VIROQUA, WI – Dairy business and industry leader and former Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation Secretary Missy Hughes today announced the foundation of her UNLOCK WISCONSIN platform to grow our state’s economy, lower costs, spark new jobs and businesses, and bring opportunity for everyone in each of Wisconsin’s 72 counties. Today’s announcement focuses on changing the outcomes for everyday Wisconsinites, helping them make ends meet, and rewarding their hard work.
“The economic engine of Wisconsin is her people. They work hard and deliver day after day. But too many Wisconsinites are locked out of a better life for themselves and their families. Skyrocketing costs and limited opportunity leave them with no clear path forward. Our next governor needs to UNLOCK WISCONSIN, and build an economy that works for everyone. Today I am announcing concrete proposals to tackle the foundational challenges facing Wisconsinites. We start with the fundamentals: housing, training to get ahead and starting a business,” said Missy. “I know what we need, and I know how to get this done. As an executive at Organic Valley, I helped lead the farmer-owned dairy cooperative to $1 billion in sales while keeping 1,600 family farmers on their land. As the state’s leader of economic development, I worked with companies to invest $10 billion in our state and create 45,000 jobs, while also helping 9,500 Wisconsinites start small businesses in every corner of Wisconsin. Every piece of my plan is based on real world experience and impact that I have already had around the state, in all 72 counties.”
Missy continued: “We can overcome the economic instability and pain caused by Donald Trump’s destructive tariffs, devastating health care cuts, and the dysfunction in Washington – but only if we elect a governor who knows how to build opportunity and growth for everyone in our state. My UNLOCK WISCONSIN vision will empower local communities, lift up our neighbors, and improve people’s lives. This is how we make sure everyone can live, work, and thrive in the community they love.”
Missy Hughes is a proven job creator, with a deep understanding of Wisconsin’s entire economy, including hands-on experience working in the agriculture and manufacturing sectors. UNLOCK WISCONSIN is her plan to grow Wisconsin’s economy, create and attract good-paying jobs, and tackle the cost of living crisis. She will continue to roll out a series of innovative and pioneering economic proposals throughout her campaign for governor, starting with the first pillars released today:
As WEDC Secretary, Missy launched the groundbreaking Main Street Bounceback Program which helped 9,500 Wisconsinites start small businesses and strengthened Main Streets struggling to survive. Missy understands that small businesses empower everyday Wisconsinites to pursue their dreams, chart their own destinies and live the life of their choice. Small businesses also lift up cities, towns and neighborhoods, fill needs that otherwise go unmet and spark catalytic economic growth and investments: a new shop or restaurant brings in other business and launches more opportunity, surging prosperity for a whole community.
As governor, Missy will unlock the ingenuity and creative spirit of our people by turbocharging her wildly successful Main Street Bounceback Program five times over to launch 50,000 new businesses. This would create more than 160,000 new jobs1, while supporting tens of thousands of Wisconsin entrepreneurs with education, connections to capital, and access to high quality affordable healthcare.
“Wisconsin is an idea and innovation factory. Everyday, farmers create solutions in the back of their barns, or factory workers come up with ideas on the factory floor. These should become businesses. Everyday, Wisconsinites wish they could start a business following their passion. As Governor, I want these ideas and passions to come to life, and I want Wisconsinites to know that we have their back when they make the bold decision to start a business.” said Missy.
How Missy Will UNLOCK WISCONSIN to Create 50,000 New Businesses in Her First Term:
1. Expand Access to Capital
2. Make It Easier to Get Started
3. Deliver Hands-On Coaching & Skills
4. Connect Businesses To Workers
5. Help Small Businesses Win Customers
6. Revitalize Main Streets & Workspaces
7. Reduce Risk for Entrepreneurs
1 Between March 2021 and March 2022, small businesses accounted for 66,394 jobs, and almost 75% of the new jobs created in Wisconsin, or roughly 3.25 jobs per new small business.
Too many Wisconsinites are working hard and still falling behind. Even after working a sixty hour week, many Wisconsinites can barely make ends meet. Rising prices, higher energy costs, and property taxes are squeezing family budgets, while worker shortages are holding back local businesses and entire communities. Missy knows that to strengthen our economy we must empower Wisconsinites with the skills and training to get ahead, and stay ahead.
Wisconsinites deserve real choices when they enter the workforce, not debt or dead ends. Missy will provide high-skilled training for up to an additional 100,000 workers each year, raising an average worker’s salary by $45,0002, by expanding Wisconsin Technical College enrollment and career pathways in partnership with labor, business and Wisconsin’s colleges and universities. She will also strengthen high school career, technical, and apprenticeship programs, align education with real Wisconsin jobs in advanced manufacturing, biohealth, clean energy, and tech, and offer debt free technical schools and apprenticeships. This plan will not only empower workers, but ensure communities and businesses have the contractors, electricians, plumbers, and more to be able to rebuild our infrastructure and grow for the future.
“Every Wisconsinite deserves a real chance to build a good life, earn a solid paycheck, and feel proud of the work they do. It shouldn’t matter where they were born or how much money their family had, and it shouldn't take mountains of debt to get ahead. We must provide every Wisconsinite with the opportunities to gain the skills and education to prosper,” said Missy. “This is about stronger paychecks, more choices, and real opportunity for Wisconsin families. We’ll measure success by how many lives we change.”
How Missy Will UNLOCK WISCONSIN to Train Up To 100,000 New Workers Each Year for Good-Paying Jobs:
1. Expand Capacity In Our Technical Colleges
2. Make Training Debt-Free For High-Demand Fields
3. Align Education Directly With Real Wisconsin Jobs
4. Strengthen High School Career, Technical, And Apprenticeship Pathways
5. Build True Partnerships With Labor and Business
2 Wisconsin’s 2024 median wage was approximately $52,000 per year. High‑skill roles like nurse practitioners, software developers, operations managers, mechanical engineers and electricians pay around $97,000 on average, about $45,000 more than the state’s current median wage. Training up to 100,000 workers for these roles would deliver $4.5 billion in additional yearly earnings compared with median‑wage jobs, a real jolt of financial strength that will empower workers and families to vastly improve their quality of life.
Wisconsin is facing a housing shortage, with rents and home prices spiraling upward far faster than wages, and affordable places to live increasingly out of reach for workers and families. As governor, Missy will accelerate local housing construction to build 200,000 new homes throughout Wisconsin by the end of her first term with innovative financing solutions, zoning improvements, revolving loan funds, adaptive reuse incentives, and pre-approved fabrication plans. These actions will reduce housing costs and strengthen affordability by saving the average renter nearly $1,200 a year, and lowering housing purchase prices by an average of $20,0003.
“Building new housing across the state requires locally based solutions and a willingness to roll up our sleeves, and work directly with community leaders, developers and contractors. Today, we have housing being successfully built across the state, and we need to accelerate this. Let’s take best practices to scale, let’s bring new players into the game, let's move obstacles quickly. Housing is a supply and execution challenge, and the solution requires a willingness to set a vision, create the strategy and work relentlessly to see it through,” said Missy. “I know how to get projects built in Wisconsin, because I already have. Now we’ll take those proven tools and use them to deliver 200,000 new homes.”
How Missy Will UNLOCK WISCONSIN to Build 200,000 New Homes in Her First Term:
1. Innovative Financing Solutions
2. Zoning Improvements
3. Revolving Loan Funds
4. Adaptive Reuse Incentives
5. Pre-Approved Fabrication Plans
3 Adding 200,000 new homes to Wisconsin’s current approximate 2.85 million unit stock would represent a 7 % supply increase. Research on supply elasticities suggests that a 1 % supply increase would reduce rents by about 1 %. Scaling to 7 % means rents could fall about 7 %. With average Wisconsin rent standing at about $1,300 per month, that’s nearly $1,200 in savings per year for renters. Missy’s plan would deliver a similar percentage drop in home purchase prices – around $17,000–$21,000 off a $250,000 - $265,000 home sale.
“Every Wisconsinite should be able go into their community, no matter where you live, and access everything you need to thrive and pursue the life of your hopes and dreams. The State of Wisconsin should help you do it, not stand in your way. When we UNLOCK WISCONSIN, we can create a state that empowers its people, protects its families and builds for the future,” said Missy.
Missy continued, “We face serious challenges, and the solutions require tested leaders with clear strategic vision as well as proven experience. With strong, pragmatic, unifying leadership, we will build a future where we care for each other and lift up the entire state. In the coming weeks, I will continue to outline my plan for long term economic growth, including building 21st century infrastructure to support future growth, supporting our education system, and addressing the care economy. Let’s unshackle Wisconsin from the problems that hold you down, and make sure our state has your back. Let’s UNLOCK WISCONSIN and deliver a Main Street Economy where every worker, family, and business in Wisconsin can thrive.”
About Missy
Secretary Missy Hughes led WEDC for over six years in the Evers Administration. Under Missy’s leadership, major companies like Milwaukee Tool, Microsoft, Eli Lilly, Kikkoman and more invested over $10 billion to create 45,000 good-paying jobs across Wisconsin. Missy also helped more than 9,500 Wisconsinites start small businesses on Main Streets across all 72 counties, launching the Main Street Bounceback Program which filled empty storefronts with small businesses.
Missy understands Wisconsin agriculture inside and out, and knows what it takes for rural communities to prosper. Prior to her public service, Missy served for 17 years as an executive at Organic Valley, helping the farmer-owned dairy cooperative grow to $1 billion in sales while keeping 1,600 family farmers on their land.
Missy lives in Southwestern Wisconsin, just outside of Viroqua with her husband Tripp, their dogs, two donkeys, and a flock of seventy sheep. Missy is the youngest of seven and a proud mom of three.
To learn more about Missy’s experience and vision to grow Wisconsin’s economy, please visit www.missyforgovernor.com.
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