Iowa Lakes Corridor News & Events

News & Events

Thursday, February 20, 2020

↵ Iowa Manufacturing Plan 4.0 The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) has launched a year-long study of Iowa’s Manufacturing sector, with support from Teconomy Partners, to identify the challenges facing Iowa’s Manufacturing industry as it transitions to Industry 4.0. The result of this study will be Iowa Manufacturing 4.0 Plan which will be an action plan with recommended strategies and tactics to help facilitate the use of digital technologies by providing a path to address trends, technology challenges, customer demands and talent issues that Iowa manufacturers are facing with digital transformation. Throughout April, May and late summer, Teconomy will be convening working group...

A thank you to our Cities & Counties

Thursday, February 13, 2020

A humming downtown. New houses. Smooth streets. Safe neighborhoods. Jobs, jobs, jobs. Folks in rural Iowa demand a lot of our cities and counties, and we rarely say thank you. As we near the end of our series on vital economic development partners, let’s correct that offense. Thank you for investing in the infrastructure to support growth. When spring finally gets here the backhoes, dump trucks and pavers will come out of hibernation across the Corridor. Businesses and residents alike will benefit from the results—improved water, sewer and roads. Without these projects, friction would cause our economy to seize. Thank you for development-friendl...

Corridor participates in BEST of Iowa interviews

Monday, February 10, 2020

Corridor participates in BEST of Iowa interviews Goal to provide a state-wide existing business strategy SPENCER – The Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation announces the beginning of the 2020 Business Expansion & Strategic Trends (BEST) of Iowa interviews. BEST of Iowa is a strategic partnership between economic development organizations and utility companies throughout Iowa that provides a state-wide existing business strategy. The Corridor has conducted these interviews for 14 years. BEST of Iowa, formerly known as the Existing Industry Call Program, is used to identify opportunities for growth, potential threats to retain jobs and any impediments that discourage local expansion. Economic development organization...

Energy utilities keep the lights on and the jobs coming

Thursday, February 06, 2020

On the edge of many small Iowa towns is an industrial park with a cluster of manufacturing companies. How did they get there? You can thank in part your local energy utilities, essential partners in economic development. The same folks who keep the lights on also keep the economy growing. That’s particularly true here in the Lakes of Northwest Iowa where we are blessed to have energy utilities that are innovative, aggressive and generous. Dare we say they are energetic? The Corridor is proud to include seven energy providers among our membership: Spencer Municipal Utilities, Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative, Corn Belt Power Cooperative...

Kiley Miller awarded recertification in economic development

Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Kiley Miller awarded recertification in economic development SPENCER, IOWA – Kiley Miller, President & CEO of the Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation, has been awarded recertification by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) through April 2021. Miller first achieved the Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) designation in 2015. Recertification required that he fulfill demanding standards for continuing education and service to the profession. Miller has served as President & CEO of the Iowa Lakes Corridor since 2014. He previously was Executive Vice President of the Mount Pleasant Area Chamber Alliance in Mount Pleasant, Iowa. Over his 11-year career, he has facilitated projects yieldin...

USDA makes spec buildings, revolving loan funds to rural communities

Friday, January 24, 2020

In our look at the partners that make economic development successful in the Corridor, we next turn to the US Department of Agriculture, specifically USDA Rural Development. That’s right, the federal government. The USDA web site describes rural development as a “mission area.” That somewhat uncertain description is made more specific with this passage: “We offer loans, grants and loan guarantees to help create jobs and support economic development and essential services such as housing; health care; first responder services and equipment; and water, electric and communications infrastructure.” An essential piece of the USDA’s broad portfolio is the Rural Economic Development Loan & Grant program. Throug...

Professional Developers of Iowa a strong partner at the Statehouse and at home

Thursday, January 16, 2020

Professional associations are only as good as the people who make them up, but that’s hardly a limitation for the Professional Developers of Iowa. More than 300 leaders across the state are members of PDI. They range from local economic developers to city administrators, workforce pros and engineers. There are even a couple of mayors thrown in. That breadth of expertise makes PDI, like the Iowa Area Development Group that we wrote about in last week’s newsletter, a valued partner of the Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation. When our team is looking for creative ideas to benefit our communities and businesses, hel...

Iowa Area Development Group: A partner powering growth

Thursday, January 09, 2020

The same statewide community development organization that recently helped a local business secure $2 million in low-interest financing from the federal government and captured several hundred thousand dollars to support construction of a spec building in Spirit Lake, also routinely brings industrial development prospects to the region, offers expert guidance on ag business, advertises vacant properties in our area, and even assists our tiniest towns in filling critical service gaps such as dental health care. Given all of that, how is it that the Iowa Area Development Group sometimes goes unnoticed? Based in Des Moines, IADG is sponsored by more than 22...

2020 Healthiest State Annual Awards finalists announced

Tuesday, January 07, 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MEDIA CONTACT: Lauren Kollauf Healthiest State Initiative lauren@iowahealthieststate.com 563-495-0357 2020 Healthiest State Annual Awards finalists announced Lyndsey Fennelly will give keynote speech at Feb. 6 ceremony DES MOINES, IA (Jan. 6, 2020) — The Healthiest State Initiative has announced the finalists for the 2020 Healthiest State Annual Awards. Individuals, communities, K-12 schools, early care providers, out-of-school programs and workplaces will be recognized for their efforts to improve the physical, social and emotional well-being of Iowans in their respective sectors at an awards ceremony on Feb. 6 in West Des Moines. The finalists in the eight categories include: Healthy HometownSM Powered by Wellmark Community Award Creston Dallas Center Dickinson County Manning Washington Waverly West Union K-12 School Irvin...

TAI announces 2020 Iowa Technology Roadshow

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

TAI Announces 2020 Iowa Technology Roadshow Des Moines, Iowa (December 18, 2019) — The Technology Association of Iowa (TAI) is proud to announce the first-ever Iowa Technology (IT) Roadshow that will travel to ten rural communities across the state of Iowa in 2020. “The Iowa Technology Roadshow will influence and elevate Iowa’s technology industry, professionals, and businesses all across Iowa. TAI believes that all companies are technology companies and that’s why we are proud to bring Iowa technology industry experts to ten Iowa communities,” stated Brian Waller, President of TAI. The IT Roadshow will have a spring and fall tour. IT Roadshow Spring Schedul...

