Here’s hoping new leader will help Wisconsin taxpayers finally get their money’s worth from WEDC

The final member of Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers’ cabinet has now been nominated, and it is someone from our part of the state. Missy Hughes, currently chief mission officer and general counsel for the Organic Valley Farmer’s Cooperative in La Farge has been selected to be the new CEO of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. It seems a good choice. She is being praised by Republicans and Democrats alike.  Hughes has led Organic Valley to become the nation’s largest farmer-owned cooperative and has overseen the company through unprecedented growth. In her new role, Hughes will be tasked with overseeing the state’s job creation agency which has been plagued by all kinds of problems since its inception. Awarding state money to companies which didn’t deserve them, failing to ensure the jobs promised were actually created, and losing track of loans. That has been the track record of WEDC. And WEDC is in charge of ensuring that Foxconn lives up to its end of the bargain after receiving the largest state subsidy ever awarded to a foreign company. There is a lot on the line, but Hughes seems a capable choice to handle the job. Let’s hope that under her leadership, Wisconsin taxpayers finally get their money’s worth.