Author Archives: Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber

IGNITE Cedar Valley Opportunity for B2B Business Exposure

The Cedar Valley of Iowa (Sept. 9) – The 2015 IGNITE Cedar Valley Campaign is the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber annual sponsorship drive to raise revenue essential to fund its programs and events is underway.

Over 400 opportunities are available exclusively to Alliance & Chamber investor businesses & organizations. These opportunities include networking events, business educations seminars, talent recruitment & retention events, and a variety of printed and electronic publications.
“The Alliance & Chamber newsletters, publication, and events are very cost effective ways to target marketing dollars to hundreds of qualified local businesses and thousands of their employees,” says Sue Beach, Alliance & Chamber Director of Investor Relations. This annual effort provides financial resources to equip the Alliance & Chamber for the future and finances new and existing programs. Priority goals include economic growth, job creation and retention, workforce development, small business assistance, regional marketing, and business services. The Alliance & Chamber also serves as an advocate for business interests on local, regional, state and national levels.

During the campaign, current investors are encouraged to utilize the multiple exclusive benefits investment provides and potential investors are introduced to the value of the Alliance & Chamber.
“Investment provides great exposure for business,” says Steve Dust, Alliance & Chamber CEO, “It also helps improve the Cedar Valley business community and quality of life, supports regional growth and collaboration, and many other component of our work to strengthen Cedar Valley businesses.”

A full list of sponsorship opportunities can be found at www.cedarvalleyalliance.com/ignite1.
The availability of sponsorships is limited. Please contact the Sue Beach, Bette Wubbena at the Alliance & Chamber immediately to answer questions and help with additional sponsorship suggestions. They can be contact by calling 319-232-1156 or email sbeach@cedarvalleyalliance.com and bwubbena@cedarvalleyalliance.com

WATERLOO, IOWA, NAMED A CERTIFIED BLUE ZONE COMMUNITY

Local Organizations and Community Leaders Implement a Wide Range of Environmental Improvements to Enhance the Well-Being of Residents and Achieve Community Transformation

Waterloo, Iowa (Sept. 10, 2014) — Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Healthways (NASDAQ: HWAY) and Blue Zones, LLC, today announced that Waterloo, Iowa, has been named a certified Blue Zones Community^®. Certification recognizes Waterloo’s community transformation through successful implementation of the Blue Zones Project^®, a first-of-its-kind population health program that brings the world’s best practices in food policy, built environment, purpose and social networking to participating cities.

The community is invited to share in this success at a certification celebration on Thursday, September 25, 2014. The celebration will take place at the Cedar Valley SportsPlex, with an announcement taking place at 4:30 p.m.

Brought to Iowa through an innovative sponsorship by Wellmark in collaboration with Healthways and Blue Zones, the Blue Zones Project encourages all communities in the state to change their built environments to make the healthy choice the easy choice. The Blue Zones Project is the centerpiece of the Healthiest State Initiative, designed to make Iowa the healthiest state by 2016.

Community leaders, volunteers and organizations throughout Waterloo have been working to reach this milestone since May 2012, when the community was named one of the first Blue Zones Project demonstration sites in Iowa. As a result of its efforts, Waterloo can celebrate the following outcomes:

The Complete Streets policy passed by city council in 2013 was named one of the top policies in the country by Smart Growth America.

The city adopted policies to support healthy food, beverages and vending at city-sponsored youth sporting events. Sales have remained consistent since the policies were adopted.
Lou Henry, Orange, Kittrell, and Irving Elementary Schools made healthy choices easier for students through Blue Zones challenge curriculum and a new lunchroom design.
- At one school fourth and fifth grade students used the Blue Zones challenge to chart fruit and vegetable consumption as a mathematics assignment. Students reported a 33 percent increase in consumption of fruits and vegetables and a 50 percent increase in physical activity when comparing week one to week four.
- Lou Henry experienced a 15 percent increase in the consumption of fruits and vegetables after making simple changes to its lunchroom design, such as positioning fruits and vegetables more prominently.
Healthier dining options are now offered in 12 Blue Zones Restaurants^®, including smaller portions and lower-calorie desserts. Cu Restaurant has seen a 60 percent increase in customers splitting plates and a 50 percent increase in lunchtime salad sales since servers have begun promoting those options, both suggestions from the Blue Zones Restaurant pledge.

