What does it take to build a community where the next generation wants to live, work and raise a family?

That's the question at the heart of our latest Forward Thinking column from Forward Janesville President & CEO Shar Hermanson, published October 23 in The Gazette.

Drawing on conversations with more than 350 business leaders, findings from the newly released 2026 Next Normal Regional Employer Survey and the message shared at Forward Janesville's Annual Dinner, Shar explores the opportunities and responsibilities that come with building Janesville's future.

The regional survey offers encouraging signs. Despite ongoing economic uncertainty, 81% of employers reported stable or growing revenue, while 91% expect revenue to increase or remain steady in 2027. Access to talent also improved as a regional business concern, although workforce development remains an important priority.

For Hermanson, those findings reinforce the importance of continued investment and collaboration, particularly when it comes to connecting young people with opportunities in their own community.

Through initiatives such as Keep Kids Learning, Craftsman with Character, the Janesville Business Academy and Youth Apprenticeship, Forward Janesville and its partners are working to strengthen those connections.

But the larger message goes beyond any one initiative or organization.

As Hermanson writes, "Our future isn't something that simply happens to us. It's something we build through the choices we make today."

Building a community the next generation will choose takes businesses willing to invest, employers willing to mentor and residents who believe in Janesville's future.

Read Shar Hermanson's full Forward Thinking column in The Gazette.