Brown County business owners never stray far from the rock solid and conservative standards that reflect the economy in which they live.
Maybe that’s why this area of Northeast Wisconsin easily weathers economic storms that pummel some areas of the state or nation, suggests Barb Fleisner, vice president of economic development for the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce.
"I attribute that to having a diverse industry mix, not having a heavy majority employed in one sector of our economy," she says. "When there is a contraction in one segment, other companies … pick up available workforce."
Brown County’s core competencies rest in paper, logistics, paper converting, health care, advanced manufacturing, food processing and information systems.
The county experienced steady population growth in the last seven years, with a total increase of about 8 percent. The city of Green Bay saw a slower growth rate of about 1.2 percent in that period, according to Derek Lord, deputy director of economic development for the City of Green Bay.
While Brown County has not seen double-digit population growth, its slower growth has enabled community planners to accurately predict the demands on such infrastructure as public schools. The fastest residential growth can be seen in the area around the villages of Bellevue, Howard and Suamico.
A balanced economy
Employment also is spreading among 18 business and industrial parks throughout Brown County.
More than 4,000 employees work in the Interstate 43 Business Park alone, for example, Lord says. But the city’s greatest concentration or employees — more than 15,000 — work downtown within one-half mile of Green Bay City Hall.
There also are 3,600 employees who work at Schneider National, 3,300 people who work at Humana and about 2,800 employees at Georgia–Pacific. Procter & Gamble has more than 1,000 employees and Green Bay Packaging has about 1,000 workers.
Other employers are investing to expand their workforce. Health care has experienced steady growth. All four hospitals have taken on some type of expansion, he says.
St. Mary’s Hospital Medical Center is spending $30 million to expand its facilities, while Aurora BayCare recently completed work on a $13.5 million sports medicine complex.
While paper mills hold their own, the paper converter and machining industries are growing.
Georgia–Pacific recently announced plans to invest $50 million in a project to reduce water usage and increase efficiency. Green Bay Converting recently completed a $7 million addition.
"I think our manufacturing economy is strong. We’re experiencing similar recessionary consequences for retail," says Lord. "That follows national trends. But a lot of companies are benefiting from the devaluation of the dollar."
In addition, Carver Boat Corp. in Pulaski is adding several hundred jobs in Brown County, including about 125 in Green Bay.
"So we are seeing some gains and we expect similar announcements in the future," says Lord. "We are seeing some major investment by major corporations in the area. Some job growth comes with that."
Wisconsin manufacturing has struggled in recent years. After recessions in March 2000 and September 2001, the U.S. economy bounced back.
Wisconsin — and particularly Brown County — did not experience that kind of recovery, though, says Kevin Quinn, associate professor of economics at St. Norbert College in De Pere. That might be because a greater percentage of Brown County’s workforce is in manufacturing.
With the devaluation of the dollar overseas, Quinn says the same things that led to outsourcing of semi-skilled manufacturing jobs will benefit this area. "Now that the dollar is cheaper, we may find that manufacturing sector here will benefit us," he says.
