Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance Oct. Nov. 2018

12 LOCAL BUSINESSES NAMED FOR BUY HERE, GIVE HERE, GROW HERE
ICR IOWA LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE FOR BUSINESS ATTRACTION AND WORKFORCE EFFORTS
HISTORIC FLOOD. HISTORIC RECOVERY. HISTORIC BUILD: PREPARING THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY
FOR CEDAR RAPIDS’ FLOOD CONTROL
REPORT
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2018

UPCOMING EVENTS CALENDAR
october
For our full Calendar of Events including
member events, visit www.cedarrapids.org.
TechBrew AM
Oct. 9, 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance
501 First. St. SE
9
BUILDING FOR OUR FUTURE
HISTORIC FLOOD. HISTORIC RECOVERY. HISTORIC BUILD.
preparing the construction industry for cedar rapids’ flood control
11
Historic Flood. Historic Recovery.
Historic Build.
Oct. 11, 2:30 p.m. - 4:30p.m.
or 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance
501 First. St. SE
The Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance, the City of
Cedar Rapids, and the US Army Corps of Engineers are
proud to offer a unique workshop tailored to those
who will play a key role in building new segments of
permanent flood protection over the next several years.
ATTENDEES WILL LEARN:
• Schedule and overview of expected work
• How to bid on Federal projects
• Key differences between City projects and Federal projects
• Government contracting specifics
Speakers include representatives from the City of
Cedar Rapids, the US Army Corps of Engineers,
and the Economic Alliance.
All construction, contractors, building
trades, suppliers and dealers are
invited to this special educational
presentation to learn more about
upcoming biddable projects related
to the Flood Control System.
date: Thursday, October 11, 2018
time: 2:30 - 4:30 PM
Presentation • 2:30-3:30
Networking • 3:30-4:30
6:30 - 8:30 PM
Presentation • 6:30-7:30
Networking • 7:30-8:30
location: Downtown Economic Alliance
501 1 st St SE, Cedar Rapids
please rsvp to either workshop at:
https://bit.ly/2QxAUrY
18
BizMix
Oct. 18, 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.
Cedar Rapids RoughRiders
1100 Rockford Rd. SW
november
Good Morning,
Cedar Rapids!
Nov. 8, 7:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
Cedar Rapids Marriott
200 Collins Rd. NE, Cedar Rapids
8
THANK YOU TO OUR
PRESENTING SPONSOR
THANK YOU TO OUR
MAJOR SPONSORS
THANK YOU TO OUR BRAVO AWARD
SPONSORS: CHANNEL FUSION,
HAWKEYED FIRE & SAFETY, AND
PIERSON’S FLOWER SHOP
THANK YOU TO OUR
VIDEO SPONSOR
KCRG-TV9
13
Hiawatha Business Summit
Nov. 13 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
Kirkwood Linn County Regional Center
1770 Boyson Road, Hiawatha
2 OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2018

