Iowa Lakes Corridor News & Events

News & Events

Friday, September 25, 2020

We’ve all heard it said, “It takes a village to raise a child,” and I’m sure most of you who are parents would agree. Replace the second half with “…to build a community,” and you have a different statement that holds true and economic developers agree with! Looking back at my high school years I remember driving through the small town downtowns where I grew up in rural Southwest Iowa, dreaming of a job where I could help play even a small part in revitalizing the communities. Yet, I didn’t plan to go into economic development when I started at Buena Vist...

The Measurement is People

Friday, September 11, 2020

The conversation was with a senior executive. Her topic was obstacles to hiring. Her summary was compact and incisive: “Housing, childcare, and air travel, those are the reasons I lose people.” Here at the Corridor, we hear about these issues regularly, but this was the first time someone had tumbled them into a single sentence for me and stated so emphatically their importance. It was jarring, and it made clear the challenge. No, not to provide housing, childcare, and air travel, but to shift attention and effort from jobs, jobs, jobs to continuous community improvement. New technologies and a connected global econom...

Defining the problem in economic development

Thursday, July 30, 2020

In The Best and the Brightest, his magisterial account of the American run-up to the Vietnam War, journalist David Halberstam cogently assesses the ???????mistaken assumption that led the Kennedy Administration to escalate US involvement in the region: “The problem was political, the response was military.” Fearing that North and South Vietnam would unite as a communist country, and, in turn, other Southeast Asian nations would raise their own red banners, the so-called Domino Theory, the United States threw support behind the western-leaning government in the south. Someone obviously had to stop the North Vietnamese hordes from streaming south across the borde...

Four Corridor housing projects to receive tax credits

Thursday, July 23, 2020

Four Corridor housing projects to receive tax credits Awards totaling more than $2.55 million were announced today for four housing development projects in the Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation (Corridor) Region through the Iowa Economic Development Authority’s (IEDA) Workforce Housing Tax Credit program. In total, the state awarded nearly $10 million in tax breaks for 19 projects across the state. The four projects in the Corridor region were: Emerald Woods Townhomes, a 10-unit single-family development in Storm Lake An unnamed 25-unit housing development in Spirit Lake Deer Creek Apartments & Townhomes, an 84-unit development in Estherville IGL West Beltway Residential Home Development, a 10-unit development in Spencer Kile...

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 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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Fast Facts About Iowa Lakes

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

Employment Opportunity

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

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Low cost of living and affordable housing...

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

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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

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.

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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

News & Events

News & Events

Fast Facts About Iowa Lakes

Highway improvements...

Employment Opportunity

Low cost of living and affordable housing...

Healthy Income

Trails, trails and trails. . .

After 5 p.m. you are on vacation!

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