Members briefed on Competitiveness Report

Wisconsin's economy is at a crossroads, and the decisions made now will shape where families and employers choose to build their futures. Kurt Bauer of the WMC Foundation's Future Wisconsin Project presented the Wisconsin Competitiveness Report, a metric-driven look at how our state compares on the indicators that matter most to businesses and communities, to members on Thursday, October 22, 2026. The event was held at the Klimisch Center for Business Innovation at the WPS Powerhouse.

The presentation walked through the report's key findings, including:

• Demographics and workforce: population growth trends, falling birth rates, and the challenge of attracting working-age residents
• Manufacturing, taxes, and regulations: what the state's business climate means for the industry that employs nearly half a million Wisconsinites
• Health care costs: why Wisconsin ranks among the most expensive states and the policy solutions the report proposes

Read the full Wisconsin Competitiveness Report.