If you bury it, they will come

Rich Palzewic

Staff

September 1, 2025

VILAS COUNTY – If you want to live and work in the same place that you play, Kathy Schmitz, executive director of the Vilas County Economic Development Corporation (VCEDC), said Vilas County is the place to be.

To attract young entrepreneurs, remote workers, vacationers and companies to the county of 23,000 along the Upper Peninsula of Michigan border, Schmitz said the VCEDC knew access to high-speed internet was critical – not an easy task considering the remoteness of some areas of the Northwoods.

“We know we can’t reach every area of the county with high-speed internet, but we’re aiming for about 90%,” she said. “If you’ve been to the Northwoods of North Central Wisconsin, you know part of the counties up here can be heavily wooded… or down a long, dirt road.”

Though the VCEDC would love to have 100% high-speed internet access for all, Schmitz said that’s realistically not feasible.

“It has to make fiscal sense for the internet service providers to spend the dollars necessary to bring high-speed fiber down a long road for maybe one or two houses – that’s the issue,” she said. “For people who can’t get high-speed internet, there are other options like Starlink.”

Since 2010, Schmitz said Vilas County’s population has grown by more than 10%, according to the 2020 Census.

“The mission of the Vilas County Economic Development Corporation is to build a strong, resilient Northwoods economy that maintains our pristine Northwoods environment,” she said. “We believe broadband enables us to do that.”

Schmitz said Vilas County is not just a top vacation spot, but a place where lifestyle and career go hand in hand – offering the freedom to live where you choose while working globally.

Because Vilas County is not on a rail system or near a major freeway, Schmitz said those who choose to live in the area mainly do so because of the lifestyle associated with the county.

“In many cases, living in Vilas County fits their lifestyles,” she said. “We have more than 1,300 lakes and streams and pristine forests. We are now a destination for remote workers, entrepreneurs, vacationers and second homes. Broadband is a way to build a strong economy without negatively impacting our natural environment.”

Schmitz said the VCEDC is not a traditional economic development entity.

“We’re not really looking to ‘bring a big factory here,’” she said. “We want to build the economy and build business, while also maintaining our pristine environment.”

Broadband to the rescue

In spring 2020, Schmitz said the VCEDC launched its broadband strategy called the “Broadband Buddy Program.”

“It was an innovative strategy, a pilot program,” she said. “At the time, only 5% of Vilas County had broadband coverage. Today, we’ve reached 86%, and we’re still looking to expand and close the gaps where we can.”

Board Chair Jim Tuckwell said the VCEDC worked with individual towns to educate them, which was beneficial for internet service providers.

“The internet service providers didn’t have to deal with each town individually,” he said. “They could work with and through us, and we would host the update sessions and bring everybody together. It made it more efficient for the internet service providers.”

At the end of June, Schmitz said the VCEDC launched a broadband destination campaign, which will run through 2025.

She said the campaign features 32 testimonial ads from a remote worker who relocated to Vilas County from Boston, a local business owner, herself and others.

“It’s people talking about their experiences with our new high-speed broadband,” she said. “The ads are running on streaming services and social media throughout the year. We took a little break in August because that’s heavy vacation time for people, but we’ll kick it back up in September.”

Schmitz said to her knowledge, the broadband destination campaign being conducted by the VCEDC is unique in the state for an economic development entity.

When she came to the VCEDC in November 2019, Schmitz said downtown Eagle River had many empty storefronts.

“We have a record number of new businesses here in Vilas County,” she said. “Six years ago, Wall Street – the main street running through downtown Eagle River – looked way different from what it does now. Today, the storefronts are all full, and we have a waiting list. That same ripple effect is happening throughout the county.”

Schmitz said she thinks the COVID-19 pandemic changed “everything” with the way people look at remote work.

“COVID brought into perspective where and how we want to work and where and how we want to live,” she said. “People are choosing to live and work in a destination where they can have a successful career.”

Schmitz said the county is seeing a whole new energy of entrepreneurs and remote workers living here now.

“These are people in their 30s and 40s who could live and work anywhere, and they’re choosing Vilas County because of our high-speed broadband and because of the one-on-one business support we offer,” she said. “We are creating a welcoming environment for business here. We want business to be successful, so it’s a model that’s been working for us.”

Schmitz said the VCEDC received grants from Incredible Bank and a private foundation to develop the campaign and promote it.

“Their support enabled us to tell a compelling story – in Vilas County, people can build meaningful careers while enjoying the unmatched natural beauty of the Northwoods,” she said.

Campaign participants

Schmitz said Vanessa – the remote insurance professional who relocated from Boston – said before she moved to Vilas County, she’d look at city streets after closing her laptop for the day.

“Now, I’m by the lake in seconds,” Vanessa said. “The exceptional expansion of high-speed broadband here made it possible to have a slower, simpler life while maintaining a successful career. I’ve created a life here that I don’t have to take a vacation from.”

Dan Beihoff, owner of Eagle River Roasters, said he grew up in a big city but wanted something different for his kids.

“Thanks to the high-speed internet here, we were able to build our business and grow our family – without losing what makes the Northwoods so special,” he said. “Broadband has helped us provide exceptional connectivity, reach customers across the country through our online store and source from the best growers globally.”

Schmitz said the campaign also features extended interviews with:

• Noah Lottig – VCEDC board member and broadband committee chair
• Mark Olejniczak – construction manager, Charter Spectrum
• Heidi Reiter Kramsvogel – market manager, Incredible Bank

The videos are available for viewing at vilascountyedc.org/broadband.

“There are 72 counties in the state, and I think we were one of the top five to implement broadband first,” Schmitz said. “It was a special relationship we developed with internet service providers and our townships. The results speak for themselves.”