May 20, 2010

Gateway taking over CATI

The labyrinthine relationship between CATI and Gateway Technical College will take another turn at year's end when Gateway takes over the once promising program for entrepreneurs. 

CATI will cease to exist as a nonprofit under the arrangement. It's unclear what the announcement means for Matt Wagner, who heads CATI and the UW-Parkside Small Business Development Center. 

Here's the official press release from Gateway about the transition: 
CATI Inc. program and service delivery will transition to Gateway Technical College on Dec. 31, 2010, which will strengthen the outreach services of the college and CATI Inc. Gateway currently provides outreach services through their Workforce and Economic Development Division (WEDD) and this will allow for increased connection to students and private business entrepreneurs as well as heightened business development opportunities.
Gateway’s program and service delivery does not include responsibility for or the assumption of CATI Inc. 501(c)(3) status. The transition will lead to better alignment of the community’s workforce and business entrepreneurial needs.
“This model will allow us to connect with entrepreneurs no matter what stage they are at or the resources needed,” said Debbie Davidson, Gateway Vice President, WEDD. “This new model closes the loop on support for new business development in Racine County and throughout Southeastern Wisconsin.”
The transition of CATI Inc. to Gateway will provide a continuum of programs and services for businesses and entrepreneurs, including:
· Technical assistant for new products or new markets
· Business development and growth
· Entrepreneurial training for new and existing companies
· Business incubation program
While CATI Inc. services will be primarily provided by Gateway, the college will continue to call on its community partners, including the Racine Economic Development Corporation (RCEDC), UW-Parkside, Racine County Workforce Development Center, Carthage College and others to provide CATI-related services when needed. Technical consultants will also be used on a case-by-case basis.
Gateway will serve as the custodian of existing intellectual property owned by CATI Inc. and proactively pursue opportunities add to the intellectual property library, benefiting existing businesses as well as entrepreneurs. Intellectual property will be accessible for entrepreneurs seeking business development ideas and existing businesses seeking new products or new markets.
CATI Inc. board members will be invited to serve as advisory members to Gateway’s WEDD for CATI programs and services.
CATI Inc. will remain a legal entity through Dec. 31, 2010. Kate Walker with the RCEDC will serve as interim director of CATI Inc. programs and services until the transition is made. Gateway Business Development Director Therese Fellner will serve as the lead transition manager.

5 comments:

  1. It is sad to see such a promising program die. Sadly there were a few people out to destroy Sam's vision for this faciity from the beginning. Hope those people are happy.

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  2. Oh please. As a forced state audit showed, gateway overpromised and very seriously underdelivered. I believe a whole host of other marginal programs at gateway are marketed as successes yet the public and media are clueless because nobody monitor gateway except gateway. There should be an annual independent audit of gateway finances and educational programs (graduation rates, job placement rates, etc). As it is now the fox is minding the henhouse and the result is reports such as this one in our newspapers - it reads like a PR release directly from gateway's overactive PR department.

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  3. We obviously need to spend more money on education and training.

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  4. Anonymous 9:54: Isn't that exactly what got Gateway into this problem to begin with? State audits, DOJ reviews.... Spend, spend, spend, construct new buildings that have little use, put friends on the payroll, get called on it, start all over again. Gateway's modus operandi.

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  5. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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