Martinez emphasizes connection between housing, workforce development, and thriving communities

SHEBOYGAN, Wis. — The Sheboygan County Chamber of Commerce continues to demonstrate that one of the most important roles a Chamber can play is bringing the right people to the table.

On October 16, 2026, Deidre Martinez, CEO of the Sheboygan County Chamber of Commerce, had the opportunity to present at RPA-Con in Milwaukee, hosted by the Rental Property Association of Wisconsin. The presentation focused on the Chamber’s role as a convener and the importance of strengthening connections among housing providers, employers, workforce-development partners, government, education, and the broader community.

“This was a tremendous opportunity to speak with another important association about how interconnected our work really is,” Martinez said. “Housing affects workforce. Workforce affects employers. Employers affect economic growth, and all of those things ultimately impact the strength and quality of life of a community. We cannot address these challenges effectively if we are working in silos.”

During her presentation, Martinez encouraged rental property owners and developers to think about the Chamber as more than networking events, ribbon cuttings and business promotion. While those services remain important, much of a Chamber’s impact happens behind the scenes—convening people, translating needs across industries, building relationships, identifying common challenges and helping create pathways toward solutions.

The conversation is particularly important as communities throughout Wisconsin continue working to attract and retain workers.

For Sheboygan County, housing is an essential component of that work. Through the Chamber’s Make Your Mark workforce attraction initiative, prospective employees are not simply evaluating a job. They are evaluating whether they can build a life in the community. That includes housing availability, affordability, location, schools, transportation, amenities and opportunities to become connected.

“Workforce development does not stop when someone accepts a job,” Martinez said. “If we are recruiting someone to Sheboygan County, they also need somewhere to live and a community where they can see themselves belonging. That makes our rental property owners, developers and housing partners an incredibly important part of the workforce-development conversation.”

The Chamber’s presentation emphasized an ecosystem approach in which employers, developers and landlords, education and training providers, government, talent and families, and quality-of-life organizations are connected through a common community conversation.

For rental property owners, that connection can provide valuable insight into what incoming workers and families are looking for. For employers, stronger relationships with housing partners can provide a better understanding of the challenges prospective employees encounter when relocating. For community leaders, hearing directly from those working within the housing industry helps identify barriers and opportunities that might otherwise be missed.

“When we bring people together earlier, share what we are experiencing and understand what others are trying to accomplish, we eliminate a tremendous amount of confusion,” Martinez said. “We may not always agree on every detail, but we can better understand the impact our decisions have on one another and work toward stronger, more practical outcomes.”

That is where the Chamber sees one of its most important responsibilities: creating a neutral space where different sectors can communicate, develop shared language and coordinate action.

“The Chamber does not need to be the expert in every industry,” Martinez added. “Our job is often to know who needs to be in the room, make the connection and create an environment where productive conversations can happen. Our members and partners bring the expertise. We help connect that expertise to the broader community.”

The Sheboygan County Chamber of Commerce works throughout the year with businesses, educational institutions, local governments, nonprofit organizations and community partners on workforce development, leadership development, business advocacy, talent attraction, education and economic vitality.

The presentation to the Rental Property Association of Wisconsin represents another opportunity to broaden those conversations and ensure housing providers and developers are included as important partners in building strong communities.

“None of us operates independently,” Martinez said. “The people who employ, build, develop, rent, educate, serve and invest in our communities are all part of the same ecosystem. The more intentionally we work together, the stronger the entire community becomes.”