Corridor announces 2025 Business Recognition award winners

30 Jan 2025


Awards and Recognition, Business Recognition, News, News Release, Press Release

The Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation (Corridor) once again recognized great achievements by local businesses Wednesday at the organization’s 14th 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 – Ashley Jones, Spencer Hospital, Spencer
  • Entrepreneur of the Year – Jeremy & Kelcey Morrison, Bonfire Web Co & Topog Coffeehouse, Spirit Lake & Arnolds Park
  • Small Business Excellence – Lakes News Shopper, Spirit Lake
  • Large Business Excellence – Spencer Hospital, Spencer

 

Additional awards:

  • Project of the Year – Platinum Crush, LLC, Buena Vista County
  • Outstanding Leadership – Mayor Kenny Billings, Estherville

 

Also recognized were Merrill Manufacturing in Storm Lake and Vander Haag’s in Spencer as recent Small Business of the Week features by Senator Joni Ernst.

 

Four individuals were honored for their years of service on the Corridor board:

  • Tim Fairchild represented the Dickinson County Board of Supervisors from July 2018 until December 2024
  • Dr. Brian Lenzmeier represented Buena Vista University from June 2020 until December 2024
  • John Pluth represented the Emmet County Board of Supervisors from July 2018 until December 2024
  • Mike Porsch represented the City of Storm Lake from July 2018 until December 2024

 

“All of the award winners have showed a commitment to the region in building a career, serving their community, and leading in the region,” said Corridor President and CEO Curt Strouth. “These and all of our nominations were very deserving of these awards, and we are glad to be able to celebrate even a few today.”

 

Nominations for the annual Business Recognition awards in the categories of Young Professional, Entrepreneur, Small Business and Large Business are made by area business leaders and community members. These nominations are then reviewed by a volunteer committee drawn from across the region and are evaluated based on commitment, impact and growth in Corridor communities.

 

Recipients accepted their awards Wednesday in front of a large gathering of over 260 community representatives and leaders. The Business Recognition Luncheon also featured speakers Kyle Norris and Scott Siepker.

 

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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.