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TUESDAY, JAN. 16, 2018 | IN THIS ISSUE
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Steve Dust
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Steve Dust, CEO of the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber (GCVAC) in Waterloo, announced today he will leave the organization he helped bring together 14 years ago when he was recruited to the executive role of the newly formed economic development entity.
"I'm not retiring, I'm transitioning out of my role as CEO," Mr. Dust said in a release. "After thoughtful consideration, I've come to realize that the skills needed to unify, build and develop the Alliance & Chamber over the last 14 years are very different than the skills needed to move the Alliance & Chamber to the next level."
Mr. Dust said he notified GCVAC's executive committee of his decision last November and that they worked together on a transition plan which may run through June 30, 2018. During the interim period, he will assist the executive committee with the search for his replacement, while continuing to manage day-to-day operations and conduct fundraising calls for the Alliance & Chamber's ongoing campaign. He said he and his wife hope to stay in the Cedar Valley.
"I'm so very proud of the Cedar Valley and what we've built together, starting with merging the Cedar Falls and Waterloo chambers together, and then merging the chambers into the Alliance," Mr. Dust said. "The Cedar Valley is now a recognized leader in regional collaboration and impactful economic development. And, the Cedar Valley is now known for its innovation and technology-based strategies, talent recruitment and retainment initiatives, and as the center of manufacturing in Iowa."
Mr. Dust also created the
Gigabit Valley concept, emphasizing that broadband is the infrastructure of the future. In 2015, President Barack Obama visited the Cedar Valley to applaud its broadband leadership.
"It was a very proud day when President Obama came to the Cedar Valley to recognize CFU and the city of Cedar Falls as Iowa's first gigabit city, and a leading broadband city in the U.S.," he said. "From gaming companies to the many IT firms that make up our economic base, we're truly a region focused on innovation and technology."
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Dr. J. Brooks Jackson, vice president of medical affairs and dean of the University of Iowa's Carver College of Medicine, will keynote the Corridor Business Journal's Health Care Summit, to be held from 7:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Feb. 9 at the Cedar Rapids Marriott.
Dr. Jackson leads UI Health Care, which is comprised of the Carver College of Medicine, UI Hospitals and Clinics and UI Physicians. Prior to this role, he served as vice president for health sciences and dean of the medical school at the University of Minnesota, where he was responsible for leading the university's academic health center.
Following Dr. Jackson's keynote, state and national experts will address the topics of mental and physical wellness, health insurance developments and the economic impact of health care. Speakers will include:
- Dr. Karen Lloyd, senior director of behavioral health and resilience at HealthPartners UnityPoint Health, who will share insights into the effect of healthy thinking and resilience on relationships.
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Scott Fisher, president of McCrossen Consulting, who will deliver a presentation on the benefits of compliance in the Trump era. Mr. Fisher will also lead a "Trends in Premium Rates and Plan Design" panel discussion. Panelists will include Josh Budke of TrueNorth Companies, Sean McTaggart of Wellmark, Jen Musick of Health Solutions and Jeff Russell of Delta Dental of Iowa.
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Jessica Peckover, jail alternatives administrator of Johnson County Sheriff's Office, who will present on the county's new Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training program. The program aims to provide officers with community resources as a possible alternative to incarceration.
The program will conclude with a luncheon keynote by Iowa Insurance Commissioner Doug Ommen who will share his insight on Iowa's insurance challenges as we enter 2018.
Tickets are $50 per individual and $450 per table of 10. Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are available. For more information or to register, visit
www.corridorbusiness.com/events/ or contact Ashley Levitt at
[email protected] or (319) 665-6397, ext. 311.
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 CR
Community Foundation awards $1.7M in grants
The Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation's board of directors has approved
$1.7 million in grants to 172 nonprofit organizations, the organization announced this week.
The awards include competitive grants from the Community Foundation's Funds for the Community and distributions from donor-advised, designated, scholarship and agency funds.
The Community Foundation says it "brings together private philanthropy with impactful nonprofits to support a healthy and vibrant Linn County." In 2017, the Community Foundation distributed more than $9 million in grant funding.
