Corridor's Trevor Smith completes Heartland Economic Development Course

Trevor Smith, Senior Vice President of Economic Development at the Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation (Corridor) was one of 92 economic development professionals to attend the Heartland Economic Development Course (HEDC) April 23-26, 2024 in Blue Springs, Missouri. Heartland attendees receive fundamental economic development training on topics ranging from business, retention and expansion, workforce development, real estate development, and entrepreneurship to recruitment, finance, ethics, and managing economic development organizations.

“Heartland is a dynamic week-long training course that offers intensive training in economic development strategies provided by experienced faculty. HEDC is not just a course, it’s a transformative experience designed to equip professionals with practical skills and knowledge needed to drive economic development in their communities,” says Lisa Franklin, HEDC Board Chair.

The 2024 HEDC class included representatives from Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Florida, trained by nationally recognized faculty from within the profession of economic development. HEDC is coordinated by the Institute for Decision Making at the University of Northern Iowa and is accredited by the International Economic Development Council.

"Heartland was a great opportunity to not only learn the ins and outs of development, but I had the pleasure of being able to network with a group of high-level individuals who will be great resources for me in as I gain more experience in economic development,” shares Smith. “Heartland was a masterclass in BRE, workforce development, real estate development, and entrepreneurship, and I'm thrilled to be able to bring back some of the knowledge learned and implement it here in our region.”

“Heartland is an amazing experience for any economic development professional no matter their experience level,” states Corridor President & CEO Curt Strouth “As an organization, we are extremely excited to now transfer the practical skills that Trevor gained through this process to further drive economic growth and opportunities for our region.”

The Heartland Economic Development Course is a partnership of the Kansas Economic Development Alliance, Professional Developers of Iowa, Missouri Economic Development Council, Nebraska Economic Developers Association, Select Oklahoma, and the South Dakota Governor’s Office of Economic Development.

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ABOUT THE IOWA LAKES CORRIDOR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

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.