Founded in 1989 to support and encourage economic growth across the county, the Oneida County Economic Development Corporation (OCEDC) focuses on helping Wisconsin businesses grow by assisting startups and improving infrastructure such as broadband, housing, and childcare.
As a nonprofit corporation that acts as an economic development coordinator for all of Oneida County, OCEDC supports individuals investigating the practicality of going into business, assists existing businesses to expand and preserve economic viability, and works to bring in new business to develop its economic base and provide employment options to Oneida County residents. In addition, OCEDC is an effective conduit between government and business at the local, regional, state, and federal levels.
“We’re also proud to be good stewards of Oneida County’s land and water,” adds Executive Director Tony Pharo. “Economic development here isn’t just about growth; it’s about smart, sustainable growth that respects the natural resources that make this region unique.”
OCEDC also runs a sister organization, the Northeast Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (NEWEDC), which manages a revolving loan fund, helping OCEDC offer flexible financing options for businesses that might not qualify for traditional lending but have strong potential to grow and create jobs.
Business and broadband
Executive Director since June 2024, Pharo’s first objective was to tackle the broadband challenges within the county, he says, as currently about 18 percent of the county does not have access. OCEDC helped bring in state and federal funding to expand high-speed coverage, especially in rural areas. “That work continues, and we’re pushing toward full countywide access,” he says. Reliable internet is no longer optional; it’s a requirement for business, education, and quality of life.”
While OCEDC strives to get the rest of the county up to date with broadband, it also continues to strengthen the local industry landscape and startup activity. Oneida County boasts a healthy mix of established and emerging sectors, with the county seat of Rhinelander acting as the backbone of manufacturing, where companies produce everything from paper products to industrial components. “In contrast, communities like Minocqua and Three Lakes thrive on tourism—hospitality, retail, and seasonal businesses are their lifeblood,” says Pharo.
Startups are a growing part of the picture, he adds, with OCEDC working hands-on with entrepreneurs to help with business plans, marketing strategies, and funding options. “There’s a lot of activity in the county of people wanting to start smaller companies, and since December, I think we’ve helped about 25 startup companies, with six of them getting loans or startup funds in the amount of $300,000,” he shares. “We’ve been very active in working with organizations for startups.”
Pharo is particularly proud of these numbers given the present economic uncertainty. “To have that many people think about starting a company in the last four months, and we were able to help fund six of them—we’re happy about that.”
From bakeries to tattoo parlors, a variety of different service offerings are hoping to make their mark in an area that looks to be blossoming. “We also have three manufacturing companies right now that are talking to us about bringing manufacturing to our county,” says Pharo.
The housing hurdle
With business thriving, housing remains a top priority, Pharo stresses, with a “critical” housing study launched in January and projected for completion by the end of June to help developers remedy the situation. “We’ve heard loud and clear from employers in schools, colleges, and manufacturing that workforce housing is in short supply,” he says. “People want to live and work here, but they can’t find housing they can afford.”
This study will give OCEDC the hard data required to push forward with targeted development that precisely meets the communities’ needs. “Schools can’t hire teachers because they can’t find any housing, so they turn the job down,” Pharo says. “It’s the same with manufacturers—they can’t find housing at present. So that’s one of our big hurdles.”
Resolving these concerns means being proactive, he stresses. “On housing, we’re using study results to guide real-world action. We want to see shovel-ready developments, not just reports.”
An additional challenge is that approximately 52 percent of the houses in Oneida County are considered second homes and are located on the lakes, meaning many permanent residents are priced out of ownership. “We have to be careful,” Pharo stresses. “A lot of people come to Oneida County because of all the lakes, forests, hiking trails, fishing, and boating. We need to look at how we can move our county and economy forward but also be good stewards of the land.”
While developing an area is important for growth and future success, it’s vital to treat the environment with the respect it deserves. “That’s the key thing,” says Pharo. “We have to understand who we are—we’re in tourism and manufacturing, and we must understand where we’re at in that situation. That’s why housing and housing studies are focused on the entire county, but it’s the three cities of Minocqua, Three Lakes, and Rhinelander that house most of the population.”
Feeling festive
Tourism in particular plays a large role in the county, he adds, and it’s one sector that is important to encourage. With three strong Chambers in the county, there are a wide variety of festivals to enjoy, such as Minocqua’s Beef-A-Rama, held on the last Saturday in September, which brings in 16,000 people, as well as other unique events hosted by communities year-round.
“There are a lot of festivals,” Pharo says. “In the summer, people come here to go boating, fishing, and hiking, and in the winter, a lot come for ice fishing, snowmobiling, cross-country snowshoeing, and ice skating.”
OCEDC also helped businesses weather the pandemic, a major challenge and accomplishment. By supporting grant applications and advising on pivots, OCEDC helped keep doors open while making progress on bigger-picture issues like broadband expansion and startup support. But challenges such as housing, childcare, broadband, and workforce remain, and are all linked.
“Addressing one helps the others, but we need to tackle them all together. We’re also mindful that economic growth must go hand-in-hand with environmental stewardship. Preserving our forests, lakes, and clean air isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s also key to sustaining tourism and quality of life.”
Childcare – critical to the county
Pharo is also concerned about the state of childcare and how it continues to affect local development. “We’re noticing that more and more women are getting out of the workforce because they can’t afford to send their infant-to-four-year-old to childcare, and a lot of our manufacturers have said they’ve lost workers this year because of that.”
Additionally, Oneida County has lost “probably half” of its licensed childcare centers, unable to keep their doors open due to the cost they’d have to charge and what they’d have to pay their workers. “Childcare is one of the biggest hidden barriers to workforce participation,” Pharo adds. “Parents want to work, and employers want to hire, but the lack of reliable childcare is a serious obstacle.”
To alleviate that, OCEDC is working with local and regional partners to find ways to expand capacity, support providers, and come up with funding solutions. “It’s part of our broader goal of making Oneida County a place where families can live, work, and thrive,” Pharo says.
The organization has also noticed that more and more young families are having to rely on relatives to care for young children when childcare can’t be found or the costs are prohibitive. “We’re at a ratio of about four infants to one available slot, which means about 75 percent aren’t finding a place,” says Pharo. “We’re noticing that a lot of 55-to-65-year-old people are retiring early to help take care of their grandchildren. What will happen with them is a concern, and if retirement funding isn’t there, what will happen to them down the road?”
The core of Oneida County
The issues facing OCEDC are challenging, but the team is up for the challenge. Pharo wants to see housing developments break ground based on the current study, and is also aiming for full broadband coverage across the county, while on the childcare front, he’s working toward scalable, community-backed solutions.
“We’re also looking to grow the impact of our revolving loan fund through NEWEDC and keep expanding services for entrepreneurs,” he says.
“At the core of it all, we’re focused on building a sustainable, inclusive economy that respects the unique character of Oneida County—its people and its natural environment.”
