Clark County Press, Neillsville, WI

November 11, 2009, Page 5

Transcribed by Dolores Mohr Kenyon

 

 

Ag Innovation Center receives pledge

 

 

Abby Bank and Clark County Economic Development Corporation board member Don Meyer (left) and AbbyBank Vice President and agriculture lender Gary Schraufnagel (right) present Central Wisconsin Innovation Center Inc. President Jim Hackbarth a $50,000 pledge for the Ag Innovation Center.  (Contributed photo)

 

The Abbottsford Story, Inc. announced it pledged $50,000 to the Central Wisconsin Agribusiness Innovation Center planned for construction in 2010 near Owen.  The Abbotsford Story, Inc. is the charitable foundation of AbbyBank, which has a strong tradition of supporting the central Wisconsin agricultural community through loans to farms of all sizes and ag-related businesses.

 

Don Meyer, board member for both AbbyBank and the Clark County Economic Development Corporation, and Gary Schraufnagel, vice president and ag lender for AbbyBank, have both been involved in local agriculture their entire lives.

 

“This Ag Innovation Center will assist entrepreneurs in agribusiness and benefit our local economy,” said Schraufnagel.

 

“The Center demonstrates the commitment of local government and businesses to the ag industry,” said Meyer.

 

For its generous donation, AbbyBank will receive the naming rights to the entry reception/administration suite of the center.

 

“We are pleased AbbyBank recognizes the impact this Innovation center will have on the regional economy, and we appreciate their support,” said Jim Hackbarth, president of Central Wisconsin Agribusiness Innovation Center, Inc. (CWAIC).

 

In September, CWAIC and the city of Owen became co-recipients of a $4-million grant from the federal Economic Development Administration (EDA) for the construction of the Innovation Center.  The Innovation Center is a multi-purpose facility designed to foster education, training, research and development in the areas of agribusiness and bioenergy.  CWAIC is conducting a capital campaign to raise the funds needed to match the EDA grant plus the additional funds needed to construct and maintain the building.

 

For more information about how you can support CWAIC, visit Web site www.agribusinessinnovation.org.

 

The Abbotsford Story, Inc. was formed in 1985 as a private charitable foundation of the AbbyBank.  Since the foundation was formed, AbbyBank has contributed over $176,300 to the foundation. From the interest earned the foundation makes donations to worthwhile community projects that benefit the greatest number of citizens possible.

 

For more information regarding AbbyBank and its charitable foundation, the Abbotsford Story, Inc., visit Web site www.abbybank.com, or call 715-223-2345 or stop in at any of the Abbotsford, Wausau or Weston locations.

 

 


© Every submission is protected by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998.

 

Show your appreciation of this freely provided information by not copying it to any other site without our permission.

 

Become a Clark County History Buff

 

Report Broken Links

A site created and maintained by the Clark County History Buffs
and supported by your generous donations.

 

Webmasters: Leon Konieczny, Tanya Paschke,

Janet & Stan Schwarze, James W. Sternitzky,

Crystal Wendt & Al Wessel

 

CLARK CO. WI HISTORY HOME PAGE