Corridor announces 2026 Business Recognition Awards

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 – Andrew Geelan, Geelan Funeral Home, Spencer
•    Entrepreneur of the Year – Laura Bjornstad & Samantha Ring, Boat House Apparel, Arnolds Park
•    Small Business Excellence – VeSo Coffee, Storm Lake
•    Large Business Excellence – Buena Vista Regional Medical Center, Storm Lake

Additional awards:
•    Partner of the Year – First Children’s Finance
•    Housing Champion – Talon Development

Three individuals were honored for their years of service on the Corridor board:
•    Brad Beck represented Beck Engineering, Inc. from July 2019 to December 2025, serving as Vice Chair in 2022, Chair in 2023-2024, and Past Chair in 2025.
•    Keith Deitering represented Bank Midwest from July 2021 to May 2025.
•    Jed Skogerboe represented Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative from January 2023 to June 2025, serving as Vice Chair in 2024 and Treasurer in 2025.

Also recognized was Toby Shine. In honor of Shine’s contributions to the region, including being one of the co-founders of the Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation and the Okoboji Entrepreneurial Institute, the Corridor Lifetime Impact Award was given to Toby Shine’s family in his memory. JD’s Creations of Spencer created a unique metal sculpture for this one-time award.

“It was an honor to celebrate these amazing businesses and individuals from across the region,” said Corridor President & CEO Curt Strouth. “From small business owners to regional developers, and large businesses to Toby’s legacy, each and every awardee was very deserving of this recognition, and we are glad to be able to recognize them 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 330 community representatives and leaders, the largest audience for this event. The Business Recognition Luncheon also featured keynote speaker Devin Henderson.

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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.