News and Media

The race is on to lead the auto industry’s electric vehicle (EV) transformation. Today, Tesla holds a sizable lead in production capability, technology, and market share, but legacy manufacturers like Ford, Volkswagen, and General Motors are gaining ground with aggressive efforts to prepare for mass production of new EV models. Accordin...Continue Reading

The national news headlines in 2021 shifted dramatically, from wall-to-wall pandemic coverage to stories of extraordinary economic growth and recovery. After a dramatic downturn in 2020, the economy came roaring back with unexpected gusto — and that enthusiasm is reflected in the economic development activity that was bringing smiles an...Continue Reading

Hiring and retaining top quality talent in workplaces has been more of challenge in recent years due to the worker shortage much of the country has been impacted with.  Gail Cruikshank, Talent Director from the Greater St. Cloud Development Corporation, and Lacey Solheid, Associate Talent Development Partner at Blattner Company...Continue Reading

As more and more baby-boomers take early retirement during the pandemic and the opioid crisis contributes to national skills gap problems, a Virginia community college is coming up with innovative ways to speed up the training of badly needed workers. An hour south of the nation’s capital, Germanna Community College (GCC...Continue Reading

It’s no secret companies are finding it more difficult to locate big-box distribution centers at desired strategic areas and sites. Elongated planning and zoning permitting review timelines, political pressure from elected officials and citizens criticizing the quality of jobs and increased traffic, and restrictive ordinances and technical standards targeting distributio...Continue Reading

The city is starting to run low on single-family lots with only about a two-year inventory left, with no new lots or subdivisions on the horizon. The city staff has been working with Benton County on a housing program that would provide financial assistance to developers to install infrastructure for ...Continue Reading

Finding quality workers has become a common concern for employers across the country. In northwest Minnesota, that scarcity is growing and is one of the most significant barriers to future economic growth. The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) estimates a 1.2% loss in workforce numbers by 203...Continue Reading

Minnesota Manufacturing Week is recognized annually during the first week in October to coincide with National Manufacturing Month. It’s an excellent time for Benton County, Minnesota, manufacturers to promote innovations, goodwill, and workforce development by showing the community exactly what they do. You can take the opportunity to dispel outdate...Continue Reading

Higher education has long been a field of constant change. In the past few years, the rate of change has accelerated with the pandemic as the driver. The pivot to virtual courses was just the tip of the iceberg. For many schools, this wasn’t a huge change—they’d been offering onlin...Continue Reading

FOLEY, Minnesota — Stretching 110 acres, the Stoney Brook Farms corn maze in central Minnesota might be one of the largest in the world. The third generation vegetable farm has fed Minnesotans for years, and now they’re hoping to entertain them. The Chmielewski family started the maze six years ago. I...Continue Reading

If you’re an veteran traveler, you know a few things about the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. First, it just works. Anybody that’s ever put up with the ramp congestion at LAX, flow control delays to O’Hare, and the sweaty grime of LaGuardia or Kennedy, appreciates an airport where even heav...Continue Reading

Downtown St. Cloud is less than two weeks away from a new Mediterranean restaurant opening in the former Bumbledee's space on St. Germain Street. Mohamed Abdi is opening Botor Village Bakery & Cafe at 711 St. Germain St. He said he's been working for about a year on remodeling it an...Continue Reading

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts take more of a front seat in economic development strategy and growth. We see communities benefit from these efforts, and funders start to expect them when reviewing future plans. Convergent Nonprofit Solutions has managed capital campaigns for EDOs and Chambers of different sizes an...Continue Reading

Inflation is impacting everything from food to utilities. According to Forbes, almost all major categories showed price increases, with shelter, medical care, and new vehicles being some of the most significant contributors.  While inflation reached new record highs at 9.1 percent in June according to the June Consumer Price Index (CPI...Continue Reading

Phew, the labor market crisis is over! Jobs are growing but the rapid pace of hiring has slowed and people who were reluctant to work due to COVID are returning to the labor force. It sure seems like the labor crisis was a COVID issue, so we can all g...Continue Reading

For companies around the world, supply chain snags have been top-of-mind for much of the past year. Delays are common, and U.S. domestic shipping rates for moving goods are up approximately 23 percent over 2020 levels, according to Cass Information Systems, Inc. High demand continues to outpace logistics capacity, an...Continue Reading

Manufacturing is Benton County’s second largest industry employing over 17,400 workers. Here, global manufacturing companies produce goods using the latest technologies and Minnesota’s plentiful raw materials. Companies are choosing Benton County because of our advantageous location, transportation assets, available commercial sites, skilled workforce, and incentives.  7 Our Location is Ideal and Connected Bento...Continue Reading

Tom and Janelle Smude started out as farmers, but after two straight years of crop devastation, they had to pivot and figure out what they could do to stay afloat. They turned to sunflowers. Read full article.Continue Reading

In a new 4.5-acre R&D greenhouse in Owatonna, Bushel Boy Farms is producing strawberries in a high-tech facility — no matter the season. Read full article.Continue Reading

It’s been one week since Minnesota cracked open the door to the THC market, and local farms and businesses are already working to tap into new opportunities. On Aug. 1, Indeed Brewing Co. tentatively plans to launch Two Good, a seltzer that contains 2 milligrams of THC and 2 milligrams o...Continue Reading

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, unemployment has fallen to pre-pandemic levels, but that doesn’t mean the workforce is simply returning to normal. In March of 2022, a record 4.5 million Americans quit their jobs, leaving 1.9 job openings for every unemployed worker. According to the Institute o...Continue Reading

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Minnesota has received three national awards from Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Minnesota received the Gold Standard Award, Board of the Year and a Biggie Award. Read full article.Continue Reading

St. Cloud State University has named Dr. Katherina Pattit as the next dean of the Herberger Business School. Pattit comes to the position from the University of St. Thomas where she was professor and department chair in the Ethics and Business Law Department. Pattit has served St. Thomas since 2008 wit...Continue Reading

The Initiative Foundation has awarded a $62,000 grant to Higher Works Collaborative to develop its learning center and provide child care and transportation. Higher Works Collaborative is one of 15 nonprofits receiving grant awards totaling more than $1 million through the Initiative Foundation’s Transformative Funding for Nonprofits program with funding fro...Continue Reading