ECONOMIC IMPACT
MULTIPLIES WITH
LOCAL LABOR
Doug Neumann,
Executive Director
Melissa McCarville
COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
Ellen Bardsley
COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST
Clarissa Koch
GRAPHIC DESIGN SPECIALIST
Judith Cobb
CBJ ADVERTISING COORDINATOR
Corridor Business Journal
PRINTING & CIRCULATION
WWW.CEDARRAPIDS.ORG
ON THE COVER
The City of Cedar Rapids
and the Solid Waste Agency,
along with Economic Alliance
Ambassadors and enthusiastic
supporters, cut the ribbon
to officially unveil Mount
Trashmore Trails & Overlook
on September 13. With more
than 12,000 feet of hiking and
biking trails, the north-facing
overlook atop the recreational
attraction highlights a
stunning, lofty view of
Cedar Rapids.
If I said we were working on a project with an economic impact of $100 million, would you read to the
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
Economic Alliance is embarking on what we expect will be a years-long series of forums and workshops
with the goal to steer as much of the flood protection system work as possible to local contractors. The
more this project to protect the east and west sides of core districts from Cedar River flooding is done
by local companies and by local workers, the greater the economic impact to the area economy.
Studies and methods vary on precise impacts of locally reinvested dollars. But even the most
conservative studies show locally owned businesses will recirculate/return more than THREE TIMES
as much money to the local economy than an out-of-area business will. On a project that will easily
exceed a half billion dollars over the next decade, that multiplier effect adds up to a huge number pretty
quickly. Using any of the standard formulas, there could easily be $100 million difference in economic
impact from a project done entirely locally vs. entirely out-of-area.
Given that, Ron Corbett – former Cedar Rapids mayor and now Business Retention and Expansion
Strategist at the Economic Alliance – came up with the idea to do provide a workshop for contractors,
subcontractors, suppliers, vendors, dealers – anyone involved in the construction world in any way – to
understand these projects at a deeper level for prospective work opportunities. There’s so much more
involved in it than just a building a flood wall. Trades of all sorts will be involved.
Parts of the system will include federal funding, and that brings with it a different set of bidding and
construction regulations. We want contractors who may not have experience with federal projects to be
familiar with the rules and consider bidding on a project they wouldn’t have considered before. Other
projects will be done under City of Cedar Rapids procedures. We want to help strip away any mystery
that would prevent a local contractor from competing.
We’ll also encourage networking among local contractors, even adding scheduled networking time
into the planned workshops, the first of which will be held Oct. 11. Is it possible that a team of local
contractors could bring experience, capability and bonding capacity to compete on a project they could
not win alone? Let’s try to create those partnerships and keep dollars local.
Finally, we want local contractors to understand the ripple effect of this project. The area continues
to have strong construction activity from both private and public sector projects. Metro area school
districts have long-term growth plans that involve new school construction and renovation that will add
to the already robust activity. And now add the flood protection project on top of all that.
There should be plenty of work to go around. The more of it that stays local, the bigger the win for our
local economy.
Sincerely,
Doug Neumann
Executive Director
ECONOMIC ALLIANCE REPORT
3

BRINGING THE CEDAR RAPIDS BUSINESS
COMMUNITY’S HISTORY TO LIFE AT THE
ANNUAL MEETING
Registration is now open for the Economic Alliance’s
Annual Meeting. The organization’s signature event where
valued member businesses and regional champions come
together to celebrate achievements and learn about the
organization’s goals for the year ahead will take place on
Thursday, January 24, 2019 at the Cedar Rapids DoubleTree
by Hilton Convention Complex.
As a legacy organization of the Economic Alliance, we’ve
honored the Cedar Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce’s
100th Anniversary throughout 2018. The celebration will
continue during the Annual Meeting as attendees will
hear from identified businesses and business leaders that
represent our business community’s rich history and past.
These featured speakers will bring to life their unique
business stories within the Cedar Rapids community from
1918 to present. Each business will represent a specific
decade and focus on how the economy has changed over
time to the climate it is today.
We appreciate the partnership of The History Center and
their assistance in the development of this programming.
The Howard Hall Excellence in Business Award is the single
highest honor the Economic Alliance bestows each year and
is presented during the Annual Meeting. The award honors
one recipient who exemplifies the outstanding, enduring
business values of Howard Hall and his passion for a vibrant
Cedar Rapids. This award recognizes a business leader who
is integral to the success of the membership and our region.
BUSINESS SUPPORT
The namesake of this award was an industrialist and
philanthropist who used his influence to create a better
local economy and community. Mr. Hall was dedicated
to the development of our region and frequently worked
behind the scenes to attract new businesses and jobs. We
benefit from the many contributions of the Hall Family
today.
Nominations are open and can be made on the Economic
Alliance’s website through December 3. Award selection
is made by a Selection Committee comprised of large
investors and community leaders, including the Economic
Alliance Executive Director.
4 OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2018

WAYFINDING SIGNAGE COMES TO THE
MEDQUARTER THIS FALL
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
The MedQuarter Regional Medical District will soon be easier
to navigate with the installation of a wayfinding system.
The initiative, which began three years ago, creates a
comprehensive vehicular and pedestrian wayfinding system for
Cedar Rapids’ core districts of Downtown, including Kingston
Village, the MedQuarter and Czech Village/New Bohemia.
This Fall, the MedQuarter’s 18 vehicular signs will be installed
throughout the district starting at the 7th Street exit off south
bound I-380, along 7th Street SE, along 8th Avenue SE, along
10th Street SE and along 1st Avenue SE & NE. The signs will
direct visitors to major arteries, anchor institutions, districts and
public destinations both within and outside of the MedQuarter.
Spots include Mt. Vernon Road, Coe College, Mercy Medical
Center, Physicians’ Clinic, St. Luke’s Hospital, Czech Village,
Downtown, New Bohemia, the U.S. Cellular Convention Center,
Greene Square, Museum of Art, Paramount Theatre and the
Public Library.
“I’m excited to get this project off the drawing board and into
our core districts,” said Matt Myers, Traffic Engineering Manager
and City Traffic Engineer for the City of Cedar Rapids. “The City
recognizes the value of enhanced signage and I have enjoyed
working with the core districts in creating a system that meets
their diverse needs.”
Downtown, Kingston Village and Czech Village/New Bohemia
will be manufactured and installed as funding becomes
available. The City is in the process of budgeting for the entire
system and is working on a state grant application that may
assist with the cost. Installation of the full system will fulfill the
vision of implementing a wayfinding system that assists drivers,
bicyclists and pedestrians to navigate within and between the
city’s core districts. In the meantime, this is an important first
step.
The creation of the comprehensive wayfinding system has
been a collaborative effort between the Downtown District,
MedQuarter Regional Medical District, Czech Village/New
Bohemia Main Street District, GO Cedar Rapids and the City of
Cedar Rapids and included many hours of planning, location
assessment, wayfinding analysis, public input and design
revisions to create the final system.
The remaining portions of the signage for the MedQuarter,
ECONOMIC ALLIANCE REPORT
5

12 LOCAL BUSINESSES
NAMED FOR BUY HERE,
GIVE HERE, GROW HERE
You have the power to drive economic growth by supporting
local businesses and nonprofits. The dollars you spend here
recirculate in our community creating positive economic
impact. That’s the driving force behind our buy local initiative,
Buy Here, Give Here, Grow Here.
BUSINESS SUPPORT
Each of the initiative’s three parts will highlight a different
component of our local economy – businesses, nonprofits and
resources for local businesses that aid in their success. The Buy
Here portion will feature 12 local businesses that represent
what makes our local economy unique and adds value for local
consumers. Economic Alliance members were invited to apply
to be a featured Buy Here business and were selected by a
committee comprised of members from the Business Support
Innovation Council.
In the coming months, look for these Buy Here business stories
paired with information about why buying local is important
on social media, print, radio, digital media and in all Economic
Alliance communications.
Dan and Debbie’s Creamery – This business is a favorite for
Ely residents and visitors alike. Dan and Debbie’s Creamery is
a family-owned and operated farm to table dairy production
facility making small batch dairy products. The creamery started
two years ago, and is an extension of the family’s 22-year old
dairy farm.
BUY HERE SPOTLIGHTS
Fairfax Piano, LLC – Fairfax Piano offers private, customized
piano lessons, as well as piano tuning and light piano service.
Lessons are offered in the business’ studio, with the added
flexibility of offering lessons in the student’s home.
All About the Stitch – Custom Embroidery – Hailing from
Central City, All About the Stitch offers personalized gifts made
to order and creates embroidered products for businesses to
display and promote their business.
R E S TAU RAN T
EAT DRINK LOVE
Grin N Goose – Stop in to this bar and restaurant in Downtown
Cedar Rapids for mouthwatering burgers, flavorful appetizers
and fresh soups and salads. The spot boasts an Iowa theme, and
all the wall décor is hand painted by local artists.

Local Pour and Street Food– As one of the newest restaurants
in Kingston Village, Local Pour and Street Food may have one
of the most diverse menus in the area. Munch on street food
favorites like poutine and footlong Chicago dogs in their
eclectic atmosphere.
The Early Bird – Friendly service, a commitment to the
community it serves, and world renown Intelligentsia coffee
and tea are a few ways to describe The Early Bird. Top
Chickadee Brooke Fitzgerald prides herself in creating a
welcoming environment for all customers.
Petersen Pet Hospital – Petersen Pet Hospital is an American
Animal Hospital Association accredited small animal hospital
in Hiawatha. They pride themselves in catering to patient’s
comfort while offering general wellness and sick exams,
elective and advanced surgeries, dental care, radiology,
endoscopy, laparoscopy, ultrasound and dog and cat boarding.
There’s No Quit! Kickboxing and Self Defense Studio –
Owner Duane Johnson served his community for 15 years as a
police officer, deputy and criminal investigator before opening
There’s No Quit! in Marion. Their classes allow students to learn
how to defend themselves and get fit in the process.
Phelan’s – Phelan’s is one of the longest running family-owned
home furnishings and interior design sources in Cedar Rapids.
Treasures Quality Resale Shoppe – Stop in Treasures Quality Resale
Shoppe for home décor, clothing, electronics, books and more.
Treasures provides revenue for the local nonprofit Bridgehaven
Pregnancy Support Center, which supports women and families in
all aspects of pregnancy; before, during and after.
Pierson’s Flower Shop & Greenhouses – Pierson’s has a long
history in Cedar Rapids, 90 years to be exact. The business is
made up of two flower shops, greenhouses, a garden center
and interior plant-scaping.
WineStyles Tasting Station – WineStyles created a completely
new category in the wine retail industry by empowering
customers to choose wines based on taste, instead of varietal
or region. They offer a unique retail experience and warm
ambiance reminiscent of an old-world wine cellar.
ECONOMIC ALLIANCE REPORT
7

