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Thanks to many great businesses and organizations who help make our work possible.
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May 2012
West Central Iowa Development Bulletin
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Smart Conference held in Des Moines
The staff of Midwest Partnership attended the 2012 Smart Conference in downtown Des Moines on Thursday, May 3.
Speakers included Debi Durham, Director, Iowa Economic Development Authority, Raj Vohra, Manager, Deloitte Consulting LLP from Chicago, and Rebecca Ryan, with Next Generation Consulting.
The program was highlighted with the introduction and presentation of the 2012 Iowa Small Business Award Winners. Tim Greene, Quality Machine of Iowa, was presented the award for the Iowa Small Business Person of the Year. Merrill Manufacturing of Storm Lake was awarded the Iowa Small Business Exporter of the Year, and Hills Bank and Trust was awarded the Iowa Community/Rural Lender of the Year award.
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| Connect and Follow! | |
Connect to Midwest Partnership EDC on social networks.
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| Become a Member |
Support area economic development by becoming an investor-member of Midwest Partnership! Email info@midwestpartnership.com for more information. |
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| Upcoming Events |
May 12, "Breakfast With the Birds" (Guthrie County)
May 12, Excel Class (Jefferson)
May 12, Lake Panorama Fin and Feather Banquet (Panora)
May 14, "Your Money, Your Future" (Greenfield)
May 16, Adair-Casey Alumni Banquet (Adair)
See the full list of events.
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| List Your Event! | |
To have your event listed on our website and in this monthly newsletter, email: info@midwestpartnership.com |
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Midwest Partnership EDC Staff | |
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| Board of Directors |
Executive Committee:
Sid Jones, President, Greene County
Warren Varley, Vice-President, AdairCounty
John Rutledge, Secretary, Guthrie County
Brett Irlmeier, Treasurer, Audubon County
Mike Underwood, 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
Marty Fisher
Ryan Frederick
Renee Schwartz
Matt Wedemeyer
Audubon County:
Lyle Hansen, Jr.
Jason Hocker
Kristin Foran
Sam Kauffman
Todd Nelsen
Tom Nielsen
Greene County:
Amy Milligan
John Clark
Mary Jane Fields
Michael Cooley
Rick Morain
Teresa Mobley
Guthrie County: Mike Carey
Cheryl Marks
Everett Grasty
Gary Haverman
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2012 Iowa Travel Guide is available to help plan your Iowa Vacation
Iowa's premier showpiece, the 2012 Iowa Travel Guide, is now available to assist travelers planning an Iowa vacation. The guide is free and may be ordered by phone at 800.345.IOWA or from www.traveliowa.com. An online version of the guide is available on the website as well. People may also pick one up at any Iowa Welcome Center.
The four-color, 184-page guide is Iowa's comprehensive trip-planning publication, with listings from more than 700 attractions, 750 hotels, 220 bed and breakfasts and 350 campgrounds. More than 50 listings have been added including the Grand Falls Casino in Larchwood, Historic Park Inn Hotel in Mason City and Sky Tours at YMCA Union Park Camp in Dubuque.
This year's cover features the High Trestle Trail Bridge located near Madrid. Fans of the Iowa Tourism Office on Facebook selected the cover from three options last October. More than 10,000 votes were cast to determine the winning image.
"Despite continued economic challenges, we're finding that people value and demand their vacation time," Shawna Lode, Iowa Tourism Office Manager, said. "Iowa is an ideal vacation destination for visitors from our surrounding states who, for example, are looking for a memorable and affordable getaway that's close to home. When these visitors leave, their economic impact stays behind. The Iowa Travel Guide is also a useful tool for Iowans who want to get out and explore their home state, whether it's for one day or many more. Travel is big business in Iowa."
People can get more information on Iowa travel destinations via the Iowa Tourism Office's Facebook page (www.facebook.com/iowatourism), Twitter account (www.twitter.com/Travel_Iowa) and blog (www.traveliowa.blogspot.com). Travelers can share their Iowa vacation photos in the Travel Iowa Flickr Pool (www.flickr.com/groups/traveliowa).
