Western Iowa Advantage News Releases

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP FOCUSES ON RELATIONSHIPS

Tue, 14 Nov 2006 12:00:00 -0600

IDA GROVE, Iowa (November 14, 2006) — There’s nothing more inspiring than witnessing growth — whether it’s children, crops or communities. It’s this inspiration that has motivated Western Iowa Advantage (WIAD) in its economic development initiatives during the past year.

Rita Frahm, president of the Ida County Economic Development Corporation and the Ida County representative for WIAD, cites the recent membership with the Iowa Careers Consortium (ICC) as a chief accomplishment of WIAD. “Economic development initiatives like WIAD are only successful if they utilize other programs, partnerships and resources available to them,” said White. “The ICC will provide us with the resources to attract highly skilled workers to the Western Iowa region.”

The Iowa Department of Economic Development created the ICC in 1998 as a cohesive private-public marketing initiative designed to increase the pool of workers considering Iowa opportunities.

“The greatest strength of the ICC is the strong relationship it has with college and university alumni offices in Iowa, which has enabled the ICC to reach out to 215,000 Iowa alumni living outside the state,” said Kay Snyder, communications manager with the Iowa Department of Economic Development.

“ICC has also built a database of more than 9,000 people who will continue to receive more information about Iowa opportunities,” added Snyder. “We continue to market to these people on a consistent basis so when the time is right for them to consider a relocation, we hope Iowa is at the top of the list.”

WIAD members have already begun taking advantage of ICC benefits like the Iowa Job Bank, an electronic bank of professional and technical job opportunities provided by Iowa Workforce Development. The Iowa Department of Economic Development also provides a similar bank via www.smartcareermove.com.

“Another key way to utilize the ICC program is to be actively involved in the committees and board meetings,” added Snyder. “This has allowed WIAD to be a part of the conversations that determine the marketing focus and activities for the upcoming year.”

Through a partnership with the University of Northern Iowa’s Institute for Decision Making (IDM), WIAD also completed cluster and targeted industry analyses. The data helped WIAD identify regional areas of strengths.

The work of WIAD partners and their county development corporations has been instrumental in the formation of partnerships, such as cross-county development corporations promoting site selection and entrepreneurial assistance programs.

“The quality of life will sell itself here in Western Iowa, which is why promotion of job opportunities and business incentives is so primary to the work of WIAD,” added Frahm. “There are good things growing in Western Iowa, and state programs like these help WIAD spread the inspiration of growth.”

COUNTY ENDOWMENT FUND MONEY UP FOR GRABS

Mon, 16 Oct 2006 12:00:00 -0500

GUTHRIE CENTER, Iowa (October 16, 2006) — Calling all nonprofit organizations — the Guthrie County Community Foundation (GCCF) has nearly $50,000 in grants to award to eligible organizations, with applications deadlines and grant-writing seminars rapidly approaching.

On Tuesday, Oct. 10, the Iowa Council of Foundations announced the 2006 County Endowment Fund, a piece of legislation that will distribute of over $5.7 million in gaming taxes accrued from 14 Iowa counties. Through this legislation, GCCF was awarded $67,000, of which one-fourth must be used to build a permanent county endowment, with the remaining three-fourths, or $50,000, immediately available in the form of grants to support needs throughout the county.

“State legislation like this assists our region’s nonprofit organizations in accomplishing projects that we otherwise would not even dream possible. Deriving grants from gaming funds channels money back into our county, allowing us to enhance recreation and tourist attractions, as well as provide a variety of services and opportunities to our residents,” said Jason White, executive director of the Midwest Partnership Corporation and a member of Western Iowa Advantage, an eight-county regional economic development partnership.

Guthrie County’s grant application deadline is January 1, 2007. To aid eligible grant seekers in the process, GCCF is offering a grant-writing seminar December 11 at 9:30 a.m. at the Iowa State University Extension office in Guthrie Center. For more information on upcoming seminars or grant eligibility, contact Regina Lloyd with the Guthrie County Community Foundation at 641.747.2276.

Though still in its youth, grants awarded through the county endowment program have helped fill many needs in Iowa’s counties. In Guthrie County, for example, 2005 grants supported the Panora, Casey and Bayard libraries, Guthrie Center Aquatic Center, ISU Extension and Panora Day Care.

