MILWAUKEE, Oct. 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Top employers
throughout Southeastern Wisconsin,
including Accenture, Advocate Aurora Health, Johnson Controls,
Kohl's, Northwestern Mutual and Rockwell Automation today announced
the formation of the MKE Tech Hub Coalition, a not-for-profit
coalition across industries focused on bolstering and growing the
technology ecosystem in the Milwaukee region.
The founding companies will initially contribute more than
$5 million in the coalition, which
will serve as an accelerator for the Milwaukee tech ecosystem by supporting
programs, organizations and initiatives that advance technology and
innovation in the region. The goal of the coalition is to double
the number of local tech workers by 2025. The coalition will focus
on growing, attracting and retaining top tech talent in the
following ways:
- Increasing the number of tech startups in the region
- Expanding the number of tech companies that relocate to or grow
in Milwaukee
- Cultivating a dynamic vision and image for the region that
attracts tech workers
- Creating resources and an environment that supports
freelancers
Technology is accelerating the pace of change and the need for
talent across all industries. By combining local leaders from the
professional services, health care, retail, financial services and
manufacturing industries, the coalition will work to position
Milwaukee as an innovation hub and
bring new talent and ideas to the region.
The coalition's board, in partnership with a CEO to be named
later, will develop a strategic direction and identify
opportunities to maintain a growing and thriving local economy in
the digital age. As the coalition enlists new members, it also will
engage the business community, academic institutions, local and
state governments, organizations and individuals who share the same
vision of advancing innovation and transforming Milwaukee.
The coalition's formation was formally announced to coincide
with Milwaukee's Fall Experiment,
a tech, art, gaming and music festival that convenes creators from
across the Greater Midwest. To learn more about the MKE Tech Hub
Coalition, including membership and other ways to get involved,
please visit MKETech.org.
"We are excited to be a part of the coalition to build
Milwaukee and Southeastern Wisconsin into a premier tech
hub," said Jay Kraft, office
managing director of Accenture's Milwaukee office. "The success of our region,
across every industry, is increasingly dependent on leveraging new
and emerging technologies to enable new capabilities and deliver
new customer experiences. It is vital that we build a strong
technology community to attract, grow and retain tech talent and we
are honored to work alongside our partners to do so."
"Our investment in this coalition underscores our commitment to
the innovation and transformation foundational to a strong
technology economy and critical to the future of health care
delivery," Advocate Aurora Health President and CEO Jim Skogsbergh said. "We're proud to collaborate
with other Milwaukee leaders as
part of our unwavering commitment to help the people of
southeastern Wisconsin live
well."
"The digitalization of traditional functions and processes in
industry are changing the way companies do business, so it is vital
to the sustainability of this region to have a strong tech presence
and to attract the tech workforce of the future," said George Oliver, chairman and CEO, Johnson Controls. "I'm proud Johnson Controls
will support the MKE Tech Hub Coalition."
"As a top workplace in the Milwaukee area, we have a significant interest
in attracting and retaining great talent in our
hometown," said Michelle Gass,
Kohl's chief executive officer. "Technology and innovation are more
important than ever to be successful in today's dynamic retail
environment, and we will continue to benefit from the
opportunity to collaborate across industries."
"We're proud to take part in this cross-industry collaboration
to advance the work that's been done to date to transform
Milwaukee into a tech hub," said
John Schlifske, chairman, president
and CEO of Northwestern Mutual. "Increasing tech talent in
Milwaukee is critical for our
region to remain vibrant and compete on a national scale."
"Rockwell Automation is thrilled to have joined this coalition,
and I'm committed to working for its success – because this is
truly an investment in all of our futures – an investment that will
bring outstanding returns to Milwaukee and the Mid-west," said Blake Moret, CEO and chairman of Rockwell
Automation. "Companies need the combination of a good strategy,
technology and most importantly human expertise to compete – The
Tech Hub will act as an accelerator for the Milwaukee tech ecosystem."
