View the three part video of Steve Dust, CEO of the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber on KWWL’s Steele Report.
Tag Archives: cedar valley
Dust Optimistic About Cedar Valley Economy – Part 1
View the three part video of Steve Dust, CEO of the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber, on KWWL’s Steele Report here.
Vermeer CEO to speak at UNI
Vermeer CEO to speak at UNI
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – Mary Vermeer Andringa, president and CEO of Vermeer Corporation in Pella, Iowa will speak at the University of Northern Iowa at 2 p.m., Thursday, April 11, in the University Room, in Maucker Union. Andringa is part of UNI’s distinguished guest lecture series featuring top corporate leaders. The lecture is free and open to the public.
Andringa became president of Vermeer in 1989 and sole CEO in 2009. Andringa is the immediate past chair of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), the nation’s largest manufacturing association. She was the first female to chair the NAM. Andringa is also one of 18 private sector members of President Obama’s Export Council, where she represents the manufacturing sector on important trade matters. She also serves on the Ex-Im Bank Advisory Committee and is a member of the US-Brazil CEO Forum.
“It’s a great honor to have Mary Vermeer Andringa on our campus to share her successes, innovation, and challenges working in a global society,” said UNI President Ben Allen. “Our campus and community will have an enriching opportunity to learn about the skills needed in today’s global world.”
Vermeer is an international, family-owned agricultural, construction, environmental and industrial equipment manufacturing company with more than 3,250 employees worldwide. Its products are used in more than 60 countries.
Iowa Chamber Alliance study finds Iowa’s economic development toolkit effective, but under resourced
The study rates Iowa’s competitiveness with its neighbors and other highly competitive states in economic development programs
Des Moines, Iowa – The Iowa Chamber Alliance, a non-partisan coalition representing the 16 largest chambers of commerce and economic development organizations throughout the state, released today a new study examining Iowa’s relative competiveness in its economic development efforts. Deloitte Consulting LLP was commissioned to examine the competitiveness of Iowa’s state-level economic development incentives.
“This study confirms Iowa’s approach to economic development incentives is on the right track, but it also demonstrates that Iowa does not resource its economic development incentives at a competitive level,” said John Stineman, Executive Director of the Iowa Chamber Alliance.
The Deloitte study found that Iowa lags only behind Texas in the “usability” of its economic development incentives – an important factor in how a state measures up in competing for economic development investments. Texas is widely considered one of the most aggressive states in economic development in terms of its incentive funding, its programs and its business-friendly tax and regulatory climate.
However, on the financial value side of economic development – the ability to impact projects through financial incentives – Iowa lags significantly behind its neighbors as well as other leading economic development states.
“It is clear Iowa punches above its weight class in economic development. The approach and programs we have are working and the proof is in the projects. The question is, how many projects are we missing out on because we simply do not resource economic development efforts at a competitive level?” said Stineman.
The study examined Iowa’s economic development programs and funding compared to five other states: Minnesota, Nebraska, South Dakota, South Carolina and Texas. South Carolina and Texas are consistently ranked as highly competitive states for economic development.
Other key findings of the study include:
- Iowa is at a competitive disadvantage in the availability of discretionary funds to help close deals as well as in offering corporate tax exemptions.
- Iowa performs at peer level in property tax exemptions, sales and use tax exemptions, and research and development tax credit programs.
- Iowa has a competitive advantage in its workforce development incentive programs.
- Other states have caught up to and begun to pass Iowa in data center and technology incentive programs – an area where Iowa was considered a leader previously.
“Iowa has a solid base of state-level economic development incentives tools upon which to build. However, to become more competitive, Iowa may wish to increase the funding level and flexibility of some of the State’s key incentive programs” states Darin Buelow, a Principal with Deloitte Consulting LLP.
- The recommendations from Deloitte Consulting include:
- Consider increasing the cap on Iowa’s economic development tax credits
- Evaluate options to offer a “Deal Closing Fund” or more discretion to the Iowa Economic Development Authority in awarding direct financial assistance
- Consider allowing the sale, refund or transfer of economic development tax credits
- Consider expanding the Brownfield/Grayfield Redevelopment Tax Credit program
- Consider augmenting Iowa’s data center incentives.
“The opportunity is there for Iowa. We are well positioned to compete – if we resource our economic development efforts at the right level. We also need to review our programs to ensure we have usable and valuable incentives to help Iowa continue its economic growth in the future,” said Stineman.
For more information about the Iowa Chamber Alliance’s positions and legislative agenda, please visit www.iowachamberalliance.com. Copies of the study will be made available upon email request to john@iowachamberalliance.com.
About the Iowa Chamber Alliance
The Iowa Chamber Alliance’s mission is to put forth and enact an agenda to grow the state’s economy through support of proactive programs that stimulate economic growth opportunities for the entire state and its residents. The Alliance members include chambers and economic development organizations in: Ames, Burlington/West Burlington, Cedar Rapids, Council Bluffs, Des Moines, Dubuque, Fort Dodge, Iowa City, Marshalltown, Mason City, Muscatine, the Quad Cities, Sioux City and Waterloo/Cedar Falls.