“Iowa must reinvent itself, and there are three pillars to that success - an educational system that’s second to none, a dynamic business development component that builds programs like that Iowa Values Fund, and a strategy for creating communities where people want to live. Building communities is what we’ve done with the announcement of the County Endowment Funds,” said Mike Blouin, director of the Iowa Department of Economic Development.

Representatives from Iowa foundations and corporate giving programs founded the Iowa Council of Foundations in 1998 and work to keep legislators informed of their concerns as they relate to current legislation. For more information about the Iowa Council of Foundations, visit www.iowacounciloffoundations.org.

OPPORTUNITIES ABOUND FOR WESTERN IOWA RESIDENTS, TRANSPLANTS

Wed, 27 Sep 2006 12:00:00 -0500

DENISON, Iowa (September 27, 2006) — Larry Breeding worked for 25 years as a petrochemical engineer along the Gulf Coast of Louisiana, refining petroleum to feed the nation’s fuel needs. It took him that long to realize the industry had flatlined, and it didn’t take much longer for him to call Western Iowa his home.

“I looked at my skills as an engineer and chemist, and I looked at the industry, and the bottom line was that the petroleum refinery business wasn’t compelling and it wasn’t growing,” Breeding said. “Growth is exciting, and I realized that I wanted to use my skills working at an innovative company in a growing industry.”

In September 2005 Breeding and his wife relocated to Glidden, and he began his work in nearby Ralston as general manager of West Central Cooperative and manager of research and development for Renewable Energy Group, Inc. and West Central. Industry and company growth across the region have opened the door for challenging and innovative work in unexpected cities and counties, increasing the appeal to both residents and transplants.

“The entrepreneurial spirit of business owners in the region combined with the welcoming nature of its residents have helped to bolster opportunities here in Western Iowa,” said Don Luensmann, executive director of the Chamber and Development Council of Crawford County and member of Western Iowa Advantage, an eight-county regional partnership initiative. “Larry Breeding is a testimony to the fact that the region truly is a good thing growing.”

While Western Iowa’s renewable energy production fuels the rest of the nation, increasing business and residential growth has spurred job opportunities in a variety of industries. VT Industries, for example, has its headquarters in Holstein and operates plants in Sac City and across North America. VT Industries continually hires production and customer service positions in order to maintain its position as the number one manufacturer of architectural wood doors and postformed laminate countertops.

The Pella Corporation also continues to grow, seeking skilled workers to fill engineer and production positions in Carroll. Also in Carroll County, Turbine Fuel Technologies, a global supplier of systems and services to the aerospace, defense and homeland security markets, seeks machinists and production specialists. In Audubon and Crawford counties, skilled welders, concrete finishers and metal fabricators are also in high demand. Growth like this helped decrease Western Iowa’s unemployment rate to 3 percent in July 2006 from 3.5 percent in July 2005, according to the Iowa Department of Workforce Development. The state and national rates also decreased from 2005 to 3.8 percent and 4.8 percent, respectively.

Complementary to quantity of skilled job positions in Western Iowa is the unmatchable quality of life available to workers and residents. Though daunting to the Breedings before relocating to Glidden, rural life quickly appealed to the southerners.

“We were at first concerned about how we would adapt to small town life so far from the city, region and culture we knew, but when a neighbor knocked on our door just days after we moved in to invite us to a Sunday gathering, we knew the big change was a welcomed one,” said Breeding. “The acceptance here is overwhelming.”

In maintaining that high quality of life, Western Iowa regularly seeks to expand its services and hospitalities. Combined with the increased popularity of restaurants, golf courses and other recreational activities, job opportunities are on the rise at health and assisted living facilities, like St. Anthony’s Regional Hospital, and educational programs, like Ida Grove’s Head Start.

Breeding will admit that a life in Western Iowa is not for everyone, “but for a challenging career in a growing industry, supplemented with a comfortable, safe life, the choice for us is clear.”

WESTERN IOWA LEADS CHARGE TOWARD RENEWABLE ENERGY

Mon, 14 Aug 2006 12:00:00 -0500

CARROLL, Iowa (August 14, 2006) — Plentiful natural resources, ideal landscapes, and eager residents and employers have fueled local and national investors to select Western Iowa as the site for renewable energy production. Increasing growth of the renewable energy industry makes it a top priority for Western Iowa Advantage, an eight-county regional economic development partnership.

