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PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
By Stacie LoVan, PDI President
Stacie LoVan
PDI President
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It's hard to believe that the PDI Annual Conference "Utilizing Your Resources" is less than three weeks away! This year's conference committee has developed a great event with a variety of session topics and activities to meet the varied interests of our members. If you like golfing, trap and skeet shooting, touring historic downtowns, boat rides, or outdoor picnics and bonfires, Wednesday will offer an enjoyable time of networking with your peers. Does this year's conference offer an excellent educational track? Absolutely! Learn about Creative Workforce Development from one of Iowa's premier manufacturers, Vermeer Corporation. Christopher Lloyd with McGuireWoods Consulting will present The Good, the Bad and the Responsibility, regarding incentives. Our breakout sessions will feature topics on workforce development, laborshed studies, STEM initiatives, and where to find the research and resources you need. Our closing session will address ways to work with companies who have mature products.
Our conference venue, Honey Creek Resort, is an awesome facility offering an indoor water park, boat and bike rentals, outdoor activities, a golf course, and more. It is fun for the whole family! While attendees will spend the majority of time at the resort, we will have a chance to see Centerville and experience their hospitality, as well.
We couldn't offer such a high caliber conference and keep the registration fees low without the support of our sponsors. Time and again, PDI has benefited from the generosity and support of many businesses and organizations in our state. To all our sponsors: THANK YOU! You are making a major impact on economic development in Iowa.
I would like to specifically thank the local region for the support they are providing to this year's conference. Opportunity Squared, with leadership from Tod Faris, has taken over the planning efforts for the conference and has done an outstanding job. Centerville and the Rathbun Lake Area Chambers have stepped up to help, and host community organizations are sponsoring Thursday's evening activities. Our host community sponsors are:
1st Iowa State Bank
Albia Industrial Development Corporation
Appanoose County Economic Development
Appanoose County Tourism
Appanoose Industrial Corporation
Cargill Meat Solutions
Chariton Valley Electric Cooperative
Indian Hills Community College
John Deere Ottumwa Works
Lucas County Development Corporation
Northeast Missouri Electric Power Cooperative
Opportunity Squared Economic Development Region
Ottumwa Economic Development Corporation
Ottumwa Regional Legacy Foundation
Peoples State Bank
South Ottumwa Savings Bank
Southern Iowa Electric Cooperative
US Bank
In-Kind: The Cline Companies (Majestic Theater & Transportation)
Please see the list of all our sponsors at the bottom of this newsletter.
Are you registered for the conference? It's not too late to register, but you need to do so soon. The conference is September 24-26!
HISTORICAL HIGHLIGHT
• Governor Terry Branstad Talks about PDI's 40th Anniversary
View Governor Terry Branstad's Interview >>
DEVELOPMENT UPDATE
• Exclusive Pre-Release: 2014 Iowa Small Business Report
Thank you for your involvement in supporting Iowa's Small Businesses! We're excited to give you an exclusive pre-release of the 2014 Iowa Small Business Report - a comprehensive look at Iowa's small business experience in 2013. The report looks at sales trends, job growth or loss, capital acquired, and business use of technology among Iowa business owners with fewer than 50 employees. In addition, it ranks business needs for technical assistance, networks, & capital and how small business owners are accessing those services and the value they place in them.
Read More >>
• Iowa's Employer Unemployment Insurance Tax Tables Continue Improvement in 2015: Tax Tables Move in a Positive Direction, 4th Year in a Row
Iowa Workforce Development announced today that employers will see approximately $108 million dollars in tax savings by moving from tax table six to table seven. The last time unemployment insurance taxes were this low was 2002. The average rate will fall from 1.6 percent to 1.2 percent for 2015.
"Due to Iowa's strong economic condition, Iowa employers will see significant tax savings," said Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad. "Today's announcement is yet another indication that Iowa is working."
More Information >>
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
• PDI Membership,
The PDI Legislative Committee is seeking your input to begin establishing the 2015 Legislative Agenda. Please take a moment to complete this SHORT ONE-SCREEN survey and feel free to add additional comments. We ask that you complete the survey by September 15th.
Click this link - https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/PDI2015
On behalf of the PDI Legislative Committee we thank you for being engaged in the legislative process and help drive pro-business policy and development throughout the state.
Wayne J. Pantini, Brent Willett and Steve Dust
2014 Co-Chairs, PDI Legislative Committee
PS - Also, if you have a local legislative forum in your area between now and the end of the year, please let us know the date and time. If one of PDI's Legislative Chairs or Lobbyists is available, we can try to attend. Contact: Craig Patterson - craig@IALobby.com or Amy Campbell amy@IALobby.com
Thank you!
