Kathy Schmitz has served as Executive Director of the Vilas County Economic Development Corporation for more than six years.
She’s overseen the expansion of broadband in the county from 5% coverage in 2020 to 86% now helping the county grow.
“Vilas County is now a hub, a go-to source, not only for entrepreneurs and startups or to expand your business, but also to work remotely,” said Schmitz. “If you are a seasonal homeowner, to stay here full time.”
Schmitz assisted small businesses with recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and the drought winter of 2023/24.
During her time at VCEDC, programs geared toward small business owners, entrepreneurs, and women in business grew.
Schmitz and other partners worked to secure to Thrive Rural Grants, one for Phelps and one for Land O’Lakes, for major redevelopment projects.
“To focus on small business and to be able to be a part of all those success stories, bring in millions of dollars and just help hundreds and hundreds of businesses in Vilas County and work with such strong partners throughout this state,” said Schmitz reflecting on her time at VCEDC. “To have people come back to us and say, ‘Kathy, how are you guys doing this?’ To me that's such a compliment because it's been a team effort, and I just like I said, I just have absolutely treasured working alongside these people. It truly has been the highlight of my career.”
Schmitz announced she’ll be retiring at the end of this year to spend more time traveling with her husband. She joined the VCEDC in November 2019.
Nicolet College President Kate Ferrel is the VCEDC Board Chair.
“As you look through our impact and our outcomes and our accomplishments, you would think that this was the work done by, I don't know, a staff of six to eight to 10 people, but no, we have one full-time employee in Kathy,” said Ferrel. “She, I think, maximized her own natural talents with marketing and public relations, and really, I think accelerated and used social media and electronic sort of communication and technology to really jettison the organization forward just light years.”
Ferrel says they’re hoping to have some overlap with the new person coming on before Schmitz leaves.
She says they’ll be looking for someone that can keep the momentum that Schmitz has built up moving forward.
“I joked about Kathy being a conductor and a maestro, and really, it is,” said Ferrel. “It's bringing all those entities together to put forward all of of the pieces that are required to keep the nonprofit moving forward.”
The VCEDC will beginning searching for its next Executive Director with the job posting expected to post September 8th. Information will be shared on the VCEDC website.