“There is a growing demand in our country for renewable energy because of its environmental and economic positives when compared to fossil fuel energy,” said Jim Gossett, executive director of the Carroll Area Development Corporation and a member of Western Iowa Advantage. “Western Iowa offers all the elements necessary to foster the success of these plants, and our businesses and residents have been very welcoming.”

Renewable energy can be produced from wind, water, solar and biomass processes. Biomass, a resource derived from natural activities and byproducts, is categorized into multiple system types, two of the most prominent being biodiesel, produced from soy oil and animal fat, and ethanol, produced from corn, soybeans and other crops. Iowa currently operates six biodiesel refineries capable of producing nearly 110 million gallons annually. The Western Iowa Region is home to Western Iowa Energy (WIE) in Wall Lake and Renewable Energy Group in Ralston.

“The proximity to feedstock providers, as well as the access to rail transportation played a major role in the site selection. Additionally, strong community backing supported the selection of the Wall Lake site,” said Chris Daniel, general manager of WIE.

“In addition to initial job creation, the feedstock demands have provided an outlet for agricultural products that did not exist a year ago, while the need for transportation has provided an increased business opportunity for both truck and rail carriers,” Daniel added.

In addition to biodiesel, Iowa leads the nation with its 2005 production of 751 million gallons of ethanol. Tall Corn Ethanol in Coon Rapids, one of the Western Iowa Region’s four refineries, began its annual production of 40 million gallons of ethanol in August 2002. Quad County Corn Processors in Galva and Amaizing Energy in Denison also produce ethanol, at a combined annual rate of 67 million gallons.

“Our site selection was the result of a collective effort by local and national investors, and its local impact can be felt across industries,” said Owen Shunkwiler, general manager of Tall Corn Ethanol. “Tall Corn has helped to produce a strong new market for corn producers, 56 new jobs, and a good source of byproducts to work into feed rations for livestock producers.”

Its location in the Great Plains also makes Iowa conducive for renewable wind energy production, ranking it third nationally in megawatts produced, behind only California and Texas, respectively. In Carroll and Crawford counties within the Western Iowa Region, MidAmerican Energy is currently building 66 wind turbines capable of generating 100 megawatts of energy, or enough to power 27,000 homes.

In addition, Mid American Energy’s Intrepid energy project near Schaller in Sac County has recently expanded its wind farms to include 207 wind turbines.

Jobs resulting from the creation and expansion of renewable energy plants have helped to decrease the unemployment rate in the Western Iowa Advantage Region from 3.9 percent in June 2005 to 3.2 percent in June 2006, according to Iowa Workforce Development statistics. The U.S. unemployment rate was 4.6 percent in June 2006.

WESTERN IOWA GEARS UP FOR RAGBRAI XXXIV

Mon, 17 Jul 2006 12:00:00 -0500

IDA GROVE, Iowa (July 17, 2006) — Cyclists from across the nation and around the world haven’t been the only ones preparing for the Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI). Residents and RAGBRAI committee members from Audubon, Carroll, Crawford, Guthrie and Ida counties have spent the last few months anticipating the 34th annual ride, which launches from Sergeant Bluff on July 23.

“RAGBRAI is a huge opportunity for the Western Iowa Advantage region to showcase the quality of life and business opportunities available here,” said Rita Frahm, president of the Ida Economic Development Corporation. “The objective of the riders is to relax and have fun, and we hope they will remember the hospitality and vitality of Ida County.”

The seven-day journey features stops in Battle Creek, Boyer, Arcadia, Manning, Wichita, Guthrie Center and Montieth, Iowa, with overnight stays in Ida Grove and Audubon. All of these communities are part of Western Iowa Advantage, an eight-county regional economic development partnership. With more than 10,000 official RAGBRAI participants and volunteers, plus an estimated 10,000 tagalongs and spectators, playing host to such an event has been an adventure.

“From housing and safety to entertainment and publicity, the RAGBRAI committees have been incredible,” said Marcia Cates, co-chair for the Ida Grove RAGBRAI executive committee. “But without the generosity and hard work of the 2,300 residents of Ida Grove, we would not be prepared for our guests.”