STATEWIDE PRIDE
• Bettendorf Manufacturing Company Expands, Receives Help from City
By Jack Cullen, Quad City Times, August 19, 2014
The Bettendorf City Council approved expansion plans, including a financial incentive package, for a Bettendorf manufacturing business.
Bowe Machine Co. is looking to expand its downtown location to keep up with its demanding global market, its president Simon Bowe told city council members Tuesday. The company produces industrial shear blades and car-shredding machines.
Read More >>
• Genesis Systems Completes $4.6M Davenport Expansion
By Jennifer DeWitt, August 05, 2014, Quad City Business Journal
Genesis Systems Group's robots are known around the globe, but when the Davenport manufacturer was planning to expand, the owners needed to look no farther than their own hometown, in part, to keep accessing the homegrown talent that has served it well for more than three decades.
Read More >>
WHO'S WHO - MEMBER NEWS
• Scholarship Recipients
Abby Kissling, Tipton Econ. Dev. Corp., OU - EDI Online Classes
Josh Heggen, City of Norwalk, OU - EDI, Indianapolis, IN
• New Members
Rachel Bailey, Marketing & Administrative Specialist, North Iowa Corridor Economic Development
Alex Carter, Program Manager, Iowa Innovation Corporation
Dennis Fraise, Director, Lee County Economic Development Group
Dana Klesner, Marketing & Communications Mgr., Lee County Economic Development Group
Bill Martin, Executive Director, Osceola Co. Econ Dev Commission
Brian Schoon, AICP, Director of Development and Transit, Iowa Northland Reg. Council of Governments
Jessica Sock, Olsson Associates
Emily Upah, Executive Director, Benton Development Group
• Job Postings:
Executive Director, Shelby County (Harlan) Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Harlan
Community Coach/Organizer, Louisa County, Iowa & Keep Iowa Beautiful, Louisa County
Executive Vice President, Mount Pleasant Area Chamber Alliance, Mount Pleasant
President, Marion Economic Development Company, Marion
President & CEO, North Iowa Corridor Economic Development, Mason City
More Information >>
UPCOMING EVENTS
• Funding Economic Development & Land Revitalization through Brownfields Workshop
September 16, 2014
Cedar Rapids, IA
More Information & Registration >>
• Midwest Creative College Town Conference
September 20, 2014
Iowa City, IA
More Information & Registration >>
• OU/EDI Business Retention & Expansion Course
Online
September 22 — November 16, 2014
More Information >>
• PDI Fall Conference
September 24-26, 2014
Honey Creek Resort, Moravia, IA
More Information >>
For more information, contact Lynn Harkin, PDI Headquarters at (515) 243-4585 or Email director@pdiowa.com.
SPONSORS
PDI Thanks the 2014 Sponsors
Triple Event Sponsors
Iowa Economic Development Authority
Iowa Workforce Development
ITC Midwest
Kossuth/Palo Alto County Economic Development Corp.
Host Community Sponsors
1st Iowa State Bank
Albia Industrial Development Corporation
Appanoose Industrial Corporation
Cargill Meat Solutions
Chariton Valley Electric Cooperative
Indian Hills Community College
Lucas County Development Corporation
Northeast Missouri Electric Power Cooperative
Opportunity Squared
Ottumwa Economic Development Corporation
Ottumwa Regional Legacy Foundation
Peoples State Bank
South Ottumwa Savings Bank
Southern Iowa Electric Cooperative
US Bank
John Deere Ottumwa Works
Conference Benefactor Sponsor (Fall only)
Strategic Marketing Services - UNI
Conference Supporting Sponsors (Fall only)
Black Hills Energy
Veridian Credit Union
Conference Exhibit Sponsors — Fall & Spring
Center for Industrial Research & Service - ISU
Convergent Fundraising Solutions
Diligent Development
Fall Only
Advance Iowa
JEO Consulting Group Inc.
Iowa Small Business Development Centers
North Iowa Corridor Economic Development Corporation
Spring Only
Point Builders LLC
UNI-Small Business Development Center
BREI Award
Smart Solutions Group
Blane Canada
Contributing Sponsors — Fall & Spring
Central Iowa Power Cooperative (CIPCO)
Iowa Association of Business & Industry
Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative
Greater Des Moines Partnership
Midland Power Cooperative
Spring only
Iowa Utility Association
Fall only
Access Energy
Greater Burlington Partnership
Maquoketa Valley Electric Cooperative
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