About

Economic Development

 

At its core, KABA fosters economic development by helping companies that are in Kenosha County innovate, expand and thrive; and by assisting companies that want to make a move to or within Kenosha County.  While everything KABA does could be considered economic development, working directly with companies in all aspects of their growth is highest on that list.

Site Selection

KABA staff know the Kenosha County industrial real estate market inside and out and are always ready to help a company find the perfect site to support a company’s expansion or relocation plans. KABA also provides valuable data about the business climate and labor force to inform and empower companies to make the best decisions for their business.

Sites + Properties

Business Retention & Expansion (BR|E)

KABA takes the pulse of approximately 100 Kenosha County-based companies every year through our Business Retention & Expansion (BRE) Program. Employers provide information about the health of their business and the opportunities and challenges to doing business in Kenosha County which helps KABA focus its development efforts.

Industries

 

 Financing for Kenosha businesses

KABA manages more than $30 million in community revolving loan funds. These funds are used to provide low-cost financing options to companies creating jobs in Kenosha County through expansion or by establishing a new facility in the area.

Financing + Incentives

 

Help navigating the process

KABA has strong relationships at the state and local level, working regularly with the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), Kenosha County and each of its municipalities.  We connect companies to valuable resources – whether that’s help with workforce development or contacts at industry cluster organizations.

Need assistance?

Contact: Nicole Ryf

nryf@kaba.org | 262.925.3466

Talent Development

 

People are at the heart and soul of any business or community. Attracting, retaining and engaging with people to live, work and find success in Kenosha County is an ideal to which KABA is strongly committed.

 

Employer Assistance

Along with its partners, KABA works closely with new and existing employers to develop strategies to help them find the talent they need to grow. Targeted recruitment events, connections to higher education, and best practice sharing are some of the ways KABA has assisted local employers.

KABA is also able to provide employers with connections to local colleges, universities and K-12 institutions. Programs such as Schools2Skills company tours, internships and employer panels provide companies with a connection to education and learning opportunities for students.

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Professional Development

KABA strives to help companies keep their employees highly skilled and motivated by offering training courses, workshops, briefings and roundtable discussions hosted by business members, community leaders, and educators. KABA maintains a comfortable and convenient training center at its office and can also coordinate customized, on-site training programs for individual companies.

Programming + Training

Events

KABA hosts events throughout the year to inform and engage its investors and the Kenosha community about topics central to moving the county forward. Some of the programs include business breakfasts on timely topics, candidate forums, an annual meeting, the KABA business recognition dinner, an annual leadership conference, and many more.

Events

Young Professional Programming

KABA’s young professional programming is geared toward engaging the next generation of leaders within our community. We focus on curating opportunities where emerging talent can gain professional development, community engagement, and networking skills to help forge new relationships; discover what makes Kenosha great; grow as leaders; and create long-term impact in the community.

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Mentor Program

The KABA Mentor Program is a school-based mentoring program that empowers both young people and the adults working with them. The program is designed to provide at-risk students with positive adult role models that spend time with the student on a regular basis.

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Inspire

Inspire is a series of activities, events and resources designed to empower existing and emerging leaders to create change in our community. As part of this platform, KABA hosts a one-day leadership experience to challenge and inspire attendees to walk away with ideas on how they can be a better leader in their careers, communities, and personal lives.

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Support for other education-related initiatives

Through it’s Foundation, KABA is proud to support many other initiatives aimed at advancing the education attainment levels in Kenosha County.  The Gateway Promise, Building Our Future and the Catalyst2Careers Scholarship program are some of the exciting programs KABA is engaged with.

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Need Assistance?

Contact: Brooke Infusino, Director of Talent Development

binfusino@kaba.org | 262.925.3464