|
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
Economic Development Organizations Receive BRE Awards
The Professional Developers of Iowa (PDI) honored economic development organizations from Iowa City, Marion County, Sioux City and Marion during the SMART Economic Development Conference held in Des Moines on May 7.
Marion Economic Development Company - Chad Heiman, Communications Director and Nick Glew, President |
Marion County Development Commission - Carla Eysink, Executive Director and Sarah Francis,
Administrative Assistant |
Iowa City Area Development Group, Inc. - DaLayne Williamson, Mark Nolte, Kate Moreland - ICAD; Chad Simmons - Diversity Focus; Stephanie Bredman - Kirkwood Community College |
City of Sioux City - Mayor Bob Scott, Council Member Dan Moore, Economic and Community Development Director Marty Dougherty and Economic Development Specialist Chris Myres |
The PDI Business Retention and Expansion (BRE) Awards Program recognizes the outstanding efforts of local and regional economic development initiatives in supporting growth and expansion of existing Iowa companies. Receiving awards for their support of BRE in 2014 were:
BRE Overall Program:
Iowa City Area Development Group
Marion County Economic Development
Single Project:
City of Sioux City — Bomgaars Supply Inc Expansion
Marion Economic Development Group — Legacy Manufacturing Expansion
"Supporting Iowa's existing industry is a key priority for PDI's membership," stated Jason Hutcheson, PDI President. "The BRE Awards are intended to increase the focus on fostering Iowa business growth by economic development organizations and spotlight BRE programs and projects that have made a significant impact on Iowa communities."
Sponsoring the award is Smart Solutions Group and Blane Canada Ltd.
DEVELOPMENT UPDATE
• Iowa Economic Development Authority Downtown Resource Center to Host Downtown Forums
The Iowa Economic Development Authority's (IEDA) Downtown Resource Center assists communities around the state in revitalizing their downtowns and commercial districts.
This summer, the Iowa Downtown Resource Center will offer several downtown forums to bring together community leaders interested in engaging in a discussion about their downtowns.
Read More >>
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
• Policy Perspectives
Check out the May 3 Edition of Policy Perspectives.
Read Policy Perspectives >>
STATEWIDE PRIDE
• Deb Davis of Sister's Homestyle Entrees in Humboldt Named SBA's 2015 Iowa Small Business Person of the Year
The U.S. Small Business Administration has named Deb Davis, CEO of Sister's Homestyle Entrees in Humboldt as its 2015 Iowa Small Business Person of the Year.
Growing up in Fort Dodge, Iowa, Deb Davis learned from a young age the satisfaction of working hard to create a home cooked meal and the value that comes from the time spent enjoying that meal with family.
Read More >>
• Governor Designates City of Sioux City as Home Base Iowa Community and Western Iowa Tech Community College as a Certified Higher Academic Military Partner
Gov. Terry E. Branstad today announced Sioux City has met the criteria to become designated as a Home Base Iowa Community. Today he also announced Western Iowa Tech Community College has been designated as a Home Base Iowa Certified Higher Academic Military Partners (CHAMP). A formal announcement and press conference will be held today in Sioux City at the Orpheum Theatre at 4:45 p.m.
Read More >>
• Sheffield Manufacturer Sukup Buys Danish Company
Cedar Valley Business Monthly Online, April 27, 2015
Sukup Manufacturing Co., a world leader in grain drying, storage and handling, will acquire DanCorn, a leading dealer of the same in Denmark, as well as internationally.
DanCorn is the exclusive distributor of Sukup products in all of northern Europe and is located in Hedensted, Denmark.
Read More >>
• Wright County in State of Emergency over Bird Flu Threat
Mason City Globe Gazette, April 30, 2015
The Wright County Board of Supervisors on Thursday declared a state of emergency in the county in an effort to take a proactive, preventative approach to the widespread Highly-Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI).
They stressed there are no cases of the disease in the county and the public is not at risk.
Read More >>
• Local Option Sales Tax Introduced in Iowa House
By Kent Darr, Senior Staff Writer, Business Record, April 29, 2015
Rep. Tom Sands, chairman of the Iowa House Ways and Means Committee, has introduced legislation that would allow Greater Des Moines communities to ask voters to approve a 1 percent local option sales tax.
