WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SYMPOSIUM 2026: Pine Hills County Club

Workforce Development Symposium 2026
September 16, 2026
Pine Hills Country Club
7:30am-11:00am

This dynamic, half-day event explores workforce development efforts at the local, regional and state levels. Whether you are a small, medium or large business owner, a company executive, human resource professional, K-12 administrator, educator or school counselor, post-secondary educator, technical education or community leader you will benefit from attending this educational and wide-ranging event. This event will be a wonderful place for both the education sector and business sector to collaborate on developing Sheboygan's future workforce and retaining that workforce, while gaining a better understanding of different perspectives and potential partnerships in our community.

Featured Speakers at Event:

Sam Rikkers
Chief Operating Officer at Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC)

Sam Rikkers is deputy secretary and chief operating officer for WEDC. Prior to joining WEDC in November 2019, he served as strategic economic initiatives director at the Wisconsin Department of Administration.Sam has an extensive background in rural development, both in the U.S. and internationally. He served in the White House from 2013 to 2014 as director on the energy and environment team in the Presidential Personnel Office, then was administrator of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Business-Cooperative Service. Before returning to Wisconsin in 2017, he launched and led the Rural Opportunity Initiative of the Georgetown University McDonough School of Business. In Wisconsin, he served as executive director of Tiny Earth, a global initiative based at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, harnessing the research of undergraduate students to discover new antibiotics. A native of Stoughton, Rikkers holds a juris doctor degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School, a master’s degree in international affairs from Columbia University, and a bachelor’s degree in political science and philosophy from Macalester College. He also served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Zambia.

Ryan Long
Regional Economist for the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD)
Ryan Long is a regional labor market economist for the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD). He covers the Fox Valley and Bay Area workforce development regions, providing local employment data, economic analysis, and labor trends.

Kevin Formolo - Principal at South High ...

Kevin Formolo
Principal at Sheboygan South High School
Kevin Formolo is the principal of Sheboygan South High School in Sheboygan. He has spent his entire educational career at South High, serving first as a school counselor, then as the school's first Dean of Students, later as Associate Principal, and ultimately Principal. He has worked in education for more than two decades, with over eight years of service as principal. As principal, Formolo has emphasized a positive school culture, student diversity, community engagement, and career readiness. Under his leadership, South High has promoted service-learning initiatives and partnerships that connect students with opportunities in manufacturing, information technology, healthcare, public safety, education, and entrepreneurship.

Panel Discussion
lead by Anne Troka, Senior Manager - Community & Workforce Development with Sargento
Ashley Carrasquillo - Kohler Foundation
Brad Reiser - Packaging Systems of Wisconsin
Chris Moroney - FifthColor

Russell Coff
Thomas J. Falk Distinguished Chair in Strategy at University of Wisconsin Madison School of Business - Management and Human Resources Department
Professor Coff’s research explores the role of human assets in innovation, creativity, and, ultimately in competitive advantage. For example, he studies management dilemmas associated with human capital including: 1) the management of strategic investments in knowledge-based assets under great uncertainty 2) capturing value from competitive advantages, 3) creativity & innovation, and 4) how buyers cope in mergers and acquisitions that involve human assets.
Talk title: People as a Strategic Resource
Talk description: Explores how to take seriously the notion that people are your most critical assets. Why are most statements that “people are our most important asset” empty (and ignored)? What drives human capital based competitive advantages? When do accounting and financial management tools mislead managers about human capital?

Golden Apple Awards 2026
The nominations for the Golden Apple Awards 2026 are closed, nominees will be announced soon, these awards take place at our Workforce Development Symposium on Sept 16 at Pine Hills Country Club. We recognize an individual for Workforce Development Educator of the Year and a business/organization for Workforce Development Business Education Partner of the Year.

Nominees for Workforce Development Educator of the Year 2026: