Tag Archives: Hawkeye Community College

Hawkeye Community College to host Advanced Manufacturing Information Session March 16

Hawkeye Community College will hold an information session on upcoming classes in Advanced Manufacturing on Monday, March 16, from 5:30-6:30 p.m. at the Cedar Falls Center, 5330 Nordic Drive, Cedar Falls. The session will include information about the CNC Machining and Industrial Maintenance programs, a tour of the training areas, and the opportunity to visit with instructors.

Industrial maintenance workers maintain, monitor, troubleshoot, and repair equipment used in the production of goods. The Industrial Maintenance program prepares students for entry-level employment in this field. Individuals may earn $27,000-$35,000 per year. Industrial electrical maintenance personnel work overtime frequently. Starting wages do not include overtime compensation.

Industrial Maintenance classes begin April 22, 2015, and run through October 15, 2015. Classes are held Monday-Friday, 10:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m., at the Cedar Falls Center. Students will earn a non-credit certificate of completion.

CNC operators work in a variety of manufacturing environments and are trained to program, set up, and operate a CNC machine, inspect parts, perform production runs, and set up jobs. The CNC Machining program prepares students for an entry-level position. CNC machine operators are in high demand in the Cedar Valley. In four months individuals completing the non-credit certificate may earn $24,000-$33,500 per year, not including overtime.

CNC Machining classes begin April 20, 2015, and run through August 24, 2015. Classes are held Monday and Thursday, 5:00-10:00 p.m., at the Cedar Falls Center. Students will earn a non-credit certificate of completion.

Manufacturers are hiring in the Cedar Valley and need skilled workers to fill high-demand positions. Individuals will be able to sign-up for classes at the information session, as well as learn more about potential financial assistance for qualifying individuals. For more information about either program, call 319-296-4290 or visit www.hawkeyecollege.edu/business-and-community.

Jim McKernan Vice President and General Manager KWWL Television Inc. in Support of Hawkeye Community College

HI, I’M KWWL GENERAL MANAGER JIM McKERNAN.

TOMORROW, VOTERS IN TEN COUNTIES WILL VOTE ON A 25 MILLION DOLLAR BOND ISSUE TO UPGRADE SERVICES AND FACILITIES AT HAWKEYE COMMUNITY COLLEGE.

HAWKEYE NEEDS THESE UPGRADES TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE IN OUR GLOBAL ECONOMY, PREPARING IOWANS FOR THE WORKFORCE OF THE 21ST CENTURY.

UNDER STATE LAW, GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS ARE THE PRIMARY FUNDING MECHANISM FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGES.

HAWKEYE SERVES MORE THAN 18-THOUSAND PEOPLE ANNUALLY, HAS 50 CAREER PROGRAMS AND HAS BEEN NAMED A “MILITARY FRIENDLY SCHOOL” SIX YEARS RUNNING.

THE COLLEGE IS A RESPECTED COMMUNITY PARTNER – IT HELPS ITS GRADUATES OBTAIN JOBS IN THEIR FIELD OF STUDY.. AND MOST IMPORTANT – 94% OF HAWKEYE GRADUATES STAY IN IOWA.

WE BELIEVE HAWKEYE COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO BE A VITAL ASSET TO OUR REGION.

AN EXISTING LEVY IS ENDING AND THIS MEASURE DOESN’T INCREASE THE OVERALL TAX RATE OF THE COLLEGE.

SO I HOPE VOTERS IN BLACK HAWK, BENTON, BREMER, BUCHANAN, BUTLER, CHICKASAW, FAYETTE, FLOYD, GRUNDY AND TAMA COUNTIES GIVE IT THEIR FULL CONSIDERATION. VOTE YES.

Jim McKernan

Vice President and General Manager

KWWL Television Inc.

The Cedar Valley Economy – Strong and Growing!

The Cedar Valley Economy – Strong and Growing!