From 2012 to 2013, 88 percent of employees at Bertch Cabinet Manufacturing improved their health risk factors substantially, and employees collectively lost more than 1,660 pounds.

New walking paths at local worksites, including Allen Memorial Hospital, John Deere Engine Works, Tyson, Veridian Credit Union and Hawkeye Community College, are encouraging employees to move naturally throughout the day.

More than 450 residents participated in Walking Moai groups to expand their social networks in small-group settings while getting exercise.

“The Blue Zones Project has opened many doors of opportunity for Waterloo’s citizenry to live healthier, happier, longer lives,” said Waterloo Mayor Buck Clark.

“In supporting a commitment to healthy environmental changes, Waterloo has made a wise investment in its future, and I am thrilled to recognize the community’s achievements,” said Blue Zones founder Dan Buettner.

Waterloo achieved Blue Zones Community status after reaching the following key milestones designed to improve the community’s well-being, all of which are required improvement goals for Blue Zones Project demonstration communities seeking certification:

50 percent of the top 20 identified worksites became designated Blue Zones Worksites^®.
25 percent of schools became designated Blue Zones Schools^®.
25 percent of restaurants became designated Blue Zones Restaurants.
25 percent of grocery stores became designated Blue Zones Grocery Stores^®.
20 percent of citizens committed to Blue Zones Project and completed at least one well-being improvement action.
Waterloo successfully completed the Blue Zones Community Policy^® pledge, which requires the passing of local policies to promote Blue Zones Project initiatives. Examples in Waterloo include the newly passed Complete Streets policy and healthy vending policy.

“Waterloo has embraced the philosophy of creating well-being for its citizens,” said Laura Jackson, Wellmark executive vice president. “Becoming a certified Blue Zones Community required a tremendous commitment and effort from the entire community, and we are proud of the example Waterloo has set for other Iowa communities.”

“As one of the largest and most diverse Blue Zones Project communities in Iowa, the progress made by Waterloo has been particularly exciting,” said Ben R. Leedle, Jr., Healthways president and chief executive officer. “Waterloo has clearly demonstrated its dedication to improved well-being and is highly deserving of Blue Zones Community certification. The successful promotion of healthier food options at schools and youth sporting events is particularly encouraging, as the adoption of healthy habits at a young age greatly improves the odds of higher well-being in the future.”

Fifteen Iowa communities are part of Blue Zones Project and are receiving assistance from experts to develop and implement a Blueprint for making permanent environmental, social and policy changes that transition people into healthier behaviors that can lead to longer, happier lives. Five of the communities have achieved Blue Zones Project Community certification to date. For more information, please visit www.bluezonesproject.com.

About Wellmark

Wellmark, Inc. (www.wellmark.com) does business as Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Iowa. Wellmark and its subsidiaries and affiliated companies, including Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South Dakota and Wellmark Health Plan of Iowa, Inc., insure or pay health benefit claims for more than 2 million members in Iowa and South Dakota. Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Iowa, Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South Dakota, and Wellmark Health Plan of Iowa, Inc. are independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

About Blue Zones

Blue Zones employs evidence-based ways to help people live longer, better. The Company’s work is rooted in the New York Times best-selling books The Blue Zones and Thrive – both published by National Geographic books. In 2009, Blue Zones applied the tenets of the books to Albert Lea, MN and successfully raised life expectancy and lowered health care costs for city workers by 40%. Blue Zones takes a systematic, environmental approach to well-being, which focuses on optimizing policy, building design, social networks, and the built environment. The Blue Zones Project is based on this innovative approach. For more information, visit www.bluezones.com.

About Healthways

Healthways (NASDAQ: HWAY) is the largest independent global provider of well-being improvement solutions. Dedicated to creating a healthier world one person at a time, the Company uses the science of behavior change to produce and measure positive change in well-being for our customers, which include employers, integrated health systems, hospitals, physicians, health plans, communities and government entities. We provide highly specific and personalized support for each individual and their team of experts to optimize each participant’s health and productivity and to reduce health-related costs. Results are achieved by addressing longitudinal health risks and care needs of everyone in a given population. The Company has scaled its proprietary technology infrastructure and delivery capabilities developed over 30 years and now serves approximately 68 million people on four continents. Learn more at www.healthways.com.

