Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance Oct. Nov. 2018
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12 LOCAL BUSINESSES NAMED FOR BUY HERE, GIVE HERE, GROW HERE<br />
ICR IOWA LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE FOR BUSINESS ATTRACTION AND WORKFORCE EFFORTS<br />
HISTORIC FLOOD. HISTORIC RECOVERY. HISTORIC BUILD: PREPARING THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY<br />
FOR CEDAR RAPIDS’ FLOOD CONTROL<br />
REPORT<br />
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER <strong>2018</strong>
UPCOMING EVENTS CALENDAR<br />
october<br />
For our full Calendar of Events including<br />
member events, visit www.cedarrapids.org.<br />
TechBrew AM<br />
<strong>Oct</strong>. 9, 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.<br />
<strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong> <strong>Metro</strong> <strong>Economic</strong> <strong>Alliance</strong><br />
501 First. St. SE<br />
9<br />
BUILDING FOR OUR FUTURE<br />
HISTORIC FLOOD. HISTORIC RECOVERY. HISTORIC BUILD.<br />
preparing the construction industry for cedar rapids’ flood control<br />
11<br />
Historic Flood. Historic Recovery.<br />
Historic Build.<br />
<strong>Oct</strong>. 11, 2:30 p.m. - 4:30p.m.<br />
or 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.<br />
<strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong> <strong>Metro</strong> <strong>Economic</strong> <strong>Alliance</strong><br />
501 First. St. SE<br />
The <strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong> <strong>Metro</strong> <strong>Economic</strong> <strong>Alliance</strong>, the City of<br />
<strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong>, and the US Army Corps of Engineers are<br />
proud to offer a unique workshop tailored to those<br />
who will play a key role in building new segments of<br />
permanent flood protection over the next several years.<br />
ATTENDEES WILL LEARN:<br />
• Schedule and overview of expected work<br />
• How to bid on Federal projects<br />
• Key differences between City projects and Federal projects<br />
• Government contracting specifics<br />
Speakers include representatives from the City of<br />
<strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong>, the US Army Corps of Engineers,<br />
and the <strong>Economic</strong> <strong>Alliance</strong>.<br />
All construction, contractors, building<br />
trades, suppliers and dealers are<br />
invited to this special educational<br />
presentation to learn more about<br />
upcoming biddable projects related<br />
to the Flood Control System.<br />
date: Thursday, <strong>Oct</strong>ober 11, <strong>2018</strong><br />
time: 2:30 - 4:30 PM<br />
Presentation • 2:30-3:30<br />
Networking • 3:30-4:30<br />
6:30 - 8:30 PM<br />
Presentation • 6:30-7:30<br />
Networking • 7:30-8:30<br />
location: Downtown <strong>Economic</strong> <strong>Alliance</strong><br />
501 1 st St SE, <strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong><br />
please rsvp to either workshop at:<br />
https://bit.ly/2QxAUrY<br />
18<br />
BizMix<br />
<strong>Oct</strong>. 18, 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.<br />
<strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong> RoughRiders<br />
1100 Rockford Rd. SW<br />
november<br />
Good Morning,<br />
<strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong>!<br />
<strong>Nov</strong>. 8, 7:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.<br />
<strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong> Marriott<br />
200 Collins Rd. NE, <strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong><br />
8<br />
THANK YOU TO OUR<br />
PRESENTING SPONSOR<br />
THANK YOU TO OUR<br />
MAJOR SPONSORS<br />
THANK YOU TO OUR BRAVO AWARD<br />
SPONSORS: CHANNEL FUSION,<br />
HAWKEYED FIRE & SAFETY, AND<br />
PIERSON’S FLOWER SHOP<br />
THANK YOU TO OUR<br />
VIDEO SPONSOR<br />
KCRG-TV9<br />
13<br />
Hiawatha Business Summit<br />
<strong>Nov</strong>. 13 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.<br />
Kirkwood Linn County Regional Center<br />
1770 Boyson Road, Hiawatha<br />
2 OCTOBER/NOVEMBER <strong>2018</strong>
ECONOMIC IMPACT<br />
MULTIPLIES WITH<br />
LOCAL LABOR<br />
Doug Neumann,<br />
Executive Director<br />
Melissa McCarville<br />
COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER<br />
Ellen Bardsley<br />
COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST<br />
Clarissa Koch<br />
GRAPHIC DESIGN SPECIALIST<br />
Judith Cobb<br />
CBJ ADVERTISING COORDINATOR<br />
Corridor Business Journal<br />
PRINTING & CIRCULATION<br />
WWW.CEDARRAPIDS.ORG<br />
ON THE COVER<br />
The City of <strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong><br />
and the Solid Waste Agency,<br />
along with <strong>Economic</strong> <strong>Alliance</strong><br />
Ambassadors and enthusiastic<br />
supporters, cut the ribbon<br />
to officially unveil Mount<br />
Trashmore Trails & Overlook<br />
on September 13. With more<br />
than 12,000 feet of hiking and<br />
biking trails, the north-facing<br />
overlook atop the recreational<br />
attraction highlights a<br />
stunning, lofty view of<br />
<strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong>.<br />
If I said we were working on a project with an economic impact of $100 million, would you read to the<br />
end of this letter? Sounds like a click-bait opening, doesn’t it? So I won’t wait to the end. Here it is: The<br />
<strong>Economic</strong> <strong>Alliance</strong> is embarking on what we expect will be a years-long series of forums and workshops<br />
with the goal to steer as much of the flood protection system work as possible to local contractors. The<br />
more this project to protect the east and west sides of core districts from <strong>Cedar</strong> River flooding is done<br />
by local companies and by local workers, the greater the economic impact to the area economy.<br />
Studies and methods vary on precise impacts of locally reinvested dollars. But even the most<br />
conservative studies show locally owned businesses will recirculate/return more than THREE TIMES<br />
as much money to the local economy than an out-of-area business will. On a project that will easily<br />
exceed a half billion dollars over the next decade, that multiplier effect adds up to a huge number pretty<br />
quickly. Using any of the standard formulas, there could easily be $100 million difference in economic<br />
impact from a project done entirely locally vs. entirely out-of-area.<br />
Given that, Ron Corbett – former <strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong> mayor and now Business Retention and Expansion<br />
Strategist at the <strong>Economic</strong> <strong>Alliance</strong> – came up with the idea to do provide a workshop for contractors,<br />
subcontractors, suppliers, vendors, dealers – anyone involved in the construction world in any way – to<br />
understand these projects at a deeper level for prospective work opportunities. There’s so much more<br />
involved in it than just a building a flood wall. Trades of all sorts will be involved.<br />
Parts of the system will include federal funding, and that brings with it a different set of bidding and<br />
construction regulations. We want contractors who may not have experience with federal projects to be<br />
familiar with the rules and consider bidding on a project they wouldn’t have considered before. Other<br />
projects will be done under City of <strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong> procedures. We want to help strip away any mystery<br />
that would prevent a local contractor from competing.<br />
We’ll also encourage networking among local contractors, even adding scheduled networking time<br />
into the planned workshops, the first of which will be held <strong>Oct</strong>. 11. Is it possible that a team of local<br />
contractors could bring experience, capability and bonding capacity to compete on a project they could<br />
not win alone? Let’s try to create those partnerships and keep dollars local.<br />
Finally, we want local contractors to understand the ripple effect of this project. The area continues<br />
to have strong construction activity from both private and public sector projects. <strong>Metro</strong> area school<br />
districts have long-term growth plans that involve new school construction and renovation that will add<br />
to the already robust activity. And now add the flood protection project on top of all that.<br />
There should be plenty of work to go around. The more of it that stays local, the bigger the win for our<br />
local economy.<br />
Sincerely,<br />
Doug Neumann<br />
Executive Director<br />
ECONOMIC ALLIANCE REPORT<br />
3
BRINGING THE CEDAR RAPIDS BUSINESS<br />
COMMUNITY’S HISTORY TO LIFE AT THE<br />
ANNUAL MEETING<br />
Registration is now open for the <strong>Economic</strong> <strong>Alliance</strong>’s<br />
Annual Meeting. The organization’s signature event where<br />
valued member businesses and regional champions come<br />
together to celebrate achievements and learn about the<br />
organization’s goals for the year ahead will take place on<br />
Thursday, January 24, 2019 at the <strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong> DoubleTree<br />
by Hilton Convention Complex.<br />
As a legacy organization of the <strong>Economic</strong> <strong>Alliance</strong>, we’ve<br />
honored the <strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong> Area Chamber of Commerce’s<br />
100th Anniversary throughout <strong>2018</strong>. The celebration will<br />
continue during the Annual Meeting as attendees will<br />
hear from identified businesses and business leaders that<br />
represent our business community’s rich history and past.<br />
These featured speakers will bring to life their unique<br />
business stories within the <strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong> community from<br />
1918 to present. Each business will represent a specific<br />
decade and focus on how the economy has changed over<br />
time to the climate it is today.<br />
We appreciate the partnership of The History Center and<br />
their assistance in the development of this programming.<br />
The Howard Hall Excellence in Business Award is the single<br />
highest honor the <strong>Economic</strong> <strong>Alliance</strong> bestows each year and<br />
is presented during the Annual Meeting. The award honors<br />
one recipient who exemplifies the outstanding, enduring<br />
business values of Howard Hall and his passion for a vibrant<br />
<strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong>. This award recognizes a business leader who<br />
is integral to the success of the membership and our region.<br />
BUSINESS SUPPORT<br />
The namesake of this award was an industrialist and<br />
philanthropist who used his influence to create a better<br />
local economy and community. Mr. Hall was dedicated<br />
to the development of our region and frequently worked<br />
behind the scenes to attract new businesses and jobs. We<br />
benefit from the many contributions of the Hall Family<br />
today.<br />
Nominations are open and can be made on the <strong>Economic</strong><br />
<strong>Alliance</strong>’s website through December 3. Award selection<br />
is made by a Selection Committee comprised of large<br />
investors and community leaders, including the <strong>Economic</strong><br />
<strong>Alliance</strong> Executive Director.<br />
4 OCTOBER/NOVEMBER <strong>2018</strong>
WAYFINDING SIGNAGE COMES TO THE<br />
MEDQUARTER THIS FALL<br />
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT<br />
The MedQuarter Regional Medical District will soon be easier<br />
to navigate with the installation of a wayfinding system.<br />
The initiative, which began three years ago, creates a<br />
comprehensive vehicular and pedestrian wayfinding system for<br />
<strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong>’ core districts of Downtown, including Kingston<br />
Village, the MedQuarter and Czech Village/New Bohemia.<br />
This Fall, the MedQuarter’s 18 vehicular signs will be installed<br />
throughout the district starting at the 7th Street exit off south<br />
bound I-380, along 7th Street SE, along 8th Avenue SE, along<br />
10th Street SE and along 1st Avenue SE & NE. The signs will<br />
direct visitors to major arteries, anchor institutions, districts and<br />
public destinations both within and outside of the MedQuarter.<br />
Spots include Mt. Vernon Road, Coe College, Mercy Medical<br />
Center, Physicians’ Clinic, St. Luke’s Hospital, Czech Village,<br />
Downtown, New Bohemia, the U.S. Cellular Convention Center,<br />
Greene Square, Museum of Art, Paramount Theatre and the<br />
Public Library.<br />
“I’m excited to get this project off the drawing board and into<br />
our core districts,” said Matt Myers, Traffic Engineering Manager<br />
and City Traffic Engineer for the City of <strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong>. “The City<br />
recognizes the value of enhanced signage and I have enjoyed<br />
working with the core districts in creating a system that meets<br />
their diverse needs.”<br />
Downtown, Kingston Village and Czech Village/New Bohemia<br />
will be manufactured and installed as funding becomes<br />
available. The City is in the process of budgeting for the entire<br />
system and is working on a state grant application that may<br />
assist with the cost. Installation of the full system will fulfill the<br />
vision of implementing a wayfinding system that assists drivers,<br />
bicyclists and pedestrians to navigate within and between the<br />
city’s core districts. In the meantime, this is an important first<br />
step.<br />
The creation of the comprehensive wayfinding system has<br />
been a collaborative effort between the Downtown District,<br />
MedQuarter Regional Medical District, Czech Village/New<br />
Bohemia Main Street District, GO <strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong> and the City of<br />
<strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong> and included many hours of planning, location<br />
assessment, wayfinding analysis, public input and design<br />
revisions to create the final system.<br />
The remaining portions of the signage for the MedQuarter,<br />
ECONOMIC ALLIANCE REPORT<br />
5
12 LOCAL BUSINESSES<br />
NAMED FOR BUY HERE,<br />
GIVE HERE, GROW HERE<br />
You have the power to drive economic growth by supporting<br />
local businesses and nonprofits. The dollars you spend here<br />
recirculate in our community creating positive economic<br />
impact. That’s the driving force behind our buy local initiative,<br />
Buy Here, Give Here, Grow Here.<br />
BUSINESS SUPPORT<br />
Each of the initiative’s three parts will highlight a different<br />
component of our local economy – businesses, nonprofits and<br />
resources for local businesses that aid in their success. The Buy<br />
Here portion will feature 12 local businesses that represent<br />
what makes our local economy unique and adds value for local<br />
consumers. <strong>Economic</strong> <strong>Alliance</strong> members were invited to apply<br />
to be a featured Buy Here business and were selected by a<br />
committee comprised of members from the Business Support<br />
Innovation Council.<br />
In the coming months, look for these Buy Here business stories<br />
paired with information about why buying local is important<br />
on social media, print, radio, digital media and in all <strong>Economic</strong><br />
<strong>Alliance</strong> communications.<br />
Dan and Debbie’s Creamery – This business is a favorite for<br />
Ely residents and visitors alike. Dan and Debbie’s Creamery is<br />
a family-owned and operated farm to table dairy production<br />
facility making small batch dairy products. The creamery started<br />
two years ago, and is an extension of the family’s 22-year old<br />
dairy farm.<br />
BUY HERE SPOTLIGHTS<br />
Fairfax Piano, LLC – Fairfax Piano offers private, customized<br />
piano lessons, as well as piano tuning and light piano service.<br />
Lessons are offered in the business’ studio, with the added<br />
flexibility of offering lessons in the student’s home.<br />
All About the Stitch – Custom Embroidery – Hailing from<br />
Central City, All About the Stitch offers personalized gifts made<br />
to order and creates embroidered products for businesses to<br />
display and promote their business.<br />
R E S TAU RAN T<br />
EAT DRINK LOVE<br />
Grin N Goose – Stop in to this bar and restaurant in Downtown<br />
<strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong> for mouthwatering burgers, flavorful appetizers<br />
and fresh soups and salads. The spot boasts an Iowa theme, and<br />
all the wall décor is hand painted by local artists.
