This week’s episode of “WisBusiness: the Podcast” is with Kip Ritchie, CEO of the Potawatomi Business Development Corporation.
Ritchie was named to the position in September after serving as interim CEO and chief operating officer, according to the announcement. He was previously the president of Greenfire Management Services, a subsidiary company of the PBDC.
He discusses the mission and economic impact of the Milwaukee-based organization, which is owned and operated by the Forest County Potawatomi Community of Wisconsin, of which Ritchie is a member. It serves as the community’s economic development arm since being established in 2002.
“Really created — as many tribes have done around the country — to diversify the tribe’s economy, to build capacity, capabilities, infrastructure, business acumen,” he said. “Our mission is to generate wealth and improve the quality of life for the tribe.”
In the new leadership role, Ritchie says he aims to continue growing the PBDC’s business interests such as federal government contracting, construction management, real estate development, data processing, entertainment and more.
“We also are opportunistic, right, continuing to venture into new businesses,” he said. “That’s an area that is of specific interest to me as well.”
Ritchie previews a new convenience store model from the PBDC called Fireside Market, which is slated to launch in the near future. And he says the organization is looking to get involved in electric vehicle supply chains.
“We have more work to do there, but we see a huge opportunity in that space as well,” he said.
Listen to the podcast below, sponsored by UW-Madison:
