Iowa Lakes Corridor News & Events

News & Events

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Utilities, Iowa Lakes Corridor announce new industrial building for sale in Spirit Lake

Friday, January 19, 2018

SPIRIT LAKE, Iowa – Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative, Corn Belt Power Cooperative and the Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation (Corridor) today announced completion of a speculative building for industry in East Lakes Industrial Park. The 30,000-square-foot, steel building at 540 East Fifth Street, Spirit Lake, is available for purchase for $799,000. Constructed by Henningsen Construction of Spencer, the building is a partnership of the cooperatives, and the Corridor, a regional economic development organization. The Iowa Lakes Corridor Future Fund, an affiliate of the Corridor, owns the building. A loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture helped finance the project. (Photo illustration of complete...

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...

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

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

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

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

Employment Opportunity

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

Employment-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

News & Events

News & Events

Fast Facts About Iowa Lakes

Highway improvements...

Trails, trails and trails. . .

After 5 p.m. you are on vacation!

Healthy Income

Employment Opportunity

Low cost of living and affordable housing...

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