Partner with Us | About the Corridor

The Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation (formerly the Great Lakes Corridor of Opportunity) was organized in 1992 to foster encourage, promote, assist or otherwise aid economic growth and development in the Iowa counties of Clay and Dickinson. In late 2005, Emmet County became a part of the region and in January 2006, Buena Vista County joined the region.

The organization is a 501(c)6, non-profit organization in the State of Iowa. The Iowa Lakes Corridor is governed by a twelve-member board of directors who set policy and direction for the organization. The board of directors is responsible for the hire of the President and CEO of the Iowa Lakes Corridor. The Corridor currently receives funding from the public and private sector. The total annual budget is approximately $600,000. The Iowa Lakes Corridor has four full-time and one part-time, professional staff members with a central office located on the Iowa Lakes Community College campus in Spencer.

The Iowa Lakes Corridor Board of Directors consists of three representatives of each of the four counties in the region, including Buena Vista, Clay, Dickinson and Emmet counties. Board members serve three-year terms and are elected by the membership through a nominating committee each year. Iowa Lakes Corridor Board members must be a representative of a member/investor organization.

Officers include a chair, vice chair and treasurer. Officers are elected by the Iowa Lakes Corridor Board of Directors. The chair serves a two-year term.

Iowa Lakes Corridor Board of Directors and Officers:

Curt Johnson, Chair

Curt Johnson, Chair, Bank Midwest, Okoboji

Bill Bumgarner, Vice Chair, Spencer Hospital, Spencer

Richard Drahota, Treasurer, Heritage Bank, Storm Lake

Steve Grell, Immediate Past Chair, Community State Bank, Spencer

Larry Anderson, City of Estherville

Lyle Hevern, Christensen Construction, Estherville

Fred Moore, Buena Vista University, Storm Lake

Steven Pick, Spencer Municipal Utilities, Spencer

Pat Reno, RANCO Fertiservice, Sioux Rapids

Brad Simington, Farmers Savings Bank, Milford

Terry Yarns, City of Spirit Lake