The strong and growing Cedar Valley economy contains the right conditions for business and career success. Current economic growth and its demand for quality talent is benefiting manufacturing, business services, retail, housing, education, healthcare and other enterprises that contribute to the vitality of the region.

Strong Cedar Valley job market is creating opportunity and raising income.

According to Smart Solutions Group, employment in the Cedar Valley Region Labor Market grew by 7.4% from 2003 to 2013, slightly above the State of Iowa during the same period. As of November 1^st, Iowajobs.org, the web-based job board of Iowa Workforce Development (IWD), shows 1,504 positions currently available in the Cedar Valley. Many of these jobs are in the advanced manufacturing sector. Welders and CNC operators are among the many positions available in advanced manufacturing operations in the Cedar Valley.

The Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber recently surveyed Cedar Valley employers regarding their immediate employment needs. “We’ve identified businesses in the Cedar Valley region with immediate openings,” reports Danny Laudick, Talent Solutions Coordinator with the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber. “We are coordinating efforts to match available talent with these companies or with training in the fields where there is greatest demand.”
Connecting to training

The Alliance & Chamber collaborates with Iowa Workforce Development (IWD) and Hawkeye Community College (HCC) and other agencies to connect talent with employment and training opportunities through career and resource fairs, data collection and sharing. There is ongoing collaboration between employers and agencies to design programs to stay ahead of shifts in demand and provide rapid response to immediate workforce needs. The Alliance & Chamber identifies the specific employment needs in the Cedar Valley business community and acts as the voice of business. The Alliance & Chamber develops innovative solutions to solve talent issues. They use their network of partners and affiliate to bring others into the process.

In response to local demand, Hawkeye Community College now offers short term certifications for industrial maintenance and CNC machining programs. The CNC Machining Program prepares students for high demand, entry-level positions as a CNC machine operator or general machinist, one of the most demanded skills by area employers in the Cedar Valley. Both programs are designed to create a pipeline of available talent with new skills to fill these high demand jobs in a short amount of time.

The Department of Industrial Technology at the University of Northern Iowa also offers undergraduate and graduate programs in the areas of: Construction Management; Electrical Engineering, Manufacturing Technology, Technology Education, and Technology Management. The UNI Metal Casting Center, offers students practical hands-on experience in concepts in additive manufacturing with modern well-equipped facilities and cutting edge technology. At the Additive Manufacturing Center, located at the Cedar Valley TechWorks, students operate a variety of 3D printers, including the ExOne, the largest of its kind in North America. Students are producing products and part prototypes for manufacturing clients across state. UNI students are ‘floor ready’ upon graduation having had real world experience working with private sector businesses on actual projects. The Center also provides manufacturers affordable access to research and development and rapid prototyping. The Department of Industrial Technology currently enrolls over 500 students annually.

K-12 Career Training

Cedar Valley school districts are making sure their students are prepare for success beyond graduation through a variety of initiatives and partnerships with the business community.

In the Waterloo Community School District, Career Academies give students the opportunity to choose an area of interest, such as construction, business and finance, marketing, engineering, healthcare, etc. Students then take a sequence of classes to prepare for the real world of work in that field. Waterloo also has an International Baccalaureate Program which is an intensive, two year academic program in the high schools that prepares students for success in higher education and for effective participation in global society. The program includes writing an extended essay (similar to a doctorate thesis, but at high school level), a focus on critical thinking as well as creativity, action, and service activities. Waterloo’s West High and East High are two of only three schools in Iowa to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program.

Both the Waterloo and Cedar Falls school districts have embraced the Leader in Me initiative championed by the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber. The Leader in Me is based on Stephen Covey’s book Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. The initiative teaches students 21st Century soft skills for success in college, career, and citizenship. Through authentic leadership opportunities and daily practice of the habits, participating schools are transforming their school cultures into proactive, leadership focused communities of learning and development.

Cedar Valley West’s School to Work program brings together students from four Cedar Valley school districts (Aplington-Parkersburg, Dike-New Hartford, Gladbrook-Reinbeck, and Grundy Center) to provide valuable career information and connections to area businesses. Businesses are asked to provide speakers, offer internship and job shadowing opportunities, give worksite tours and contribute financial support.