M&C Anderson Pullets, Inc. honored with Iowa Venture Award

Thursday, December 05, 2019

Des Moines, IA - The Iowa Area Development Group (IADG), on behalf of Iowa’s rural electric cooperatives, municipal utilities, and independent telecommunication companies, honored eight distinguished Iowa companies with the Iowa Venture Award at a luncheon held in conjunction with the Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives’ annual meeting. M & C Anderson Pullets of Sioux Rapids is acclaimed for their farming practices, including tree planting, water retention, and other conservation methods. This 1,753-acre farm is home to ten specialized bio-security facilities that rear nearly 5 million pullets annually. Owner Colleen “Coke” Anderson has been recognized as a leader in the poultr...

Iowa Prison Industry and Prison Industry Enhancement program visits

Wednesday, December 04, 2019

Last week Corridor Business Retention & Workforce Partnership Coordinator Joanne Follon and Bob Becker, Spencer IowaWORKS, traveled to the North Central Correctional Facility in Rockwell City. They had the opportunity to meet with Daniel Clark, Director of the Iowa Prisons Industry (IPI) Program and see the IPI training programs available for inmates to gain the education, soft and hard skills needed to be successful citizens upon their release. There are three private-sector work partnerships available through the Prison Industry Enhancement Certification Program: 1) employers transport offenders to/from the workplace 2) employers subcontract with IPI 3) employers set an operation inside a prison. The Stat...

This Thanksgiving, we're thankful for our communities

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

In a matter of days, friends and family will gather around kitchen and dining room tables to celebrate Thanksgiving. There will be food - lots of food - and maybe some football, too. But we hope that you and yours will pause and take time to consider and share with each other what you are all thankful for. Here in the Lakes Region of Northwest Iowa, we truly have so much to be thankful for. We thought we would share with you some of the countless blessings the Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation and Get A Lakes Life teams are thankful fo...

Iowa Lakes Corridor featured on Develop This! Podcast

Monday, November 25, 2019

Develop This! podcast is published multiple times a week to explore topics related to transformational community leadership including economic development, non-profit engagement, organizational management and policy development. It's a candid conversation with professionals in the economic development realm and inspiring interviews with today's thought leaders. Co-hosts Dennis Fraise and Jason Hutcheson visited Spencer last month to keynote the Corridor's Business Recognition Luncheon on November 13th. While visiting the Corridor Region, they recorded podcasts about some of the great things happening in the Iowa Lakes Corridor. Spencer City Manager Amanda Mack spoke with Hutcheson on the importance of Community Placemaking and how she i...

Iowa Lakes Corridor receives Dakota BUSINESS Finance grant

Thursday, November 21, 2019

The Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation (Corridor) received a $1,000 grant from Dakota BUSINESS Finance thanks to the hard work of a local lender Brett Johnson of Central Bank in Spirit Lake earned the award on behalf of the Corridor through Dakota BUSINESS Finance’s inaugural community lending awards. Dakota BUSINESS Finance is a Certified Development Company that provides Small Business Association (SBA) 504 loans to businesses in South Dakota and parts of Minnesota, Iowa and Nebraska. In 2019, Dakota BUSINESS Finance established new community lending awards to give back to the communities in which they provide loans. The prizes awarded are base...

Hiring & Honoring Veterans

Monday, November 18, 2019

Two local entities have recently been recognized: one business for their commitment to hiring and retaining veterans, and one business owner who has served in the military and is now committed to serving his local community. Iowa Lakes Regional Water awarded Platinum Medallion Award Iowa Lakes Regional Water was one of five Iowa businesses that received a Medallion award, and one of three that were awarded the Platinum Medallion Award from the HIRE Vets Medallion program. The Honoring Investments in Recruiting and Employing American Military Veterans (HIRE Vets) Act was signed into law in May 2017. The Department of Labor’s Veterans’ Employment an...

Iowa Lakes Corridor announces 2019 Business Recognition Award winners

Thursday, November 14, 2019

The Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation (Corridor) once again recognized great achievements by local businesses Wednesday at the organization’s 10th Annual Meeting and Business Recognition Luncheon at the Clay County Regional Events Center in Spencer. Winners of this year’s Business Recognition awards are: · Young Professional of the Year – Candace Daniels, Spencer Hospital, Spencer · Entrepreneur of the Year – Jay Butterfield, Stickers and Posters, Storm Lake · Small Business Excellence – Oleson Chiropractic, Armstrong · Large Business Excellence – Janitor’s Closet, Spencer · Chairman’s Award – Buena Vista University, Storm Lake Barry Sackett of Sackett Law Firm and Rick Olesen, President of Iowa Lakes Electri...

We should celebrate manufacturing for more than a month

Thursday, October 24, 2019

As manufacturing month chugs toward completion, it’s worth a few minutes to consider how important the sector is to our region. We are sometimes tempted to undervalue the making of things in our service age. The news is dominated by apps and quants and financial instruments. Meanwhile, the number of US manufacturing jobs has declined 4.3 million since the peak year of 1979. That’s the state of Iowa, with Rhode Island thrown in for good measure. But folks with oil under their nails know that manufacturing output continues to point north. In fact, our neighbors to the north offer a nice comparison...

October is Manufacturing Month

Friday, October 18, 2019

October is Manufacturing Month! Created to show the reality of modern manufacturing, Manufacturing Month and Manufacturing Day help employers show their communities what manufacturing is really about. FUN FACT: Manufacturing accounts for 87.9% of Iowa’s exports. The first Friday of October is Manufacturing Day, a day focused on showcasing what manufacturing is and dispelling myths of what it isn’t. Many companies throughout the nation hosted events to give students and community members a chance to step into the manufacturing realm and learn more about the industry. The goal of Manufacturing Day is to affect the public perception of manufacturing, to allow th...

