RESILIENT ROCHESTER: A Letter from Lisa Clarke
Our community faces extraordinary challenges as the coronavirus pandemic upends the health and lives of residents, businesses and community. We at Destination Medical Center (DMC) are aware of devastating hardships, especially from our city’s small businesses. However, we have only to look up at the Plummer Building aglow in blue lights at night to be reminded of the message it conveys: we are in this together.
Five Questions with Chris Blade, Rochester Post Bulletin Publisher
Chris Blade has been with the Post Bulletin for 20 years. She served as General Manager for 7 ½ years before being named publisher in June of 2019 when Forum Communications purchased the newspaper. The Post Bulletin is working to become a “next-generation” multimedia company developing and delivering content, technology and business services to the communities it serves. With over 500,000 visitors to postbulletin.com each month, the publication is also focusing on bringing content and advertising online. It’s also adding a meteorology team, and a weather app due to launch this spring.
Some Resources in Rochester, State of Minnesota and at the Federal level for Businesses and People Impacted by COVID-19 and How We Can All Help
Updated 4/8/20
The following is a list of resources for businesses, opportunities for the community to help others, and helpful services during the COVID-19 response. Destination Medical Center will continue to update this list.
Experts Forum in Rochester featured in Finance & Commerce podcast
A new podcast from Finance & Commerce highlights Destination Medical Center and the cluster of innovation in Rochester.
The publication recently hosted an Experts Forum at One Discovery Square with local leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs.
That conversation is featured in Finance & Commerce’s new podcast, Beyond the Skyline, a podcast about what’s next, creativity and the innovation in technology that are changing how we work and shaping the future of business throughout Minnesota.
Five Questions with John Reed, Rochester International Airport Executive Director
John Reed has served as the executive director of Rochester International Airport (RST) for five years. During that time, the airport has seen significant growth in passengers and available flights. A recent study from the Minnesota Department of Transportation found that RST generates $190 million in annual economic activity, supports more than 1,600 jobs and generates $9.2 million in state and local tax revenue. The airport recently received a Small Community Air Service Development Program (SCASDP) grant from the Department of Transportation to recruit new nonstop service to a western hub from RST.
World premiere of Dressing the Abbey comes to Rochester, Minnesota
A unique collaboration between multiple groups in Rochester is bringing a one-of-a-kind experience to downtown Rochester, Minnesota.
Exhibits Development Group’s world premiere of the Dressing the Abbey exhibition at the Chateau Theatre features 35 costumes from the acclaimed PBS television series Downton Abbey.
“This is a great example of how our community partners can work together to create new and unique opportunities in Rochester,” said Patrick Seeb, Destination Medical Center Economic Development Agency director of economic development and placemaking. “The world premiere of Dressing the Abbey is enhancing the arts and culture experience in the Heart of the City.”
Senator Smith returns to Rochester and a visit to One Discovery Square
U.S. Senator Tina Smith recently stopped in Rochester to tour One Discovery Square, the healthcare innovation campus that opened in 2019.
Senator Smith served as Chair of the Destination Medical Center Corporation Board (DMCC) when it approved the construction of One Discovery Square in 2017, and she participated in the building’s groundbreaking later that year.
Destination Medical Center is Attracting Private Investment from Across the Country
Destination Medical Center (DMC) is proving to be a magnet for private investment from across the country. In the case of seven DMC-supported projects, capital has come from Minnesota, California, Utah, Nebraska, Illinois, Florida and Massachusetts.
“One of our jobs is to drive investment and talent to Rochester and the state of Minnesota,” said Lisa Clarke, DMC Economic Development Agency executive director. “This shows that it is actually happening. We want people to invest here and stay here in Minnesota.”
Rochester entrepreneurs create website to inspire new adventures in Southeast Minnesota
Endless adventures await throughout Southeast Minnesota. You just need to be able to find them.
That’s where Shrpa comes in. Rochester residents Chris Lukenbill and Andy Vig created the online resource to share ideas for local activities.
“There were so many things to do that we were finding out about in Rochester through other people’s adventures and expeditions,” said Lukenbill. “They were discovering new things that we had never known about.”
“You can usually do the research by looking up Yelp, Google, talking to people, trying to aggregate all this yourself, but that’s so much work,” Vig said. “I’ve got two young kids, Chris has two slightly older kids, and there’s just no time in the day for that.”