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November/December 2010
West Central Iowa Development Bulletin
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 Director's Report
By: Jason E. WhiteThis past week I had the opportunity to attend the Mid-American Economic Development Council ( MAEDC) conference in Chicago on behalf of Western Iowa Advantage. The conference not only featured a series of educational sessions, but also an opportunity to interact with about 10 national site selectors. As a general definition, a "site selector" is a consultant who helps business executives make location decisions about where to site a new or expanding company. We, as economic developers, want to know what these folks are thinking, and how we can best position the communities in our region to compete for the high-value companies that these consultants represent. The message from one of the educational sessions featuring a non-site selector, but rather an economist, was very pertinent for west central Iowa. The speaker was Dr. Ernie Goss of Creighton University. Dr. Goss gave the group an overview of the current status of the national economy, as well as the political policies impacting the current recovery, especially the implications for Midwestern states. I have heard Dr. Goss speak twice in the last year or so. Both times, Dr. Goss has indicated that he is "bullish" on agriculture. He believes that agriculture will continue to thrive as the worldwide demands increase for food, fuel, and energy. Other factors "feeding" the current economy are agricultural exports, due to in part to a weak dollar, and also the possibility that China will inflate its currency. With all of this in play, how do these factors impact west central Iowa? We have seen our grain cooperatives throughout the region expand, implement dealers sell more equipment, equipment manufacturers produce more volume and export more product overseas, and ethanol plants fuel the nation. Further, other projects like SynGest, which aims to wean America off of foreign sources of fertilizer, are on the horizon. All in all, with an economic base that consists largely of agribusiness, the future for this sector of our local economy appears bright.
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Support area economic development by becoming an investor-member of Midwest Partnership! Email info@midwestpartnership.com for more information. |
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| Midwest Partnership EDC Staff | |
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| Board of Directors |
Executive Committee:
Mike Underwood, President, Guthrie County
Sid Jones, Vice-President, Greene County
Brett Irlmeier, Secretary, Audubon County
Warren Varley, Treasurer, Adair County
Mike Carey, Immediate Past President, Guthrie County
Scott Homan, Adair County
Troy Wessel, Audubon County
Norm Fandel, Greene County
Eric Tiernan, Guthrie County
Adair County:
Duane Armstead
Merlyn Brown
Ryan Frederick
Renee Schwartz
Matt Wedemeyer
Audubon County:
Lyle Hansen, Jr.
Jason Hocker
Todd Nelsen
Tom Nielsen
Greene County:
John Clark
Mary Jane Fields
Rick Morain
Amy Milligan
Teresa Mobley
Brad Wilson
Guthrie County:
Steve Bireline
Mike Dickson
John Rutledge
Forrest Schnobrich
Jack Smith |
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| Steve Carter to Highlight Annual Dinner
Carter directs ISU's research park and entrepreneurship center
 Mark your calendars for the evening of January 27th to join Midwest Partnership board members and staff in their annual dinner. The event's guest speaker this year will be Steve Carter, director of the Iowa State University Research Park and the Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship - a post he's now held for a decade. Before that, Steve spent the previous ten years (1990-2000) as the director of Iowa's Small Business Development Centers. He also has experience in city management and has served in other governmental roles. Guests will additionally hear an annual update on the progress of Midwest Partnership EDC over the past year. Additionally, the 2nd annual Guy Powell Award will be given to an individual in the region selected for his or her contribution to economic development efforts.
The dinner will be held at Lake Panorama National Resort and Conference Center, where tickets are $20/each. Enjoy a group discount by reserving a table of eight for $150. To RSVP, contact Sarah Gomez at 515.523.1262 or email her at sgomez@midwestpartnership.com. You can also contact Sarah to nominate an individual for the Guy Powell Award. For more information, see our Save the Date.
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| GCDC Progresses on Local Building
Group works to make former factory an attractive location
 Thanks to extensive efforts by the Greene County Development Corporation, the former Chicago Rivet building in Jefferson may once again house a major employer. GCDC has completed an Environmental Phase I study on the facility, with more work to be completed to renovate the building into an attractive space for manufacturers looking to locate there. GCDC plans to utilize grants and low-interest loans to minimize their cost. Leaders of the organization, though, say the investment will be well worth it in the long run, considering the number of new jobs that would be created in the community.
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| Adair Competes for New Manufacturing
Community's groups willing to invest in new jobs
 A joint effort of the City of Adair, RIADA (Residents for Industrial and Agricultural Development in Adair), and the Adair Foundation offered a hefty financial assistance package to a manufacturer considering locating 15-25 new jobs in an existing facility in the community. The offering shows rural communities like Adair are realizing the importance of landing new jobs in attempts to stabilize population and increase their economic vitality - a worthy investment!
Our staff has found financial assistance to be a major deciding factor for several businesses looking at the area, and we are able to more quickly respond on behalf of communities that have already established some basic groundwork in the type of offerings they are willing to make.
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| ACED Continues Work on New Logo
New slogan to also be part of public relations strategy
For the past year now, Audubon County Economic Development Corporation (ACED) has been working on their image through an enhanced logo and a new slogan. The board has focused on creating an image that the county provides a supportive environment for entrepreneurial growth. Their slogan, "Where dreams take flight," is intended to promote that message. The logo is in the tweaking phase now, with a final product expected soon.