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Blue Zones Project

620 Mulberry Street

Waterloo, IA 50703

Tel: (319) 287-8177

www.bluezonesproject.com

Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber Diversity & Inclusion Summit

The Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber is hosting the fourth annual Executive Diversity & Inclusion Summit, an educational event for professionals on Friday, September 26th. The Executive Diversity & Inclusion Summit, sponsored by Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare-Iowa, Inc. will be held at Allen College, 1990 Heath Street, Waterloo, from 8:00am to 1:30pm, with registration and breakfast beginning at 7:30am. The Summit provides attendees a concentrated and focused experience with multiple activities including a keynote speaker, a featured speaker, and authoritative workshops. Recertification credit hours toward PHR, SPHR and GPHR recertification through the HR Certification Institute are available to attendees.

Summit Topic: Identifying Unconscious Bias in the Work Place

The keynote speaker is Armers Moncure, whose areas of speaking, consulting and training focus and expertise include: Unconscious Bias, Cultural Competency and Employee Engagement. Most recently, Armers piloted new approaches to integrating best practices in Diversity and Inclusion and Employee Engagement. One of his signature and most popular workshops for increasing engagement is called Discovering WorkLife Passion and Purpose.

The focus of the keynote presentation will be Unconscious Bias in the Work Place. Attendees will gain an understanding of the dynamics of hidden or unconscious perceptions and how it can show up in daily activities and reinforce stereotypes. The presentation will also show how unconscious bias impacts talents management and inclusion within the workplace and offer ways to mitigate the impact of unconscious bias.

The featured speaker is Deanna Kosaraju with her presentation How to Create and Sustain a High Performing Team Through Diversification. This presentation will look at how diversity in an organization can increase innovation and enhance productivity, resulting in higher sales and profits. Creating a plan for the recruitment, retention and advancement of diverse employees, while eliminating unconscious bias and stereotype threat, will shift an organization from a stifling culture to one where ideas and innovation thrive.

Two breakout sessions will be presented by local experts; Effective Workplace Communication in a Pluralistic Society presented by Karris Golden and Diversity and the Impact on Your Organization presented by Quentin Hart.

Also during the Summit, the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber will announce the call for nominations and application processes for the Diversity & Inclusion Awards to be presented at the 2015 Annual Celebration, March 26, 2015 at the Park Place Event Center, Cedar Falls.

These awards will be given for outstanding contribution by a business or organization for leadership in creating and strengthening an environment of diversity and inclusion in the workplace culture, business practices and in the community. Deadline for nominations is October 31, 2014.

The Summit’s premier sponsor is Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare Iowa-Inc. It is also supported by gold sponsors Allen College Unity Point and Veridian Credit Union. CUNA Mutual Group is the silver sponsor. There is no cost to attend, but registration is requested no later than September 19th by going to the Events Calendar at www.cedarvalleyalliance.com. More information about the initiative and the awards can be found there.

The Diversity & Inclusion Initiative helps the business & institutions of the Cedar Valley region recognize and act on the business case for adopting and implementing inclusive practices in hiring, employee development, marketing and environment.

For more information about the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber Diversity & Inclusion Partnership, Summit or awards call Cary Darrah at (319)232-1156 or email cdarrah@cedarvalleyalliance.com.

Go to the event page on our website by clicking here.

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Broadband Access Topic of Summit

Broadband Access Topic of Summit

In June, Alliance & Chamber Director of Business Services, Nate Clayberg attended the annual Connect Iowa Broadband Summit. The conference was attended by community and school administrators, economic developers, communications industry executives, representatives from John Deere and Gov. Terry Branstad.

Data was presented at the conference that shows the main barriers for broadband adoption by Iowans are perceived lack of relevance, cost, and digital literacy. In the survey 31% of those surveyed did not see relevance to being connected by broadband, and a third of those were rural residents of the state. Cost was most relevant to low income families with children, and the minority population saw digital literacy as their biggest barrier to adopting broadband access. It was noted that 113,000 school-age children in Iowa still do not have broadband access at home.