Hosts of America's #1 economic development podcast to keynote Corridor Business Recognition Luncheon

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

The Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation (Corridor) is happy to announce Dennis Fraise and Jason Hutcheson, hosts of the #1 iTunes economic development podcast Develop This!, as this year’s Business Recognition Luncheon keynote speakers. The Develop This! podcast explores topics related to transformational community leadership in candid conversations with veterans of the economic development profession and inspiring interviews with other thought leaders. Co-host Dennis Fraise – As President and CEO of the Lee County Economic Development Group, Dennis benefits from an eclectic professional background that includes owning a small business that generated more than $3 million in sales. He is a nationa...

Corridor joins forces with Buena Vista University in winning Google grant

Friday, August 23, 2019

Vote for People's Choice now through August 30th! Storm Lake, Iowa (Aug. 23, 2019) – The Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation (Corridor) in partnership with Buena Vista University (BVU) has won a prestigious Google grant to advance programming aimed at facilitating business transitions across Iowa. The Corridor joined with BVU’s Center for Rural Entrepreneurship in the Harold Walter Siebens School of Business to embark on a “Match, Learn, Launch” initiative. This project pairs retiring business owners with up-and-coming business operators throughout Iowa and provides mentoring and educational support to new entrepreneurs from succession match to new launch. The partnership won a $175,000 competitive gran...

Press Release: Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative Installs Public Electric Vehicle Charging Station

Thursday, August 15, 2019

For Immediate Release: August 14, 2019 Press Contact: Tresa Hussong tresah@ilec.coop 800-225-4532 Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative Installs Public Electric Vehicle Charging Station Estherville - Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative is doing its part to alleviate range anxiety in northwest Iowa by installing a charging station in the parking lot of their headquarters’ facility in Estherville, Iowa, adjacent to the 140-kW solar array the Cooperative energized in October 2016. The Cooperative’s first chargin...

Intern Spotlight: Kailye Hromatko

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

By: Laura Nielsen Kailye Hromatko is the Wealth Management Intern at Bank Midwest for the summer. After applying for a general internship at Bank Midwest, they decided to place her in the wealth management position, likely due to the Applied Math and Business Management degrees she is earning at Grand View University in Des Moines. Hromatko is originally from Milford and graduated from Okoboji High School in 2016, so the internship at Bank Midwest’s Okoboji branch was a perfect fit. In her role, Hromatko is helping the bank transition into its new system, saying “I do a lot of updating and uploadin...

Intern Spotlight: Lauren Laven

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

By: Laura Nielsen Lauren Laven first attended the University of Iowa planning to major in music. However, like many first-year college students, she decided that wasn’t for her and found herself enrolling in business classes. Now majoring in Marketing with a minor in Music, the 2017 graduate of Spirit Lake High School is the Marketing Intern at Bank Midwest of Spirit Lake. Last summer, Laven worked as a teller at Bank Midwest’s Okoboji branch where she thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere as well as the people who work there. She reached out again this summer with hopes of equally enjoying an internship position...

Intern Spotlight: Cassy Olesen

Tuesday, July 16, 2019

By: Laura Nielsen Cassy Olesen is currently the summer intern for Spencer Radio Group. She is majoring in Journalism and Mass Communications at Iowa State University with a minor in Entrepreneurship. Olesen is originally from Graettinger, Iowa, where she graduated from the Graettinger-Terril school district in 2016. Olesen secured this position after calling the radio station to see if they had interest in a summer intern. “I grew up listening to this station and always thought they did a good job covering the area, so I knew I’d like to work here.” She also stated that she had an internship at ...

Intern Spotlight: Brock Jungjohan

Tuesday, July 09, 2019

By: Laura Nielsen Brock Jungjohan, a 2018 graduate from Spirit Lake High School, is the Marketing Intern at annLeo. Located in Milford, annLeo helps healthcare facilities get the staff they need by being a single point of contact between healthcare locations and multiple medical staffing agencies. Jungjohan is a rising sophomore at the University of Iowa, where he studies Psychology and Enterprise Leadership. When asked what types of classes an Enterprise Leadership major entails he responded, “It’s mostly entrepreneurial classes with some general business, too.” Jungjohan knows Steve Heeg, CEO of GrapeTree Medical Staffing, through his parents, so he used that connectio...

OEI 2019: Meet the Class

Tuesday, July 09, 2019

Buena Vista University Joseph Lind - Belton, MO Junior, Business: Finance, Financial Decision Making & Sport Business Lincoln Rock - Mahtomedi, MN Junior, Business: Corporate Finance & Wellness Management Tyler Tennyson - Truman, MN Senior, Accounting & Business Hannah Wuebker - Grimes, IA Junior, Accounting and Business Iowa Lakes Community College Lexus Gorospe - Baltic, SD Sophomore, Accounting Aaron Kintzle – Estherville, IA Sophomore, Accounting Jacob Pearcy - Laurens, IA Sophomore, Business Iowa State University Geert Boelen - Brooklyn, IA Senior, Agricultural Business w/ Entrepreneurship Minor Logan Borchardt – Mason City, IA Junior, Entrepreneurship Ahmed Ismail – Iowa City, IA Senior, Data Science Cameron Lynch – Iowa City, IA Junior, Industrial Engineering Delaney Quance – Spirit Lake, IA Junior, Entrepreneurship & International Business w/ Spanish Minor Marissa Sanke...

Intern Spotlight: Luke Thompson

Tuesday, July 02, 2019

By: Laura Nielsen Luke Thompson, a 2018 graduate of Okoboji High School, is a mechanical engineer intern for the summer at 966 Industries, located in Milford. He just finished up his first year at South Dakota State University where he studies mechanical engineering. 966 Industries is a new and quickly growing manufacturing and automation company, and they were originally not looking for an intern when Thompson approached the owner, Kevin Frodermann. “I asked a family friend of ours who works there if they were looking for any interns, and he referred me to Kevin and said I should just ask and se...