Tourism in Iowa generates more than $6 billion in expenditures, employs 62,000 people statewide and generates $321 million in state taxes. The Iowa TourismOffice is part of the Iowa Economic Development Authority. For more information about Iowa tourism, visit www.traveliowa.com, call 800.345.IOWA or stop at any Iowa Welcome Center.
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Freedom Rock becomes a tribute to Iowa's Sullivan Brothers for 2012
 One of Adair County's most famous landmarks, The Freedom Rock, is getting a new look. For the 14th year, Ray "Bubba" Sorensen has created a design that will salute the United States Military just in time for Memorial Day. His 2012 design includes the Sullivan Brothers, a tribute to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and a World War I soldier. The green Huey helicopters will remain on the rock, as the green paint contains the ashes of Vietnam veterans. The Freedom Rock is located at the intersection of Iowa Highway 25 and 120th Street in Adair County, just south of Interstate 80 exit No. 86 on the way to Greenfield. |
Registration is now open for the Midwest Partnership Annual Golf Outing
The registration brochure is now available on the website. You can also request a brochure by calling the office at 515-523-1262 or by email.
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| Unique Restaurant Opportunity
Tenant-ready restaurant/lounge space available
 Warren Cultural Center- Greenfield, Iowa has space available, tenant-ready restaurant/lounge all with new HVAC/electrical, grease interceptor, built-in clientele and 3600 sp. feet.
Greenfield, Iowa is a progressive destination community, and home to the newely renovated Warren Cultural Center, a center of culture in the heart of the Midwest. Contact MWP office for more information. To see all the buildings and spaces available in the Midwest Partnership EDC region, click here.
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Farmers Cooperative CEO to retire 
Farmers Cooperative Company (FC) announced today that Chief
Executive Officer, Roger Koppen, has informed the Board of Directors of his decision to retire, effective December 31, 2012, after 40 years of service to FC's combined companies. "Roger Koppen has been an outstanding CEO whose skillful, experienced leadership and sharp focus on operational excellence have made FC one of the best run and consistently successful cooperative companies," said FC Board of Directors Chairman, Jim Showalter. "During Roger's tenure, FC has steadily built value for its members by delivering strong, balanced growth year after year. Roger has worked hard to develop a management team with a depth of talent throughout the organization, and he has demonstrated a personal sense of ethics and integrity that has set the tone for the entire team," Showalter continued. Speaking for the Board, Showalter said, "The strategy the company has implemented focuses on the products and services the members require, providing a return on investment through a strong management system, and continuous process improvement. We are committed to continuing that successful strategy and will find a candidate who can lead this team to future success. The Board and management of FC have taken succession planning very seriously over the years and are confident in the plan that the Management Succession Committee and the Board of Directors have in place." "Doing what is right for our customers and our business has been my passion as CEO of FC," said Koppen. "It has been an honor to work with and earn the trust of the Board, members and employees of this great company. I am extremely confident in the future of FC." As for his future plans, Koppen had this to say, "Lyn and I plan to do some traveling, spend more time with our family, and enjoy the winters at our home in Florida." Over the next several months, FC's Management Succession Committee of the Board of Directors will be working closely with Francis and Associates, an executive search firm based in Des Moines, Iowa, as they develop a group of qualified applicants for the CEO position. "Our goal is to make this transition in leadership as seamless as possible," said Chairman Showalter. Farmers Cooperative Company (FC) has corporate headquarters in Ames, IA and is the largest farmerowned local agriculture cooperative in Iowa. FC serves over 5,300 members throughout our trade territory of over 3,000,000 acres. Members are served from our 60 locations by a 400 employee team.
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Investor Highlight: Puck Custom Enterprises
Since 1979, Puck Custom Enterprises, Inc. , headquartered in Manning, has been applying liquid manure for area farmers. Starting with a vacuum truck and transitioning through honey wagons, Terra-Gators®, and into drag hose, PCE applied over 220 Million Gallons in 2011.
Puck Custom Enterprises was honored to be a 2010 Venture Award Recipient. The Venture Award was established in 1988 to recognize existing Iowa companies for their significant contributions to Iowa's economy through leadership, innovation and the creation of employment opportunities.
In 2012, Puck Custom Enterprise employs about 20 full time employees, with plans to expand to meet increasing demand for it's products.
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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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