Local Pour and Street Food– As one of the newest restaurants<br />
in Kingston Village, Local Pour and Street Food may have one<br />
of the most diverse menus in the area. Munch on street food<br />
favorites like poutine and footlong Chicago dogs in their<br />
eclectic atmosphere.<br />
The Early Bird – Friendly service, a commitment to the<br />
community it serves, and world renown Intelligentsia coffee<br />
and tea are a few ways to describe The Early Bird. Top<br />
Chickadee Brooke Fitzgerald prides herself in creating a<br />
welcoming environment for all customers.<br />
Petersen Pet Hospital – Petersen Pet Hospital is an American<br />
Animal Hospital Association accredited small animal hospital<br />
in Hiawatha. They pride themselves in catering to patient’s<br />
comfort while offering general wellness and sick exams,<br />
elective and advanced surgeries, dental care, radiology,<br />
endoscopy, laparoscopy, ultrasound and dog and cat boarding.<br />
There’s No Quit! Kickboxing and Self Defense Studio –<br />
Owner Duane Johnson served his community for 15 years as a<br />
police officer, deputy and criminal investigator before opening<br />
There’s No Quit! in Marion. Their classes allow students to learn<br />
how to defend themselves and get fit in the process.<br />
Phelan’s – Phelan’s is one of the longest running family-owned<br />
home furnishings and interior design sources in <strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong>.<br />
Treasures Quality Resale Shoppe – Stop in Treasures Quality Resale<br />
Shoppe for home décor, clothing, electronics, books and more.<br />
Treasures provides revenue for the local nonprofit Bridgehaven<br />
Pregnancy Support Center, which supports women and families in<br />
all aspects of pregnancy; before, during and after.<br />
Pierson’s Flower Shop & Greenhouses – Pierson’s has a long<br />
history in <strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong>, 90 years to be exact. The business is<br />
made up of two flower shops, greenhouses, a garden center<br />
and interior plant-scaping.<br />
WineStyles Tasting Station – WineStyles created a completely<br />
new category in the wine retail industry by empowering<br />
customers to choose wines based on taste, instead of varietal<br />
or region. They offer a unique retail experience and warm<br />
ambiance reminiscent of an old-world wine cellar.<br />
ECONOMIC ALLIANCE REPORT<br />
7
BANNERS ADD COLOR IN<br />
CZECH VILLAGE/NEW BOHEMIA DISTRICT<br />
CZECH VILLAGE<br />
NEW BOHEMIA<br />
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT<br />
Visitors and residents in the Czech Village/New Bohemia<br />
District are welcoming a new place-making and beautification<br />
effort along main streets and bridges. Banners marking each<br />
neighborhood, and a shared connecting bridge, have been<br />
hung across the district to energize pride and vibrancy.<br />
Adorned with a nod to the Lion Bridge spanning the two<br />
neighborhoods, the brick-red lion and gold district title provide<br />
color and a sense of place to main intersections.<br />
The <strong>Economic</strong> <strong>Alliance</strong>, along with the Czech Village/New<br />
Bohemia Self Supported Municipal Improvement District,<br />
work on beautification and improvement initiatives to foster<br />
economic growth and community pride in the core districts of<br />
<strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong>.<br />
BRL HR Consulting<br />
has moved<br />
to a new location:<br />
Join Us FOR A<br />
4 Hawkeye Drive Suite 103<br />
North Liberty, IA 52317<br />
Brenda LaMarche<br />
(319) 621-2312<br />
info@BRLhr.com<br />
www.BRLhr.com<br />
We Make Employee Administration Easy<br />
for Small Businesses!<br />
Thursday, <strong>Oct</strong>. 18<br />
4-6 p.m.<br />
<strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong> Ice Arena<br />
1100 Rockford Rd. SW<br />
Join us for<br />
networking and<br />
light appetizers.<br />
Check out the ice<br />
arena and bring<br />
your business cards<br />
to win prizes!<br />
8 OCTOBER/NOVEMBER <strong>2018</strong>
SECOND DOWNTOWN CEDAR RAPIDS<br />
SUCKS VIDEO HITS SOCIAL MEDIA<br />
The latest video in a series designed to pique interest in<br />
and draw attention to Downtown <strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong> hit social<br />
media recently. This time, the video centers on downtown<br />
events and entertainment. The video invites viewers to visit<br />
dtcrsucks.com, with more information about downtown<br />
entertainment.<br />
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT<br />
The video takes viewers on a colorful journey through<br />
events downtown like Market After Dark, AsianFest, a show<br />
at the Paramount Theatre and live music at the McGrath<br />
Amphitheatre. Peppered throughout, you’ll catch quick<br />
flashes of experiences unique to Downtown <strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong>,<br />
