News and Media

Recognized annually in January, “Financial Wellness Month,” is the ideal time for small business owners to assess their finances and determine areas for improvement. Some key factors to consider include:  How do you manage and control daily finances? Do you have enough cushion to handle most financial emergencies? Have you planned for responsibl...Continue Reading

If you are recruiting employees for long-term care (or really any health care position!) right now, you don’t have time to wade through a treatise on outreach practices. You are one busy individual and you need some tips you can scan at a glance – then implement what’s right fo...Continue Reading

St. Paul – The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) Commissioner Steve Grove and Executive Director of Explore Minnesota Tourism, Lauren Bennett McGinty, hosted a roundtable focused on the “Build What Matters” campaign and how tourism, talent, and small businesses tie directly to economic and community development.   Minnesot...Continue Reading

Times are tough for Minnesota dairy farmers. High labor and feed costs and fluctuating prices for products like milk, cheese and butter make for uncertain business. Many farmers are giving up: in 2021, Minnesota lost 154 of its roughly 2,100 dairy farms. But a recent settlement brokered under the auspices o...Continue Reading

SAUK RAPIDS -- Sauk Rapids is in the process of creating an Economic Development Authority. The city is also considering dissolving the longtime Housing and Redevelopment Authority. Community Development Director Todd Schultz says over the past several decades the HRA has been focused on cleaning-up blighted properties in the city whil...Continue Reading

Economic development strategic planning is on the minds of most economic developers. Every community will be facing a need to rebuild its local economy as we begin to emerge from the pandemic in 2022. But even in the best of times, only three things can happen to any economy: I...Continue Reading

As the U.S. economy continues its recovery from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, employers are encountering an increasingly difficult talent landscape fraught with challenges related to the attraction and retention of the talent upon which their business relies. This is particularly true for the most advanced technical job roles...Continue Reading

It’s no secret that the recipe for economic success usually includes generous portions of innovation and technology. That has been part of the economic development story for many years in such places as Boston, Seattle, the Research Triangle, and Silicon Valley. But just as you can find more and more cutting-edg...Continue Reading

We present to you the Best Economic Development Resources for 2022. Each year, backed by research, conferences, and the latest trends, the Golden Shovel Agency team puts together a list of what we consider to be the best economic development resources. BEST ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES Take some time to appreciate these bes...Continue Reading

Students on the brink of graduating from their community college, university or vocational technology school don’t necessarily know whether their state ranks well in workforce development relative to other states. Military personnel ending a tour of duty at a base and transitioning to the private sector are likely in th...Continue Reading

States have always competed for new development projects and expansions to broaden their tax base and create good-paying jobs for their workers. Incentive packages typically include free workforce recruitment, training, and other support, as long as the companies hit their investment and employment goals. However, the COVID-19 has disrupted th...Continue Reading

The job market continues to be a job seekers market in Central Minnesota.  Gail Cruikshank is the Talent Director from the Greater St. Cloud Development Corporation.  She says she has never seen a better job seeker market which makes retention of employees and recruiting new employees to Central Minnesota businesse...Continue Reading

The last two years have been pivotal ones for the future of high-speed internet access in Minnesota. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted and exacerbated the lack of broadband in many parts of the state as people shifted to remote work and school. Congress poured unprecedented amounts of money into subsidizing construction o...Continue Reading

Business succession is a critical issue for businesses leaders and their stakeholders alike (e.g. employees, customers, suppliers, and local communities).  Research from the Minnesota Center for Employee Ownership (MNCEO) and Project Equity shows that roughly half of employer businesses in Minnesota have owners over the age of 55, reaching an ag...Continue Reading

The supply chain is made up of the many steps that brings a product to a customer. But right now the chain seems to be broken, or at least crimped in places. Store shelves are partly empty, deliveries are delayed, and prices are rising. Bottlenecks at many steps along th...Continue Reading

In August, Rocki Rockingham was named Chief Human Resources Officer for GE Appliances. Area Development’s editor recently asked her about the company’s strategy to build upon its recent global “Great Place to Work” recognition and to create a workplace culture that attracts and retains top talent. Area Development: Despite the hig...Continue Reading

In today’s candidate driven market, employers find themselves competing with industry and non-industry companies for the best talent. Unlike talent recruiting of the past, employers are going the extra mile to entice candidates – making a case for why their company is the right company for them. In this market...Continue Reading

The holiday season is upon us, and small businesses have an opportunity to take advantage of pent-up demand and the overall rebound of the American economy in the post-Covid world. Consumers are ready to spend, and Small Business Saturday promotions will help lure holiday shoppers back to brick-and-mortar stores. Small busines...Continue Reading

Small Business Saturday is designated for celebrating small businesses and encouraging consumers to shop at local retailers. Right after Thanksgiving, sandwiched between the frenzy of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Small Business Saturday is an opportunity for Benton County shoppers to support our local businesses, and in turn, boost ou...Continue Reading

In 2010, Michigan’s economy was reeling. The Great Recession had hit the state hard and U.S. automakers were struggling to survive. Seeking to ease the pain, state officials authorized tax credits under the Michigan Economic Growth Authority (MEGA) program as part of long-term deals with distressed automakers. But the progra...Continue Reading

The first release of 2020 U.S. Census data has been made public and confirms a trend that  demographers and interested observers (including site selectors) have been watching develop for several decades: The U.S. population is growing more slowly, aging more rapidly and continuing to diversify. Here is a snapshot of som...Continue Reading

Covid-19 ravaged our economy and American businesses, workers, and communities are still working to recover. The crisis also further highlighted long standing inequities in our society, but also presents a key opportunity to build back better than before. Just last week, President Biden signed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal, and negotiation...Continue Reading

Central Minnesota is dealing with a tight labor market now and has for quite awhile.  Gail Cruikshank is the Talent Director with the Greater St. Cloud Development Corporation.  She has some tips for employers to retain and recruit employees. Recruiting Tips: 1) Ensure all employees from top to bottom are involved i...Continue Reading

“You win or lose based on the talent you have and the culture you create that allows your talent to thrive.” That’s the word shared by Steve Presley, chairman and CEO of Nestlé USA, and it’s wisdom with which most successful corporate leaders would agree. Presley says his company found th...Continue Reading