Tag Archives: cedar valley

ALLIANCE & CHAMBER TO HOST BUSINESS AFTER HOURS

WATERLOO, IA – The Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber will be hosting Business After Hours at the Hampton Inn by Hilton, 2034 LaPorte Rd., Waterloo. The event will be hend on Thursday, August 30 from 4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Business After Hours is a unique opportunity for Alliance & Chamber investors to network and experience various business locations throughout the Cedar Valley. Attendees learn special information and insight about the sponsoring business while socializing and enjoying complimentary hors d’oeuvres.

There is no cost for Alliance & Chamber members to attend. Deadline to register is Thursday, August 23. For more information or to register for this event contact Bette Wubbena at bwubbena@cedarvalleralliance.com or call 319.232.1156.

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Alliance & Chamber Announces 2018 Annual Award Winners

Individual and Business Award Winners Honored March 27

WATERLOO, IOWA (March 27, 2018) – Individuals and businesses were honored for their ongoing commitment to making the Cedar Valley a better place to work, do business, and live on March 27 at the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber Annual Celebration.

More than 500 registered for the night of celebration and recognition held at the Waterloo Convention Center, downtown Waterloo.

The 2018 award winners are as follows:

Legacy Award: Tom Penaluna, Chairman of CBE Companies, Inc.

Tom Penaluna

This ward honors an individual for their continued leadership and noteworthy contributions to the Cedar Valley through philanthropy and volunteerism; working to create a positive environment for business expansion; and community growth and enhancing the quality of life for talent recruitment and retention.

Fulfilling the Vision of One Award: Sue Armbrecht, North Iowa Regional President, MidWestOne Bank

Sue Armbrecht

This award recognizes tan outstanding contribution by an individual in the private sector for leadership in creating and strengthening regional collaboration and cooperation for economic and community development.

Business of the Year (full-time equivalent employees 1-50): Bloom Manufacturing, Inc.

Business of the Year (full-time equivalent employees 51 or greater): Omega Cabinetry/MasterBrand Cabinets

These awards recognize the efforts of Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber investors in promoting the quality of life and offering leadership within the Cedar Valley, achieving a major business accomplishment, or making an outstanding contribution to the Cedar Valley community, economy, and residents.

John Deere Treating Capital Well Award: KWWL Television, Inc.

To recognize the efforts of a private sector firm for a significant investment in the Cedar Valley that most emphasize the attributes of the Cedar Valley.

Harold Brock Innovation Award: Talk to Me Technologies, LLC

This award recognizes the efforts of a private sector firm for innovation in technology, advanced manufacturing, or talent development.

Cedar Valley Partner Award: University of Northern Iowa Business & Community Services

This award recognizes the efforts of an educational institution, non-profit organization, service club or human service agency – must be a Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber investor – in promoting economic growth, employment, and quality of life and offering leadership or making an outstanding contribution to the Cedar Valley and its residents on a continuing basis or with a specific project.

Economic Inclusion Award: UnityPoint Health – Allen Hospital

This award honors employers in the Cedar Valley that have made significant achievements in championing economic inclusion and diversity in their businesses and organizations.

For more detail about and videos of the award winners, visit the Alliance & Chamber website at https://www.cedarvalleyalliance.com/cms/390/2018-Annual-Award-Winners

Nominations for 2019 awards will be accepted in early 2019. For a listing of past award winners, visit https://www.cedarvalleyalliance.com/cms/381/Annual-Awards

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In the Media: Darrah Is Alliance & Chamber Interim CEO

“WATERLOO — The head of the Cedar Valley TechWorks has been named interim CEO of the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber.

Cary Darrah, who has been with TechWorks since 2007, was named interim leader of the GCVAC as the economic development and business organization finishes a goal-setting process in its search for a new executive director.

Darrah also served 10 years as director of Cedar Falls Community Main Street from 1997 to 2007. She is the first woman to head the Alliance or any of its predecessor organizations since Kristi Ray headed the Cedar Falls Chamber of Commerce from 1997 to 2002.

The Alliance was created in 2004. The Waterloo and Cedar Falls chambers merged in 2007 and became part of the Alliance in 2008. TechWorks, a entrepreneurial campus of former John Deere buildings, is an Alliance subsidiary.

Darrah initially was TechWorks manager, then named Alliance executive vice president of community development in 2012 and TechWorks president in 2016.

‘Make no mistake, Cary is in the interim CEO position because she is very qualified,’ said Alliance board chairman Bob Smith Jr. of Lockard Cos.

Alliance and Chamber CEO Steve Dust announced last month he was stepping down after 14 years and would formally resign by June 30. His last day was Friday. Smith said it was easier to allow Dust to devote full attention to pursuing his next venture while the Alliance set its future course.

‘Cary was just the logical choice, very qualified,’ Smith said. ‘She’s well liked and trusted by the team there and the community.'”

Read the entire article here: Darrah named interim CEO as Alliance plans for future, by Pat Kinney, The Courier, February 22, 2018

5 on Friday: Fuel for Thought February 9, 2018

by Steve Dust, CEO, Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber

5 on Friday is a two-way street: please send me recommendations on books, reports, articles, blogs, videos, or anything you’re reading or watching that impacts business and the economy.

ONE What’s next? You Have an Amazing Opportunity

By now, most of you have heard that I’m leaving the Alliance & Chamber soon.