Through the School to Work program, students throughout the Cedar Valley are becoming more prepared for the local job market. Businesses are molding potential employees by creating hands-on ways for students to explore careers while still in high school. Business – education partnerships like these are helping to bridge the talent gap and produce individuals prepared for employers across sectors in the Cedar Valley.

Diverse Economic Base
The Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber and the Cedar Valley Regional Partners have placed diversifying the economic base as a top priority of business attraction . . . and it has paid off. The diversified economic base has created jobs and helped the region weather the last recession far better than most parts of the country earning the Cedar Valley the title “Recession Busting” by Area Development Magazine, a leading executive magazine covering corporate site selection. The Cedar Valley is not reliant on one sector to maintain the health of the economy.

Since 1996, 76% of new jobs created in the Cedar Valley have not been tied to a single industry, specifically agricultural manufacturing. Likewise, 81% of the new capital investments in the Cedar Valley were equally diversified during the same time. This diverse industrial base provides increased opportunities for wealth creation and employment in the event of a downturn in one sector.

“Most new capital investment has come from companies who have expanded existing operations here or established new locations in a broad spectrum of industry sector. This is consistent with new construction and new jobs created,” notes Lisa Skubal, Vice President of Economic Development with the Alliance & Chamber.

Adding to the industry mix is the growing Information Technology (IT) sector. In the Cedar Valley, IT consists of local start-up web product and software companies, and is among the fastest growing sector in percentage of current workforce in the Cedar Valley market area. Enterprises also see internal IT operations increasing and contributing to the growing demand for highly skilled programmers, engineers, coders, and designers in the Cedar Valley.

Conversations with technology leaders in the Cedar Valley suggest that IT employers are increasing their employment by up to 50% or more over the next few years. This makes availability of trained/educated individuals critical. The Alliance & Chamber, Kate Washut of Far Reach Inc., and Linda Allen of Hawkeye Community College (HCC) convened a discussion between Alliance & Chamber investors in the IT sector and HCC academic and career education teams. The group discussed courses, training, and programs available through Hawkeye, and the expectations of the employers. Dialogs like this, between business and education, are vital to better understand of specific skill demand in order to offer training programs that are most relevant to industry needs.

“The strong job market is creating opportunities for individuals to take advantage of an increase in training opportunities and raising personal income,” says Steve Dust, CEO of the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber. “We see growing demand across industry sectors. IT related fields, advanced manufacturing, higher education, healthcare, logistics, and business service markets make up the employment landscape of the Cedar Valley. The competitive wage scales being offered go much further here than in most areas of the country thanks to our low cost of living.”

The cost of living in the Cedar Valley is 8.1% lower than the national average according to third quarter 2014 Cost of Living Index prepared by The Council for Community and Economic Research. Utility costs are an even greater value, at 10.4% below the national average – a key factor for companies looking to locate or expand their operations.

While the cost of living is low, prosperity is on the rise in Cedar Valley. According to the new US Cluster Mapping website launched by Harvard Business School and the U.S. Economic Development Administration, the Cedar Valley Region is one of a handful of regions with growth in prosperity from 1998 -2012. Our economic region ranks 7^th among 170 economic regions in the country for prosperity growth. The scorecard is based on three categories of data: performance (the economic activities of the region), business environment, and demographics & geography. The Cedar Valley is also in the top 20 regions for growth in annual personal wages at 3.49%. This outpaces the national average of 3.16% during the same period.

Low cost of living and strong personal wages may contribute to an increase in spending. In September of 2014, the latest Gross Domestic Product (GDP) numbers were released showing considerable growth in the Cedar Valley. The Waterloo/Cedar Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area (GDP) grew to $8.7 billion from 2012-2013. This is up 5.6% from the previous year, according to data released in September from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Collectively, real GDP for U.S. metropolitan areas increased 1.7% during the same period. The Waterloo/Cedar Falls metro area had the second highest percentage increase in GDP compared to other Iowa metros.