John Deere Manager of Spectrum Advocacy Mark Lewellen gave the keynote presentation at the conference to show the importance of wireless broadband networks expansion in rural areas for the next level of farming in the U.S. John Deere equipment currently comes with data modems installed as standard equipment, but he notes that feature is not as valuable if it cannot connect to a network. He said with the growing demand for more food, fuel and feed to support a growing global population, efficiencies in agriculture production are a must to support this demand. Deere’s FarmSight technology system is being designed to help farmers become more productive and profitable with precision agriculture techniques, but connecting to mobile broadband is key to making the system run effectively for their customers. Watch “The Future of Farming is in Sight”

The increased broadband demand in our rural areas, especially mobile access, will be a great driver to help our rural areas sustain and possibly grow population and businesses that require digital connection to the world for business and personal access. This plays especially well for the rural school districts, many of which are offering one to one digital learning with tablets and laptops for students to use at school and at home. Howard-Winneshiek School District Superintendent John Carver presented to the conference on how the school is using technology to connect across their 462 square mile district, the second largest in the state. But he faces challenges in his smaller rural communities that have limited access for not only their school buildings but the homes of their students as well. It makes it challenging for students to complete assignments with a weaker broadband infrastructure in those areas. Carver discussed a couple interesting requests he has to the state education department in regards to their one to one digital access. Can they eliminate snow days by having teachers connect with students on those days that personnel and pupils cannot make it to their school buildings? And why is there a state law against mobile broadband hotspots on school buses? A feature that would help Howard-Winn students that spend time on buses commuting from home to school. He is awaiting a response to these questions as it relates to an ever changing digital world.

The Cedar Valley is leading the way in broad accessibility and acceptance. In February of 2014, Governor Branstad recognized Black Hawk County as the fourth community to become a Certified Connected Community in the state and 20th in the nation.
In May of 2014 Cedar Falls Utilities (CFU) announced 1-Gig service to every home and every business in the city making Cedar Falls Iowa’s first ‘Gigabit City.’ Mediacom also provides gigabit fiber accessible to the entire Cedar Valley Region.
Learn more at www.connectiowa.org

Alliance & Chamber Supports Cedar Falls Facilities Plan Bond Proposal

The Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber supports the comprehensive facilities plan proposed by the Cedar Falls Community School District, and encourages patrons of the district to support this important program at the polls on Tuesday September 9.

Businesses and institutions of all types and sizes rely on modern infrastructure to encourage and accommodate economic growth and job creation. Perhaps as in no time in the past, the quality of educational content and experience delivered in advanced school facilities is critical to the continuing strength of our economy. Our Cedar Valley regional school facilities must lead in design, features and amenities to help our students become leaders in educational preparation and attainment.

This is true throughout the Cedar Valley economic area. We have all seen tangible and intangible benefits from the building program financed by the Local Option Sales Tax over the last decade. Now, it is essential that our educational facilities at all levels prepare students for the emerging jobs and challenges of community citizenship of tomorrow.

We point out that this is precisely the kind of investment that must be made now to ensure that our students can take advantage of the opportunities of the future economy. Our businesses are particularly sensitive to increases in property taxes given the disproportionate burden placed directly on commercial and industrial property owners and indirectly on their tenants. For us to see the advantages to these investments in school facilities, we also recognize a huge return on these investments – a return that comes in the form of more successful teacher recruitment and retention, and student preparation and achievement. We must see the plan helping to “fill the pipeline” with graduates well-prepared to assume highly productive roles in the future economy. We currently have a skills mismatch, and a shortage of talented people for new jobs that rely on “brainpower” and soft skills. Students with rounded educational experiences highlighted by hands-on experience, and achievement in sciences, technologies, mathematics, as well as the arts and the interpersonal skills are and will be needed. We must make these key investments to provide the best environments in which knowledge and skills are learned and attract the highest quality educators.

But schools facilities construction programs cannot be executed outside the parameters we expect of any public investment in infrastructure or service. Further, with many school districts and institutions within the Cedar Valley examining capital and facilities programs and financings, we must insist on consistency in evaluation of the proposals and value delivered to the taxpayers, as well as the students of our regional districts and institutions.

We believe that the plans must take into account the most modern design and service delivery models feasible.
The plans must be comprehensive and consider new partnerships with other educational institutions and districts, fulfilling its obligations to the patrons of the specific school district or constituency while maximizing collaboration, coordination and minimization of duplication among neighboring school districts and higher educational institutions in programs, human resources, curriculum, and services.
The plans must have been vetted by the patrons in a manner to elicit and consider the spectrum of views on feasibility, financing mechanisms, and impact on their community, in order to establish credibility for the amounts needed to implement modern, and indeed, futuristic facilities expansion, repurposing, and replacement programs.

The Cedar Falls proposal meets these criteria and the expectations of our economy.

