APEX is an economic and business development organization that supports businesses in Northeast Minnesota and Northwest Wisconsin.

APEX, Area Partnership for Economic Expansion

APEX

APEX is a private sector-led business development engine established to promote sustainable growth in the APEX region. APEX investor-members represent many of the largest and most influential organizations in the region with a vested interest in business attraction, expansion and retention.

APEX business and economic development efforts focus on areas including aviation, technology, manufacturing, professional services and next generation forest products. Since 2003, the organization has impacted over 4,340 jobs in the region, resulting in a regional payroll of over $177.9 million and contributing to over $24.5 million annually in state and local taxes.

APEX member Duluth Airport Authority recently hosted an illuminating economic development summit in collaboration with Peter Kirsch and Nick Clabbers from Kaplan Kirsch LLP, a national law firm leading in transportation laws and regulations.

Key Takeaways:
✈️ Airport development is a unique tool for economic development
📜 Navigating the regulatory landscape is tricky and requires thoughtful strategic planning
📊 Case studies illustrated creative ways airports attracted strong business partners

This informative event brought together airport managers, economic development professionals, city airport staff, and board members to explore innovative ways to boost our local airports' potential. Rachel and Mickey were delighted to attend and learn from experts in the field on how to leverage these key community assets.

Thank you to Tom Werner and Jana Kayser for hosting this event and setting the stage to grow our communities in innovative ways!

The Governor's International Trade Awards are back, and we want to recognize Northeast Minnesota businesses!
 
🚀 Why Nominate?
- Showcase your company's international achievements
- Make new connections, foster growth in new markets
- Gain statewide recognition
 
📅 Deadline: August 2
 
Eligible companies:
- Have significant international business
- Demonstrated growth in global trade
- Positively impacted MN employment
- Expanded into new international markets
 
Nominate your business or a fellow APEX member today! More details and application are available at the link below.

In case you missed it: Essentia Health's St. Mary's Medical Center project has been named the Top Project of 2023 by Finance & Commerce!

Spanning nearly one million square feet, Essentia invested over $900M over five and a half years of concept and design work. This project exemplifies Essentia’s commitment to furthering Duluth’s progress, revitalizing our community and serving patients with excellent healthcare providers and specialized care opportunities. This award is a major win for Essentia, McGough Construction and other key project partners and supporters! 👏

APEX is excited to share that Essentia Health's $900M St. Mary's Medical Center project has been named Finance & Commerce's Top Project of 2023! 👏 APEX and McGough Construction nominated the collaborative and transformational project for F&C’s annual event which recognizes construction projects throughout the state.

The 18-story glass tower is 942,000 square feet and is able to accommodate 346 patients total at any given time. The project is the largest investment in medical infrastructure in northeastern Minnesota this century and demonstrates Essentia’s commitment to elevating rural healthcare by providing the highest quality care for the entire region.

Join us in congratulating Essentia, McGough Construction and the City of Duluth on this immense accomplishment! 🎉

Our July investor-member meeting at Pier B in downtown Duluth was our most exciting and well-attended yet!

Mark Schill of Praxis Strategy Group was back to set the stage for our new Strategic Framework. He outlined how the practice of Economic Development has evolved since APEX’s founding and illustrated ways our work together helped inform the new framework as a tool.

The APEX team then shared their takeaways from the work and we unveiled the strategic framework tool. Rachel explained the ways our typical work aligns with priorities our investor members helped us define. She also highlighted big attraction projects since May, including the SelectUSA conference in Washington, D.C., our advocacy work in environmental permitting, and representing Northeast Minnesota in the delegation to Sweden, learning from their experiences in the clean hydrogen and green steel sectors. 

We also celebrated David McMillan, interim chancellor of University of Minnesota Duluth, and his years of dedication to APEX and our region. Joined by former APEX Board Chair, Nancy Aronson Norr and former APEX President & CEO, Rob West, we thanked him for his service and welcomed in the new UMD chancellor, Dr. Charles Nies.

We're looking forward to sharing more about how our strategic framework relates to everything APEX does and what to expect from us in the days and weeks to come.

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