The Wolf River Development Company could have its own headquarters within a year, and on Sept. 30, the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin broke ground for the 20,000-square-foot, three-story building that will provide for the tribe’s economic future.
Currently, the company offices are spread all across the Keshena area, according to CEO Crystal Chapman-Chevalier, so the new building will allow the company to operate in one location. The building will include an economic incubator area, meeting spaces and a drive-thru coffee shop once completed.
“The first floor will feature an office rental suite that will be available … for anyone interested,” Chapman-Chevalier said. “There will be an economic incubator office space for the community to rent free of charge for emerging entrepreneurs and businesses.”
The second floor of the building will be a secure space for WRDC’s lending division, Chapman-Chevalier said, while the third floor will be for the company’s administrative space. She noted that the area where the building will go allows for expansion at a later date, if the growth is there.
“For our WRDC staff, this project has been a long time coming,” Chapman-Chevalier said. “We look forward to the day when we can all be under one roof and experience the magic of shared ideas brewed in a shared space — fueled by the caffeine of our own coffee shop and the pride of working together for the betterment of the Menominee tribe.”
The Menominee Tribal Legislature will work with WRDC to finalize project vendors to proceed with construction, and Chairwoman Gena Kakkak is excited to see the company reach the particular milestone as the tribe has worked to expand business opportunities on its reservation.
“This place will represent a place for growth and opportunity as they carry on their important work as they help the tribe achieve its goals of economic self-sufficiency by helping to diversify our revenue streams and creating jobs in the community,” Kakkak said. “WRDC is helping to build a sustainable future for generations to come, and this building represents our commitment to that — to embracing new possibilities and to strengthen our tribal economy.”
Being able to improve the tribal economy helps to provide essential services to tribal members, Kakkak said.
“The importance of this work cannot be overstated,” she said. “We look forward to joining you here again when you officially open your new facility.”
Pamela Boivin, chairwoman of WRDC’s board of directors, praised the words of Kakkak and Chapman-Chevalier as she stood up to speak.
“Sitting there listening to them, I had this realization that we have strong women leadership channeling all of these new ideas and all of this work within our tribe,” Boivin said.
The fact that the building is becoming a reality is a testament to WRDC’s growth, according to Boivin. WRDC currently operates the Save A Lot grocery store in Keshena, along with the Standing Pines and Standing Cedars convenience stores and Primal Wood Products, which provides firewood to Menominee elders.
“A few years ago, the idea of WRDC having its building was just a dream,” Boivin said. “Today, it’s a reality — a reality that we all share in. This is the result of our collective innovative spirit, a spirit that is alive in every business, partner and person at WRDC.”
Paul Martzke, president of Immel Construction, the company managing the WRDC building project, praised the excitement of the tribe over the new building.
“It is exciting anytime an organization breaks ground on a new home,” Martzke said. “It is even more special when the eventual users play such a huge role in the future development of local business.”
The building is expected to be completed by October 2025.
lpulaski@newmedia-wi.com
WRDC breaks ground on new building