BANNERS ADD COLOR IN
CZECH VILLAGE/NEW BOHEMIA DISTRICT
CZECH VILLAGE
NEW BOHEMIA
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Visitors and residents in the Czech Village/New Bohemia
District are welcoming a new place-making and beautification
effort along main streets and bridges. Banners marking each
neighborhood, and a shared connecting bridge, have been
hung across the district to energize pride and vibrancy.
Adorned with a nod to the Lion Bridge spanning the two
neighborhoods, the brick-red lion and gold district title provide
color and a sense of place to main intersections.
The Economic Alliance, along with the Czech Village/New
Bohemia Self Supported Municipal Improvement District,
work on beautification and improvement initiatives to foster
economic growth and community pride in the core districts of
Cedar Rapids.
BRL HR Consulting
has moved
to a new location:
Join Us FOR A
4 Hawkeye Drive Suite 103
North Liberty, IA 52317
Brenda LaMarche
(319) 621-2312
info@BRLhr.com
www.BRLhr.com
We Make Employee Administration Easy
for Small Businesses!
Thursday, Oct. 18
4-6 p.m.
Cedar Rapids Ice Arena
1100 Rockford Rd. SW
Join us for
networking and
light appetizers.
Check out the ice
arena and bring
your business cards
to win prizes!
8 OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2018

SECOND DOWNTOWN CEDAR RAPIDS
SUCKS VIDEO HITS SOCIAL MEDIA
The latest video in a series designed to pique interest in
and draw attention to Downtown Cedar Rapids hit social
media recently. This time, the video centers on downtown
events and entertainment. The video invites viewers to visit
dtcrsucks.com, with more information about downtown
entertainment.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
The video takes viewers on a colorful journey through
events downtown like Market After Dark, AsianFest, a show
at the Paramount Theatre and live music at the McGrath
Amphitheatre. Peppered throughout, you’ll catch quick
flashes of experiences unique to Downtown Cedar Rapids,
like handcrafted cocktails at Cobble Hill and murals of
famous Cedar Rapidians in the Convention Center parking
ramp.
Watch the video for yourself on Downtown Cedar Rapids’
Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages and look for more
videos later this year.
FACADE IMPROVEMENT GRANT
PROGRAM
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Businesses in Downtown Cedar Rapids, including Kingston
Village, interested in enhancing their storefronts can
now apply for the Downtown Facade Improvement Grant
Program. The Program has once again been funded
for 2018 and 2019 by the Downtown Self-Supported
Improvement Municipal District (Downtown SSMID) and
the City of Cedar Rapids. To begin the application process,
reach out to Downtown Executive Director Jesse Thoeming
at jthoeming@cedarrapids.org for an initial consultation.
The Program has touched buildings in all corners of
Downtown Cedar Rapids, with recently completed
projects including Theatre Cedar Rapids, Quarter Barrel
Arcade & Brewery, the Smulekoff’s building and the Gatto
building in Kingston Village. Between 2014 and 2017, the
Downtown Facade Improvement Grant Matching Program
made 14 awards totaling $100,000 in support of projects
representing nearly $1.9 million in facade improvements,
which were parts of projects worth more than $52 million
in capital improvement.
Visit cedarrapids.org/downtown to learn more about the
program.
ECONOMIC ALLIANCE REPORT
9