These gauges of economic health demonstrate the strength and continued growth of an already stable Cedar Valley economy and instill confidence both in consumers and business leaders. Recent announcements of business expansions reflect confidence and optimism in the region.

Business Confidence and Private Investment

Cedar Valley businesses across the region are making investments in their companies. Increasing exports, and hiring talented, productive people demonstrates their confidence in the strength of the Cedar Valley economy.

CBE Companies, with international locations, chooses to keep their corporate headquarters here in the Cedar Valley where their success started over 80 years ago. “We continue to tap into a rich talent pool in our own backyard to fill a variety of positions and levels – from contact center associates to fraud service representatives to IT, Analytics, Finance, Marketing and HR professionals,” says Mary Phillips, Chief Human Resources Officer for CBE Companies.

Based on a variety of regional data, CBE has determined that the Cedar Valley has the talent resources available to expand their staff considerably. “We use information from both the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber and Iowa Workforce Development when considering expansion. We evaluated unemployment rates, education levels, Spanish speaking population, underemployment, average wages, and average ages.” Over the last year, CBE has had two major surges in hiring making them one of the top ten major employers in the Cedar Valley.

Mark Hanawalt is the CEO of United Equipment Accessories, Inc. (UEA) in Waverly, Iowa and the current chair of the Iowa Association of Business and Industry (ABI). He often shares with peers from around the state that the Cedar Valley is a great place to do business. “They know about the Cedar Valley and never disagree,” notes Hanawalt. UEA has found that being part of a regional economy driven by advanced manufacturing has contributed to their growth. “Because of the presence of very large manufacturers in the area, we can utilize a common vendor base with tremendous capabilities without having to go outside the area.”

UEA invests in training and development opportunities that contribute to the personal and professional growth of their employees. UEA provides training for new hires, development opportunities with specifically designed skills enhancement training, job cross-training, as well as a Tuition Assistance Program for employees. Highly technical positions, such as CNC programmers, machinists, engineers and IT professionals regularly participate in training opportunities relating to technology advancements and developments, job knowledge enhancement, computer software and system developments and updates.

“United Equipment Accessories, Inc. has been a Cedar Valley manufacturer for over 60 years. Even as we have grown substantially over the years, we have never felt the need to expand outside this area,” says Hanawalt. “Our pool of labor talent is very high. Employees are well educated, trained, and motivated to be productive employees.”

Start-up Momentum

While long standing businesses continue to expand, the start-up community in the Cedar Valley is picking up momentum at a rapid pace. ‘Serial’ entrepreneurs and young visionaries are gathering in coffee shops, bars, and meeting rooms around the Cedar Valley to share ideas and connect with resources in hopes of launching the next big thing. Start-Up Drinks, Start-Up Weekend, BarCamp, One Million Cups, Cedar Valley Opencoffee, and Cedar Valley Makers are a few of the organized efforts to support a young and energetic start-up community.

Steve Dust, CEO of the Alliance & Chamber, believes that “the prosperity of the Cedar Valley still depends on fostering, growing, and attracting entrepreneurship in all types of businesses. We want to encourage more people to build on our history of successful entrepreneurship, and the Alliance & Chamber supports efforts to enhance the strong, growing start-up scene throughout the Cedar Valley economic area.”

The Cedar Valley is thriving

With an abundance of good paying jobs and access to higher education, the Cedar Valley offers a wealth of opportunities for individuals to grow their careers. Businesses are thriving and making significant investments in the region by expanding their operations through building projects, new processes, equipment, technology, and talent. The lower cost of living, excellent school districts, and overall safety make it a desirable place to live, work, and raise a family.

The mission of the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber is to increase economic vitality and wealth by leading collaborative economic and community development. Details about the many programs and initiatives of the Alliance & Chamber can be found at www.cedarvalleyalliance.com or by calling Steve Dust, CEO at (319) 232-1156.

Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber Supports Hawkeye Community College Bond Referendum

A talented workforce, equipped with the skills and knowledge required to succeed in jobs today and in the future, is necessary for success in economic development. Because of the essential role that Hawkeye Community College plays in our economy, ensuring that our students prepare for 21^st Century careers, the Board of Directors of the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber has endorsed the Hawkeye Community College proposed bond issue to be voted on February 3.

Workforce Needs Are Changing – Hawkeye Delivers For Us

Our investment in modern facilities and career education programs at Hawkeye, funded through this bond referendum, is a sound one, and one that promises good returns for the entire area. Students of all ages, learning in-demand skills, with state of the art equipment and top-flight, experienced faculty delivers graduates who are in demand in the job market, earning higher wages, and creating more disposable income to support our local businesses. Given Hawkeye’s stellar reputation for delivering on the promise of well-educated students, who are from and stay in the Cedar Valley after graduation to work and live, we can predict with confidence that this $25 million investment will be returned to our economy many times over.

It’s impressive to note that Hawkeye serves more than 18,000 people each year throughout the entire Cedar Valley economic area. A recent survey shows 94% of Hawkeye’s graduates stay in Iowa to work and raise their families. That’s important since a majority of quality job openings in our economy require more than a high school diploma but less than a four-year degree.

There’s No Additional Cost

The Alliance & Chamber is always aware that capital projects and programs of public entities impact the tax burden of our businesses and homeowners. You should know that a ‘yes’ vote will not result in any tax rate changes. Since an existing levy is ending, approving this multi-phase program will be paid for with a levy equal to the existing one in place. The price is about $1 per month for our average household to deliver the next generation of career preparation and training for our students.

Hawkeye’s Proposal Benefits The Cedar Valley

The revival of manufacturing is one of the brightest spots in the American economy, and the Cedar Valley is all about modern, advanced manufacturing. We need to train our young people in important skill areas, such as computer controlled machining and 3D printing/additive manufacturing, and other advanced methods in design, materials, production systems, and logistics – all supporting our broad manufacturing base. These are very good jobs.

Hawkeye’s plan to expand its participation in high school career academies is an important part of this bond referendum. Career academies bridge high school students to community college career programs and introduce students to rewarding, high-paying career tracks. For some students, access to these career programs keeps them in school. And these programs are effective conduits to continuing, higher education, and the life-long learning habit.

The word “crisis” is frequently used by healthcare providers planning for the future needs of our state. Job projections point to 3,000 new healthcare openings in Iowa over the next five years. This bond referendum will give Hawkeye the ability to provide more advanced training in medical technologies and sciences. Under this proposal, Hawkeye plans to build a health sciences technology center which will allow the College to expand its healthcare offerings and simulation technology.

State of the Art and Efficient

Additionally, the plan calls for Hawkeye Community College to close two older, outdated buildings and combines them into one flexible, state of the art facility. This provides notable energy savings and operational efficiencies. And the new construction will put more Cedar Valley contractors to work on an important new structure serving our students.

Your Bottom Line Depends on This Bottom Line

The bottom line is this: passing the bond referendum for Hawkeye Community College provides our whole area important benefits in education, skills training, higher graduation rates, and job retraining, allowing more of our local residents to fill higher paying, advanced technology jobs across the spectrum of business and industry. A yes vote does not mean a greater tax burden than is already paid, but it does mean that Hawkeye Community College can continue its efforts to make education affordable and effective. Please consider a yes vote for the Hawkeye bond referendum on February 3.

Steven J. Dust CEcD

CEO

Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber

Multi-Million Dollar Federal Grant to Support Iowa’s Community Colleges and Job Training Efforts

WATERLOO—An innovative plan developed by Iowa’s community colleges to train thousands of workers in high-demand fields is being recognized today with a $15 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor.

