First established in 1950 (February 1, 1950), Winona Area Industrial Development Association (WAIDA) has a 52 year history of helping make Winona a better place to live, work, and raise our families.

Recognized Winona leaders such as Max White; Wendel Fish; Ralph Boaldt and Al Bambenek have been involved with WAIDA.  The first president was J.R. Chappel of the Winona Hotel and a prominent banker.

 The object of the corporation is basic to our community.  We are to: advance the common commercial, mercantile, manufacturing, economic and civic interest of the area by; rehabilitating, and otherwise aiding manufacturing businesses, assisting in locating new firms or assistance to existing firms.  The wording is of course much longer but the objective is fairly clear.  We work only with manufacturing or industrial operations and have determined that the best way to obtain the objectives of WAIDA is to be available for assistance to existing local firms.  The Corporation issued no stock and has no dues since its’ inception. WAIDA is composed of a membership that elects a board of directors, and they elect an executive committee.

 The Tuesday, March 14, 1950 edition of the Winona Republican Herald reported “transfer of the firm (Badger foundry Company) to Winona is the first fruit of the new Winona Industrial Development Association”.  Your WAIDA has been in the business of assisting in industrial development since that first successful venture that brought Rich Callender and his Badger Foundry Company to Winona.

 The original Lake Center Industries building was built by WAIDA as a spec building and was used to attract that company (now TRW) as a tenant.  The building near the airport that is now occupied by Boelter Industries was originally a WAIDA spec and was eventually purchased, then expanded to house the present occupant.  We have assisted at one time or another such firms as ASCO, Winona Industries, Ledebuhr Meats, The Second Look and many others.  WAIDA worked with WE-NO-NAH Canoe when they expanded to build kayaks for Olympic training.  The Comfortex building was erected with WAIDA financing.  Not all of the ventures were successful; we did try to help TERTM get off the ground and lost some money.  We then contributed the TERTM machines to the Technical College for their training program so it was not a total loss. 

Some more recent projects are:

            03/1994           Badger Foundry Company

                                       (Joint project with SEMIF)

            10/1995           Silicone Biology

            10/1995           Minnesota Production Innovators

                                        Minnesota Drafting & Design

            11/1995           Winona Production Services

                                        Winona Pattern & Mold

            10/2000           Purchase of WAIDA Acres

We have always tried to work closely with the cities of Goodview and Winona as well as the Port Authority if they are the vehicles needed to get the job done.  We refer companies to them as well as get referrals from them. I think in my 29 years in the area we are seeing more cooperation among the area entities, in trying to assist manufacturing and commerce, than at any time since I brought my business to Goodview in 1973.  The people and organizations represented by WAIDA work together for the good of our entire area.  We have not always been successful in attracting, or keeping firms but it cannot be said “they drove some firm out of town”.  Firms have left but I can tell you from experience that we cooperatively worked successfully in many many cases that we cannot even discuss publicly. Your public and private community is alive and well in assisting and promoting the industrial base of Winona and WAIDA is proud to say that we have been part of making this the ALL-AMERICA city and STAR CITY that it is today.                     

 Prepared by Harland P. Knight, WAIDA Past President