Oneida County Economic Development Corporation

06/02/2026

Join us in wishing our very own, Tony Pharo - OCEDC's Executive Director, a Happy 2-year work Anniversary! Tony is the driving force behind OCEDC and our County's biggest cheerleader. His leadership has impacted our efforts to drive growth and sustainability in the Northwoods. The relationships he has built and the passion he has for our community is unmatched.

Thank you, Tony, for all you do!
We appreciate you and we can't wait to watch Oneida County continue to thrive.

06/01/2026

A huge thank you to Nicolet Bank for their generous Annual Donation, along with their Coffee & Connections '26-'27 Sponsorship and FALL Summit 2026 Sponsorship, to support OCEDC'S economic development initiatives.

Their generosity is greatly appreciated and will have a meaningful impact on our ongoing efforts to drive growth and sustainability in Oneida County. Helping us to further strengthen our community, and together, we are fostering a brighter economic future for all.

Thank you Nicolet Bank for your support, we look forward to continuing our partnership and achieving even greater results together.

05/29/2026

OCEDC is proud to welcome Dan McGreaham to our Board of Directors 🥳

Dan is a senior leader with more than 30 years of experience in the pulp and paper industry. He has served as the Mill Manager at the Ahlstrom Rhinelander Mill for the past four and a half years, overseeing safety, environmental performance, operations, and financial results. Dan, and his wife Amy, grew up in Upper Michigan, and like most Northwoods residents, Dan enjoys outdoor activities, but most of all, he values spending time with his family.

OCEDC is excited to have Dan join our mission. His passion and dedication for his organization and the community he works and lives in supports our collective goal towards sustainable economic growth in Oneida County.

Welcome, Dan!! 🥳

05/26/2026

It was our pleasure to present this plaque to Trig's for their generous annual donation to support OCEDC'S economic development initiatives. Their generosity is greatly appreciated and has a meaningful impact on our ongoing efforts to drive growth and sustainability in Oneida County.

Their partnership helps us to further strengthen our community, and together, we are fostering a brighter economic future for all.

Thank you to Don Theisen, and Trig's, for all of your support and efforts, we look forward to continuing our partnership and achieving even greater results together.

05/25/2026

We are so excited for the opportunity to chat with Geoff for the new series "Check In On Tony", a monthly Up North at 4 series to discuss what exactly is OCEDC and everything we do! Check out the full episode on WJFW and stay tuned for next month's special!

05/21/2026

The Rhinelander Area Chamber of Commerce is excited to introduce a new member benefit designed to support local businesses and their employees. Through a partnership with Anovia Health, Rhinelander Chamber members now have access to healthcare solutions that may help improve access to care and provide additional options for their teams.

Join them for a special information session on Wednesday, June 3 at 12:00 p.m. at the Chamber office to learn more about how this program works, who may benefit, and how businesses can explore available healthcare options for their employees.

A light lunch will be provided. Seating is limited and RSVP is required to reserve your seat. Email [email protected] to RSVP.

05/20/2026

Congratulations to our very own Russ Myers, Board Member and Minocqua Representative of OCEDC, for receiving the Community Spirit Award 🥳 Your dedication and passion for the community does not go unnoticed! Congrats 🥳🥳

05/19/2026

✨️ May is Mental Health Awareness Month ✨️

Bristel, OCEDC's Program & Marketing Coordinator, just graduated from the Leadership Oneida County Program and through that her group completed a Northwoods Mental Health Resource Guide as their community project. They felt that with so many wonderful resources in the Northwoods, wouldn't it be great to have them listed in one handy spot? So that's what they did! They created a PDF Flyer along with a Google Maps Resource List.

Did you know 1 in 5 adults experience Mental Illness and symptoms of depression have increased from 6% to over 30% in the last 6 years.

Also, 76% of the US Workforce have felt Mental Health Symptoms. And in the workplace over 52% have felt burnout in the past year. Did you know that only 13% or employees feel comfortable discussing their Mental Health with their supervisor! And 42% fear a negative impact. That's huge!!

What can you do to promote a healthy and safe work environment?
* Provide tangible resources
* Foster open culture
* Encourage work-life balance
* Develop policies to ensure psychological safety within the workplace

Check out the QR Code for local resources, or email for a copy of the PDF Flyer. Text or Call 988 for the su***de & crisis hotline.

We are stronger together ✨️

05/14/2026

Congratulations to the '25-'26 Leadership Oneida County Graduating class, including our very own Bristel Hamburg, OCEDC's Marketing & Programming Coordinator 🥳🥳🥳

05/13/2026

OCEDC is honored to be nominated amongst an outstanding community for the 2026 Shining Star/Non-profit of the year ✨️

A huge congratulations to two of our Board Members, Russ Myers & Michael Tautges, for their individual nominations as well 🥳

We are truly grateful to be nominated amongst so many wonderful organizations and individuals for the Minocqua Area Visitors Bureau Golden Horizons 2026 Community Recognition Awards ✨️

Thank you and congratulations to all of the nominees 🥳 we are stronger together!

🎉 Congratulations to the 2026 Community Recognition Award Nominees! 🎉

We are proud to recognize the incredible businesses, organizations, and individuals who make our community stronger, brighter, and more connected every day. Please join us in celebrating this year’s outstanding nominees!

🏆 2026 Business of the Year Nominees
• The Bottled Bean
• The Waters of Minocqua
• Copy Cat Printing
• Seasons of Balance
• Park City Credit Union
• Leadership Academy
• Northfork Fin and Filet
• Always Tired Ink
• Culver’s of Arbor Vitae
• Tick’d Off Pest Control
• U.S. Bank – Minocqua Branch
• Modern Technology, LLC

🌟 2026 Outstanding Emerging Business Award Nominees
• Kylie’s Cleaning Services
• Gage Marine Minocqua
• Brewer Inspection
• Island City Massage
• Aqua Edge
• The Knotty Barrel
• The Minocqua Baking Company

✨ 2026 Shining Star / Non-Profit of the Year Nominees
• Girls on the Run North Central Wisconsin
• Minocqua Kawaguesaga Lakes Protection Association
• Rock of Ages Lutheran Church
• Oneida County Economic Development
• The Lakeland Pantry
• Firebird Foundation
• Lakeland Sharing Foundation
• Howard Young Medical Center
• Hope in a Backpack
• Lakeland Area Baseball
• Minocqua Public Library
• Campanile Center for the Arts
• The Lakeland Art League
• Minocqua Winter Park

💙 2026 Community Spirit Award Nominees
• The Bottled Bean
• Will Jefferies – American Pond Hockey
• Leadership Academy
• Breia Tlusty – Yoga Shop
• The Lakeland Food Pantry
• Mark Clark – Minocqua Kawaguesaga Lakes Protection Association
• Harmony Wrasse
• Kelly Knobeck
• Jason Hesch – Lakeland Sharing Foundation
• Russ Myers
• Park City Cares Foundation

👏 2026 Citizen of the Year Award Nominees
• Rick Engels
• Cameron Bonvini
• Michael Tautges
• Tamra Anderson
• Lorna Springate
• Cari Trapp
• Jason Hesch
• Kelly Knobeck
• Harmony Wrasse

Thank you to all of our nominees for the passion, leadership, and dedication you bring to our community. Your hard work and commitment help make the Minocqua area such a special place to live, work, and visit. 💚