A consortium, consisting of all 15 community colleges in Iowa jointly applied for funding to build training capacity in the areas of Information Technology, Healthcare, Utilities, and Manufacturing – also known as the “IHUM” Network. Grant funds will be used statewide to create more than 45 additional training certificates in the IHUM targeted areas.

“The 15 members of the Iowa community college consortium are honored to be named as recipients for this federal grant. This truly was a collaborative effort and we would like to acknowledge our business partners – as well as our state and federal officials for their full support of this statewide workforce initiative. The focus of this initiative is to connect people to jobs and ultimately to expand our skilled workforce,” said Dr. Linda Allen, president of Hawkeye Community College. Hawkeye had an opportunity to lead the consortium of 15 Iowa community colleges to develop and submit this proposal. The College will use its portion of the grant funding to expand its credit and non-credit Industrial Maintenance program offerings.

The IHUM consortium project was one of 71 awarded nationwide under this year’s Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) grants. Created in 2009, this is the fourth and final round of TAACCCT grants. The awards are used to support community colleges in developing partnerships with employers to educate and train individuals for in-demand jobs. The IHUM consortium project award is believed to be the largest TAACCCT grant awarded to the state of Iowa from the U.S. Department of Labor.

Through this project, Iowa’s community colleges will be aligning the state’s Information Technology, Healthcare, Utilities, and Manufacturing training programs with industry recognized credentials – such as those contained in the National Association of Manufacturer’s endorsed Skills Certification System. The programs will assist a number of workers including those that are TAA-eligible, veterans, and other adult workers in need of training.

In addition, the IHUM consortium project will incorporate evidence-based strategies taken from a review of best practices from previously-funded TAACCCT projects. Those strategies include comprehensive career pathways, use of simulation and technology, intensive student support services, and statewide data related to employment opportunities.

The project was supported by more than 30 businesses and business associations in Iowa. The funding will be allocated over a four-year time period beginning on October 1, 2014.

Additional information on the TAACCCT grant program and the awarded funds is available in the White House news release: www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/09/29/fact-sheet-vice-president-biden-announces-recipients-450-million-job-dri.

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Cedar Valley Investor Report

The Cedar Valley Investor Report gives a snap shot of the activities of the Alliance & Chamber, news from our investors, and informative articles selected for their relevance to economic growth in the Cedar Valley.

Cedar Valley Investor Report

Hawkeye Community College Trustees hosts public focus groups through out the Cedar Valley.

Hawkeye Community College Trustees will be hosting public focus groups through out the Cedar Valley.

Input is being sought to know what challenges or needs that your business or organization faces in the next 3-5 years, with which Hawkeye Community College might be able to assist you. Individuals are encouraged to come from all areas: businesses, education, government, parents, students, economic developers, community support groups and faith communities.

Jay Nardini Hawkeye Community College Trustee for District 8 will host two public focus groups for community input to the trustees’ strategic visioning plan. Merged Area District 8 includes part of Waterloo north of Evansdale, all of Evansdale, and the area of Waterloo south of Evansdale to the county line.

The morning focus group will be held Wed., May 14 from 7:00-8:00 a.m. at the Evansdale City Hall Council Chambers, 123 N. Evans Road, Evansdale, Iowa. The evening focus group will be held Wed., May 14 from 5:00-6:00 p.m. at Highland Elementary School (Pre-K area), 812 Idaho, Waterloo, Iowa.

Bruce Clark, Hawkeye Community College Trustee for District 5 will host a public focus group for community input to the trustees’ strategic visioning plan. The focus group will be held on Tues. May 13 from 5:00-6:00 p.m. at Lowell Elementary, 1628 Washington Street, Waterloo. Iowa. Merged Area District 5 is in the Waterloo area and includes the following locations: George Washington Carver Academy, Allen Memorial Hospital, Lowell Elementary, and Waterloo Sportsplex.

Dave Krejchi, Hawkeye Community College Trustee for District 9 will host a public focus group for community input to the trustees’ strategic visioning plan. The focus group will be held on Thursday, May 8, 2014 from 7:00-8:00 a.m. at the Family Restaurant, 2627 Center Street, Cedar Falls, Iowa. Merged Area District 9 includes most of the Cedar Falls school district including North Cedar; west of Union Road, south to University Ave., George Wyth Park to Leversee Road, north to Fitkin Road.