The district has been very good stewards of the patrons’ funds, maintaining a very low tax rate as compared to similar sized districts
The district has not asked their patrons to approve a bond issue for facilities in nearly 40 years.
The plan replaces facilities for rational reasons: the new facilities replace obsolete designs that can no longer be modified and upgraded to meet modern standards; landlocked facilities are moved to larger sites where future needs can be anticipated and addressed; and facilities are located where population growth is occurring and anticipated in the district.
The plan was vetted by District leadership internally and with significant community involvement, review and comment.

We encourage businesses, parents and all patrons of the Cedar Falls Community School district to support the bond referendum on Tuesday September 9.

Adopted by the Board of Directors

Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber

Steve Tscherter

Chair

Steve Dust, CEcD

CEO

Iowa’s Employer Unemployment Insurance Tax Tables Continue Improvement in 2015 Tax Tables Move in a Positive Direction, 4th Year in a Row

DES MOINES, IOWA – 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.”

This marks the fourth year in a row of employer tax reductions. Since the announcement of Tax Table 4 for calendar year 2012, businesses have saved over $409 million in tax payments.

“Iowa continues to demonstrate stability within the Unemployment Insurance Trust Funds and has moved the tax rates in a positive direction for businesses four years in a row,” stated Iowa Workforce Development Director Teresa Wahlert.

Under Tax Table 7, the new employer non-construction rate will be 1.0 percent in 2015, the lowest permitted rate by federal law.

“The people of Iowa have our commitment to carefully manage the trust fund in the coming year to continue this beneficial trend for Iowa businesses. Iowa has one of the lowest UI tax rates in the nation,” stated Wahlert.

Iowa Workforce Development is the state agency charged with collecting unemployment insurance taxes from employers and operating Iowa’s unemployment insurance payment programs for workers. Annually, Iowa Workforce Development identifies the appropriate table for the following year. Unemployment tax rates are based on wages and recent unemployment benefit payments.

“Governor Branstad and I are pleased to announce that the unemployment insurance tax for employers has dropped to a 12-year low,” said Iowa Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds. “The progress we’re making in growing Iowa’s economy has meant a reduction in the tax tables for four straight years. This news, along with the fact that over 146,000 jobs have been created since 2011, shows the Iowa continues to move forward.”

Due to the design of Iowa’s unemployment tax system developed under Governor Branstad’s administration in the 1980’s and Iowa Workforce Development’s diligent oversight of the UI Trust Fund throughout the national recession and recovery, Iowa businesses will benefit with an average decrease in taxes.

Throughout the state, Iowa Workforce Development provides critical services and resources to support the prosperity, productivity, health and safety of Iowans and their communities. Services are available in 15 regional centers, four satellite offices and hundreds of Virtual Access Points.

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An Equal Opportunity Employer/Program
Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request for individuals with disabilities.

www.iowaworkforce.org • www.iowaworks.org • www.iowajobs.org

Cedar Falls Community Main Street Receives 2014 National Main Street Accreditation

Cedar Falls, Iowa (June 27, 2014 – Community Main Street has been designated as an accredited National Main Street Program for meeting the commercial district revitalization performance standards set by the National Main Street Center®, a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Each year, the National Main Street Center and its partners announce the list of accredited Main Street® programs in recognition of their exemplary commitment to historic preservation and community revitalization through the Main Street Four Point Approach®.

“We congratulate this year’s nationally accredited Main Street programs for their outstanding accomplishment in meeting the National Main Street Center’s performance standards,” says Patrice Frey, President & CEO of the National Main Street Center. “Accredited Main Street programs create vibrant communities by using a comprehensive strategy to preserve their historic character and revitalize their commercial districts, which helps make these great places to work, live, play and visit.”

The organization’s performance is annually evaluated by Main Street Iowa, which works in partnership with the National Main Street Center to identify the local programs that meet ten performance standards. These standards set the benchmarks for measuring an individual Main Street program’s application of the Main Street Four Point Approach® to commercial district revitalization. Evaluation criteria determines the communities that are building comprehensive and sustainable revitalization efforts and include standards such as fostering strong public-private partnerships, securing an operating budget, tracking programmatic progress and actively preserving historic buildings.