LARGE INVESTOR NEWS:
CID RECEIVES $8.8M GRANT FOR
CARGO APRON EXPANSION
The Eastern Iowa Airport has received an $8.8 million Federal
Aviation Administration discretionary grant to relocate and
expand its cargo operation, positioning CID to handle even
more of the state’s cargo demands.
The grant - the largest discretionary grant CID has ever
received in one year - is part of the federal government’s
Supplemental Appropriations funds made possible by the
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018. Iowa Sen. Charles
Grassley (R) confirmed receipt of the grant.
Total project cost is $10.3 million. The Federal portion is $8.8
million and the Cedar Rapids Airport Commission will fund
$1.5 million of the project.
The project will relocate CID’s air cargo operations from the
east apron to the west side of the airport property, adjacent
to the FedEx facility. The new apron will be joint-use, meaning
existing and potential new air cargo carriers will be able to use
the apron. Three air cargo carriers serve CID: DHL, FedEx and
UPS.
Marty Lenss, airport director, says this project will be
transformational for CID.
“Year-to-date air cargo volume at CID is up 22 percent,” he
says. “We currently handle 45 percent of the state’s cargo
volume and based on projections, that percentage will increase
to 48 percent by the end of 2018.”
Nationally, e-commerce and next day delivery is growing
rapidly and CID is uniquely positioned to grow freight, Lenss
says.
“The region’s superior geographic location provides us
the ability to serve 11 million more people with a one-day
Department of Transportation drive time than any place along
the I35/I80 corridor,” he says.
In addition to expanding the west cargo apron area, the
project will include construction of a connecting taxiway. This
will allow the airport to construct a joint-use cargo center,
improving CID’s ability to expand both passenger and cargo
capacity.
Lenss says moving the cargo operations from its current
location adjacent to the passenger terminal will free up
valuable apron space to accommodate future growth for
commercial passenger service and the airlines’ increasing use
of larger aircraft.
CID has broken its monthly passenger records for seven
consecutive months, including August when 102,794 total
passengers used CID. That number is 5.8 percent more than the
previous August record posted in 2014. Year-to-date passenger
traffic is up 5.1 percent over the same time period last year.
Photo Courtesy: CID
Lenss extended thanks to Sen. Grassley and Foth Infrastructure
& Environmental, LLC in Cedar Rapids, CID’s engineering
contractor. Requests for bids on the project were finalized
in August; seven bids were received. Flynn Company, Inc. of
Dubuque, Iowa was awarded the project, pending approval of
the grant.
10 OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2018

CELEBRATING OUR GROWING
COMMUNITY
BUSINESS RETENTION & EXPANSION
Existing businesses represent some of our largest potential
for economic growth. Business expansion projects can mean
building out an existing location, creating new jobs within a
current facility or building a second location in the area.
Driving around the Cedar Rapids metro, it’s impossible to not
see signs of growth like construction sites and renderings for
new or enhanced buildings. There’s a lot to celebrate.
To shed more light on the job growth and capital investment
existing businesses bring, and to thank them for their
commitment to this community, we’ve debuted celebratory
banners across the metro with a simple but powerful message:
Congratulations on growing our community!
Our Business Retention and Expansion team recently distributed
banners to member businesses in Cedar Rapids, Hiawatha
and Marion, and we have more. Creating an exhaustive list
of business expansion projects can be difficult as it is everchanging,
but with your help we’ll be able to better track this
growth. If you are a member of the Economic Alliance and
would like a celebratory banner or a window sign for your
expansion project, contact Business Retention and Expansion
Strategist, Ron Corbett at rcorbett@ceddarrapids.org.
ECONOMIC ALLIANCE REPORT
11

IMMIGRATION REFORM IS INTEGRAL TO
SOLVING OUR WORKFORCE SHORTAGES
Immigration policy reform is a topic often regarded as controversial, but
is an issue too important to the business community for the Economic
Alliance to stay silent on.
It’s no secret businesses struggle to find and keep qualified candidates
– we regularly hear this from our members. Iowa’s population is not
growing fast enough to meet the workforce demands of business and
industry. Our country’s current immigration system isn’t serving the
needs of employers, employees and communities. There’s much that can
be reformed to help ease these burdens to employers and encourage a
growing workforce. We support:
• Work and school visa reform that allow more workers to stay in the
U.S., including implementing programs for high-skilled and lesserskilled
workers to meet employer demands;
• A national employment verification system that is workable for
employers;
• A permanent solution for recipients of the Deferred Action for
Childhood Arrivals (DACA) that allows employers further access to
skilled workers and prevents employers from losing current DACA
employees. DACA was created to temporarily shield immigrants
who came to the U.S. as children from deportation and made them
eligible for work permits. In September 2017, President Trump’s
Justice Department declared that DACA would end on March 5,
2018. At the time, the President ordered Congress to come up with
a permanent solution before the March deadline passed. Currently,
recipients of DACA are in limbo because Congress has not found a
solution and the federal courts system has put holds on any changes
to the program.
Ensuring immigrant populations are welcome in our communities, and
will continue to have the ability to live and work in our communities, will
help meet current and future labor demands and drive innovation and
entrepreneurship.
PUBLIC POLICY
We must continue to push for a bipartisan solution when it comes to
reforming our country’s broken immigration system. Our members
consistently tell us growing our skilled workforce is their number one
concern. Every opportunity we have, we remind our federal elected
official of our concerns and the solutions we’d like to see.
12 OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2018

