FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 13, 2003

For more information, please contact:

Karman Briggs, Wisconsin Common Market Manager

715-836-7511, extension 174

kbriggs@wisconsincommonmarket.com

http://www.wisconsincommonmarket.com

Wisconsin Common Market Receives Governor’s Award for

“Excellence in Community Action”

Wisconsin Common Market, a new concept in e-commerce, received the Sixth Annual Governor’s Excellence in Community Action Award on April 29, 2003, in Madison, Wisconsin.   The Governor’s Award cited Wisconsin Common Market as a “prime example” of leadership in community action “in the development of cutting edge, innovative business development in Wisconsin” by assisting low-income business owners.

The new project melds the “common market” concept of overcoming trade barriers with e-commerce.  The Wisconsin Common Market Web site(http://www.wisconsincommonmarket.com) has been created to link Wisconsin’s smallest businesses to the world’s marketplaces. In addition to the adaptation of the “common market” idea -- “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts” -- what makes this program special is its emphasis on low-income business owners. The Wisconsin Common Market Web site and support systems enable low-income business owners to expand the scope and range of their market area to -- literally -- the world.  Each business can display up to 40 items which appear on the businesses’ individual web page.  Each business has a secure individual merchant account which enables buyers and the business to conduct credit card transactions.  But what really makes the site unique is that the website is open to small businesses manufacturing/finishing products or delivering services in Wisconsin.

Few low-income entrepreneurs ever dreamed of selling their products or services online, and for good reason. It is very expensive and not without complexity to create a web site, let alone a retail site. Few of our clients have the skills to develop their own web site and few could afford to hire someone to do it. Furthermore, obtaining a merchant account is very expensive and cost prohibitive for startup businesses, given the fixed monthly fees percentage of sales charges, and long term contracts. Western Dairyland has reduced these expenses by performing all of the site development activities and negotiating group discounts with the provider of the merchant accounts. Businesses listed on this site will have the ability to sell directly from the site and can withdraw from the site on very short notice and with no penalties.

The creation of e-commerce capabilities for low income business owners will have a significant impact for many micro-entrepreneurs. This capability will expand their markets, generate more sales and ultimately will improve the bottom line for many of these businesses. Most of these enterprises are sole proprietorships, operated as family businesses. Their success directly benefits the economic well-being of the families.  Clearly, entrepreneurship is a viable route to self-sufficiency and e-commerce significantly enhances this prospect.

For more information on Wisconsin Common Market, please contact Karman Briggs, Wisconsin Common Market Manager, 715-836-7511, extension 174, kbriggs@wisconsincommonmarket.com, or visit the Wisconsin Common Market Web site: http://www.wisconsincommonmarket.com.

Wisconsin Common Market is a program of the non-profit Western Dairyland Economic Opportunity Council, Inc., offices in Independence and Eau Claire, Wisconsin.