providing for needed economic expansion." Approval of the air and water permits means the MPCA has removed one of the last remaining barriers to expansion of the Keewatin Taconite operation. All that remain are two wetlands-related permits, one from the MPCA and one from the US Army Corps of Engineers, both of which are expected to be issued sometime in the next 6 to 10 months. 

Once final permits are approved and the expansion project begins full-steam, estimates show the potential to create more than 120 permanent high-paying jobs in the Keewatin area, along with 500 temporary construction jobs over the next several years.  More importantly, the approval of these permits shows that northeast Minnesota continues to value the culture and communities built around the region's mining industry - past, present and future.

In the meantime, APEX and IEDC will continue to engage with the large mining projects currently underway in Itasca County and across the Iron Range, lending our support in any way possible.  Other activities include playing a supportive role in workforce development and training initiatives through our members and other partners, and we are also actively working with a number of mining suppliers and related manufacturing operations seeking to expand or relocate their operations into northeast Minnesota. 

If your business is poised to grow alongside Minnesota's bustling mining and manufacturing sector, please contact Jeff Borling today to find out how APEX and IEDC can support your success: (218) 326-9411 ext. 23

On October 25th, 2011, the APEX team attended the Minnesota Governor's 2011 Job Summit at the Crowne Plaza Riverfront Hotel in St. Paul. With more than 700 attendees, the sold-out event opened with a panel discussion hosted by Governor Mark Dayton on the subject of Minnesota Jobs in the Global Economy. Panel speakers discussed the imperative need for Minnesota to secure lasting competitive advantages for businesses struggling to succeed in the global marketplace.  The ability to adapt and implement change efficiently was cited as a necessary area of improvement, and specific examples included the State's ability to help better align the available workforce with the skillsets required for the jobs of the future.

Subsequent morning sessions covered additional topics ranging from access to capital, the cost of business growth, energy-related issues, the need for enhanced state branding, and the development of a dashboard for tracking data metrics, among others. The keynote speaker was Dr. Michael Mandelbaum, co-author of the newly released That Used to Be Us: How America Fell Behind in the World It Invented and How We Can Come Back. Dr. Mandelbaum discussed how many Americans are “Frustrated Optimists" who know we can move forward as we always have in the past, but whose formulas for success are in need of renovation.

As Dr. Mandelbaum argued, states like Minnesota cannot rely on a one-part program for economic growth and stability. Instead, we must consider simultaneously cutting spending, raising revenues and continuing to invest in the historical areas of infrastructure, education and research and development. Investing in this three-part program, Dr. Mendelbaum stated, is the only viable formula for competing successfully in the global economy.

Afternoon sessions covered a wide range of topics, such as infrastructure, the rise of the creative class, workforce development issues, the "economic development toolbox," export opportunities, employment inequality and tax reform. The summit concluded with an overview of the sessions, followed by a summary of major takeaways and an interactive discussion of next steps. In closing, Governor Dayton stressed that it will take both private and public sector engagement to grow our economy and make Minnesota globally competitive.

To learn more about how APEX works together with its public and private partners throughout Minnesota and Wiscosnin in support of our region's economy, please contact Rob West at: (218) 740-3667

On Tuesday, September 20, 2011, APEX President & CEO, Rob West, and Director of Itasca Business Development, Jeff Borling, participated in the 2011 Minnesota Bioscience Summit, presented by LifeScience Alley and the BioBusiness Alliance of Minnesota.  This year's event, entitled, "Three Technology Mega-Trends That Are Changing Our World," showcased major advances in Minnesota's biopharmaceutical, medical device, animal health, renewable energy and renewable materials industries. Experts in Minnesota's bioscience community described how their worlds are being shaped by: 

        • The Genomics, Proteomics and Synthetic Biology Revolution 
        • Disruptive Platform Technologies in Materials Science 
        • Bioinformatics as the Ultimate Enabling Technology

With a welcome address from Governor Mark Dayton and a keynote address delivered by Dale Wahlstrom, CEO of LifeScience Alley and BioBusiness Alliance of Minnesota, this year's summit attracted more than 300 members from Minnesota's bio-based scientific, engineering, and technology industries, as well as policymakers, academic leaders, economic developers, media, and investors. 

APEX was on hand to represent the northeast region of Minnesota and to identify key insights and opportunities to be factored into regional business expansion and attraction efforts. With several renewable energy and materials projects in various stages of development throughout the region, not to mention a small group of quietly-emerging medical device companies, Minnesota's fast-changing biosciences industries continue to grow in importance to the Northland economy. 

For additonal information about the 2011 Minnesota Bioscience Summit, or to learn more about APEX's activities in this arena, please contact Jeff Borling at: (218) 326-9411