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Area leaders to gather to discuss spurring economic growth in Greater Minnesota

The Greater Minnesota Partnership is hosting a series of regional meetings to provide information about the organization and gather feedback from business leaders, economic development professionals, nonprofits, chambers of commerce, and government officials to help guide its priorities and agenda going into the 2014 Legislative Session. Topics of discussion will include investments needed for infrastructure (including transportation and broadband), business incentives, tax policy, and regulatory issues.

Those who are interested in growing and improving their local economies are encouraged to attend one of the following meetings:
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EDITORIAL: Greater Minnesota needs to speak up to keep Minnesota rolling

Before I was a legislator and economic development director for the city of Albert Lea, I sold tires. And, let me tell you, if there’s even a tiny hole anywhere in a tire, the whole thing slowly goes flat. That’s the same lesson I hope to spread in my new position as the executive director of the Greater Minnesota Partnership: the state can’t keep rolling if we’ve got a leak and in some cases a flat tire.

Greater Minnesota is strong. More than 45 percent of the state’s labor force is located in Greater Minnesota. Distinctly “rural” industries such as logging, mining and agriculture remain integral to the state’s economy. Businesses like Hormel in Austin, Schwan’s in Marshall, Arctic Cat in Thief River Falls and Marvin Windows in Warroad bring in millions of dollars to the state each year, not to mention thousands of jobs.
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