ICR IOWA: LOOKING FOR YOUR
WORKFORCE?
Labor analytics play a crucial role in site selection. Finding
the right mix of available, qualified workers and solutions
that will generate an ongoing pipeline of talent is critical to a
company’s ability to compete long term in a region.
Overall population might be deceiving when it comes to
finding the right workforce. According to the US Bureau
of Labor and Statistics, Iowa City and Cedar Rapids are a
Combined Statistical Area (CSA) of 428,398. Our region
includes two Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA) which in
close proximity share workforce. If a client in the sire selection
process is only looking at the population of the Iowa City MSA
(164,121) or the Cedar Rapids MSA (264,277), they would miss
the full workforce picture in ICR IOWA. This is only compounded
by workforce that is available to commute into our region from
neighboring areas. According to Iowa Workforce Development,
our total workforce availability is 617,155 individuals.
REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
In recent attraction projects, ICR IOWA has competed with
regions that have a larger metro population, that might seem
like a better fit for a company with a significant workforce
need. However, once the data was produced, it was fairly easy
to see that the size of ICR’s workforce with the right skill sets
for these projects, outpaced competing regions, regardless of
population size once adjusted for a 30 mile radius/30 minute
commute of a site in ICR. Strong workforce recruitment,
training, and retention solutions through regional workforce
and educational partnerships (ICR Talent & ICR Future) provide
a significant strategic advantage.
An important indicator of workforce is industry clusters.
Location quotients measure how many more times an industry
is concentrated in a labor market than on average with the
rest of the country. According to the US Bureau of Labor and
Statistics, ICR stands out in quite a few areas:
• Breakfast Cereal Manufacturing 82X
• Wet Corn Milling 52X
• Appliance Manufacturing 43X
• Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System &
Instrument Manufacturing 39X
• Copper Rolling, Drawing, Extruding & Alloying 10X
• Toilet Preparation Manufacturing (personal care products) 9X
• Educational Support Services 8X
• General Freight Trucking 8X
• Direct Life Insurance Carriers 7X
• Ag Equipment Manufacturing 6X
In addition to examining this data, ICR IOWA meets regularly
with local business owners, CEO’s, Plant Managers, and HR
executives to gather insight on labor effectiveness, preparation,
determination, and ability to get the job done. Bi-annual
regional workforce surveys, existing industry reports, and
talent forecasts help to share detailed information about our
workforce with site consultants and companies interested in our
market.
Need additional workforce details for your current project?
Contact Brian Crowe, Director of Business Attraction at
bcrowe@icriowa.org or 319-538-8845.
ECONOMIC ALLIANCE REPORT
13

ICR IOWA LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE
FOR BUSINESS ATTRACTION AND
WORKFORCE EFFORTS
REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
ICR IOWA recently launched a new website, www.icriowa.org.
Divided into two major content sections for either Companies
(business attraction) or People (workforce), the new site caters
to an external market audience and is anchored by the Here
It’s Real campaign that will be used in all external marketing
efforts.
Click on the PEOPLE section to see what ICR IOWA is doing to
connect with professionals who want to be recruited to ICR.
Speaking of, the ICR IOWA Talent Hub is also now live. And with
only a few weeks in, ICR is already getting people to register.
As marketing efforts gain momentum, that list continues to
grow. Any businesses that want to connect with the Talent Hub
list should stay tuned!
The ICR Talent council is working on the best ways to connect
candidates with regional employers. Feel free to share the
link to the hub with any candidates you connect with who
weren’t quite the right fit for you, but might be right for
another ICR employer.
Our member businesses consistently tell us that workforce
retention and recruitment are a major challenge, and we invite
you to add the icriowa.org link to your own website to
support your recruitment strategy!
14 OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2018