Intern Spotlight: Rachel Harmon

Friday, June 28, 2019

By: Laura Nielsen Rachel Harmon is the Marketing Solutions Intern at Blink Marketing this summer. She is studying Graphic Design at South Dakota State University. Having graduated from Okoboji High School in 2017, Harmon said she landed this position because she reached out to local marketing agencies: “When I was thinking about coming home for the summer, I researched agencies in the area and then sent them all an email asking if they’d be interested in having an intern for the summer.” She also stated that finding an internship in your major can be difficult in this area, so she wa...

University of Iowa Hydrology Report - Flooding in the Iowa Great Lakes

Friday, June 14, 2019

June 4, 2019 Jen Johnson-Ross Community Development Manager Iowa Great Lakes Association 712-330-1178 jennypattyjohnson@yahoo.com University of Iowa Hydrology Report – Flooding in the Iowa Great Lakes High water levels in 2018 promoted the Iowa Great Lakes Association (IGLA) to engage the University of Iowa’s Institute on Hydroscience & Engineering Department to evaluate and present options to prevent further devastation to the environment, personal property and the recreation/tourism industry that drives the economy of Dickinson County. On Wednesday, June 26th at 1:30 pm the public is invited to the Sami Bedell Center for Performing Arts in Spirit Lake as world-renowned research engineer and professor of civil and environmental engineerin...

Creating an Inclusive Corridor

Thursday, June 13, 2019

This was a busy week in the Iowa Lakes Corridor! On the evening of Tuesday, June 11, the community came together for a screening of "Do We Belong?" at the Spencer Community Theater. A panel and community discussion followed the short documentary about a tragic hate crime against an Indian immigrant in Olathe, Kansas. On the panel were Jay Dahlhauser, a Youth Advocate & Operations Director at The Bridge of Storm Lake; Sunayana Dumala, a Database Developer at Intouch B2D, founder of Forever Welcome and subject of the documentary "Do We Belong?"; Tina Shaw, an Executive Officer in the Iowa Department o...

Lighthouse Summer Concert Series

Thursday, May 16, 2019

Contact: Lee Dutfield Phone: 712.732.3780 Email: lee@stormlakeunited.com LIGHTHOUSE SUMMER CONCERT SERIES Storm Lake United is pleased to present the Lighthouse Summer Concert Series: a total of four unique and diverse concerts that are free to attend and a great reason to stay in town and enjoy some family-friendly fun. Bring your blankets and chairs and fin...

Miller named Consultant Connect Top 50 Economic Developers of 2019

Monday, May 13, 2019

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Carla Sones Consultant Connect PO Box 50664 Kalamazoo, MI 49005 269.207.4982 carla@consultantconnect.org Consultant Connect Announces North America’s Top 50 Economic Developers of 2019 KALAMAZOO, Michigan – Consultant Connect, a consulting agency designed to bridge the gap between economic developers and site consultants, announces its 2019 list of North America’s Top 50 Economic Developers. The economic development professionals selected for this list were nominated by their colleagues in both the economic development industry and the site consultant community for excellent practices, innovation and success in building the communities they serve. Each top 50 economic developer will be featured individually starting May 20 through the selected socia...

Round Lake Vineyards & Winery Updates

Thursday, May 02, 2019

Round Lake Vineyards & Winery Wins Double Gold and Goes 6 for 6 in 2019 International Wine Competition Result are in for the 2019 Finger Lakes International Wine Competition (FLIWC) held in Rochester, New York. With over 3,000 total entries from commercial wineries from around the world, Round Lake Vineyards & Winery was one of only 59 to win a coveted Double Gold Medal with its red blend, The Gander. In the blind tasting competition, conducted April 13-14 all six wines submitted by Round Lake Vineyards received medals. In addition to The Gander’s double gold, the 2016 Frontenac Gris took ...

Workforce Resources 101: Federal Bonding Program

Thursday, March 28, 2019

What is it? The Federal Bonding Program provides a business insurance policy to protect employers who hire "at-risk" individuals that can be hard-to-place in the workforce. This fidelity bond covers loss of money or property that is due to employee dishonesty such as theft, larceny, forgery or embezzlement. Who does it cover? The program covers individuals involved in the justice system, those in recovery from substance abuse, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) recipients, those with poor credit, economically disadvantaged individuals without work history, and dishonorably discharged military. What doesn't it cover? Poor workmanship liability, job injuries, work accidents, bail bond, contract bond, performance o...

Call for Nominations

Friday, March 15, 2019

The nominating committee of the Iowa Lakes Corridor Board of Directors invites members to submit names of possible candidates for board seats from Dickinson and Emmet counties. The Corridor board includes 16 directors, four each from the four counties the organization serves. Directors are drawn from members of the organization in good standing. For a list of members, click here. Terms are three years and directors can serve no more than two consecutive full terms. The nomination committee will present a slate of candidates to the full board of directors in April. The list is not limited to the candidates suggested by the genera...

Spirit Lake ranks #41 for Most Dynamic Micropolitan

Friday, March 08, 2019

The Walton Family Foundation recently released the Most Dynamic Micropolitans Index ranking 531 micropolitan areas throughout the United States. Ranking at #41, Spirit Lake was the lone Iowa micropolitan to make it into the top 100. A micropolitan is defined to be a geographical area consisting of a city with a population of 10,000 to 50,000. The Most Dynamic Micropolitans Index collects metrics on both short- and long-term growth. These metrics include job growth, wage and income gains and the proportion of total jobs at young firms. The sources of the data used include the U.S. Census Bureau, the Bureau o...

February 2019 Quarterly Meeting

Friday, March 01, 2019

Thank you to everyone who attended Wednesday's Quarterly Investor Meeting at the beautiful new Majestic Pavilion in Arnolds Park! Turnout was great and the audience learned a lot from the No Boundaries team from GTRA, Okoboji, and Spencer schools. No Boundaries is a project-based learning initiative that motivates students by empowering them to form teams and tackle real-world business and community problems. Businesses pitch projects to the students, who in turn choose the opportunities that best match their interests. Facilitators from all three school districts presented on the program and the value of project-based learning at the Quarterly Investor Meeting. Three middle school students from Okoboji Middle School also discussed their experiences a...