I am so very grateful for your leadership and financial capital used to build the Alliance and deliver meaningful economic growth, a stronger business climate, and civic change since I arrived in mid-2004.

I enjoyed leading the effort to establish and grow what has become today’s Alliance & Chamber group of organizations. Now, it really is time for new leadership to guide the Alliance forward, and for me to find the next challenge.

Usually, a guy finds his new gig before leaving, but in this instance you are literally on the cusp of amazing new opportunities in new directions, and you need to act on these now. New partnerships; new, sustainable revenue models; solidifying and expanding work of the Alliance group; and more. And you need to guide it.

Many of you have been invited to a meeting next week to begin that evolutionary process. I hope you will accept Bob Smith’s invitation if it arrives. And after working to get us all this far, I do not want what we have done to achieve this to be a barrier to what Alliance & Chamber needs to become.

I’m searching for what’s next. Donita and I would like to stay in the Cedar Valley, if possible. I’d like to join a Cedar Valley or Eastern Iowa firm that needs someone to start and grow a new business unit or grow through acquisitions, and I’m open to other opportunities, too. Like anyone, I’m looking for fun work, meaningful to the enterprise, which can support my family. Here are some very kind words sent my way.

Dust never settled for status quo, The Courier, January 28, 2018

TWO Future Ready Iowa: Create an Educated, Skilled Talent Pool

Quite a bit of info has been delivered to 5 On Friday followers about Iowa’s Future Ready Iowa Alliance initiative. Its goal: 70 percent of Iowans possess post-secondary credentials by 2025. Is that worth $18 million? I bet you’ll think so when you read what that expenditure will deliver to Iowa. Many of the recommendations of the Future Ready Iowa Alliance Board, of which eight members were from the Cedar Valley economic area, require legislative action. NFIB Iowa summarized the recommendations currently in the legislature. This initiative will test the legislators’ commitment to preparing Iowan’s to fuel your growth.

Gov. Reynolds’ Future Ready Iowa Alliance Proposes Spending $18 Million, National Federation of Independent Business, January 31, 2018

THREE Which Industries/Business Sectors Optimize Talent?

This is an interesting string of conversation in a blog that asks, “Which industries or trades identify and make the best use of talent?” The blogger, Tyler Cowen, answers, which is followed by a string of comments containing thoughts on the topic. It spills into a second post, as well. It’s a wide ranging discussion, so you have to stay with the string. Tyler Cowen is also the author of the book I recommended to you earlier, The Complacent Class.

Where is talent optimized? by Tyler Cowen, Marginal Revolution, January 27, 2018

FOUR Midwest Ag ties to Global Economy

Ok, I hear the collective, “duh!” as you read the title. I reacted that way, too. This reaction is because, as we know, one of the things that binds our Plains States together is that more than one-third of each state’s exports is ag and food products. The Fed’s publication does a good job of framing and quantifying the importance of open international trade. It’s important for all business and civic leaders to know the foundations and facts of this economic dynamic as the US begins a “renegotiation” of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Sorry , it’s all text– no graphs or charts.

Midwest Agriculture’s Ties to the Global Economy, by David Oppedahl, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, 2018

FIVE Future of Real Estate

Following in the same track as the last recommendation is this blog post by Michael Beckerman on Commercial Real Estate. Beckerman likely doesn’t say anything new in this post, but he crystalizes what has been floating around in your head as you observe what’s going on in your industry, business district, the Cedar Valley generally, etc. Real estate developers will not (usually) lead in creating demand for new space. Instead, you will define the spaces you need and the real estate development industry will produce it to fill demand. I don’t know how that’s any different than what has happened over the last several years, but Michael does help us see the forces shaping what’s coming at us because of the disrupters like Amazon and Air BnB.

To See the Future of Commercial Real Estate Development Don’t Look to Real Estate Developers, Michael Beckerman, Michael Beckerman blog, January 29, 2018

In the Media: Steve Dust to leave Greater Cedar Valley Alliance after 14 years

“‘I’m not retiring,'” Dust said. ‘I think what made me successful here, to the extent that I was, was my experience and skills in helping organizations find that vision, refine it, and create the organization and build the organization. That’s what I’ve done. That’s what I enjoy and that’s what I’m successful with.’

‘Just as I arrived at a time when the community was trying to come together to create the Cedar Valley, now we have another generation of leadership that’s emerging,’ Dust said. ‘There’s a whole raft of new business owners and senior manager who are going to be making decisions about what this economy is going to be.'”

Steve Dust to leave Greater Cedar Valley Alliance after 14 years, Pat Kinney, The Courier, January 16, 2018

In the Media: Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber CEO Steve Dust to resign

Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber CEO Steve Dust to resign, KWWL, January 16, 2018

In the Media: Dust steps down from role in Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber

Dust steps down from role in Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber, KCRG-TV9, January 16, 2018

In the Media: Dust stepping down from Greater Cedar Valley Alliance

Dust stepping down from Greater Cedar Valley Alliance, Corridor Business Journal, January 16, 2018

In the Media: Dust comments on possible ALO runway closing

“Steve Dust, an airport board member and director of the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance and Chamber, said he believes the airport property could be attractive to new employers.

‘We’ve got 300 acres around our airport that’s been planned for industrial development,” Dust said. ‘One of the things that’s becoming more and more important again is rail service.”

Potential Waterloo runway closure draws fire, Tim Jamison, The Courier, December 21, 2017