Mike Ivey writes on all matters money in the spirit of Capital Times founder William T. Evjue, who believed that the concentration of wealth in the U.S. is not healthy for the Democracy.

One of Wisconsins leading exportsoffers an encouraging sign.

Its not cheese, motorcycles or football.

Its high-end medical equipment. Think MRI, CAT scan, colonoscopyand ultra-sound.

Thanks in part to the presence of GE Medical and spinoffs from research at UW-Madison, Wisconsin is third in the nation in electromedical equipment manufacturing employment, with 6,100 jobs. Only California and Minnesota employ more in the field.

Our footprint in Wisconsin is huge, says Mike Harsh, vice president and chief technology officer at GE Medical.

Harsh appeared Tuesday with Tom Grist, who chairs the UW-Madison Med School's department of radiology, to talk about the collaboration between the two parties. The event titled Wisconsins medical imaging cluster: From discovery to delivery was hosted by the Wisconsin Technology Council.

Based in Wauwatosa, GE Medical is one of the largest companies in Wisconsin with some 6,500 employees, including 2,800 engineers. It works with 1,110 different suppliers around the state, from Neenah-based Plexus Corp. to Allied Panels in McFarland.

The company has invested millions of dollars in the UW, most visibly $15 million in seed money to help construct the $138 million Wisconsin Institute for Medical Research. The UW gets discounted prices on GE equipment.

The relationship goes beyond money.

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Biz Beat: Wisconsin quietly a leader in medical technology