like handcrafted cocktails at Cobble Hill and murals of<br />
famous <strong>Cedar</strong> Rapidians in the Convention Center parking<br />
ramp.<br />
Watch the video for yourself on Downtown <strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong>’<br />
Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages and look for more<br />
videos later this year.<br />
FACADE IMPROVEMENT GRANT<br />
PROGRAM<br />
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT<br />
Businesses in Downtown <strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong>, including Kingston<br />
Village, interested in enhancing their storefronts can<br />
now apply for the Downtown Facade Improvement Grant<br />
Program. The Program has once again been funded<br />
for <strong>2018</strong> and 2019 by the Downtown Self-Supported<br />
Improvement Municipal District (Downtown SSMID) and<br />
the City of <strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong>. To begin the application process,<br />
reach out to Downtown Executive Director Jesse Thoeming<br />
at jthoeming@cedarrapids.org for an initial consultation.<br />
The Program has touched buildings in all corners of<br />
Downtown <strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong>, with recently completed<br />
projects including Theatre <strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong>, Quarter Barrel<br />
Arcade & Brewery, the Smulekoff’s building and the Gatto<br />
building in Kingston Village. Between 2014 and 2017, the<br />
Downtown Facade Improvement Grant Matching Program<br />
made 14 awards totaling $100,000 in support of projects<br />
representing nearly $1.9 million in facade improvements,<br />
which were parts of projects worth more than $52 million<br />
in capital improvement.<br />
Visit cedarrapids.org/downtown to learn more about the<br />
program.<br />
ECONOMIC ALLIANCE REPORT<br />
9
LARGE INVESTOR NEWS:<br />
CID RECEIVES $8.8M GRANT FOR<br />
CARGO APRON EXPANSION<br />
The Eastern Iowa Airport has received an $8.8 million Federal<br />
Aviation Administration discretionary grant to relocate and<br />
expand its cargo operation, positioning CID to handle even<br />
more of the state’s cargo demands.<br />
The grant - the largest discretionary grant CID has ever<br />
received in one year - is part of the federal government’s<br />
Supplemental Appropriations funds made possible by the<br />
Consolidated Appropriations Act, <strong>2018</strong>. Iowa Sen. Charles<br />
Grassley (R) confirmed receipt of the grant.<br />
Total project cost is $10.3 million. The Federal portion is $8.8<br />
million and the <strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong> Airport Commission will fund<br />
$1.5 million of the project.<br />
The project will relocate CID’s air cargo operations from the<br />
east apron to the west side of the airport property, adjacent<br />
to the FedEx facility. The new apron will be joint-use, meaning<br />
existing and potential new air cargo carriers will be able to use<br />
the apron. Three air cargo carriers serve CID: DHL, FedEx and<br />
UPS.<br />
Marty Lenss, airport director, says this project will be<br />
transformational for CID.<br />
“Year-to-date air cargo volume at CID is up 22 percent,” he<br />
says. “We currently handle 45 percent of the state’s cargo<br />
volume and based on projections, that percentage will increase<br />
to 48 percent by the end of <strong>2018</strong>.”<br />
Nationally, e-commerce and next day delivery is growing<br />
rapidly and CID is uniquely positioned to grow freight, Lenss<br />
says.<br />
“The region’s superior geographic location provides us<br />
the ability to serve 11 million more people with a one-day<br />
Department of Transportation drive time than any place along<br />
the I35/I80 corridor,” he says.<br />
In addition to expanding the west cargo apron area, the<br />
project will include construction of a connecting taxiway. This<br />
will allow the airport to construct a joint-use cargo center,<br />
improving CID’s ability to expand both passenger and cargo<br />
capacity.<br />
Lenss says moving the cargo operations from its current<br />
location adjacent to the passenger terminal will free up<br />
valuable apron space to accommodate future growth for<br />
commercial passenger service and the airlines’ increasing use<br />
of larger aircraft.<br />
CID has broken its monthly passenger records for seven<br />
consecutive months, including August when 102,794 total<br />
passengers used CID. That number is 5.8 percent more than the<br />
previous August record posted in 2014. Year-to-date passenger<br />
traffic is up 5.1 percent over the same time period last year.<br />
Photo Courtesy: CID<br />
Lenss extended thanks to Sen. Grassley and Foth Infrastructure<br />
& Environmental, LLC in <strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong>, CID’s engineering<br />
contractor. Requests for bids on the project were finalized<br />
