1. 20 Chamber Executive Fall 2016
F
ox Cities, an area com-
prised of 20 communi-
ties along the Fox River
in east central Wisconsin, is
home to roughly 400,000
residents; and a little over
half of those residents make
up the Fox Cities labor pool. As the region’s technology and
manufacturing industries have grown so has the demand for a
young, educated workforce.
According to Shannon Full, president & CEO of the Fox Cities
Chamber, creating and nourishing a millennial labor pool was
key to meeting these demands. In order to recruit young tal-
ent to the region, the chamber had to create an environment
conducive to the millennial mindset: one where livability comes
first and job placement comes second, and the desire to make a
difference exceeds all else.
“We redirected our programs toward connectivity and net-
work building by linking millennials to the community, to career
opportunities, and to each other,” said Full. “We essentially took
on the role of concierge and matchmaker.”
Talent Upload, a university familiarization program, and a re-
built young professionals group, Pulse, have been successful tools
to recruit and retain this crucial demographic.
Talent Upload
Talent Upload is an all-expense paid event designed to proac-
tively engage with and recruit university talent. It specifically
targets students to fill positions in IT, computer science and en-
gineering.
“The goal of Talent Upload is to give students an opportuni-
ty to explore life as a young professional in the Fox Cities region
and it provides employers with a chance to engage them before
they enter this ultra-competitive market,” says Beth Pritzl, di-
rector of research and technology for the Fox Cities Regional
Partnership.“We want these students, with coveted skills, to not
only accept a job here but also to embrace the community—
that’s the key to retention.”
Through interviews with the area’s primary employers, the
chamber learned that the gap for skilled tech workers was so
great that in a few years their top companies may be forced to
relocate to find talent.
Using the framework for their site selector familiarization
tours, the chamber pitched the idea of Talent Upload to their
employers.“It was amazing to see them put their full weight be-
hind the program and agree that a rising tide raises all ships,”
said Pritzl. “They knew they needed to be proactive and fortu-
nately, corporate leadership agreed”
Talent Upload spans three days, during which students at-
tend a relaxed career fair, onsite company tours, and network-
ing events with area employers. They also participate in a team
group scavenger hunt to explore the community.
“Exposing the students to the community is key! The scaven-
ger hunt leads them to nightlife, recreation, entertainment and
housing. We feel that we devote a day to work, and we need to
balance that by devoting a day to living—that includes all of the
innovative projects Pulse is working on,” said Pritzl.
Millennial Matchmaking
in the Fox Cities
By Michelle Vegliante
“…a rising tide raises all ships”
– Beth Pritzl

2. Chamber Executive Fall 2016 21
Employers pay to participate, which funds the program’s
hard costs of hotel, food and transportation. The cost of partici-
pation is tiered, and is based on the level of time and exposure
the employer wants with students.
So far, the chamber has hosted three Talent Upload events.
The first was held in spring 2015, followed by fall 2015 and 2016.
“I like to think that we open a lot of eyes for these students,”
said Pritzl. “Before they attend Talent Upload, most have no
perception whatsoever of our area. Over a short three days, we
show them what life here is like and engage them with employ-
ers that are willing to pay top dollar for their talent.”
PULSE
Talent attraction is only half
of the equation. After re-
cruiting millennials to call
Fox Cities their home, the
chamber needed to ensure
that they make the choice to
stay long term. That’s why
the chamber’s young pro-
fessionals group, Pulse, un-
derwent a robust, 18-month
reconstruction.
Pulse has been around for 12 years, and had been conven-
tionally run as a professional development network. Accord-
ing to Adrienne Palm, director of Pulse, that traditional model
was no longer adding value to its members. There was a shift in
mindset that the cultivation of young talent went hand-in-hand
with professional development. Rather, it’s the opportunities
provided from a civic perspective that most significantly influ-
ences young professionals.
“Enhancing our talent pool will always be Pulse’s primary
goal, but we realized we were focusing on the wrong tactic,” says
Palm.“Young professionals are moving to cities and staying be-
cause of the cultural amenities and assets the community of-
fers.”
The new emphasis on “creating a sense of community” now
serves as the chief motivator for Pulse. This allows for the net-
Outcomes (as of 2015):
145 student participants
26 employer participants
62% job and internship placement
Won 2015 IEDC
“Best in Show” Award
Director Adrienne Palm enjoys the fruits of a new partnership with the City
of Menasha at their annual farm-to-table dinner which Pulse cohosted.
Start-Up 101 gave local entrepreneurs a chance to share their experiences,
both good & bad with those who may someday wish to start a company of
their own. The event was held in a vacant storefront in downtown Neenah to
highlight the many beautiful spaces the community has to offer.
Pulse's first attempt at a local urban market drew a large and diverse crowd
of young makers, artists and culture junkies.
work to have a break-the-mold approach to program design.
“We nixed many of the traditional programs that just weren’t
working for our millennial population, such as staid lunch &
learns and unimaginative networking receptions,” said Palm.
“These were replaced with programs that allow our members to
feel like they have a role to play in the community, which helps
them dig deeper roots.”

3. Chamber Executive Fall 2016 23
One such event, Bazaar After Dark, is a night market devel-
oped on Wisconsin Avenue, a major thoroughfare lined with
many minority-owned businesses and unfortunately, also many
vacancies. Pulse closed the highway and brought in lights, live
music, small businesses, pop-up vendors, nonprofits and food
trucks. The event attracted more than 3,800 residents to this
often neglected part of town.
Another event hosted by the network was titled ‘Politics and
Religion’, two words normally never seen together at a cham-
ber program. The dinner challenged members to speak openly
about their personal views and beliefs, which fostered a much
deeper understanding and connection among peers.
In conjunction with Pulse, the chamber is now in the explor-
atory phase of a full-day Fox Cities immersion event for new
and existing hires from Talent Upload companies and the com-
munity at large.
Michelle Vegliante is community advancement
manager at ACCE. Michelle can be contacted at
mvegliante@acce.org.
The Division BMX crew out of Milwaukee, Wis. performed an exciting demo
at Appleton’s new skate park as part of Pulse’s 2016 YP Week
Social architecture firm, NEWaukee cohosted their statewide Bubbler
Awards (a celebration of the companies that embrace YP values) in the Fox
Cities as an official kickoff to YP Week