Nicole Ryf, president of the Kenosha Area Business Alliance, has overseen the organization since 2023. KABA is a nonprofit economic development organization funded by private investors. The county continues to attract significant economic development and investments, highlighted by Eli Lilly’s $3 billion expansion planned at its Pleasant Prairie manufacturing facility and Uline’s construction of a new office building near its headquarters. BizTimes reporter Sonia Spitz spoke with Ryf about how KABA plays a part in supporting economic growth in the Kenosha area.

“As the president of the Kenosha Area Business Alliance, I lead all of our corporate attraction, business retention and expansion efforts. I focus on supporting businesses that are looking to come to the area, responding to RFPs, and supporting our existing businesses as they grow and overcome challenges. I will say, I’ve worked in Texas and Virginia, which are arguably two of the best places for economic development and what I am doing here in Kenosha County is the most meaningful economic development work I’ve ever been part of.”

How does KABA advertise to attract companies to Kenosha County?

“As an economic development organization, we don’t do a lot of direct advertising or marketing. We really rely on the Milwaukee 7, which is the regional economic development group, to service that regional point of contact. That being said, I think that the word is out there amongst site selectors and business leaders across the country that Kenosha County is really the place to be. I think our unique position between Chicago and Milwaukee and all of the land that we have available as well as access to bountiful amounts of water and a great talent base is something that has made news in the business community. I think when you see a big name, like Haribo or Uline, that has chosen to move here and invest here, that is a magnet for other companies because CEOs and other leadership at companies all across the world see what their peers are doing.

“I would say the talent piece is critical, also. We’re in a great commuter network with our surrounding cities and we’re drawing from surrounding areas like Milwaukee, Chicago and Walworth County. A lot of the companies that are looking to establish in this area come from areas with higher operating costs like Chicago and northern Illinois. Taxes and wages are better here, and the reliability of infrastructure is a driving factor, too. We have very good access to water here and there are a lot of industries starting to get into food and beverage manufacturing, battery manufacturing, solar panel manufacturing, and data centers. The next steps involve helping them find a building or a site to accommodate their needs. This means helping them through the permitting process, helping them navigate incentives at the local and state level, and helping them to develop their talent pipeline. We are here to be a partner in that process for the entire lifetime of that business.”

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