Tag Archives: Waterloo

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.

Brownfields Project Awarded $3 Million

Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) officials awarded the Grand Crossings project $3 million in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds in January 2015. The four-story building will include 68 units located at the corner of Jefferson Street and Westfield Avenue on the former Grand Hotel site near the TechWorks Campus. More information on the Former Grand Hotel site project can be found here.

John Deere Tractor & Engine Museum Opens Doors December 2nd

WATERLOO, Iowa (November 24, 2014) – The John Deere Tractor & Engine Museum in Waterloo, Iowa opens its doors to the public December 2^nd with a focus on engaging visitors in the history of tractor and engine design and manufacturing at John Deere, especially in Iowa’s Cedar Valley.

Deere said the December launch will be followed by a grand opening celebration to be held in spring 2015.

“Tractors and engines have been and continue to be important to John Deere’s success,” said Dawn Hendershot, Project Manager. “We are pleased to share the history of these products as part of our overall story as a technology leader and quality manufacturer.”

Located on the original site of the Waterloo Tractor Works, museum exhibits highlight the rich history and dynamic growth of the tractor business at John Deere, the world’s largest provider of agricultural equipment.

“Throughout its history, John Deere has remained focused on the success of customers whose work is linked to the land,” Hendershot said. “For 177 years, Deere has endured various economic cycles and this museum is a tribute to the resilience of John Deere employees and customers to weather both the good times and the bad.”

Nearly four years in the making, the John Deere Tractor & Engine Museum joins various other company attractions in the Midwest, including the John Deere Historic Site in Grand Detour, Illinois and the John Deere Pavilion in Moline, Illinois.

The John Deere Tractor & Engine Museum is open to visitors Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Admission is $8 for adults ages 13-61 and $4 for seniors, active duty military, John Deere employees and retirees. Children ages 12 and under accompanied by an adult can enjoy the museum for free. For more information about tours and the museum email WaterlooTractor&EngineMuseum@JohnDeere.com or call 319-292-6126.

Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber Encourages Shoppers to Buy Local with Contest and Annual Home for the Holidays Campaign

Home for the Holidays is a seasonal retail campaign to encourage the local community to support the retail business investor/members of the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber. The Home for the Holidays message emphasizes the power local purchasing has to strengthen and enrich our community. The campaign reminds shoppers that local spending returns to the Cedar Valley in the form of critical tax revenue to fund public services, wages and benefits for our neighbors and family members, and local business to business commerce all fueling the Cedar Valley economy. Alliance & Chambers businesses will display the Home for the Holidays logo in their window and on their doors beginning this month.

New to the campaign this year is a Facebook contest. Twelve gift certificates to Alliance & Chamber businesses will be given away between Nov. 23 and Dec. 21. Shoppers are encouraged find Homer, the Home for the Holidays mascot, at participating Alliance & Chamber investor retailers. To win, shopper must look for clues found on the Alliance & Chamber website and Facebook page, then be the first to post a photo or ‘selfie’ on the Alliance & Chamber Facebook page. Posts should include the hashtag #CVHomefortheholidays. The photo must be taken at the business and include the Homer mascot. If Homer has already been found and winner identified, shoppers can still post a ‘selfie’ with Homer to be entered in a drawing on Dec. 21.

In conjunction with the annual campaign, the Alliance & Chamber coupon & specials page provides more incentives to shoppers to buy local. These coupons are in printer-friendly format or can be accessed through their mobile app Cedar Valley Connect , available on both iPhone and Android applications.

Shoppers can find a detailed Alliance & Chamber Investor Directory with links to coupons and specials at www.cedarvalleyalliance.com and on the Cedar Valley Connect mobile app. All promotions are compiled at www.cedarvalleyalliance.com/coupons/php.

The Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber is a private, non-profit corporation representing and advocating for the interests of business, industry and institutions operating in the Cedar Valley. A top priority of the Alliance & Chamber is to sustain and strengthen the retail and service sector throughout the Cedar Valley.

For more information on the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber and the Home for the Holidays campaign go to www.cedarvalleyalliance.com/homefortheholidays , www.facebook.com/cedarvalleyalliance, or contact Steve Dust at 319-232-1156 or by email at sdust@cedarvalleyalliance.com.

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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

Hanawalt Elected Chair of ABI; Dust, Abbas, Graening, Voorhees Elected to ABI Board of Directors

Alliance & Chamber investor and President of United Equipment Accessories (UEA) in Waverly was elected chair of the board of directors of the Iowa Association of Business & Industry (ABI) for the 2014-15 program year. Other Cedar Valley representatives elected to and serving on the ABI board of directors include:

· Alliance & Chamber CEO Steve Dust – At Large Director

· Threads CEO Sean Abbas – District 2 Vice Chair

· GMT Corporation President Jared Graening- At Large Director

· Standard Golf President Pete Voorhees – District 2 Director

The elections were held during ABI’s annual meeting on June 10, in conjunction with its annual Taking Care of Business conference.

