Wessel presents NUBRIC update to commissioners
Promotes business incubator concept
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NEW ULM -- Brown County commissioners heard a detailed presentation from NUBRIC (New Ulm Business Resource and Innovation Center) CEO/ President Paul Wessel Tuesday.
"I'm a son of New Ulm who left in 1979 and moved back four years ago," said Wessel, a 1977 Martin Luther Academy graduate who studied business management at Concordia University-St. Paul and the University of St. Thomas.
Wessel spent the past 31 years in industrial and healthcare automation. As an inventor and entrepreneur, he built and sold several medical device companies.
Formerly known as the New Ulm Economic Development Corporation, NUBRIC is a private, non-profit organization that promotes New Ulm and facilitates economic growth by providing resources to attract and stimulate business expansion.
Wessel developed a board of industry leaders from New Ulm to advise on community growth. Plans include programs to help entrepreneurs.
"Economic development is now based on partnerships and strategies," Wessel said.
He said NUBRIC is implementing four pillars of economic growth drivers -- education, automation, transportation and business incubation.
Wessel said a number of communities similar in size to New Ulm have created business incubators (partnerships or collaboratives sponsored by one or more pro-business organizations, including colleges, government entities) created as temporary launching pads for new businesses with the expectation that participants will eventually graduate and move out.
Plans include development of a state-of-the-art STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) robotics and automation lab.
A Center of Rural Innovation (CORI) team has been formed to work with staff at Windings, Inc., Nuvera Wireless, local and area high schools, Martin Luther College, City of New Ulm officials and several NUBRIC board members to help build the lab.
The team is seeking an award of a $135,000 federal grant for NUBRIC and Region 9 to plan for STEM lab.
NUBRIC recently met at New Ulm Middle School to explore the integration of the Project Lead The Way (PLTW) Gateway Program that introduces students to engineering, computer and biomedical science. Wessel said the PLTW program is supported by 3M.
"We need long-term strategies," Wessel said. "We've got to facilitate robotics in our automation lab. We've got to find a way to work more closely together with each other. Otherwise, working separately, we'll fall."
"I think it's wonderful you're working with schools," said Commissioner Brian Braun.
"I want you to know there are opportunities to do collaboration. That's all I seek now," Wessel said.
For more information, visit www.nubric.org.