WILLMAR—The Willmar Planning Commission reviewed and approved the plans for two new tenants on the MinnWest Technology Campus Wednesday. Moving in are Speer Medical Technologies and Owens & Company.

Speer Medical Technologies is headed by Dr. Tod Speer, an oncologist. He will be doing medical research with other research and development firms at MinnWest and the Mid Central Research and Outreach Center. Speer has focused on designing cancer therapeutics and has grant requests to investigate ways to treat multi-drug resistant bacterial infections. He is also working with the University of Wisconsin on a cancer drug and is now writing a grant to begin preclinical studies.

“This is exactly what the technology campus is all about,” City Planner Megan DeSchepper said.

Speer will rent a 200-square-foot office space in the Multi-Tech Building.

Owens & Company is a private, nonprofit organization founded in 2008 by Mark Owens. It provides representative payee services for those who receive Social Security income. The company helps its clients with monthly budgeting, teaching responsible spending, money management and money saving. As a representative payee, Owens & Company receive and pay client’s bills, manage their bank ledgers, create a budget and help with paperwork for county and federal programs like Social Security.

“It is probably a niche this community would really use,” DeSchepper said.

While Owens & Company isn’t a technology business, the city zoning ordinance says business and professional offices are permitted within the city’s technology district, which the MinnWest campus is in. The district was established in early 2006. Owens & Company will have office space in the Commons Building.

Commissioners found both plans met the standards set in the city zoning ordinance.

West Central Tribune by Shelby Lindrud