For Michael Witte, helming the Portage County Business Council is more than a job; it is a way of life, and a great one at that. Approaching four years as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Council, Witte is passionate about Portage County, Wisconsin, and the many advantages it has to offer.
“Work where you vacation,” he says of the area, renowned for its gorgeous scenery, trails, accessibility, attractions, events, and laidback way of life. “We have the Wisconsin River and so many lakes around here. I know Minnesota is the ‘Land of 10,000 Lakes,’ but we actually have more lakes. There is so much to do here year-round.”
Moving to the area and purchasing a home a few years ago, Witte is serious when he says he and his fiancée haven’t even completely unpacked yet. Literally, every weekend is busy until well into the summer with many activities.
These activities include the Riverfront Rendezvous Festival. Held every July in Stevens Point, this year’s festival was filled with a parade, carnival rides, a pickle ball tournament, fireworks, and music from country rock to ’80s glam bands. And to celebrate the area’s rich agricultural heritage, there is Tater Toot. Held in Almond, Tater Toot celebrates everything potato, and is one of the oldest community events in Wisconsin.
“It’s one of those cool community things,” Witte says. “There is the parade, a car show, baked potatoes, and more. It really celebrates a very small town and what makes this region so special. There’s always something going on every weekend. You will never be bored here.”
“A little slice of Mayberry”
Portage County evokes the real-life version of Mayberry, the idyllic fictional television town from the classic Andy Griffith Show and Mayberry R.F.D. “I say this often: we have a little slice of Mayberry here,” Witte comments of the area, known for its friendly residents and festivities such as the band shell at Pfiffner Pioneer Park with music on Thursday nights. It’s a place where people bring their lawn chairs and a cooler and enjoy themselves in safety. “People here take care of everyone else, and neighbors are phenomenal,” says Witte. For these reasons and others, the population is growing, with many new residents coming from out of state.
Dedicating much of his career to sales and business development, Witte worked at a company called Productivity Point International, which had training locations across America, including five in Wisconsin. Familiar with the Stevens Point area, he vowed that if an opportunity ever came up in Portage County, he would take it. As the former Vice President of Member Services for the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, Witte always wanted to get back into a chamber role.
Working at a previous job recruiting truck drivers, he came home from work one night and his girlfriend at the time—now his fiancée—said she’d found a job for him. Back then, the position was called Executive Director of the Portage County Business Council. A member of the Business Council since 1998, he was familiar with the area and seized the opportunity.
“Even though we have Portage County in our name, it’s strictly the name,” he says. “We are not subsidized; I don’t work for the county. The business council is the Chamber of Commerce for all of Portage County and surrounding areas.”
Unique marketing
Virtually all cities and towns across America have websites promoting benefits for businesses, but few are as intuitive and well-designed as Portage County Business Council at https://portagecountybiz.com/. The result of dedication and planning, the Council’s website is one tool in its arsenal connecting companies to the area.
A few years ago, Witte watched a podcast promoting another community. Featuring someone at his laptop sitting in front of a microphone talking about community events, Witte found it boring. “I liked the concept, but thought, ‘We can do better than this,’” he says. This soon led to the creation of “Monday Mornings with Mike,” a weekly podcast. Starting off small, the podcast immediately grabbed an audience, with the phone ringing off the hook for people who wanted to be on the show. “So many people have really taken to it.” Mike was told by many, “Even though we grew up here, or have lived here for 20 years, you’re teaching us about more stuff going on in our community that we had no idea existed.”
Putting his own unique spin on the podcast, Mike began highlighting local businesses and telling listeners what was going on in the county that week. Demand grew, and this past Easter weekend saw the airing of the 100th episode.
Another way Portage County reaches potential companies is through What’s the Biz? A printed magazine for years, it is today a digital publication. Some of its many features include Business X-Change, which allows business owners and employees to discuss pertinent topics, and recently featured Women in Business, Business on the Green golf event, and more.
“We have 35 members in what we call the Ambassadors Club,” says Witte. “They are the goodwill arm of the Chamber, and we couldn’t do what we do without them. They are a fantastic group of people, and are either owners or work at an investor-member company. When we have our events, it’s all hands on deck with them.”
In another fun move, Portage County Gift Certificates, available in $5, $10, $20, $25, $50 and $100 denominations, are sold at the Portage County Business Council, Portage County banks and credit unions, and the Stevens Point Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. “The concept of the gift certificates was to keep money in the pockets of businesses in Portage County,” says Witte. “We do about a quarter of a million dollars in sales every year. We’ve been doing it since 1990, and we have kept $20 million of people’s money here in businesses in Portage County.” They can be used everywhere, other than Chili’s and Starbucks.
“For the small business owner, it’s huge,” comments Witte. Some of the local businesses accepting the gift certificates include Geppetto’s Workshop, a downtown toy store, and several snowmobile clubs who purchase $7,000 of certificates right before Christmas. “They go out and give a $20 certificate to every landowner their trails cross to say thank you.” The certificates are even accepted at major retailers like Walmart. “It really is a rarity for chambers, because not every chamber has that,” he adds. “They have ‘chamber bucks’ that you can only use at member stores. Well, not everyone is a member here. But the gift certificate allows them to participate.”
Open for business
Portage County represents a healthy mix of new and long-established businesses. One of the longest in existence is Stevens Point Brewery, among the oldest breweries in Wisconsin, selling dozens of different products. Through the Founders Network, companies are encouraged to embrace their entrepreneurial spirit—like a nurse who studied saunas and recently opened her own downtown location, which is fully booked. “We have a lot of those types of small businesses,” says Witte.
Mature companies in the area include Ki Mobility. Recently sold to Swiss company Etac, Ki Mobility makes custom-designed wheelchairs, and its North American headquarters remains in Stevens Point.
Renowned for its agriculture, the area is also home to several well-known food producers. These include a company that provides snack food giant Frito-Lay with about 60 percent of its potatoes. Other multinational companies include Del Monte, McCain Foods, and Monogram Appetizers, which has three plants in the region.
“We are really big in food processing, and machining is another big part of what we do here,” says Witte. Amherst, Wisconsin is home to Legacy Steel, and Stevens Point is the world headquarters of Steel King. Starting off small, Steel King is today a leading manufacturer of pallet racks, drive in racks, flow racks, pushback racks, pick modules, mezzanines, cantilever racks, portable racks, industrial containers, custom shipping racks, and industrial safety guard railings.
The number one reason companies are coming to Portage County is for its workforce. The area is home to Mid-State Technical College and its AMETA Center. Formally known as the Wayne H. Bushman Advanced Manufacturing, Engineering Technology, and Apprenticeship Center (AMETA™), it has been open in Stevens Point for about a year. “It’s hands-on learning, and a phenomenal place,” says Witte. “We also have the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point located here, known for both teacher education and natural resources.” The biggest growth has been in the university’s business program.
“We are trying to figure out how to attract both people and businesses to Portage County,” says Witte. “The future of economic development isn’t just about bringing a plant here—don’t get me wrong, if someone says they want to bring a plant here, I’m good with that—but it’s really getting people to come here. I’ve always believed that people are what drives businesses to different areas, and I’m solely focused on bringing more people. We have a lot of people moving in from other states right now simply for quality of life.”
