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Home > BizTimes Daily > Archives > August 31, 2006
Mayors join forces to promote Milwaukee and Madison
Published August 31, 2006 - BizTimes Daily
Interstate 94 connects Milwaukee and Madison along the "IQ Corridor," but sometimes the two cities seem a world apart. An upcoming meeting of the Wisconsin Innovation Network will attempt to cross that divide by featuring the mayors of the two cities in a discussion about ideas and initiatives that promote the region.
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz will talk about their visions for greater economic and cultural collaboration between Wisconsin's two largest cities on Monday, Sept. 11.
Business leader and former Waukesha County Executive Tom Hefty and Trevor D'Souza, a Milwaukee venture capitalist whose firm invests in companies in both cities, will react to the mayors' remarks at the forum, which will be moderated by Wisconsin Technology Council president Tom Still.
"Milwaukee and Madison have much more to gain by working together than by competing," Still said. "These two cities must compete in a global economy, and that begins by building on their mutual strengths."
Milwaukee and Madison are two points along what the Tech Council calls "IQ Corridor,” the 400-mile stretch linking Chicago and the Twin Cities, as well as many Wisconsin communities in between. The "I" stands for ideas, innovation, intellectual property, investment and interstate and the "Q" suggests quality of life, workforce, education, research and more.
Barrett and Cieslewicz held a similar meeting earlier this year in Madison, where they pledged to support the "MS Collaborative" to promote both cities.
"The barriers between Milwaukee and Madison are far more historic than real," Still said. "We welcome the efforts by Barrett and Cieslewicz to work together, and look forward to hearing about the work of the M2 Collaborative."
The event will take place at the Hyatt Regency Hotel at 333 W. Kilbourn Ave. in downtown Milwaukee, with registration beginning at 11:30 a.m., and the program beginning at 12:30 p.m. Lunch will be served at noon. Registration is $25 for members of the Wisconsin Innovation Network and $35 for non-members. For additional information, visit www.wisconsintechnologycouncil.com and click on "WIN Events."
