As March approaches, we at Green County Development Corporation (GCDC) are looking forward to hosting our 2024 Annual Dinner. This event is a highlight for us each year. It gives us a chance to bring together local businesses, leaders, and residents to celebrate achievements, foster connections, and chart the course for future growth and development in Green County. This year’s dinner is scheduled for March 21st, from 5 pm — 8 pm. It will take place at Turner Hall in Monroe.   

The Keynote address will be led by leaders from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), sharing the role all of us have in realizing Wisconsin’s full economic potential while leveraging our power and resources to ensure economic well-being and rural prosperity for the future of our area.  

In addition to featuring a keynote speaker, our Annual Dinner serves as a platform to acknowledge and honor individuals, businesses, and organizations that have made significant contributions to the local community. This year, we look forward to recognizing recipients of three county awards. 

●  Outstanding Business of the Year — honoring an existing business that has demonstrated outstanding commitment to the county’s economic growth through innovation, job creation, new investment, and/or extraordinary long-time interest in supporting others in business. 

●  Entrepreneurial Spirit Award — recognizing an entrepreneur who leads the way for their business, demonstrating a growth mindset, a strong work ethic, a willingness to learn and find solutions to challenges, and a hunger for opportunity. 

●  Richard B. Schmied Leadership Award — commemorates Richard B. Schmied, remembered for the characteristics of leadership he exhibited. The winner of the award exemplifies the character of a true leader.

I enjoy preparing for our Annual Dinners because it gives me the chance to sit down and think about the coming year. Currently, when I look around at everything happening in our community, I am struck by the sheer amount of opportunity that exists. It is easy to get caught up in the day-to-day work and forget that in order for growth to happen, we need to continue to practice taking chances and exploring innovation. 

While it’s a known fact that Green County has not experienced huge amounts of growth in over a decade, I perceive this as an opportunity rather than a setback. It underscores the community’s potential to explore new avenues, be creative, innovative, and collaborative. This is our chance to pave the way for future generations’ success, and that prospect genuinely excites me. 

So to wrap things up, our Annual Dinner is more than just a platform for networking, learning, and celebrating past successes; it’s an opportunity to envision 2024 as a year of innovation and growth for our community. The prevailing theme is that opportunity is all around us, and at the GCDC 2024 Annual Dinner, we will spotlight ways to transform these opportunities into reality. 

For more information on our Annual Dinner and our current initiatives, visit GCDC online at www.greencountydevelopment.com, or contact the GCDC office at (608) 328-9452 or email gcdc@greencountydevelopment.com.

— Olivia Otte is the Executive Director of the Green County Development Corporation (GCDC). She can be reached at Olivia@greencountydevelopment.com, or by calling 608-328-9452.