in August; seven bids were received. Flynn Company, Inc. of<br />
Dubuque, Iowa was awarded the project, pending approval of<br />
the grant.<br />
10 OCTOBER/NOVEMBER <strong>2018</strong>
CELEBRATING OUR GROWING<br />
COMMUNITY<br />
BUSINESS RETENTION & EXPANSION<br />
Existing businesses represent some of our largest potential<br />
for economic growth. Business expansion projects can mean<br />
building out an existing location, creating new jobs within a<br />
current facility or building a second location in the area.<br />
Driving around the <strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong> metro, it’s impossible to not<br />
see signs of growth like construction sites and renderings for<br />
new or enhanced buildings. There’s a lot to celebrate.<br />
To shed more light on the job growth and capital investment<br />
existing businesses bring, and to thank them for their<br />
commitment to this community, we’ve debuted celebratory<br />
banners across the metro with a simple but powerful message:<br />
Congratulations on growing our community!<br />
Our Business Retention and Expansion team recently distributed<br />
banners to member businesses in <strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong>, Hiawatha<br />
and Marion, and we have more. Creating an exhaustive list<br />
of business expansion projects can be difficult as it is everchanging,<br />
but with your help we’ll be able to better track this<br />
growth. If you are a member of the <strong>Economic</strong> <strong>Alliance</strong> and<br />
would like a celebratory banner or a window sign for your<br />
expansion project, contact Business Retention and Expansion<br />
Strategist, Ron Corbett at rcorbett@ceddarrapids.org.<br />
ECONOMIC ALLIANCE REPORT<br />
11
IMMIGRATION REFORM IS INTEGRAL TO<br />
SOLVING OUR WORKFORCE SHORTAGES<br />
Immigration policy reform is a topic often regarded as controversial, but<br />
is an issue too important to the business community for the <strong>Economic</strong><br />
<strong>Alliance</strong> to stay silent on.<br />
It’s no secret businesses struggle to find and keep qualified candidates<br />
– we regularly hear this from our members. Iowa’s population is not<br />
growing fast enough to meet the workforce demands of business and<br />
industry. Our country’s current immigration system isn’t serving the<br />
needs of employers, employees and communities. There’s much that can<br />
be reformed to help ease these burdens to employers and encourage a<br />
growing workforce. We support:<br />
• Work and school visa reform that allow more workers to stay in the<br />
U.S., including implementing programs for high-skilled and lesserskilled<br />
workers to meet employer demands;<br />
• A national employment verification system that is workable for<br />
employers;<br />
• A permanent solution for recipients of the Deferred Action for<br />
Childhood Arrivals (DACA) that allows employers further access to<br />
skilled workers and prevents employers from losing current DACA<br />
employees. DACA was created to temporarily shield immigrants<br />
who came to the U.S. as children from deportation and made them<br />
eligible for work permits. In September 2017, President Trump’s<br />
Justice Department declared that DACA would end on March 5,<br />
<strong>2018</strong>. At the time, the President ordered Congress to come up with<br />
a permanent solution before the March deadline passed. Currently,<br />
recipients of DACA are in limbo because Congress has not found a<br />
solution and the federal courts system has put holds on any changes<br />
to the program.<br />
Ensuring immigrant populations are welcome in our communities, and<br />
will continue to have the ability to live and work in our communities, will<br />
help meet current and future labor demands and drive innovation and<br />
entrepreneurship.<br />
PUBLIC POLICY<br />
We must continue to push for a bipartisan solution when it comes to<br />
reforming our country’s broken immigration system. Our members<br />
consistently tell us growing our skilled workforce is their number one<br />
concern. Every opportunity we have, we remind our federal elected<br />
official of our concerns and the solutions we’d like to see.<br />
12 OCTOBER/NOVEMBER <strong>2018</strong>
ICR IOWA: LOOKING FOR YOUR<br />
WORKFORCE?<br />
Labor analytics play a crucial role in site selection. Finding<br />
the right mix of available, qualified workers and solutions<br />
that will generate an ongoing pipeline of talent is critical to a<br />
company’s ability to compete long term in a region.<br />
Overall population might be deceiving when it comes to<br />
finding the right workforce. According to the US Bureau<br />
of Labor and Statistics, Iowa City and <strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong> are a<br />
Combined Statistical Area (CSA) of 428,398. Our region<br />
includes two <strong>Metro</strong>politan Statistical Areas (MSA) which in<br />
close proximity share workforce. If a client in the sire selection<br />
process is only looking at the population of the Iowa City MSA<br />
(164,121) or the <strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong> MSA (264,277), they would miss<br />
the full workforce picture in ICR IOWA. This is only compounded<br />
by workforce that is available to commute into our region from<br />
neighboring areas. According to Iowa Workforce Development,<br />
our total workforce availability is 617,155 individuals.<br />
REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT<br />
In recent attraction projects, ICR IOWA has competed with<br />
regions that have a larger metro population, that might seem<br />
like a better fit for a company with a significant workforce<br />
need. However, once the data was produced, it was fairly easy<br />
to see that the size of ICR’s workforce with the right skill sets<br />
for these projects, outpaced competing regions, regardless of<br />
population size once adjusted for a 30 mile radius/30 minute<br />
commute of a site in ICR. Strong workforce recruitment,<br />
training, and retention solutions through regional workforce<br />
and educational partnerships (ICR Talent & ICR Future) provide<br />
a significant strategic advantage.<br />
An important indicator of workforce is industry clusters.<br />
Location quotients measure how many more times an industry<br />
is concentrated in a labor market than on average with the<br />
rest of the country. According to the US Bureau of Labor and<br />
Statistics, ICR stands out in quite a few areas:<br />
• Breakfast Cereal Manufacturing 82X<br />
• Wet Corn Milling 52X<br />
• Appliance Manufacturing 43X<br />
• Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System &<br />
Instrument Manufacturing 39X<br />
• Copper Rolling, Drawing, Extruding & Alloying 10X<br />
• Toilet Preparation Manufacturing (personal care products) 9X<br />
• Educational Support Services 8X<br />
• General Freight Trucking 8X<br />
• Direct Life Insurance Carriers 7X<br />
• Ag Equipment Manufacturing 6X<br />
In addition to examining this data, ICR IOWA meets regularly<br />
with local business owners, CEO’s, Plant Managers, and HR<br />
executives to gather insight on labor effectiveness, preparation,<br />
determination, and ability to get the job done. Bi-annual<br />
regional workforce surveys, existing industry reports, and<br />
talent forecasts help to share detailed information about our<br />
workforce with site consultants and companies interested in our<br />
market.<br />
Need additional workforce details for your current project?<br />
Contact Brian Crowe, Director of Business Attraction at<br />
bcrowe@icriowa.org or 319-538-8845.<br />
ECONOMIC ALLIANCE REPORT<br />
13
ICR IOWA LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE<br />
FOR BUSINESS ATTRACTION AND<br />
WORKFORCE EFFORTS<br />
REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT<br />
ICR IOWA recently launched a new website, www.icriowa.org.<br />
Divided into two major content sections for either Companies<br />
(business attraction) or People (workforce), the new site caters<br />
to an external market audience and is anchored by the Here<br />
It’s Real campaign that will be used in all external marketing<br />
efforts.<br />
Click on the PEOPLE section to see what ICR IOWA is doing to<br />
connect with professionals who want to be recruited to ICR.<br />
Speaking of, the ICR IOWA Talent Hub is also now live. And with<br />
only a few weeks in, ICR is already getting people to register.<br />
As marketing efforts gain momentum, that list continues to<br />
grow. Any businesses that want to connect with the Talent Hub<br />
list should stay tuned!<br />
The ICR Talent council is working on the best ways to connect<br />
candidates with regional employers. Feel free to share the<br />
link to the hub with any candidates you connect with who<br />
weren’t quite the right fit for you, but might be right for<br />
another ICR employer.<br />
Our member businesses consistently tell us that workforce<br />
retention and recruitment are a major challenge, and we invite<br />
you to add the icriowa.org link to your own website to<br />
support your recruitment strategy!<br />
14 OCTOBER/NOVEMBER <strong>2018</strong>
MEMBER<br />
SPOTLIGHT<br />
Iowa Running<br />
Company<br />
MEMBERSHIP<br />
Iowa Running Company is embedded in the running<br />
community of <strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong>. Owners Jim Dwyer and Clifton<br />
Trebil-Smith are both Iowa natives, Jim from Iowa City<br />
and Clifton from Waverly. The two opened Iowa Running<br />
Company in March 2017 on Third Street SE, a signature<br />
street that connects the Downtown core with Czech<br />
Village/New Bohemia. Jim and Clifton share more about<br />
the history of the business and how it enriches the running<br />
culture in <strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong>.<br />
What sparked you to open Iowa Running<br />
Company?<br />
Clifton: We felt there was a void we could fill around the<br />
community aspect of running in <strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong>. It was never<br />
about selling running shoes – we wanted to bring the<br />
running community together.<br />
Jim: My parents are runners, they dragged me to my first<br />
5K. They opened a running store called Running Wild in<br />
Coralville while I was in college, with the <strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong><br />
location opening shortly after. After they retired and closed<br />
the stores, it made sense for us to start Iowa Running<br />
Company since there were so many supportive runners<br />
here. With the changing landscape of retail and to beat the<br />
Amazon presence, we specifically chose to be a vibrant area<br />
that was close to trails.<br />
What makes Iowa Running Company unique?<br />
Jim: We offer service you can’t get online or in a big box<br />
store. Our staff is trained in video gait technology, which<br />
analyzes customer’s running mechanisms. We have shoes<br />
for both runners and walkers, apparel, accessories, safety<br />
equipment like headlights and pepper spray, nutrition<br />
items and orthotics. Customers come to us to talk shop – if<br />
they’re training for their first 5K or a marathon, we find<br />
ways to help them reach their goals.<br />
It can be intimidating for someone new to running to come<br />
into a store like ours, but we want to eliminate that fear.<br />
We welcome people of all abilities, no matter what their<br />
goals may be.<br />
Do you feel that Iowa Running Company<br />
enriches the running culture in <strong>Cedar</strong><br />
<strong>Rapids</strong>?<br />
Jim: That’s certainly the goal!<br />
Clifton: We try to think of different ways for people to get<br />
involved. Last year we closed on Black Friday and partnered<br />
with Goldfinch Cyclery for a free event called Outdoor<br />
Buster, a 5K or 10K run or a 15K bike ride. There were<br />
over 200 people that opted outside in 2017, and we’re<br />
continuing the event this year.<br />
Jim: Never Miss a Monday is a new program that started<br />
this summer. It’s a group run program, but really, it’s about<br />
people running when they can. We have a big chalkboard in<br />
the back of the store with everyone’s names and they leave<br />
a tally when they go for a run.<br />
Learn more about Iowa Running Company’s products,<br />
events and other news on their website, IowaRun.com.<br />
ECONOMIC ALLIANCE REPORT<br />
15
NEW<br />
MEMBERS<br />
City of Fairfax<br />
300 80th Street Court, Fairfax, IA 52228 | www.cityoffairfax.org<br />
Grand Living at Indian Creek<br />
325 Collins Rd. SE, <strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong>, IA 52403 | www.grandliving.com<br />
His Hands Free Clinic<br />
400 12th St. SE, <strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong>, IA 52403 | www.hishandsclinic.org<br />
Kinzler Construction<br />
9915 Atlantic Dr. SW, <strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong>, IA 52404 | www.insulation.net<br />
Letter Perfect<br />
412 Center Point Road NE, <strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong>, IA 52402 | www.letperfect.com<br />
Longbranch Hotel & Convention Center<br />
90 Twixt Town Road NE, <strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong>, IA 52402 | www.thelongbranch.com<br />
NFC <strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong><br />
1110 Old Marion Road, Ste. A, <strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong>, IA 52402<br />
www.neighborhoodfinance.org<br />
Osgood’s Bagels<br />
210 3rd Ave. SE, The Eatery #3, <strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong>, IA 52401 | www.osgoodscr.com<br />
Palmer Group<br />
221 3rd Ave. SE, Ste. 100, <strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong>, IA 52402 | www.thepalmergroup.com<br />
Scottsman Properties<br />
1663 24th St. NW, <strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong>, IA 52405<br />
The Y. For a Better Us.<br />
150 years of improving lives<br />
in the <strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong> community.<br />
BECOME A<br />
MEMBER TODAY!<br />
Receive access to all five locations in the area plus<br />
any YMCA in the country, a large variety of free<br />
fitness classes daily, discounts on programs, financial<br />
assistance, free child watch and much more!<br />
Coming up in <strong>2018</strong>:<br />
June 8th-10th -<br />
Camp Wapsie Alumni Reunion<br />
June 9th -<br />
Camp Wapsie Centennial Celebration<br />
August 25th -<br />
“Cranking for 150 More” Y Bike Ride<br />
August 27th -<br />
Golf Classic Fundraiser<br />
<strong>Nov</strong>ember 3rd -<br />
YMCA 150th and Camp Wapsie 100th<br />
Anniversary Celebration Gala<br />
YMCA of the <strong>Cedar</strong> <strong>Rapids</strong> <strong>Metro</strong>politan Area | www.crmetroymca.org