OIC Advisor and Mentor Jerry Braatz

Jerry Braatz was born in North Fond du Lac, Wisconsin USA near the shores of Lake Winnebago. From early on he was interested in the outdoors and the natural environment. This interest led him to major in Geography where he received a Bachelors Degree from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in 1992 and a Masters Degree from Western Illinois University in 1994. He also has minor concentrations in History and Agriculture (Soil Science).

Jerry has used his university training to focus as a professional on helping communities, businesses, and organizations with comprehensive planning, strategic planning, and business development planning. He is a certified planner with the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP). Jerry worked as a planner with the Greater Egypt Regional Planning Commission in Carbondale, Illinois from 1994 to 1997. From 1997 to 2001, he was an Assistant Professor with the University of Wisconsin-Extension in Calumet County. Since this time he has served as an Associate Professor with the University of Wisconsin-Extension in Waukesha County (an urbanizing county with 380,000 people in Southeastern Wisconsin)

Jerry has a passion for working with entrepreneurs and teaching them business development skills. He is a true believer in nurturing the growth of small businesses. He has an interest in tropical organic agriculture and is grateful for the opportunity to utilize his economic and business development planning skills to develop successful businesses in the Caribbean realm.