Last week, Forward Janesville President & CEO Shar Hermanson joined the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce for their “Lunch(UP)date” webinar—bringing vibrant energy, strategic vision, and inspiring reflections to a packed virtual audience.
A Story of Resilience & Recovery
Beginning with the city’s transformative economic journey, Shar reflected on how Janesville has risen from past adversity. Highlighting key milestones, she shared how public–private partnerships, smart infrastructure investments and community-led initiatives have revitalized the region. Listeners learned how targeted incentives helped attract manufacturing, technology, and healthcare projects—creating new jobs and boosting local confidence.
Strategic Collaboration in Focus
A central theme of the session was the power of collaboration. Shar emphasized how Forward Janesville serves as a convener—aligning municipal leaders, local businesses, educational institutions, and civic groups behind shared goals. She spotlighted recent joint efforts, including a manufacturing workforce training program and expanding broadband access in underserved neighborhoods—each designed to strengthen local talent pipelines and support long-term economic growth.
Momentum Behind Key Initiatives
Participants also gained insight into initiatives including but not limited to downtown revitalization, growth in light industrial parks and housing initiatives.
Shar conveyed both optimism and realism—acknowledging ongoing challenges like workforce retention and infrastructure backlogs. Yet she assured attendees that plans are underway to address these through regional talent recruitment efforts, targeted grants and continued public–private flexibility.
A lively Q&A followed the presentation. Shar answered questions about:
- How small businesses can tap into Chamber resources,
- The timeline for next-phase downtown improvements,
- And what metrics will define economic progress over the next 18 months.
The Road Ahead
Wrapping up, Shar left the audience with a clear vision: “Healthy cities are built through partnerships—between government, business, educators and residents. When we all pull in the same direction, we can achieve more than any one of us could alone.”