Corridor Native Spring 2018

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FROM THE EDITOR Spring 2018 Chief Executive Officer & Publisher John F. Lohman Vice President Aspen N. Lohman Chief Operating Officer & Associate Publisher Andrea Rhoades Magazine & Special Projects Editor Angela Holmes Writers Cindy Hadish Angela Holmes Emery Styron Photographer Brian Draeger Graphic Design Manager Becky Lyons Graphic Designer Julia Druckmiller Magazine Media Consultant Judith Cobb CBJ Editor Adam Moore CBJ Media Consultant Kelly Meyer Event Marketing Coordinator Ashley Levitt Event Media Consultant Rhonda Roskos A place to grow Yes, we grow a lot of corn here in Iowa. And while we are certainly proud of our status as an agricultural leader, we are also home to many more products – some you probably don’t even know about. Spreading the word about the region’s homegrown goods and brands was the inspiration behind Corridor Native. In the first issue of this twice-yearly magazine, we take a closer look at several Eastern Iowa companies ranging in size from one or two employees to a total staff of around 500 spread across four locations. A few of the businesses, like BoWood in Vinton, are just starting out and trying to make a name for themselves. Others, like Frontier Coop and Lebeda Mattress, are established brands Angela Holmes with customers around the country and the globe. The entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well in the Corridor, as evidenced by the number of startups operating and receiving solid support from several area business development centers. The manufacturing sector remains a top employer in the region and state, producing billions in exports. We hope you enjoy this inaugural issue of Corridor Native and learn more about our thriving business climate. The next issue will be published in October. If you have any story ideas for local-based companies – big or small – drop me a line at (319) 665-6397 ext. 309 or angela@corridorbusiness.com. Marketing & Distribution Manager Jean Suckow Contents are registered to Corridor Media Group. Reproductions or other use, in whole or in part, of the contents of the publication without permission is strictly prohibited. Angela Holmes Editor 2345 Landon Rd., Ste. 100 North Liberty, IA 52317 (319) 665-NEWS (6397) www.corridorbusiness.com ON THE COVER HOMEGROWN in the Corridor Corridor Native features businesses in the 7-county Corridor region Benton, Linn, Jones, Iowa, Johnson, Cedar and Washington BoWood, a two-man startup in Vinton, specializes in handmade wooden cutting boards and kitchen utensils. 2 CORRIDOR NATIVE APRIL 2018
CONTENTS HERE TO STAY Frontier Co-op proud to be based in rural Iowa 6 PHOTO FRONTIER CO-OP STARTUP CULTURE HOT Surveying the region’s entrepreneurial climate 4 HAND IN HAND Vinton woodworking startup looking to grow 10 FRESHLY- BAKED BEDS Lebeda Mattress delivers directly from Marion 16 HORTICULTURAL HIT MCG BioComposites’ plant markers find their niche 20 KEEP PUSHING Simply Soothing owners show no signs of slowing down 24 CORRIDOR NATIVE APRIL 2018 3
Page 1: Homegrown Businesses in the Corrido
Page 5 and 6: in, the center has already exceeded
Page 7 and 8: stores in smaller packaging, rather
Page 9 and 10: a work-life balance, Bedard said. F
Page 11 and 12: T.J. Bowen, left, and Payton Schirm
Page 13 and 14: T.J. Bowen engraves BoWood’s insi
Page 15 and 16: Veronica Tessler, Owner, Yotopia Fr
Page 17 and 18: By Emery Styron Photos Brian Draege
Page 19 and 20: “All our beds are freshly-baked,
Page 21 and 22: Injection molders wrinkled their no
Page 23 and 24: Top 10 Iowa Manufacturing Sectors i
Page 25 and 26: ‘Overnight sensation’ Bug Sooth
Page 27 and 28: NOT FOR FAIR-WEATHER FANS Sojka not
Page 29 and 30: Manufacturers (Ranked by total numb
Page 31 and 32: LEBEDA FROM PAGE 19 FACTORY-DIRECT:

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