This week’s episode of “WisBusiness: the Podcast” is with Nick Novak, vice president of communications and marketing for Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce.
He discusses this year’s “Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin” contest, an annual competition held by WMC and Johnson Financial Group.
“We basically want to highlight the manufacturing industry here in Wisconsin,” Novak said. “The industry employs about one in six people in our state, contributes about $65 billion in economic output each year to Wisconsin, and overall is just a big, big driver in our state’s economy.”
Along with recognizing the businesses and products that define manufacturing in the state, Novak said the contest also aims to elevate the people involved and put a spotlight on career opportunities in the industry.
Nominations are being accepted through Sept. 9. The first round of voting will begin Sept. 19, with the top 16 nominees moving into a tournament-style bracket called Manufacturing Madness.
“This places 16 Wisconsin-made products in head-to-head competitions up against each other, and we go from 16, to eight, to four,” he said. “And finally we have one more popular vote round for those top four products to determine what is the coolest thing made in Wisconsin.”
The winner will be announced Oct. 19 at WMC’s Business Day in Madison event.
Listen to the podcast below, sponsored by UW-Madison:
