Published January 22, 2009

JEAN BERNS JONES

Rick Terrien has taken the helm as the Executive Director of the new Iowa County Area Economic Development Corporation (ICAEDC)

That title is a mouthful of words not easily said when answering the phone, so Terrien uses the shorter greeting, "Economic Development," when responding to calls.

His office is located in the Dodgeville Area Chamber of Commerce building at 338 N. Iowa St. He has been putting in long hours there since starting as executive director on December 1st.

Iowa County has been one of only (several) Wisconsin counties that were without this position. As the first to occupy it here, Terrien is eager to take it on, and serious about the responsibility.

It's both exciting and humbling," he said. "This office is an important asset to the area and I want to make sure it gets done right. It's a chance to make a difference."

Although the ICAEDC has the words "Iowa County" in its title, it is not funded by the county. The ICAEDC is an independent voice. It is a stand-alone, separate corporation overseen by a board of directors.

"I am not a county employee, but I will partner with the county to leverage and maximize our assets," Terrien explained. A pie chart on his wall shows these assets as retail, industry, technology, agriculture, health, education, and tourism.

Although the strategies to promote economic development will be complicated and wide reaching, the overall goal of Terrien's job was distilled into a few brief words at his hiring. "Now go out there and let everyone know that Iowa County is open for business," he was told.

Terrien, of Middleton, is a creative thinker whose qualities and experience seem ideal for the task

He graduated with honors from St. Mary's University, Winona, MN, where he wrote his own major in Small Business Organization, (with an emphasis in Philosophy) as well. While still in college, he started a commercial graphics venture.

After graduating, he and his wife operated the graphics business for 25 years. By then it had grown to be very successful with customers throughout the U.S. and on 5 continents. They sold the company in 1998 and he looked for another business opportunity.

Most recently, Terrien has been teaching small business start-ups in Waukesha through the Wisconsin Technical College System.

"I always advise people to look for work no one else wants to do," he explained. "I also tell them to do something they love, because they are going to be spending a lot of time doing it."

In 1998 he followed his own advice. He pursued a passion that was passed on to him by his father, who was an inventor and a chemical engineer working in industrial fluid technology.

"Pollution was a terrible problem then, and I saw how one person's efforts could change the world," Terrien said.

With his father's example and a very small investment, he started an industrial fluid recycling business to remove impurities from used oil. In 1998, he wrote his first patent himself, and he also did the drawings for it. He now holds nine U.S. and foreign patents.

Within ten years the company, Universal Separators, had large industrial customers all over the world and was recycling tens of millions of gallons of oil. Terrien's successes have been featured in the Chicago Tribune, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, and Madison Capital Times.

He is a two-time winner of the New Product of the Year award from the Professional Engineers of Wisconsin. In addition, he has been named "Significant Contributor to Environmental Excellence", a global award presented by the Chrysler Corporation.

In 2004, Terrien was given the Fast 50 Award by Fast Company Magazine, a national publication, as one of the "Idea Elite of Business." Also in 2005, he received the prestigious United States Small Business New Product of the Year award from the National Society of Professional Engineers.

His greatest joy in this business success was viewing the sky over customers' manufacturing plants, before and after they were using the technology he invented. One plant had looked like the Queen Mary with its belching smokestacks blackening the sky. Afterward, all that could be seen above the plant were heat vibrations in the air.

Selling that business in 2007, Terrien again searched for something new, and ended up working in small business development with the Wisconsin Technical College System. He is a member of the Waukesha County Technical College Small Business Center Advisory Council, and is a Wisconsin Entrepreneurs' Network certified resource provider.

"It's what I love to do - start and grow businesses," he said. "I really feel that this is the renaissance age of entrepreneurship, and that it's just beginning"

Welcoming the hiring of Terrien, ICAEDC Board Chairman Ricky Rolfsmeyer commented, "The board of directors is pleased to get a director with Rick's experience and qualifications. The bedrock of the Iowa County economy is small business - mom and pop shops. The economic development corporation will work to attract new business, as well as help existing businesses grow."

"...We feel that much of our success in creating quality jobs in the county and the region will rely heavily on our ability to help local entrepreneurs get successful businesses running, and to help attract creative and innovative people to the area," Rolfsmeyer added

Along with Rolfsmayer who is a Hollandale resident, other members on the ICAEDC Board of Directors are Phyllis Fritsch, administrator of Upland Hills Health - Vice President; Linda Pittz of the Dodgeville City Council - Secretary; Marilyn von Allmen of Dodgeville - Treasurer; Bob Berglin, Director of the Dodgeville Area Chamber of Commerce; Cindy Lenz of Alliant Energy; Leah Frost from Arena; Jason Gust of Barneveld; Dave Ladd of Dodgeville; Tom Schmit from Mineral Point; and John Lind of the Iowa County Board.

"It's a really terrific board," Terrien said enthusiastically. "This area has very dedicated local people who want to improve the economic lives of everyone in Iowa County. How we accomplish that comes down to tactics."

He has been reaching out to all local chambers of commerce and local governments. He spoke to the Dodgeville and Mineral Point City Councils and was scheduled to speak to the Iowa County Board on January 20th and the Iowa County Towns Association on the 27th.

"I've been in every village and township in the county, and have been talking with the town chairmen. Those are really good conversations," he said

Terrien firmly believes that "success comes from small scale entrepreneurship, working from the ground up." Soon he will start a local Entrepreneurs and Inventors Club, and he would like to encourage youth with entrepreneurship programs in the schools.

He will work to retain and help existing businesses, and to attract outside businesses. One new project will be the Iowa County Business Exposition.

Part of Terrien's job is working with regional economic development partners like THRIVE and Southwest Wisconsin Planning Commission. He personally knows all the other economic directors of counties in southwest Wisconsin. Another goal is to interface on the state and federal levels.

A new website is up at www.iowacountyedc.org and is being further developed. Terrien would like to offer low cost web sites to new entrepreneurs and have them connected to the ICAEDC web site.

The characteristics best qualifying the new director may be that he absolutely loves Iowa County. For 30 years, he and his family have been coming here for recreation to hike and bike the paths at Governor Dodge State Park, and camp in both summer and winter. Now they are looking for property to buy here.

"I love this place," he said. "I think Iowa County is the most beautiful of all, and I've worked in every county in Wisconsin. I think this place is fabulous, but not enough people know that."

Terrien wants to grow the economy without changing the characteristics that make Iowa County, unique, beautiful, and a great place to live.

"I am very excited about the chance to highlight ad promote the many wonderful opportunities Iowa County affords," he said.

This county has such beautiful natural resources and liveable, dynamic communities, and it is all at the center of a robust and diverse regional economy," he added