Business leaders investing in kids as economic strategy

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (MCT) - A nucleus of Wisconsin business leaders is forming the first state-level affiliate of a national collaboration promoting child development as an economic strategy.

Jon Stellmacher, executive vice president and chief administrative officer at Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, is appearing at a national summit on behalf of the new group, Partnership for Wisconsin's Economic Success.

"Think about these young lives; they're going to be shaping our future society. They're going to be paying the bills of our generation's impact on environment, on the economy. And they'll either be funders of, or dependent on, social support programs," Stellmacher said.

"Here's an opportunity where investing in children _ not only can it reduce the cost of social programs, it actually makes them productive, contributing members of society."

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The partnership, still loosely formed, includes about 20 representatives from state agencies, nonprofits and businesses. They have been meeting as volunteers every other month or so for about the last year.

"Our mission is to make children one of Wisconsin's top economic development priorities," said Dennis Winters, chief labor economist for the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development and a leader of the state partnership. "Kids are adults-to-be. They're the economy-to-be."

Not only do early childhood investments contribute to the quality of work force available to Wisconsin employers, Winters said, but research has suggested that directing resources to the youngest of children _ particularly in low-income families _ pays off in terms of less need for remedial help in school, higher graduation rates, and reduced risks of criminal activity and reliance on public assistance.

"The research evidence that's out there shows that it's fiscally among the best returns on investment, especially long term," said Winters, who prior to his state job did research on the payoff of pre-kindergarten in Wisconsin for the advocacy group Pre-K Now.

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The Wisconsin partnership is modeled after and associated with the Partnership for America's Economic Success, started two years ago by business leaders, economists and advocates and managed by the Pew Charitable Trusts.

The national partnership and the Telluride Foundation are holding the second annual summit on early childhood investment through Tuesday. Besides Stellmacher, the list of speakers at the invitation-only conference includes the head of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta and Nobel laureate economist James Heckman.

Stellmacher has been involved in childhood issues through Thrivent and the United Way Fox Cities. His wife, Becky, is a reading specialist for the Wrightstown School District. He said the state partnership is an opportunity for him to channel his experience "kind of both head and heart."

"This isn't about nationwide public service announcements," Stellmacher said. "It's one-on-one interaction with business leaders, growing grass-roots advocacy. It really boils down to what folks are going to do in local communities."

Once the state group gets on its feet, recruiting active business participants will be key, Stellmacher said.

"Our objective as this state partnership is to create awareness, communicate to business people and also then offer them opportunities to get involved," Stellmacher said.

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ON THE WEB

For more information on the Partnership for America's Economic Success, please go to www.partnershipforsuccess.org

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© 2008, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.