Laborshed Employment Study

Wednesday, January 23, 2019

Laborshed employment study to be conducted in the Iowa Lakes Corridor Region The Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation (Corridor) is partnering with Iowa Workforce Development (IWD) and Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) to complete a Laborshed employment study for the Corridor region. The study gathers information for the major employment center in each county across the state. This study will geographically define which communities contribute to the workforce in Estherville, Spencer, Spirit Lake and Storm Lake, regardless of political boundaries. This defined area is called a Laborshed area and is based upon commuting patterns. The purpose of this Laborshed study is t...

Get A Lakes Life Stories

Thursday, January 10, 2019

The Dailey Family: Jenni Daily and her family moved to the lakes of northwest Iowa region from western Nebraska.With countless opportunities for fun and entertainment, Jenni, a program manager at Rembrandt Foods in Spirit Lake, says her family loves their lakes life. “Being here in the lakes area has really given us a lot of opportunities to do different things that we wouldn’t have had in western Nebraska,” she says. “To be outside, and we love the walking trails. We love Arnolds Park. I think we spent every weekend last year at Arnolds Park.” "If you haven't experienced life in the lakes are...

PDU Cables™ Announces production expansion to Estherville

Thursday, January 10, 2019

Contact: Troy Peterson, President, PDU Cables (612) 819-1927, tpeterson@pducables.com PDU Cables™ Announces production expansion to Estherville, Iowa. MINNETONKA – December 27, 2018 - Recent growth in PDU Cables business has led EPCO to seek manufacturing capacity beyond its current facility in Minnetonka. PDU Cables President, Troy Peterson’s familiarity with Estherville, has resulted in EPCO’s acquiring and plan to outfit the building at 108 S 18th Street to accommodate the assembly of select PDU Cables and EPCO products. Overseeing the buildout, staffing and management of the new facility for EPCO and PDU Cables will be Josh Howard. Josh grew up on his family’s far...

Happy New Year!

Friday, December 28, 2018

A new year means a fresh start and an opportunity to look forward to your goals and make resolutions for the coming year. Maybe you're looking to lose some of that weight, especially after the recent holiday season and all of the goodies that comes with it. You could be making a resolution to find a local organization to volunteer for. Or you want to make more time for your family or a hobby you love. Here at the Corridor, a New Year's resolution we have is to recruit more people into the lakes region of Northwest Iowa, but that ca...

A "Dash" of Leadership

Friday, December 21, 2018

Let’s talk reindeer. Can we all agree Rudolph got a bit lucky. A foggy night, a nose so bright, and, HO HO HO, you’re the most famous reindeer of all. Talent, meet timing. But another flyer deserves some extra hay tucked away in his manger: Dasher. Dasher was the big buck at the North Pole. Why do we say that? For one thing, Santa always calls him out first: “On Dasher, on Dancer, on Prancer, etc.” And his name, Dasher, just fits the leading man role. It’s—dare we say it—dashing. Comet is as unreliable as a shooting star. Cupid is small and flighty. An...

Young Professionals Spotlight: Brandon Rohrig

Tuesday, December 18, 2018

Brandon Rohrig was recognized as the Young Professional of the Year at the our annual Business Recognition Luncheon on November 14th. We thought we'd talk with him about himself, the Lakes Area Young Professionals, and why he loves living here! Name: Brandon Rohrig College/University Attended: Undergraduate: Bachelor of Science with honors in dietetics from the University of Wisconsin Stout Graduate: Master of Science in exercise physiology from Minnesota State University, Mankato Graduate thesis: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5360372/ Year of Graduation: High school: 2006 Undergraduate: 2013 Graduate: 2015 Current Position: Director of Population and Public Health Company: Lakes Regional Healthcare in the Public Health Department Which YP Group are you a part of? Lakes Area Young Professionals – if yo...

Winter Fun Photo Contest

Friday, December 07, 2018

We know that there are always activities available when you live in the Lakes Region of Northwest Iowa, but we need your help to show others too! Through our GetALakesLife campaign, we want to show those who live far far away why they should move here. So we are asking you to submit your photos of winter fun so we can help show these movers how much fun they can have if they live here! Not only that, but if you are a Community Champion (or would like to become one!), you can receive recognition and rewards for submitting your photos! You ca...

Local Christmas Shopping

Wednesday, November 28, 2018

The Holidays are upon us! Christmas music can be heard everywhere you go, shopping is very much underway. Those who are really on top of things may already have all of their gifts purchased, but if you're like a majority of the population, you still have a long ways to go. Black Friday, Shop Small Saturday, Cyber Monday, sale after sale, gift after gift, last minute shopping, and still trying to find that perfect present. Anymore, so much shopping gets done online, but that pulls money away from our local economies. Without spending time (and money) at our hometown shops, they ma...

Turkey Day

Tuesday, November 20, 2018

The Thanksgiving meal is all about variety: Turkey on a platter, bread in a basket, bowls of potatoes, stuffing (Perhaps you say dressing?), green beans, and cranberry salad. But what holds it all together? The unsung hero, gravy. Gravy gooses the turkey, gravy leavens the bread. And as for those mashed potatoes, without gravy, they’re just clumpy spoonfuls of disappointment. At the Corridor, we’re proud to be gravy. In the great banquet that is the four-county region, we’re everywhere touching on nearly everything. Retail development? Industrial expansion? Housing? A dollop of Corridor makes them all better. Now, the Corridor—like gravy—is not a main dish...

