Governor to visit Hudson today

Talk about it

Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle is scheduled to make an appearance at Rapid Diagnostek, 1301 Gateway Circle, in Hudson at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 22.

According to the governor’s office, he’ll be discussing “successful efforts to make Wisconsin a world leader in biotechnology.”

The notice of Doyle’s visit to Hudson says he is moving forward “bold efforts to accelerate investments in biotechnology and life science companies in Wisconsin and will discuss how the state’s efforts are paying off.”

Rapid Diagnostek is a promising biotechnology company that moved from St. Paul to Hudson last year because of Wisconsin’s “angel investment” program, which gives generous tax breaks to individuals who invest in start-up firms.

“It’s real simple, we could get the money here and not over there,” the founder of Rapid Diagnostek, Richard Van Deusen, was quoted as saying in a Minneapolis Star-Tribune story about the company’s move to Wisconsin.

The headline for the Sept. 30, 2009, story that appeared on the Star-Tribune’s Web site was “A bio border battle.”

Rapid Diagnostek has raised about $2 million to develop a portable device that can quickly diagnose diseases by analyzing blood, urine and saliva, the Star-Tribune reported.

Representatives of two other new Wisconsin biotechnology firms – VitalMedix and RJA Dispersions – are expected to attend today’s event at Rapid Diagnostek.

Wisconsin Secretary of Commerce Richard Leinenkugel also will be in attendance.

Tags: new business, governor doyle, local news, news,  , wisconsin