ABI has been known as “The Voice of Iowa Business Since 1903,” and is the largest business network in the state (serving as Iowa’s State Chamber) with a long legacy of advocating for a competitive business climate in Iowa. With over 1,400 members, ABI works, “to foster a favorable business, economic, governmental and social climate within the State of Iowa so that our citizens have the opportunity to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.” ABI is also the state level affiliate of the National Association of Manufacturers and BIPAC, an organization that provides employers with issue based tools to inform employees about impacts of public policies on business.

“Mark will be a terrific, results-oriented chair for an important organization,” stated Dust. “ABI is an essential partner in our work. It’s also impressive that the Cedar Valley has such a strong representation in our state association’s board of directors. That gives us a strong voice in crafting the message of business in Des Moines and Washington, said Dust.

Hoover Middle School Students Showcase Leadership Knowledge and Skills to Business Professionals at CUNA Mutual

Hoover Middle School students will be showcasing their knowledge of the 7 Habits to CUNA Mutual employees at a 7 Habits Lunch & Learn, Thursday, June 5 in Waverly. The student led presentation will complete a seven part series of luncheons based on the leadership principles outlined in Steven Covey’s bestseller, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

In January 2014, a group of CUNA Mutual employees attended a 7 Habits workshop hosted by the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber. Impressed by the 7 Habits experience, those employees returned to the office to share their knowledge with other CUNA employees. The result was a series of lunch and learns based on the 7 Habits.

“We talk about a habit, then challenge participants to live the habit, and do a simple activity relating to that habit during the week. We start the next week by discussing how last week went,” says

Mary Driscoll, Team Leader, Consumer Service Contact Center at CUNA Mutual Group.

The CUNA organizers inquired of Leader Valley Program Director, Melissa Reade, about having students from a Leader in Me school share their insights and expertise about the 7 Habits and Leader in Me in the final session of the series. Leader in Me is a K-12 initiative to infuse the 7 Habits into school culture in order to better equip students with soft skill for life long success. Leader in Me has been adopted in schools across the Cedar Valley.

“We are so pleased to have this unique opportunity for a few of our many talented students to share in a business setting what they have gained from being part of a leadership focused school. We know Hoover students are our future neighbors, friends, employees, leaders, and community members who will shape the Cedar Valley. At Hoover, we strive to create a leadership culture that instills the necessary essential skills that prepare student for what life has to offer, both professionally and personally,” says Mike Fisher, Principal at Hoover Middle School, “We couldn’t be happier to be presenting and sharing with our CUNA friends.”

CUNA Mutual staff will have the opportunity to interact directly with students as they showcase their leadership displays. The students will then give a presentation on the 7 Habits and lead hands on activities for the CUNA Mutual staff, followed by Q&A and a luncheon.

About the Leader Valley and Leader in Me

The Leader Valley Talent Initiative of the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber is an effort to make the Cedar Valley a better place for students to excel and become well prepared for citizenship and their future careers. This is achieved through high levels of community collaboration. Through Leader Valley, strong partnerships among Cedar Valley businesses, school district administrators and school boards, parents, and the community are being built. Leader in Me is offered to Cedar Valley K-12 schools through Leader Valley, which incorporates leadership into all facets of the school culture.

Hoover Middle School is wrapping up their first year of Leader in Me implementation. The Hoover team has spent a year embedding leadership into all facets of their school culture- from curriculum and instruction to their environment, operational systems, and traditions.

Student leaders at Hoover have ample opportunities to learn about and apply the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, as well as use and refine their gifts and talents in authentic leadership opportunities ranging from classroom and school-wide leadership roles, leadership committees, clubs, and event planning.

Two highlights for Hoover this year include their Leader in Me Ribbon Cutting, a ceremony commemorating the shift to a leadership culture, as well as their Leadership Day, which allowed community leaders that chance to see Hoover student leaders in action.

CUNA Mutual has been a long-time champion of Leader Valley. In 2013, CUNA Mutual Foundation sponsored Leader in Me implementation at George Washington Carver Academy by providing a $75,000 gift over three years. The foundation plans to make similar gifts for implementing the Leader in Me in additional schools the near future.

For more information contact Program Director, Melissa Reade, at Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber by calling (319)232-1156 or by email mreade@cedarvalleyalliance.com.

Three Reinvestment District Projects receive provisional funding approvals

The Iowa Reinvestment District Program is designed to assist communities in developing transformative projects that will improve the quality of life, create and enhance unique opportunities and substantially benefit the community, region and state. The program provides for up to $100 million in new state hotel/motel and sales tax revenues to be “reinvested” within approved districts. Districts cannot exceed 25 acres in size and must be in an Enterprise Zone or Urban Renewal Area.