Far Reach was awarded a 2013 Gold ADDY Award from the American Advertising Federation – Cedar Valley on February 21 in the category of Digital Advertising, Websites, Business to Business. The award was given for a website completed in partnership with the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance and Chamber. CedarValleyLife.com is a site developed to market the Cedar Valley region to businesses considering a move to the area. Over 250 entries competed for the awards this year. The Cedar Valley Life website is one of fifteen entries to move on to the district ADDY competition.
Governor to Visit Cedar Valley
“Our Opportunity. Our Iowa.” Govenor Branstad’s Condition of the State Tour/ Cedar Valley Stop
01.24.13, 8:15 am, Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center
All Alliance & Chamber investor/members are encouraged to demonstrate the strength and vitality of the Cedar Valley business community and hear about the issues that affect you and your business by attending this special event, Thursday, January 24th. The public is invited to attend.
Highlights:
- Providing Property Tax Relief
- Making our Schools the Best in the Nation
- Improving Iowa’s Quality of Life
Registration is appreciated. Click here.
Read the Govenors 2013 Condition of the State Address
GCVAC SETS 2013 CEDAR VALLEY LEGISLATIVE AGENDA FOR ECONOMIC PROGRESS
WATERLOO/CEDAR FALLS, IOWA (Jan., 2013) – The Board of Directors of the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber recently adopted the 2013 Cedar Valley Agenda for Economic Progress. Assembled by its Government Relations Committee, local economic development partners, and its staff team of the Alliance & Chamber, the Agenda, assembled annually, reflects the priority issues requiring action by the Iowa Legislature to advance the business and civic interests of the Cedar Valley economic area.
The five areas of focus are: (1) economic development programs and incentives, (2) talent and workforce development and recruitment, (3) improving Iowa’s tax climate, (4) education transformation, and (5) critical physical infrastructure.
“Our Iowa agenda is focused on business climate, competitiveness, and critical workforce issues, said Steve Firman, Director of Government Relations of the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber. “It’s also about making Iowa and the Cedar Valley more competitive and attractive for starting and expanding businesses of all sizes, and building a career,” Firman concludes.
The agenda was formally announced during a December 5th Pre-session Legislative Reception event for the Cedar Valley delegation of the Iowa legislature. The annual reception is traditionally co-sponsored by the Alliance & Chamber, Cedar Valley Manufacturers Associations, and REC of Butler-Bremer-Buchanan-Grundy Counties- each of which unveil their respective agendas for the session – and hosted by the Isle Casino Hotel – Waterloo. The legislators attending the event this year included: Sen. Bill Dix and Sen. Bill Dotzler, Rep. Pat Grassley, Rep. Sandy Salmon, Rep. Walt Rogers, and Rep. Bob Kressig.
The Government Relations Committee is chaired by Mike McCrary of Lincoln Savings Bank. The Legislative Agenda can be accessed at the Alliance & Chamber Government Relations web page Iowa Prosperity Project-Cedar Valley.
The Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber is a regional economic and community development organization focused on increasing economic vitality and improving the quality of life in the Cedar Valley economic region. Cedar Valley area business and community leaders created the Alliance to align economic development efforts and increase the region’s competitiveness in the global economy. Combined, the organization represents over 900 businesses with 50,000 employees.
Hydrite Chemical Company expands Waterloo facility
December 27, 2012 (DES MOINES, IA) – The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) board today awarded financial assistance to three companies for job creation and expansion projects. Today’s awards will assist in the creation of 96 jobs, retention of nine jobs and will result in over $9.9 million in new capital investment for the state.
The board held a telephonic meeting today to take action on three of the seven projects that were to be considered at the Dec. 20 meeting that was cancelled due to weather. The other projects will be reviewed at future meetings.
Hydrite Chemical Company expands Waterloo facility
Hydrite Chemical Company, one of the largest manufacturers and distributors of chemical products in the U.S., plans to expand its existing Waterloo facility to increase production capacity with the assistance of board-approved tax benefits. The project is expected to create nine jobs, retain one job and represents a capital investment of $8.83 million.
UNI to launch Iowa’s virtual food waste reduction center
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — Through the University of Northern Iowa’s Business and Community Services, the Iowa Waste Reduction Center (IWRC) is set to launch a new food waste reduction project on Tuesday, Jan. 1. The goal of the project is to launch a new educational campaign and a website that will act as a virtual food waste reduction center.
The new campaign seeks to provide the public with new resources and educational materials. Project goals include educational workshops, materials and webinars on different food waste reduction topics. The project is funded through the Iowa Department of Natural Resources Solid Waste Alternative Program.
The IWRC assists small businesses in complying with environmental regulations through free education and consultation. The center also conducts research and develops technologies for more efficient and environmentally friendly production processes.
For additional information, contact Joe Bolick, communications and grants specialist at the IWRC, at 319-273-6577 or mjbolick@uni.edu.