The legislation would alter state law, which currently requires an area-wide vote where cities have adjoining boundaries. Under Sands' bill, residents of a city --West Des Moines, for example -- would vote to approve the tax and could vote to repeal it.
Read More >>
• Ethanol Industry Weathering Price Downturn
By Dave DeWitt, Corridor Business, April 29, 2015
Iowa's ethanol producers have so far managed to weather a downturn in ethanol prices that have loosely paralleled the slump in oil prices, although leaner times may lie ahead.
The fortunes of several Corridor companies are linked to the ethanol industry, which has seen prices move in a general downtrend since March 2014. The futures price of ethanol on the New York Mercantile Exchange was about $1.62 per gallon on April 20, down from more than $3.20 per gallon at its peak last year.
Read More >>
• Union Pacific Investing $109 Million in Iowa
Railroad planning to replace ties, ballast
By George Ford, The Gazette, May 4, 2015
The Union Pacific railroad, with nearly 1,400 miles of tracking in Iowa, plans to spend $109 million this year on maintenance and upgrades.
Omaha-based UP has earmarked $12 million for replacement of 83,300 railroad ties and installation of 25,100 tons of rock ballast between Belle Plaine and Ames. Crews also will repair the surfaces at 67 road crossings.
Read More >>
• $264M Pork Plant to Employ 1,100 in Sioux City
By Dave Dreeszen, Sioux City Journal, May 14, 2015
Embarking on the largest economic development project in Sioux City history, two major pork producers pledged Thursday to invest $264 million in a new plant that initially would employ 1,100 workers.
The mega project, a joint venture between Seaboard Foods and Triumph Foods, will give the growing metro area economy another big boost, and the city and other local governmental bodies millions of dollars of new revenue.
Read More >>
• Isle Breaks Ground for Land-based Casino in Bettendorf
By Jack Cullen, Quad City Times, May 13, 2015
An 82,000-square-foot land-based casino in Bettendorf is expected to open in about a year, 25 years after riverboat gambling first came to the Quad-Cities. Isle of Capri's president and CEO Virginia McDowell told reporters at a groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday that moving to land is just part of the "maturation process for the industry."
The company, which operates 15 properties in seven states, plans to invest up to $60 million in this project, which will make its Bettendorf property the largest casino resort in Iowa, she said.
Read More >>
WHO'S WHO - MEMBER NEWS
• PDI Members Graduate from Heartland ED Course
The Heartland Economic Development Course offers five days of intensive training in the basic concepts, information, methods and strategies of local economic development. Essentially, it is economic development boot camp. This multi-state basic economic development course ranks at the top of the IEDC accredited courses and fulfills one of the educational requirements toward professional certification.
Read More >>
• New Members
Bryce Davis, Wright County Economic Development, Clarion
Stephanie Fromm, Winneshiek County Development Inc., Decorah
Kris Patrick, Lucas County Development Corporation, Chariton
Lynn Porter, Black Hills Energy - Iowa Gas, Council Bluffs
Laura Roussell, Black Hills Energy, Dubuque
Valerie Reinke, Allamakee County Econ. Dev., Waukon
• Job Postings:
Executive Development Director, City of Tipton, Tipton
More Information >>
UPCOMING EVENTS
• International Training on Importing, Filing an EEI, and Exporting
May 19 & 20, 2015
Iowa Farm Bureau Auditorium
West Des Moines, IA
More Information & Registration >>
• Join the IEDA Downtown Resource Center at any of the following sessions:
June 10– Emmetsburg Chamber of Commerce, 1121 Broadway, Emmetsburg, IA 50536
June 11– Quilts & Other Notions Creative Center, 201 North Elm Street, Creston, IA 50801
June 17 – Franklin Street Brewery, 116 South Franklin Street, Manchester, IA 52057
June 18 – Public Library, 300 West State Street, Williamsburg, IA 52361
More Information >>
• PDI's Fall Conference
September 23-25, 2015
Historic Park Inn, Holiday Inn Express
Mason City, IA
For more information, contact Lynn Harkin, PDI Headquarters at (515) 243-4585 or Email director@pdiowa.com.
|
