02 Mar WisBusiness: the Podcast with Lisa Johnson, BioForward Wisconsin
Lisa Johnson
This week’s episode of “WisBusiness: the Podcast” is with returning guest Lisa Johnson, CEO of BioForward Wisconsin.
She shares her perspective on the state’s demographic workforce challenges, arguing Wisconsin should be doubling down on supporting growing industries such as biohealth.
“We have a problem — we have migration out, we need a solution,” she said. “And when you’re going after a solution it means you need to have a strategy. So what I’m asking the state of Wisconsin is, let’s start focusing again on key Wisconsin industries that will drive our long-term economic growth.”
While the state’s biohealth industry is clustered around Madison and Milwaukee, she notes these companies are “completely reliant on Wisconsin’s superb supply chain” that stretches statewide.
“Start marketing those key industries nationwide, gobally,” she said. “Other states are doing it, they recognize this is how you go about selling your state.”
She’s urging lawmakers and other state leaders to organize around such a strategy, pointing to the state’s strength in food and beverage production, advanced manufacturing and other areas.