UWSP CBEI Fall 2025 Presentation

Join the Center for Business and Economic Insight for the Central Wisconsin Fall 2025 Report featuring Sentry School of Business and Economics faculty Scott Wallace and Kevin Bahr, along with a special presentation: Central Wisconsin’s Entrepreneurial Ecosystem at Work: How local resources support small business development from conception to operation.

The event is on campus in the Dreyfus University Center Alumni Room on Friday, Dec. 5 from 7-9 a.m., starting with networking and continental breakfast.

Speaker Information

• Melinda Osterberg, regional economic development director for the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC)
• Andi Gretzinger, a business consultant with the Wisconsin SBDC at UW-Stevens Point and founder of North Wood Blooms
• Karen Huang, owner of the upcoming Eesa Bakery and Café

Event Parking Information

Print this parking permit and place it on your dash during the event to receive complimentary parking in Lot R, across the street from the Dreyfus University Center. If you don't use an event permit, please follow city and campus parking regulations.

Speaker Bios

Melinda Osterberg is a Regional Economic Development Director for the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), where she helps communities and businesses in North Central Wisconsin thrive by accessing state and federal resources. For nearly two decades, Melinda has assisted Wisconsin communities with planning and economic development activities, including management of broadband, school facility, and comprehensive planning projects. She resides in Plover with her family.

Andi Gretzinger is a business consultant with the Wisconsin SBDC at UW-Stevens Point and the founder of North Wood Blooms, a successful wood flower business serving customers nationwide. With a background in art education and over a decade of coaching and teaching experience, Andi brings creativity, strategy, and heart to the work she does with entrepreneurs.

She specializes in marketing, branding, online presence, and business planning—helping businesses grow with clarity and confidence. As both a business owner and consultant, Andi understands firsthand the challenges and rewards of entrepreneurship. She’s passionate about empowering others to turn ideas into action and treats every client’s business with the same care as her own.

Karen Huang is the owner of the upcoming Eesa Bakery and Café, an artisan-style bakery set to open in downtown Wausau. With a background as a Harvard-trained scientist, Karen brings a unique perspective to small business ownership—applying analytical rigor, creativity, and leadership to the world of baking and entrepreneurship. She is the recipient of a CDI grant from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) to rehabilitate a large, underutilized property in Wausau’s urban core. Karen also completed the GEARS training program with MCDEVCO, equipping her with strategic tools to manage and grow a sustainable local business. She is passionate about revitalizing the local community and supporting other small business owners in navigating available resources.