Forward Wisconsin: Forward Wisconsin Developing New Web Site

For More Information Contact:
Scott Reigstad, Forward Wisconsin, 608.261.2506

Madison – Aesention, Inc., an award-winning creative design firm based in Madison, has been selected to develop a new web site for Forward Wisconsin, the state’s business recruitment organization.

“Because a majority of initial site selection work is now being done on the Internet, we need to have a site that is not only information-rich but more marketing oriented in its approach,” according to Michael Armiak, Forward Wisconsin president. “We selected Aesention to develop the new site for us because of their experience in integrating technology with marketing strategies and usability.”

Armiak said the entire Forward Wisconsin project is under the direction of a Web Site Task Force composed of information technology experts from the UW E-Business Consortium and the Wisconsin Department of Commerce as well as economic development professionals from two Wisconsin utilities. The Task Force reviewed proposals from more than a dozen web site design firms and interviewed eight of them before selecting Aesention.

Sandra Bradley, Aesention President and CEO, said the project includes developing a customized content management system—software that will enable Forward Wisconsin staff, rather than a web firm, to easily create and update all the content on the site. For this project, she added, Aesention has teamed up with Jeff Horvath, Ph.D., founder of Informed Balance, LLC. Horvath will focus on ensuring that the web site meets the needs of the site’s primary users.

Aesention has been recognized with design awards during each of the past four years including a National Advertising Federation ADDY Award for creative excellence. Case studies of their work can be viewed at www.aesention.com. Informed Balance, www.informedbalance.com, provides web expertise in usability, web strategy, and e-learning.

The new Forward Wisconsin web site is scheduled to be unveiled at the organization’s 20th Anniversary Celebration in September.
Forward Wisconsin, Inc. (www.ForwardWI.com), created in 1984, is a unique public-private state marketing organization. Its job is marketing Wisconsin’s business advantages outside the state to educate decision-makers on the positive benefits of living, working, playing and doing business in Wisconsin. Governor Jim Doyle is Forward Wisconsin’s Chairman of the Board.