MEMBER
SPOTLIGHT
Iowa Running
Company
MEMBERSHIP
Iowa Running Company is embedded in the running
community of Cedar Rapids. Owners Jim Dwyer and Clifton
Trebil-Smith are both Iowa natives, Jim from Iowa City
and Clifton from Waverly. The two opened Iowa Running
Company in March 2017 on Third Street SE, a signature
street that connects the Downtown core with Czech
Village/New Bohemia. Jim and Clifton share more about
the history of the business and how it enriches the running
culture in Cedar Rapids.
What sparked you to open Iowa Running
Company?
Clifton: We felt there was a void we could fill around the
community aspect of running in Cedar Rapids. It was never
about selling running shoes – we wanted to bring the
running community together.
Jim: My parents are runners, they dragged me to my first
5K. They opened a running store called Running Wild in
Coralville while I was in college, with the Cedar Rapids
location opening shortly after. After they retired and closed
the stores, it made sense for us to start Iowa Running
Company since there were so many supportive runners
here. With the changing landscape of retail and to beat the
Amazon presence, we specifically chose to be a vibrant area
that was close to trails.
What makes Iowa Running Company unique?
Jim: We offer service you can’t get online or in a big box
store. Our staff is trained in video gait technology, which
analyzes customer’s running mechanisms. We have shoes
for both runners and walkers, apparel, accessories, safety
equipment like headlights and pepper spray, nutrition
items and orthotics. Customers come to us to talk shop – if
they’re training for their first 5K or a marathon, we find
ways to help them reach their goals.
It can be intimidating for someone new to running to come
into a store like ours, but we want to eliminate that fear.
We welcome people of all abilities, no matter what their
goals may be.
Do you feel that Iowa Running Company
enriches the running culture in Cedar
Rapids?
Jim: That’s certainly the goal!
Clifton: We try to think of different ways for people to get
involved. Last year we closed on Black Friday and partnered
with Goldfinch Cyclery for a free event called Outdoor
Buster, a 5K or 10K run or a 15K bike ride. There were
over 200 people that opted outside in 2017, and we’re
continuing the event this year.
Jim: Never Miss a Monday is a new program that started
this summer. It’s a group run program, but really, it’s about
people running when they can. We have a big chalkboard in
the back of the store with everyone’s names and they leave
a tally when they go for a run.
Learn more about Iowa Running Company’s products,
events and other news on their website, IowaRun.com.
ECONOMIC ALLIANCE REPORT
15

NEW
MEMBERS
City of Fairfax
300 80th Street Court, Fairfax, IA 52228 | www.cityoffairfax.org
Grand Living at Indian Creek
325 Collins Rd. SE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52403 | www.grandliving.com
His Hands Free Clinic
400 12th St. SE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52403 | www.hishandsclinic.org
Kinzler Construction
9915 Atlantic Dr. SW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52404 | www.insulation.net
Letter Perfect
412 Center Point Road NE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52402 | www.letperfect.com
Longbranch Hotel & Convention Center
90 Twixt Town Road NE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52402 | www.thelongbranch.com
NFC Cedar Rapids
1110 Old Marion Road, Ste. A, Cedar Rapids, IA 52402
www.neighborhoodfinance.org
Osgood’s Bagels
210 3rd Ave. SE, The Eatery #3, Cedar Rapids, IA 52401 | www.osgoodscr.com
Palmer Group
221 3rd Ave. SE, Ste. 100, Cedar Rapids, IA 52402 | www.thepalmergroup.com
Scottsman Properties
1663 24th St. NW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52405
The Y. For a Better Us.
150 years of improving lives
in the Cedar Rapids community.
BECOME A
MEMBER TODAY!
Receive access to all five locations in the area plus
any YMCA in the country, a large variety of free
fitness classes daily, discounts on programs, financial
assistance, free child watch and much more!
Coming up in 2018:
June 8th-10th -
Camp Wapsie Alumni Reunion
June 9th -
Camp Wapsie Centennial Celebration
August 25th -
“Cranking for 150 More” Y Bike Ride
August 27th -
Golf Classic Fundraiser
November 3rd -
YMCA 150th and Camp Wapsie 100th
Anniversary Celebration Gala
YMCA of the Cedar Rapids Metropolitan Area | www.crmetroymca.org