2018 Business Recognition Award Winners

Thursday, November 15, 2018

The Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation once again recognized great achievement by local businesses Wednesday at the organization’s annual Business Recognition Luncheon at the Clay County Regional Events Center in Spencer. Winners of this year’s Business Recognition awards are: Young Professional of the Year – Brandon Rohrig, Lakes Regional Healthcare Entrepreneur of the Year – Jill Harms, Blink Marketing Small Business Excellence – Steffes Companies Large Business Excellence – Rembrandt Foods Chairman’s Award (for outstanding support of economic development) – Lyle Hevern, Estherville Area Partnership for Growth Valerie Newhouse, President of Iowa Lakes Community College, and Dr. Carl Turner, retired Superintendent of Storm Lake School District, wer...

OEI Spotlight: Steven Brockshus

Wednesday, November 07, 2018

Steven Brockshus was a part of the 12th Okoboji Entrepreneurial Institute in 2017. At the time, he pitched his company, then called Terva, to his fellow students and a panel of judges. Now, just over a year later, we checked in with him to see how things were going for his business. Name and Title: Steven Brockshus, Founder & CEO University attended, degree and year of graduation: Iowa State University, Agricultural Education, 2018 Year attended Okoboji Entrepreneurial Institute: 2017 Company name: FarmlandFinder Year Founded: 2016 Location: Des Moines, IA Tell us about your company: FarmlandFinder is an online search engine for land real estate... essentially, it's Zillow fo...

City of Spencer receives APA award

Tuesday, October 30, 2018

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA – APA-Iowa announces recipients of 2018 Iowa Planning Awards Each year, the Iowa Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA-Iowa) asks its members to nominate plans, projects, and individuals deserving recognition by the professional organization. Award nominees can be recognized in nineteen categories ranging from public outreach to distinguished leadership. Based on an independent review by a jury of professional planners from the Wisconsin Chapter of the APA, eleven nominees have been selected to receive APA-Iowa Awards in 2018. Descriptions of these awards, taken from their applications, can be found below. Economic Development Planning City of Spencer / RDG Planning &...

Intern Spotlight: Blake Carlson

Friday, August 24, 2018

Blake Carlson, a 2016 Spencer High School Graduate, is a marketing and operations intern for Community Insurance this summer. A junior at Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa, Carlson studies public relations with a double minor in theatre and entrepreneurship. “I became interested in this position after an opportunity fell in my lap,” Carlson explained. “I was interested in learning more about business, and it also gave me an opportunity to return to the area and enjoy everything that Northwest Iowa has to offer.” He hopes to gain a deeper understanding of professional development, noting, “If nothing else, it is more about developin...

Intern Spotlight: Zach Renken

Wednesday, August 22, 2018

Zach Renken is a marketing intern with Bank Midwest in Spirit Lake. Renken will be a sophomore at the University of South Dakota where he has a marketing major and a finance minor. Advice from a mentor led him to apply for several positions with different banks. “I dropped my resume off at a few banks in the area, and it didn’t really get anywhere,” Renken said. “I reached out to a connection I had with Bank Midwest, and they helped me out." Additionally, his position gave him a more thorough understanding of the marketing field. "I didn’t think that marketing wa...

Intern Spotlight: Lupe Tapia

Thursday, August 16, 2018

Lupe Tapia is the Human Resources Intern for Quality Refrigerated Services in Spencer. Originally from Harris, Iowa, Tapia will study Human Resources at Iowa Lakes Community College. While scrolling through social media, the job caught her eye. “It popped up on my Facebook page that there was an opening,” Tapia said. “They were looking for someone bilingual who would be willing to train, so I decided to apply. I wanted something where I could use both my English and Spanish, so it was a perfect position.” Because her position started a few weeks ago, she is still figuring out company culture i...

Prepare to Launch

Thursday, August 16, 2018

Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation is proud to offer Prepare to Launch, Northwest Iowa’s Premier Entrepreneurship Workshop. A partnership between the Corridor, local businesses and entrepreneurs, this program is designed to help people take practical steps to make their business dreams a reality. Upon graduation from the workshop, participants will have created a functioning business plan and other elements necessary to start a new business. Corridor Senior Vice President and entrepreneur-in-residence Brian Dalziel has been offering hands-on business startup workshop training to Northwest Iowa entrepreneurs for 8 years. “Iowa Lakes Corridor offers Prepare to Launch as a part of its continuin...

Intern Spotlight: Kaitlyn Hill

Thursday, August 09, 2018

Kaitlyn Hill is a Project Management Office intern at Rembrandt Foods. Originally from Phoenix, Arizona, Hill is a senior at Iowa State University where she studies agricultural business and economics. While scrolling through online job boards, the position with Rembrandt caught Hill’s eye. “I found them on the CyHire Website at Iowa State and applied having no idea what Rembrandt was or what they did,” she admitted. “I saw the logo, and I knew that they worked with eggs which I really liked. I also saw that they were in Spirit Lake, and I had never been up here so ...

Intern Spotlight: Jenny Klenken

Thursday, August 02, 2018

Jenny Klenken, a 2015 graduate of Spencer High School, is an intern with Williams & Company, P.C. this summer. Her position is supported through the Spencer Area Jobs Trust Internship Program. Klenken will be a senior at the University of Northern Iowa in the fall where she studies accounting and finance. “It was kind of word of mouth in Spencer,” she admitted when asked how she found the position. “I was looking at internships in the Des Moines area and wasn’t finding what I was looking for. I was on the UNI job board one day, and this position came up...

Intern Spotlight: Daylain Bastman

Thursday, July 26, 2018

Daylain Bastman of Greenville is working as the intern for Quail Construction this summer, a position supported by the Spencer Area Jobs Trust Internship Program. In the fall Bastman, a graduate of Spencer High School, will be a senior at Iowa State University where he studies industrial technology. His interest in the position stemmed from a relationship with the owners of Quail Construction. “I actually know Joe and Anne [Quail] and they brought it to my attention and emailed me when I was down at Iowa State,” he explained. “I applied for the position, and it went from there.” “I like th...