About Accenture
Accenture is a leading global
professional services company, providing a broad range of services
and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and
operations. Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills
across more than 40 industries and all business functions —
underpinned by the world's largest delivery network — Accenture
works at the intersection of business and technology to help
clients improve their performance and create sustainable value for
their stakeholders. With 492,000 people serving clients in more
than 120 countries, Accenture drives innovation to improve the way
the world works and lives. Visit us at www.accenture.com.
About Advocate Aurora Health
Advocate Aurora Health is
one of the 10 largest not-for-profit, integrated health systems in
the United States and a leading
employer in the Midwest with more than 70,000 employees, including
more than 22,000 nurses and the region's largest employed medical
staff and home health organization. A national leader in clinical
innovation, health outcomes, consumer experience and value-based
care, the system serves nearly 3 million patients annually in
Illinois and Wisconsin across more than 500 sites of care.
Advocate Aurora is engaged in hundreds of clinical trials and
research studies and is nationally recognized for its expertise in
cardiology, neurosciences, oncology and pediatrics. The
organization contributed $2.1 billion
in charitable care and services to its communities in 2018. We help
people live well.
About Johnson Controls
At Johnson Controls, we transform the environments where people
live, work, learn and play. From optimizing building performance to
improving safety and enhancing comfort, we drive the outcomes that
matter most. We deliver our promise in industries such as
healthcare, education, data centers and manufacturing. With a
global team of 105,000 experts in more than 150 countries and over
130 years of innovation, we are the power behind our customers'
mission. Our leading portfolio of building technology and solutions
includes some of the most trusted names in the industry, such as
Tyco®, York®, Metasys®, Ruskin®, Titus®, Frick®, Penn®, Sabroe®,
Simplex®, Ansul® and Grinnell®. For more information, visit
www.johnsoncontrols.com or follow us @johnsoncontrols on
Twitter.
About Kohl's
Kohl's (NYSE: KSS) is a leading
omnichannel retailer with more than 1,100 stores in 49 states. With
a commitment to inspiring and empowering families to lead fulfilled
lives, Kohl's offers amazing national and exclusive brands,
incredible savings and an easy shopping experience in our stores,
online at Kohls.com and on Kohl's mobile app. Since its founding,
Kohl's has given more than $700
million to support communities nationwide, with a focus on
family health and wellness. For a list of store locations or to
shop online, visit Kohls.com. For more information about Kohl's
impact in the community or how to join our winning team, visit
Corporate.Kohls.com or follow @KohlsNews on Twitter.
About Northwestern Mutual
Northwestern Mutual has
been helping families and businesses achieve financial security for
more than 160 years. Through a distinctive, personalized
planning approach, Northwestern Mutual combines the expertise of
its financial advisors with a digital experience to help its
clients navigate their financial lives every day. With $272.2 billion in assets, $28.5 billion in revenues, and $1.8 trillion worth of life insurance
protection in force, Northwestern Mutual delivers financial
security to more than 4.5 million people with life,
disability income and long-term care insurance,
annuities, and brokerage and advisory services. The company manages
$128 billion of investments owned by
its clients and held or managed through its wealth management and
investment services businesses. Northwestern Mutual ranks 111
on the 2019 FORTUNE 500 and is recognized by FORTUNE® as
one of the "World's Most Admired" life insurance companies in
2019.
Northwestern Mutual is the marketing name for The Northwestern
Mutual Life Insurance Company (NM), Milwaukee, WI (life and disability insurance,
annuities, and life insurance with long-term care benefits) and its
subsidiaries. Subsidiaries include Northwestern Mutual
Investment Services, LLC (NMIS) (securities),
broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, member FINRA and
SIPC; the Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company® (NMWMC)
(fiduciary and fee-based financial planning services), federal
savings bank; and Northwestern Long Term Care Insurance Company
(NLTC) (long-term care insurance).
About Rockwell Automation
Rockwell Automation
Inc. (NYSE: ROK), the world's largest company dedicated to
industrial automation and information, makes its customers more
productive and the world more sustainable. Headquartered in
Milwaukee, Wis., Rockwell
Automation employs approximately 23,000 people serving customers in
more than 80 countries.
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SOURCE Northwestern Mutual