News & Events
News Articles
Season 1 of our podcast, Corridor Conversations, is in the books!Corridor Conversations was created to highlight initiatives, promote partnerships, share our story, and have a bit of fun along the way. 7 episodes, 7 stories, 7 meaningful conversations... all on 1 podcast. Watch all seven episodes on YouTube, Spotify, or Facebook. Episode...
Build My Future Gives Students a Closer Look at Career Opportunities Across Northwest Iowa
Jul 16 2026This spring, more than 750 high school students attended the Clay County Regional Events Center, gaining hands-on experience, new career insights, and direct interactions with employers from Northwest Iowa.Hosted by Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation, Build My Future 2026 introduced students to careers in agriculture, healthcare, construction, manufacturing, utilities, public...
Tourism is a key part of the Iowa Lakes Corridor's economy. Many people think of summer trips to the Iowa Great Lakes, but tourism's impact goes much further. When visitors spend money, they help local businesses, create jobs, generate tax revenue, and support investments that benefit everyone in Buena Vista,...
Community Housing Initiatives is thrilled to highlight a new strategy creating infill housing in a tourist heavy community where lands costs are prohibitive to affordable development. This is a celebration recognizing the preservation of 20 project-based LIHTC units, and creative land use to construct an additional ten family units on...
Economic Development Week 2026 comes as the Iowa Lakes Corridor advances with clear direction and collaborative effort. This year’s national theme, 100 Years of Impact, aligns with local priorities and reinforces that progress requires ongoing collective work.Curt Strouth, President and CEO of the Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation, emphasized this...
Economic Development Week 2026 comes as the Iowa Lakes Corridor advances with clear direction and collaborative effort. This year’s national theme, 100 Years of Impact, aligns with local priorities and reinforces that progress requires ongoing collective work.Curt Strouth, President and CEO of the Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation, emphasized this...
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CORRIDOR AWARDS FOUR HOMEGROWN TALENT INITIATIVE GRANTSThe Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation (Corridor) has announced four grant award winners for the Homegrown Talent Initiative recruiting young minds back to the Corridor’s four-county region: Tyler Adams, Dalayna Brugman, Clayton Ehlers, and Morgan White-Muller. The Homegrown Talent Initiative is a program by the...
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Corridor Region Build My Future Event a Success
Apr 23 2026The Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation (Corridor) in partnership with Northwest Iowa STEM and other local partners hosted an inaugural Build My Future hands-on career event for over 750 high school students in the four-county region of Buena Vista, Clay, Dickinson and Emmet counties on Thursday at the Clay County...
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The Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation (Corridor) has released the 2025 Business Retention & Expansion (BRE) Report summarizing findings from 117 business and industry visits within the four-county Corridor region of Buena Vista, Clay, Dickinson, and Emmet.The Corridor’s BRE program goes by the acronym GROWTH, which stands for Gathering, Relationships,...
Iowa Lakes Corridor Awards First Homegrown Talent Grants to Taylor Krager and Callan Townsend
Mar 10 2026Workforce recruitment in the Corridor typically means attracting new faces to Northwest Iowa, but the Homegrown Talent Initiative focuses on bringing locals back home.Last year, the Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation launched the Homegrown Talent Initiative to bring graduates and skilled professionals back to Clay, Dickinson, Buena Vista, and Emmet...
The Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation (Corridor) once again recognized great achievements by local businesses Wednesday at the organization’s 15th Annual Business Recognition Luncheon at the Clay County Regional Events Center in Spencer in front of a record-breaking audience.Winners of this year’s Business Recognition awards are:• Young Professional of the Year...
Each year, the Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation convenes business leaders, investors, and partners to take stock of the region’s economic progress. The Business Recognition Luncheon does more than mark a date on the calendar. It provides a working forum where relationships form, results get acknowledged, and the year ahead...
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Professional development in the Iowa Lakes Corridor region extends beyond workplace training. Programs like Lead the Ville in Estherville and the Clay County Leadership Institute offer business professionals opportunities to expand their networks, gain insight into the inner workings of their communities, and participate in projects that create a visible...
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The Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation, in collaboration with Strategic Marketing Services and the Institute for Decision Making, surveyed 96 organizations across Clay, Buena Vista, Dickinson, and Emmet Counties to gather accurate data on wages and benefits. The survey offers residents, employers, and prospective workers a clear understanding of the...
Manufacturing is a pillar of the Iowa Lakes Corridor economy, employing 11.4 percent of the region’s workforce. It ranks just behind healthcare and retail as the 3rd-largest employer, with more than one in ten working adults building their career in this sector. The industry is a driver of innovation, skills...
Iowa Lakes Corridor's GROWTH Program
Jul 18 2025Iowa Lakes Corridor's GROWTH Program Serves a Core Economic Function for Regional ProgressThe Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation doesn't treat Business Retention & Expansion (BRE) as an afterthought. It is a core function of the region's economic development strategy. Through its GROWTH program, an acronym for Gather, Relationships, Opportunities, Wins,...