Future Ready Iowa Regional Summits announced

Thursday, July 19, 2018

(DES MOINES) – Registration for Future Ready Iowa Regional Summits is now open. Summit attendees will collaborate with local partners on workforce solutions. The day-long summits are scheduled for late September and early October in nine Iowa communities: Atlantic, Burlington, Davenport, Denison, Fort Dodge, Muscatine, Pella, Sheffield and Spencer. The events will bring together key partners in education, business, economic development and community to create local strategies that ensure all Iowans are future ready. “Future Ready Iowa was created to connect more Iowans with rewarding careers and good-paying jobs with Iowa employers,” Gov. Reynolds said of the initiative, which has a goa...

Intern Spotlight: Claire Netten

Thursday, July 19, 2018

Claire Netten of Ankeny, Iowa is the intern with Blink Marketing in Milford. In the fall, Netten will be a senior at the University of Northern Iowa. She is a marketing major with an emphasis in advertising and digital media and a minor in business communication. “I wanted to find an internship where I could get a lot of first-hand experience” she explained when asked about her interest in finding a position for the summer, adding, “My family comes to Okoboji every summer, so I thought it would be an awesome opportunity to work in the lakes area because ...

State data shows wages increasing

Thursday, July 19, 2018

Northwest Iowa’s history of below average pay may be changing. Newly released statistics show “Laborshed” wages climbing across the Iowa Lakes Corridor region. County FY 2019 wage FY 2018 wage Buena Vista $17.23 $16.23 Clay $17.80 $17.10 Dickinson $17.61 $16.83 Emmet $17.11 $16.29 Statewide laborshed wages moved upward from $17.46 in FY 2018 to $18.08 in FY 2019. “The economy is growing and demand for labor is strong,” said Kiley Miller, CEO of the Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation. “That inevitably drives up wages. “Higher wages are a mixed blessing,” Miller continued. “They help draw sidelined workers into the labor pool, provide disposable income for families, and make it easier to attract newcomers to our region, but they als...

From the CEO: Growth Requires Effort of Scores of People

Thursday, July 12, 2018

The region captured another recruitment win this month. The story began when a small business owner from outside the Iowa Lakes Corridor made what was presumably a routine stop at a Spencer establishment. As the transaction ended, an employee of the local company asked, “Is there anything else you need?” (In case you doubted, customer service is alive and well in Northwest Iowa.) The businessman said off-handedly that what he really wanted was a few thousand square feet of production space; demand was rocketing and he was plumb out of room at his current shop. The local employee might be expected to smile politel...

Intern Spotlight: Allison Carlon

Thursday, July 12, 2018

Allison Carlon of Fort Dodge is the Accounting Intern, for Iowa Lakes Regional Water this summer. A rising junior at Buena Vista University, Carlon majors in business and accounting. When asked how she discovered the position, Carlon said, “It was presented to me as an opportunity through our Career and Personal Development Office at school. I really wanted to start getting some internship experience so that I can build up my resume.” She is excited to gain knowledge about how to apply accounting in an actual business setting. “In class, it's kind of hard to see how it is going to wor...

Intern Spotlight: Mary Horger

Thursday, July 05, 2018

Mary Horger, a senior at Iowa State University, is working as a Quality Assurance Intern for Rembrandt Foods this summer. At Iowa State, Horger studies microbiology and has a minor in food safety. Not knowing anything about Rembrandt before applying, she found their booth at a career fair. “A lot of recruiters come to Iowa State for the career fair, and Rembrandt was at one and I turned in my resume as a long shot. I got the job from there,” said Horger. Even without prior experience with the company, she applied for positions hoping to gain background in quality assurance goin...

Intern Spotlight: Shannon Clark

Thursday, June 28, 2018

Shannon Clark of Spencer is one of the Marketing and Operations interns for Community Insurance this summer. A senior at Waldorf University in Forest City, Iowa, Clark is majoring in communications with an emphasis in graphic design and journalism and a minor in humanities. Clark wanted an internship in the area where she could hone her graphic design skills. “My main goal was to get a job in Spencer where I could also do graphic design,” Clark explained. “Liz Kluver, an instructor in the Harold Walter Siebens School of Business at BVU, told me that Scott [Simpson] was looking for someon...

Spencer Hospital to open new dialysis center

Thursday, June 28, 2018

For more than 20 years, people in need of life-sustaining dialysis treatments have been able to receive care at the Warner Dialysis Center of Spencer Hospital, located within the hospital. In July, patients will transfer to a newly renovated facility located at 1721 West 18th Street, designed to meet the growing demand for services and to provide more convenient access to care. “Our patients and healthcare team are so excited to move into the new facility,” said Danette Forbes, dialysis services director. “With the move, we’ll increase the number of treatment stations from eight to 14, with space to add mor...

Intern Spotlight: Maddie Schwenneker

Thursday, June 21, 2018

Spencer native Maddie Schwenneker is the Marketing Intern for the Clay County Fair. An Iowa State University senior, Schwenneker is majoring in communications with a Spanish minor and a business emphasis. After her mother found the internship online and suggested she apply, Schwenneker dug a little deeper into the specific responsibilities and decided it was something she wanted to try. She was attracted to the position thanks to a desire to learn more about the field and a lifelong love of the Clay County Fair. “I was interested in applying because it’s marketing and communications so that’s obviously what I a...

Corridor Announces Hiring of Alyssa Kragelund

Thursday, June 14, 2018

The Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation is pleased to welcome Alyssa Kragelund to their team. Originally from Anita, Iowa and a 2018 graduate of Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Kragelund will be the new Coordinator of Administration and Communication for the Corridor. Throughout her time at Buena Vista, Alyssa was able to study marketing and accounting, as well as obtain a minor in vocal music performance. She first began to learn about the Corridor last summer. “I was a part of the Okoboji Entrepreneurial Institute in 2017, so I got to know the Corridor through that, and then Kiley Mille...

Intern Spotlight: Gracie Vatthauer

Thursday, June 14, 2018

Gracie Vatthauer is the intern for Newsradio 1240 KICD, Big Country 107.7 & MORE 104.9, a position supported by the Spencer Area Jobs Trust Internship Program. Hailing from Wheaton, Minnesota, Vatthauer will be a junior at Iowa State University in the fall, where she majors in agricultural communications and has a minor in international agriculture. When asked how she discovered the program, Vatthauer recalls going to work with her father in Northwest Iowa last spring and meeting representatives from the radio station who encouraged her to apply. The part of her job that she is most looking forward to is attending 1...