Iowa Reinvestment District plans must include tax revenues generated by “new retail establishments” and “new lessors”. New retail establishments cannot exceed 50 percent of the total proposed capital investment. At least one of the new proposed projects within the district must reach a total capital investment of $10 million. And, the total amount of new tax revenues to be remitted to the municipality cannot exceed 35 percent of the total cost of all proposed projects in the district plan.

Three of the 10 applicants received a score in excess of 70 points (out of 100) and presented their projects to the Due Diligence Committee in May. The IEDA board today, upon the recommendation of the Due Diligence Committee, decided on provisional funding for the projects in the city of Des Moines, the city of Muscatine and the city of Waterloo.

The provisional funding decisions are designed to provide practical feedback for municipalities interested in creating a reinvestment district but are not final or binding. Following the provisional approval, final application materials fully meeting all of the program’s requirements are due prior to March 1, 2015. Applicants may amend any part of the pre-application to represent any change to the proposed projects within the district. The final application will be re-scored in the same manner as the pre-application, if changes are made. The board’s final funding decision may be different from the provisional funding decision based on the final application.

The city of Des Moines was provisionally approved for a maximum of $36,487,400 in funding for its proposed district in the city’s downtown. The Des Moines plan proposes a total capital investment of $178.5 million and includes building a convention headquarters hotel, investing in infrastructure and amenities to support new visitors, redeveloping important downtown sites, preserving significant architecture, improving walk-ability throughout downtown, and connecting important amenities such as the Iowa Events Center, Principal Riverwalk, the Civic Center of Greater Des Moines and Cowles Commons, the East Village, Court Avenue and Western Gateway Park.

The Muscatine Reinvestment District received provisional funding approval of $10 million maximum for its $41.1 million capital investment. This district includes one major project, the Riverview Suites Development, consisting of three elements: the construction of a new hotel, the remodel of a vacant building into a conference and events center, and the construction of a parking ramp.

The city of Waterloo was provisionally approved for $12 million maximum for the TechWorks district, located at the west end of downtown and made up of land donated by Deere & Company. The district has a capital investment of $74.1 million and includes three projects. The first is a mixed-use development including a business-class hotel, industrial incubator, private sector lab and manufacturing maker-space and John Deere Tractor & Engine Museum. The second project area includes commercial out-lots such as a restaurants and retailers that complement other project areas. The third project area includes a marina for boat storage, boat sales, fuel sales and a riverfront restaurant.

Full application materials for these three projects will be available within 10 days for public viewing at www.iowaeconomicdevelopment.com/CommunityDevelopment/ReinvestmentDistrict. Applications for subsequent Reinvestment Districts will be accepted from March 1-15, 2015.

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Download a spreadsheet of today’s awards:
http://iowaeconomicdevelopment.com/UserDocs/documents/IEDA/june14awards.pdf

Employment Opportunities: Communications Assistant and Administrative Assistant with Alliance & Chamber

COMMUNICATIONS ASSISTANT

The Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber seeks candidates to become our full-time Communications Assistant. The main responsibility is to fulfill the graphic design and marketing needs for events, social media and website content support including analytics, and assisting with overall graphic design needs of organization and special projects.

Marketing, Communications or Graphic Design degree preferred, or experience equivalent. Must be proficient in Adobe products (InDesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator), website content management systems, and Microsoft Office. Candidate must be comfortable working in various forms of media including television, radio, print, social media, e-media, etc. The successful candidate will have excellent oral and writing communication skills, including copywriting and proofreading. Additional experience that will be beneficial includes photography, html coding and video production. This position will entail a heavy emphasis on graphic design, so a portfolio of previous work will be requested at the interview

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT / RECEPTIONIST

The Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber seeks a positive and organized candidate to become our full-time Administrative Assistant/Receptionist. The main responsibility is to provide administrative support to the office, answer multi-line phone and greet guests. Also assist with office management, membership functions, and meeting/event invitations and preparation.

Requirements include at least 2 years of related work experience and proficient computer skills, including Microsoft Office, Outlook, mail merge and database management. Minimum typing speed of 50wpm. Additional research skills a plus. Must have proven organizational and time management skills. NCRC certification preferred.

Competitive wage and benefit package available. Please send cover letter, resume, and professional references to: SSommerfelt@cedarvalleyalliance.com. Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber, 10 West Fourth Street, Suite 310, Waterloo, IA 50701. EOE

The Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber is a private, not-for-profit corporation whose investors include businesses, institutions, local governments and professionals dedicated to continuously improving the economic environment and quality of life in the Cedar Valley. The Alliance & Chamber works to increase wealth and economic vitality through collaborative economic and community development throughout the Cedar Valley economic area.

Grow Cedar Valley