2018 Business Recognition Award Winners

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, were honored for their service on the Corridor board.

“The Iowa Lakes Corridor region is ascendant. Our economy is strong and our communities are strong,” Corridor President and CEO Kiley Miller said. “This year’s award recipients represent the very best of what is a great business ecosystem.”

Nominations for the annual Business Recognition awards are made by area business leaders. The nominations are reviewed by a volunteer committee drawn from across the region.

“If we wanted, we could have business recognition awards every month,” Miller said. “There are hundreds of deserving recipients out there.”

Recipients accepted their awards Wednesday in front of a large gathering of community business representatives and leaders. The Business Recognition Luncheon also featured diversity and inclusion speaker, Claudia Schabel, President of Schabel Solutions.

About the Iowa Lakes Corridor

The Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation is the regional economic development agency for Buena Vista, Clay, Dickinson and Emmet counties. The Iowa Lakes Corridor’s mission is to foster, encourage, promote, aid or otherwise assist in the economic development growth and development of the four-county region.