Downtown Cedar Falls is a thriving district, as evidenced by the numbers. Reports show during the past year, $1,392,654 private dollars were invested in 35 rehabilitation projects and over $5,190,000 in new construction and property acquisition occurred in downtown Cedar Falls. Job growth continued for downtown businesses with the addition of 28 full time jobs and 21 part time positions during 2013. “Creating an environment where businesses want to locate is a strong point of Community Main Street. Our volunteers work diligently to strengthen not only the aesthetics of the district, but to maintain a climate which encourages a balance of retail, service, dining and entertainment options for community guests, residents and employees,” commented Carol Lilly, Director. In 2013, volunteers logged 6411 hours on downtown projects and events and if the current pace continues, 2014 will surpass last year’s total.

Established in 1987, Cedar Falls Community Main Street, Inc. is a volunteer, non-profit organization established to foster economic vitality while preserving and promoting the historic image and character of the downtown. By integrating business improvement, design, organization & development and promotion into a practical management strategy, the approach produces fundamental change in the downtown’s economic base.

Established by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 1980, the National Main Street Center helps communities of all sizes revitalize their older and historic commercial districts. Working in more than 2,200 downtowns and urban neighborhoods over the last 34 years, the Main Street program has leveraged more than $59.6 billion in new public and private investment. Participating communities have created 502,728 net new jobs and 115,381 net new businesses, and rehabilitated more than 246,158 buildings, leveraging an average of $33.28 in new investment for every dollar spent on their Main Street district revitalization efforts.

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Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare Launches Convenient Care Express Partnership with Hy-Vee Puts New Walk-In Clinic at College Square

Cedar Falls, Iowa (July 21, 2014) – A partnership between Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare-Iowa (WFH) and Hy-Vee will bring the first walk-in health clinic to a retail setting in the Cedar Valley. The new clinic, Convenient Care Express, will be located inside College Square Hy-Vee, 6301 University Avenue in Cedar Falls. It is scheduled to open July 29.

Convenient Care Express, a division of Covenant Clinic, will offer affordable health care for minor conditions and symptoms provided by a nurse practitioner. Among those symptoms seen and treated are allergies, sore throats, fevers, flu, cold, ear and sinus infections. Insurance can be billed or cash pay is also an option for consumers.

The WFH and Hy-Vee partnership allows access to health care in a setting that is already common to consumers. Hy-Vee started construction at the College Square location in March, enlarging its pharmacy and accommodating space for the clinic.

“We’re excited that we could help bring this convenient health care solution to the community,” said Jeff Sesker, store director at the College Square Hy-Vee. “We understand our customers’ lives are hectic, and through our in-store pharmacy, dietician and walk-in clinic services, we strive to make it easy for customers to live happier and healthier.”

With two busy walk-in clinics already in place – Convenient Care is in Cedar Falls and Waterloo – Covenant Clinic is making this move to provide more opportunities for patients to access health care providers in a convenient setting.

“This health care model exists in other metro areas across the country and it provides another opportunity for busy families to get treated for acute symptoms,” said Peter Camilli, director of clinic operations for WFH. “We encourage patients to build a relationship with a primary doctor but walk-in clinics exist for less serious conditions like colds or sinus infections, not the chronic conditions that require ongoing treatments. We feel this is a great opportunity to reach those people that might not otherwise have time in their busy day to schedule an appointment.”

The clinic will be open Monday through Friday, noon to 8:00 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. It will also be open on holidays. Patients must be 18 months or older and some age restrictions exist for select services.

Electronic medical records for patients already a part of the Covenant Clinic network will be available to providers; however, one does not need to be a current Covenant Clinic patient to be treated at Convenient Care Express.
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Paint the Cedar Valley Purple | UNI Employer Event

UNI will be hosting a morning employer event on Tuesday, August 5^th from 7:30 -8:30am, to educate employers on developing and running internship and part-time student programs. The intent will be to educate employers on how to best utilize these types of training programs to obtain (and retain) talent in the region, and there will also be a student panel there to discuss what students are seeking from employers when it comes to training opportunities. If you know of anyone who may benefit from this information or who may be looking to set up a student employee/training program, please pass the word along!

And this event, while hosted by UNI, will be run in coordination with the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber.

Need a creative way to find the right talent for your organization? Connect with UNI Career Services (in partnership with the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber) at a Breakfast Training Session that will cover:

How to locate, hire, and keep students for part-time positions, internships and full-time positions
Learn how to create a basic internship program
Listen to a student panel on what this current group of UNI students seek from employers

Hire Smart. Hire UNI.
7:30 – 8:30 am, Tuesday, August 5
Cedar Falls Visitors Center – Continental Breakfast Included
Register Now (limited space)

Grow Cedar Valley