Gov. Evers Announces WEDC Secretary and CEO Hughes to Leave Evers Administration

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today announced that Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) Secretary and CEO Missy Hughes will be leaving the Evers Administration. Hughes has served as the secretary and CEO of WEDC, the state’s leading economic development organization, since she was appointed by Gov. Evers in September 2019.

“My administration’s focus from the get-go has been building an economy that works for everyone, investing in Wisconsin’s homegrown talent and Main Streets, and supporting and expanding some of our state’s most iconic brands and companies while attracting new industries and opportunities here to Wisconsin. That’s exactly what we’ve done, and Missy’s played an important role in this work,” said Gov. Evers. “Over the past six years, we’ve harnessed the ingenuity and innovation of entrepreneurs, small businesses, and local economies, created good-paying, family supporting jobs in critically important sectors, and we’ve worked to put Wisconsin on the map as a tough competitor for workers, new ideas, and emerging industries and markets. I’ve so appreciated Missy’s leadership at WEDC and am thankful for her years of dedicated service, and Kathy and I wish her and her family well.”

“I want to thank Gov. Evers for his vision and support for our efforts to build an economy for all, where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. Gov. Evers made it clear to me from Day One that he wanted an economy where every Wisconsinite has the opportunity to prosper and succeed, and that he was counting on everyone in his cabinet to make that happen,” said WEDC Secretary and CEO Hughes. “Each of our state’s successes serves to inspire more development, more innovation, and more growth. People start seeing something good happening in their communities, and they want to keep it moving forward. Opportunities to be in the national news for positive accomplishments show companies and talent that Wisconsin competes on the global stage. Every day, Wisconsin is solving problems for the world, and we’ve made sure the world has us on its mind. I’m incredibly grateful to have been a part of this work and the Evers Administration.”

After joining the Evers Administration in 2019, Hughes was unanimously confirmed by the Wisconsin State Senate in 2021 and again in 2023. During Gov. Evers’ tenure and since Secretary Hughes was appointed, WEDC has worked with companies to commit to over $8 billion in planned investments and to create or retain over 45,000 jobs, boosting various industries throughout the state. More importantly, Gov. Evers’ commitment to education, child care, and housing has positioned Wisconsin as one of the most attractive places for businesses to locate, seeing several businesses bring operations to the state from other states around the country.

Most recently, Gov. Evers and WEDC announced that the Evers Administration has made record investments in Wisconsin businesses and communities during fiscal year (FY) 2025, which ended June 30, 2025. In FY25, WEDC contracted for a total of 320 tax incentives, grants, and loans, totaling $91.5 million—the highest volume in the past five years—to help attract new businesses and enable existing businesses to grow.

WEDC has also played a critical role in growing the state’s economic opportunities and leadership, including developing and growing several partnerships with key global industry leaders, such as Eli Lilly and Company, Kikkoman, and Microsoft, all of which have announced multi-million to billion-dollar investments to grow their operations in Wisconsin, bringing with them thousands of quality, family-supporting jobs. This robust, generational investment in Southeast and South Central Wisconsin, in particular, is already making a significant impact. The Wall Street Journal recently ranked the Milwaukee region second in the nation for attracting recent college graduates and cited the Eli Lilly project as one of the area’s biggest draws.

In addition to the attraction and expansion of large-scale businesses, WEDC has helped support nearly 9,500 businesses expand or move into empty storefronts in communities across the state through Gov. Evers’ successful Main Street Bounceback Grant Program. Last year, Gov. Evers and WEDC also launched the $100 million Wisconsin Investment Fund—the largest public-private investment fund in state history—representing a major step forward in supporting Wisconsin entrepreneurs. The fund has already begun investing in startups with high growth potential in the fields of biotechnology, agriculture, and manufacturing.

A key partner in cultivating the state’s international trade relationships, as secretary and CEO, Hughes led several high-profile international trade missions. This included accompanying Gov. Evers on his most recent trade mission to Germany and France, during which the group celebrated the start of the 50th anniversary of Wisconsin’s sister state relationship with Hessen, Germany, and highlighted Wisconsin’s leadership in the biohealth and biotechnology fields.

Finally, last year, Gov. Evers and WEDC led efforts to achieve Wisconsin’s designation as a U.S. Regional Technology Hub and worked to unlock $49 million to grow the state’s personalized medicine and biohealth sector, including advancing research and innovation, growing the state’s economy and creating jobs, and boosting American competitiveness in a cutting-edge industry. Over the first 10 years, the Tech Hub designation is projected to create more than 30,000 jobs in the personalized medicine sector and over 111,000 indirect jobs attributable to the Tech Hub in Wisconsin. Additionally, the Tech Hub is projected to create $9 billion worth of economic development in Wisconsin within its first decade.

Hughes’ resignation is effective on Sept. 19, 2025, and a search to fill her position is underway. The governor expects to announce Hughes’ replacement in the coming weeks.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.