For more information call the Board of Trustees Secretary at 319-296-4267.

Alliance & Chamber Announce 2014 Annual Award Recipients

WATERLOO, April 2, 2014— The Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber (GCVAC) is announcing their 2014 Annual Award recipients. These awards recognize Cedar Valley individuals, organizations and businesses and were presented to a record setting crowd of 580 investors and supporters at the Alliance & Chamber Annual Celebration on March 27 at the Park Place Event Centre, Cedar Falls. Master of Ceremonies was Kathy Flynn of Hawkeye Community College with KWWL Television’s Ron Steele presenting the awards.

The Annual Celebration’s premier sponsor was University of Iowa Community Credit Union. Gold sponsors were HGS, Kirk Gross Company, and KWWL Television.

As 2014 marks the 10^th anniversary of the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber, special commemorations and recognitions were made throughout the evening, including the presentation of the Legacy Award.

The Legacy Award recognizes an individual or business 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, and enhancing the quality of life for talent recruitment and retention. This year’s recipients are three men considered the founders of the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber retired UNI president Bob Koob, former John Deere Waterloo Works General Manager Barry Schaffter, and local business man Ken Lockard. This award is sponsored by Bertch Cabinet Mfg.

The Greater Cedar Valley Alliance was formed when Mr. Lockard, Mr. Koob, and Mr. Schaffter began meeting with area leaders to find ways to move to a more regional and collaborative approach to economic development in the Cedar Valley.

This is the second year the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber presented Diversity & Inclusion Awards. This recognition is given to two businesses or organizations, of varying size, for leadership in creating and strengthening an environment of diversity and inclusion in their workplace culture, business practices and in the community. This year’s recipients are Allen College – Unity Point Health and Veridian Credit Union. This award is sponsored by Courier Communications.

The Fulfilling the Vision of One Award recognizes an outstanding contribution by an individual in the private sector for leadership in creating and strengthening regional collaboration and cooperation for economic and community development. This year’s recipient is Tim Hurley. This award is sponsored by PDCM Insurance.

The Business of the Year Award recognizes the efforts of a Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber investor 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 citizens. CUNA Mutual Group is this year’s recipient. This award is sponsored by Community Bank & Trust.

The John Deere Treating Capital Well Award recognizes the efforts of a private sector firm for a significant investment in the Cedar Valley that most emphasizes the attributes of the Cedar Valley. This year’s recipient is Hydrite Chemical. This award is sponsored by John Deere Waterloo Operations.

The Harold Brock Innovation Award recognizes the efforts of a private sector firm for innovation in technology, advanced manufacturing, or talent development. This year’s recipients are Kryton Engineered Metals and Schumacher Elevator. This award is sponsored by ACES.

The Cedar Valley Partner Award recognizes the efforts of an educational institution, non-profit organization, service club, or human service agency in promoting economic growth and employment, quality of life, offering leadership, or making an outstanding contribution to the Cedar Valley and its citizens on a continuing basis or with a specific project. This year’s recipient is Blue Zones of Waterloo & Cedar Falls (BZP). This award is sponsored by Wartburg College.

“We were very pleased with the reaction of our investors and friends who attended, and gratified with how many of our Cedar Valley businesses came out to celebrate the strength of our Cedar Valley economy, the free enterprise system, and our award winners,” commented Steve Dust, CEO of the Alliance & Chamber.

Videos featuring each of the award recipients and more information about the Alliance & Chamber can be found at http://cedarvalleyalliance.com/video-gallery.php?id=9.

Photos from the evening are available at https://www.facebook.com/cedarvalleyalliance or by contacting Communications Director Wendy Knapp at wknapp@cedarvalleyalliance.com.