Intern spotlight: Landon Louscher, Farmers Bank

Thursday, June 07, 2018

Landon Louscher is the Marketing Associate Intern at Farmers Bank in Spencer, an opportunity supported by the Spencer Area Jobs Trust program. Louscher is from Paullina, Iowa, where he has lived his whole life. He attends Iowa State University and will be a senior in the fall. After taking a marketing class last year, Louscher decided to add a marketing major to his management major. A desire to stay in Northwest Iowa and his newfound passion for marketing inspired him to apply for this position which he saw posted on the Iowa State online job board, CyHire. The process went ver...

Corridor welcomes Katie Simpson as summer assistant

Tuesday, May 29, 2018

The Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation has added Summer Office and Events Assistant, Katie Simpson, to their team. The daughter of Scott and Alison Simpson, and a 2017 graduate of Spencer High School, Simpson recently completed her first year at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, where she is pursuing degrees in marketing and public relations. Throughout her time with the Iowa Lakes Corridor, Simpson will create profiles of area interns, complete marketing and administrative tasks and will assist with the Okoboji Entrepreneurial Institute. “Working with the Iowa Lakes Corridor is such an incredible opportunity,” Simpson said. “I am excited t...

Iowa Lakes Corridor receives award for business retention and expansion effort

Thursday, May 03, 2018

DES MOINES, Iowa – The Professional Developers of Iowa (PDI) honored economic development organizations from Ames, Ottumwa, Iowa Lakes Corridor, and West Central Iowa during the SMART Economic Development Conference held in Des Moines on May 2. Sponsored by Blane, Canada Ltd and Smart Solutions Group, the PDI Business Retention and Expansion (BRE) Awards Program recognizes the outstanding efforts of local and regional economic development initiatives in supporting growth and expansion of existing Iowa companies. Receiving an award for Single Project Success - Single/Smaller Community - Iowa Lakes Development Corporation and the GrapeTree Medical Staffing Company in Milford. What’s a “grapetree”? ...

New homes valued up to $250,000 now eligible for Spencer Quality Housing Initiative grants

Thursday, April 26, 2018

On behalf of Spencer Area Jobs Trust, the Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation is excited to announce that new homes with total land and dwelling values up to $250,000 are now eligible for Spencer Quality Housing Initiative grants. The Spencer Quality Housing Initiative (QHI) makes grants of up to $15,000 available to buyers of newly constructed, never-occupied homes in Spencer. Since 2012, QHI has disbursed more than $1.1 million in grants to 80 homebuyers. Previously, the total appraised land and dwelling value could not exceed $199,500 for the home to qualify for QHI grant funds. The minimum total value remains $110,000. QHI i...

List your properties on the LOIS lane

Friday, November 03, 2017

By Kiley Miller Iowa Lakes Corridor CEO As the designated regional partner for the Iowa Economic Development Authority and our state’s electric utilities, the Corridor has a seldom-discussed obligation. We are required to list available industrial properties through the Location One Information Service, an online real estate platform. This represents opportunity for property owners in our region. For folks in the know, LOIS, as the site is commonly called, is similar to CoStar/Loopnet. Head to http://lakescorridor.com/ilcdc/site-location/available-sites-and-buildings and you’ll see what I mean. You’ll get the goods on buildings from Estherville to Storm Lake. Greenfield sites are included, too. Why is this important? When ...

Get A Lakes Life: Find opportunity, fun in the lakes of northwest Iowa

Thursday, July 20, 2017

You can find opportunities in many places, but you have to look harder to find the right combination of opportunity and fun. The Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation is telling folks to look no further and get a lakes life. Visit getalakeslife.com, the Corridor's new website dedicated to spreading the word about what our region has to offer, to either find opportunities for yourself or for people you know. In the Lakes of Northwest Iowa region, you can land a job that launches you into a career. You can raise a family in safe, welcoming communities with spectacular schools. You can also live right next t...

Iowa Lakes Corridor hires Carlson as summer office assistant

Wednesday, May 31, 2017

The Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation is pleased to welcome Blake Carlson to its team this summer as office and events assistant. While with the Iowa Lakes Corridor, Carlson will assist staff with planning and managing events, including the Okoboji Entrepreneurial Institute in August and the organization’s presence at the Clay County Fair. “I am thrilled to join the team at the Corridor this summer and am looking forward to collaborating on all of the exciting projects happening here in the Iowa Great Lakes region.” Carlson said. “Growing up in the area, I have a passion for seeing local industry thrive an...

Fast Facts About Iowa Lakes

Healthy Income

Median household incomes in Dickinson Country are greater than the Iowa and nation median incomes. Clay, Buena Vista and Emmet Counties have median household incomes ranging from $44,556 to $50,289.

Household Income-new

After 5 p.m. you are on vacation!

The Iowa Lakes Corridor offers balance in life. Spend time with loved ones, meet career objectives, and enjoy scenic commutes, excellent schools, safe communities and endless recreational opportunities.

Life-new

Employment Opportunity

The Corridor offers career opportunities in the key industries of agriculture, manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, and health services.

Employment-new

Highway improvements...

Safe and efficient highways are throughout the region for commercial, resident and tourist traffic. Recently improved roads include Iowa 86 and 9, and US 20 and 71.

Highway 86-new

Low cost of living and affordable housing...

The cost of living and housing prices in the Iowa Lakes Corridor are below the US averages.

Affordability-new

Trails, trails and trails. . .

There are more than 200 miles of trails throughout the Iowa Lakes Corridor region for the cyclists, runners, walkers, cross country skiers and snowmobilers.

Trails-new

News & Events

News & Events

Fast Facts About Iowa Lakes

Healthy Income

After 5 p.m. you are on vacation!

Employment Opportunity

Highway improvements...

Low cost of living and affordable housing...

Trails, trails and trails. . .

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