Bill Bowers Announced as Minority Business Development Director at Commerce

Bill Bowers has been selected as director of the Bureau of Minority Business Development, Department of Commerce (Commerce) Secretary Mary P. Burke announced recently.

Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton makes the acquaintance of new Minority Business Development Director Bill Bowers at Marketplace 2007.

"Bill Bowers has extensive management experience in both the private and public sectors, as well as a strong working knowledge of manufacturing and construction," Secretary Burke said. "He will be an asset to my team as we work with minority-owned businesses on their growth and development."

From 2004-present, Bowers was property assessment manager-manufacturing and then director of the Bureau of Assessment Practices, Department of Revenue. He was responsible for certifying all statutory assessors throughout Wisconsin, providing assessor training, testing and analysis of assessment practices statewide, and directing the annual assessment of all manufacturing and utility property in the lake Winnebago District (six county area). From 1997-2004, he served as a real estate appraiser for Chudnow-Druck-Lauenstein, Milwaukee. Prior to these positions, he was president of his own construction firm, B&F Contracting, Milwaukee, and also served as assistant plant superintendent at Johnson Controls IFM, Milwaukee. Bowers earned an MBA in management and BA in management and communication from Concordia University Wisconsin, Mequon, WI.

Bowers was on hand to meet with businesses and resource partners at Marketplace 2007, the 26th Annual Governor's Conference on Minority Business Development, held on October 11, 2007 at the Ho-Chunk Casino Hotel & Convention Center in Baraboo.

-- Tony Hozeny