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| IPF Finalizes $2.5 Million for SynGest
Executives say grant will help leverage private investors
 The Iowa Power Fund and SynGest recently finalized negotiations on a $2.5 million state grant for SynGest's proposed bioammonia plant planned for location near Menlo. SynGest will now have about two months to come up with $3.5 million in matching funds for the project. The proposed facility will use biomass products like corn cobs, switchgrass, and even used railroad ties, to produce bioammonia - an alternative to traditional anhydrous ammonia. Click here for more information from The Des Moines Register's Dan Piller, who recently posted a blog about the move.
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| Local Foods Network Project Kicks Off
USDA and Leopold Center say local food leads to more local jobs
 Thanks to a $250,000 grant to Iowa from USDA Rural Development, an effort is now underway statewide to enhance Iowa's local food network, which includes the Southern Iowa Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) program, covering Adair County. Southern Iowa RC&D got a share of the grant dollars to hire a local foods coordinator, who is working on strengthening the network. An initial meeting was held, which consisted of about 15 local growers, farmers market coordinators, ISU Extension staff, and economic developers. The program is intended to connect local growers with farmers markets, as well as institutions that are interested in incorporating local foods into their menus - from restaurants to hospitals and schools.
An upcoming workshop, "Strategic Planning for Small Scale Producers," will be held at the Union County Extension Office on December 16th. You can register here. Also, read more about how job creation is connected to local foods in this Wallaces Farmer article.
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| Stuart Rail Park Sparking Interest
Several rail-dependent companies taking a look at location
 Midwest Partnership staff have seen an increase in interest among businesses looking to locate a rail-dependent facility in the Stuart Rail Park. So far in 2010, the site has received four inquires and MWP staff have submitted proposals to three prospects looking for rail - a large uptick from previous years. Not all of the potential deals have come to a close, either. The community is still in the running, having even received a few in-person visits, including a visit from a German wind manufacturing company.
The land was recently zoned from agricultural to light industrial, reducing a perceived hurdle to many companies. Additionally, an advertising sign has been placed at the location to promote its availability to businesses and developers. For more information on the Stuart Rail Park, see this informational flyer.
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Greene Co. Continues Strategic Plans
Third session rounds out input process, community unveiling soon
 Dozens of community leaders from across Greene County took part in three input sessions regarding a long-term strategic plan for the county. The result? Several projects and initiatives will become the combined goals of many organizations and community groups. The projects range from entrepreneurial development and local foods to restoring historic buildings into retail centers and developing a wider range of housing opportunities.
The University of Northern Iowa's Institute for Decision Making facilitated the evening discussions and will soon have a final report from the input they received regarding priorities and preferences. Committees were formed to begin planning how the document will be unveiled to the general public.
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| Local Rotaries Updated by MWP
Entrepreneurship class hears about being in business
 The Jefferson and Coon Rapids Rotary Clubs were recently updated about Midwest Partnership EDC and what the organization has been up to. Jason White, Midwest Partnership EDC executive director, provided a PowerPoint presentation to both groups. White discussed Midwest Partnership's primary objectives and the latest developments, as well as information on employment in each respective community. Click here for the PowerPoint presentation shown to the Jefferson Rotary.
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| Region Featured in CNBC Magazine
Article highlights bioscience and agribusiness in western Iowa
 The Midwest Partnership EDC region was recently featured as part of the larger Western Iowa Advantage region in Europe's version of CNBC Business magazine. The focus of the magazine was for investors who may be interested in companies across the globe, including those in the U.S. The article highlighted two companies' recent phases of growth, including that of West Central, based in Ralston. Over the past 75 years, the company has grown from a local co-op to an entity with several products and services. West Central also exports some of their products internationally.
The article also outlined the growth seen by Fagan, Inc., the top builder of ethanol plants nationwide. Fagan built two of the three ethanol plants in the Midwest Partnership EDC region. Check out the article by clicking here.
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| Investor Highlight: Agribusiness
Several successful agribusiness companies are natural fit
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| Resource of the Month |
Iowa Student Internship Program
If you're a small business owner that employs less than 500 workers, you might be interested in this grant program through the Iowa Department of Economic Development. The Iowa Student Internship Program targets the advanced manufacturing, bioscience, and information technology industries to help companies in those sectors employ college interns that are two years away from graduation.
To be eligible for the program, the internship position must pay at least twice the minimum wage ($14.50/hour), but the grant will cover 1/3 of the total cost of the intern's payroll, up to $3,100. That reduces your cost of an intern to as low as $9.82/hour, while still offering competitive internship pay. The maximum grant for any single business is $9,300, which means multiple internship positions can be assisted by the program.
The goal of the program is to help connect young Iowans to quality job opportunities within the state in an effort to minimize the amount of the state's top students who find employment outside of Iowa.
To find out more about the program, click here.
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About Us
Midwest Partnership EDC is the non-profit, collaborative economic development organization formed to strengthen the economic vitality of the communities of Adair, Audubon, Greene and Guthrie counties of west central Iowa. |
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