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- In recent decades, the homegrown,
and often family-run companies of Neenah and Menasha,
faced intense competition from industry giants.
- It used to be believed that the economy here,
based on paper,
would provide endless stability.
But they weren't thinking of a digital world,
where paper has somewhat less significance
than it did before.
And everybody, no matter what your business is,
has to look at reinventing yourself,
repositioning yourself.
- To compete in a global marketplace,
the companies faced growing pressure to get big
by acquiring other companies or sell out.
- Perpetual growth and expansion
is beyond what
a family-owned operation can really maintain for very long.
- Some companies, like Gilbert Paper,
were sold, sold again,
and finally closed.
[brick and metal crashing]
- One exception was the Menasha Corporation,
formerly Menasha Woodenware.
Hit by a catastrophic fire,
the descendants of founder Elisha Smith,
continued to rebuild and grow the company.
- I think the way they did that when you look at the history,
was, "How do we innovate?
How do we make ourselves relevant in a changing market?"
- At Kimberly-Clark,
CEO Darwin Smith transformed the company
by selling off paper mills and timberlands.
He then plowed millions of dollars
into developing a new product, called Huggies.
- Darwin Smith gambled
the entire future of the organization
on this disposable diaper.
And so, Huggies is really the product
that drove them to the next level,
moving away from papermaking completely
to a full-on focus on consumer products.
- His gamble paid off,
with company sales exceeding $4 billion dollars in 1985.
Smith then sent shockwaves through the entire state,
when he announced
he was moving the company headquarters
to Texas.
- And so, our pride took a hit, I think.
And the community was worried about it.
But, most of the jobs stayed here.
Their manufacturing facilities were and are still here.
- The old rivalry between the two cities
continued to play out,
mostly in sporting events.
- But in 1972, studies showed
that taxpayers could save over half a million dollars a year
by becoming one city.
Put to a referendum,
the plan was soundly defeated.
Since that time, the two cities
have merged their fire departments,
and this led to another merger--
of a long-standing tradition in both communities--
the Santa float.
[festive beach music]
- Merry Christmas! Ho! Ho! Ho!
[police sirens] Merry Christmas!
Ho! Ho! Ho!
Merry Christmas!
- When the condition of their downtown areas
became a hindrance to further development,
both cities encouraged efforts
to restore some of their historic buildings,
and preserve the character
of their retail centers.
- Alongside the old canal,
Menasha constructed a new marina,
which made the area more attractive
for waterfront development.
[traditional powwow vocals, drums,rattles,shakers]
- In Neenah, the renovation of Shattuck Park
now brings many people to enjoy the downtown area
and has also attracted new investment nearby.
On this day, members of the Menominee Nation held a powwow,
in the same place where the federal government
once built a village for them.
- We talk about the circle,
and completing the circle,
so it's kind of-- coming back here
is kind of like doing that in some sense, and
completing that circle that we've left,
we've come back.
- A series of public-private partnerships,
like this industrial park in Neenah,
created new jobs for residents of both cities.
- The City of Neenah
also partnered with the Wisconsin DNR
to take down the former Bergstrom Paper Mill
and clean up the site.
This cleared the way for building a new headquarters
for the Plexus Corporation.
And near the old water power sites,
a group of local investors
partnered with the City of Neenah
to build a series of office towers
that now bring hundreds of workers
to the city center.
- The investment group
also partnered with the City of Menasha,
adding a new office tower in the heart of the city.
- The Visiting Nurse Association
continues the legacy of Ida Heinecke,
and also continues to benefit
from Neenah-Menasha's long tradition
of philanthropy,
receiving support
to provide services for senior citizens.
- And sponsors from both cities recently funded
the building of a new Boys and Girls Club
in Menasha.
- It's asking, "Do you want to buy it?
- Both cities continue to make
many different kinds and grades of paper,
and a variety of paper-based products.
- And while the Fox River
no longer provides a source of power for industry,
it remains a source of beauty for the cities.
Easy access to the river and to Lake Winnebago
improves the quality of life for everyone.
Both cities take pride
in their large water-front parks,
set aside by farsighted leaders
throughout their history.
- I think if you look back and then look at today,
and look ahead to tomorrow--
which is always so important is to position yourself properly--
it's pretty clear that
the community is what the citizens make it.
And that's something to be aware of.
And in this case, it's something to be proud of.
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