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Zuidberg to Locate First U.S. Facility in the Cedar Valley of Iowa

Officials from Zuidberg, the City of Cedar Falls, Iowa, Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber and Iowa Economic Development Authority have jointly announced the location of Zuidberg North America, Inc. in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

Zuidberg’s facility will be located in the Cedar Falls Industrial Park on Capital Way in an industrial operations building, that local developer, Brent Dahlstrom will construct this year. Zuidberg NA starts with 10,000 square feet, to establish a warehouse and distribution facility to service the North American market (USA, Canada and Mexico). Zuidberg NA, Inc. will distribute two product lines, Frontline Systems, and Transmissions which are manufactured by parent company Zuidberg Frontline Systems B.V. located in the Netherlands. Starting in 2015 a third product line, Tracks, will be added.

“Iowa and the Cedar Valley are very central within the USA, and have an excellent reputation for global manufacturing including a hardworking and reliable workforce,” said Rudolf de Jong, President, Zuidberg North America Inc. “This fits with the Dutch and the Zuidberg mentality in particular,” de Jong stated.

“Also, we wish to be in the heartland of America’s agriculture and agricultural machinery industry.” de Jong added.

“Zuidberg appreciates the great and inspiring help the State of Iowa, the Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber and local business leaders offered which helped to make the decision easier.” de Jong said.

Zuidberg was first introduced to the idea of an Iowa location after meeting representatives from IEDA’s European office at a 2011 trade show in Germany. After continued contact with Iowa officials, Zuidberg executives traveled to Iowa this past summer to visit several suitable locations for their North American project.

“Through our focus on recruiting supply chain companies to Iowa, we’ve been courting Zuidberg for a few years now,” said Debi Durham, director of the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA). “We are so pleased this advanced manufacturing company ultimately chose Cedar Falls, Iowa to call home.”

Several Iowa communities and multiple states were considered during the process. The Cedar Falls site was selected for its location and the ability of Zuidberg to work with the developer to design the building before construction began.

“It is significant that Zuidberg makes their first North American investment in the Cedar Valley. This decision again affirms the Cedar Valley as a location to manufacture and serve global markets, and we deliver a quality of life that persuades young professionals like Rudolf de Jong and his family to relocate here from the Netherlands,” said Steven Dust, CEO, Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber.

“On behalf of our manufacturers and all businesses and institutions, the Alliance & Chamber welcomes Zuidberg to the Cedar Valley of Iowa and North America.” Dust added. The Cedar Valley must also recognize the hard work of Lisa Skubal, Alliance & Chamber Vice President of Economic Development and her project team that sold Zuidberg on a superior Cedar Valley location,” Dust concluded.

Zuidberg North America will take occupancy of the facility in June 2014 and be fully operational by July 1, 2014. Zuidberg will be hiring in-house sales and technical positions this spring.

“The City of Cedar Falls is extremely pleased that Zuidberg North America, Inc. has selected Cedar Falls and the Cedar Valley as its home for the company’s first facility in North America. We appreciate the efforts of all involved to make this project a reality including the IEDA, GCVAC, City staff, Cedar Falls Utilities, Brent Dahlstrom, and of course Rudolf de Jong.” said Cedar Falls Mayor Jon Crews.

“We are glad to welcome Zuidberg as our newest member of the Cedar Falls Industrial Park and look forward to a successful long term partnership.” said Bob Seymour, Community Service Manager, City of Cedar Falls.

Zuidberg is a family owned and managed company based in Ens, The Netherlands, dedicated to serve the world-wide agricultural industry. Since 1982, farmers all over the globe rely on Zuidberg to make their businesses more efficient by making use of the Zuidberg front hitches and front PTO’s, transmissions or rubber track systems. Zuidberg‘s products are sold by importers in over 45 countries worldwide. The remarkable quality and performance of the Zuidberg products has as well been recognized by many OEM’s, more than 40 manufacturers of tractors and harvesting equipment around the globe make use of Zuidberg’s unique knowledge and experience. www.zuidberg.com

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