The 2008 staff of the Center for Community and Economic Development (left to right standing): Gary Green, Matt Kures, Bill Pinkovitz, Randy Stoecker, Andy Lewis, Bill Ryan (left to right sitting): Greg Wise, Andrea Smith
About THE Center for Community and Economic Development
Working with UW-Extension county and campus partners we create, apply and transfer multi-disciplinary knowledge to help people understand community change and identify opportunities.
Communities often ask:
- What types of comprehensive economic development strategy can we pursue?
- Where does our economy appear to be heading?
- What has been happening to local businesses and employment?
- How can we create sufficient jobs within livable wages to support families?
- How can we improve the competitiveness of our shopping areas?
- How can we build stronger capacity in our community to deal with change?
How we can help:
- community economic analysis
- business district and trade area analysis
- economic impact analysis
- problem definition and solution identification
- community economic development strategy building
- building social capital
- building learning organizations and communities
and more . . . .
CCED Program Summaries/Summary Sheets:
Building Communities Educational Series
Community Indicators/Economic Snapshots
County/Community Economic Profiles
County Labor Market Condition Reports
Downtown and Business District Market Analysis (pdf file)
First Impressions: A Program for Community Assessment & Improvement
Tourism Business Development Toolbox (pdf file)
Trade Area Analyst LT: GIS the Easy Way
Web-Based Community Economic Development Preparedness Index
Wisconsin Business Improvement District (BID) Education (pdf file)
History of the CCED:
Professor Ron Shaffer, CCED Director 1990-2000
The UW-Extension Center for Community Economic Development, was established in July 1990. Ron Shaffer served as the founding director of the Center (Appointed by CNRED Program Leader Ayse Somersan) from its establishment date until he resigned in July, 2000. In 1980, Ron Shaffer and Glen Pulver jointly developed an educational model to help communities formally plan their economic futures - the Community Economic Analysis (CEA). CEA programs were conducted in 150 Wisconsin communities and Ron and Glen received the Extension award for their CEA in 1985 from the American Agricultural Economics Association. In 2001, Ron was the initial recipient of the Research Award from the Community Development Society International. In addition to being the first director of the CCED, Ron was appointed as director of the National Rural Economic Development Institute (an initiative under President George H. Bush) in 1990. With Ron's careful leadership, 39 states formed State Rural Development Councils. The Institute trained and encouraged council leaders to identify actions that would improve the well being of rural residents, gain consensus on priorities, and achieve results through cooperation among federal/ state /local and tribal governments and the private sector. Ron was Institute director for eight years.
In 2001, the National Rural Development Partnership established the Ron Shaffer Award given annually for outstanding collaboration in rural America. In addition, Ron was
A founding member and long time Board Member of Wisconsin Rural Partners. Ron
valiantly endured a long struggle with ALS
and passed
peacefully on March 4, 2005 at his home in Middleton, Wisconsin
Professor Al Anderson, CCED Director 2000-2005
Al Anderson was appointed by CNRED program leader Pat Walsh as the second director of the CCED in 2000 and served in that capacity until his retirement in 2005. Al Anderson joined Extension in 1976 and contributed innovative programming, research and teaching for 30 years. He had numerous innovative programs that were unique to the needs of Burnett, Juneau and Sauk Counties, the Kickapoo River Valley, Leadership Wisconsin, the Basin Educator Program and the Center for Community Economic Development. His programming in the areas of Natrual Resources Management, Local Government Education, Organizational and Leadership Development and Community and Economic Development were well grounded in the grass roots needs of local citizens. Professor Emeritus Al Anderson is currently living in Baraboo, Wisconsin.
Professor Gary Green & Distinguished Lecturer Chuck Law, Co-Directors 2005 - 2008
Gary Green and Chuck Law were appointed as Co-Directors of the Center by CNRED Program Leader Robin Shepard in 2005 and served until July, 2008. Gary Green still serves as a specialist for the CCED while Chuck Law serves as the Director of the Local Government Center.
Professor Greg Wise, Director 2008-Present
Greg Wise was appointed as Director of the Center by Interim CNRED Program Leader Tom Blewett in 2008. He had previously served as a specialist in entrepreneurship and community economic development for the CCED.
Wise joined the center in 2004 after serving as the UW-Extension interim assistant vice chancellor for economic development for 15 months and as the secretary of the faculty and academic staff for five years. For 11 years previously, Wise was a community development educator in Manitowoc and Sauk counties. He joined UW-Extension as an instructor in 1989.
CCED Staff circa 1997 (left to right sitting): Dave Marcouiller, Harriet Moyer, Rachael Lohr, Bill Ryan, Bill Pinkovitz. (left to right standing): Sumathi, Sue Hamilton, Steve Deller, Marsha Cannon, Ron Shaffer, Susan Cabbit, Gerry Campbell.
You can reach the Center at:
610 Langdon Street
Room 336
Madison, WI 53703
Phone: (608) 265-8136
FAX: (608) 263-4999
TTY: 1-800-947-3529
Email: cced@uwex.edu
For background information and contact information for staff members, click on “Contact Us”