The Community Foundation's Funds for the Community includes gifts from donors who have entrusted the foundation to make grants that address changing community needs and opportunities. The funds support efforts related to innovation, maintaining success and building capacity through a competitive grant-making process.
During this grant cycle, the Community Foundation received more than $1.1 million in requests for competitive grants from the Funds for the Community. It funded $680,119, or 60 percent of the requested amount.
A complete list of the nonprofits that received competitive grant awards and more information, including the project, purpose and amount of funding, can be found at the Community Foundation
website.
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Uptown Marion will hold its first-ever District Debut event Jan. 25 as part of an initiative to preview new businesses and shows in the business district.
The event is intended to allow attendees to be the first to experience new food and entertainment while raising money for the revitalization and beautification of the Uptown District.
The event, set for Jan. 25 from 6-10 p.m., will kick off with hors d'oeuvres and entertainment at The Famous Mockingbird, 1064 Seventh Ave., before a private preview showing of "Significant Other" at 7:30 p.m. at the Giving Tree Theater.
During the intermission, more than $800 in Valentine's Day-themed prizes from Uptown businesses will be given out from local businesses.
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Seminar outlines impact of tax reform on global business
An upcoming tax session hosted Feb. 8 by the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance will explore implications of the recently passed tax reform bill for companies doing business globally.
"2017 Tax Reform Legislation For Global Businesses," presented by the Economic Alliance, International Traders of Iowa and CliftonLarsonAllen, will be led by Jim Loizeaux, managing director of global tax services at CliftonLarsonAllen.
Mr. Loizeaux, with 25 years of public accounting and industry experience in international tax, is a national leader on exports, focusing on complex structures, commission calculations and planning. His expertise includes foreign tax credit planning, structuring foreign operations, foreign tax credit planning, international assignees and exports.
This sessionwill answer questions about international taxes and how President Donald Trump's tax reform law may impact international dealings.
The session,
to be held at 2 p.m. at 501 First St. SE in Cedar Rapids, is free, but advance registration is required. Register online before 5 p.m. on Feb. 6 at
www.cedarrapids.org.
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Short-Term Event Planner
Jan. 16
Iowa City Roundtable, by Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce, noon-1 p.m., Big Grove Brewery & Taproom, 1225 S. Gilbert, Iowa City. Roundtables are social lunches over the noon hour. All are invited to network and keep up-to-date with chamber and community events. Free for members. Call the chamber at (319) 337-9637 if interested and not a member.
Getting on the Same Page: Accountability Conversations, by ICAD Group and Kirkwood Community College, 2-4 p.m., MERGE, 136 S. Dubuque St., Iowa City. This workshop will discuss how every employee can bring an "owner's mentality" to their job, and how it can improve working relationships and customer satisfaction. Cost: $25. To register, call (319) 398-1022 or visit
kirkwood.edu/ce.
Jan. 17
Department of Defense SBIR Workshop, by Iowa Innovation Corporation and ISU's CIRAS, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Foundry Lab at NewBoCo, 415 12th Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids. This half-day workshop will focus on learning how to win DOD SBIR contracts to develop innovative technologies. This event coincides with the Feb. 7 DOD solicitation deadline. Lunch included. Free. For more information or to register, visit
bit.ly/2lBAZg4 or call (515) 421-4038.
1 Million Cups, by 1 Million Cups, 9-10 a.m., MERGE, 136 S. Dubuque St., Iowa City. Join for community connections, startup pitches and free coffee. Free. For more information, visit
facebook.com/1MCICR.
2018 Economic Forecast Luncheon, by Corridor Business Journal, 11:30 a.m-1:15 p.m., DoubleTree by Hilton, 350 First Ave. NE, Cedar Rapids. This annual event brings together business experts to discuss what's in store for the economy in 2018. Luke Chandler, chief economist of Deere & Co., will deliver the keynote, followed by a panel of regional business leaders, moderated by Hall-Perrine Foundation President Jack Evans. Cost: $55 until Jan. 10, $70 after; $550 for table of 10 until Jan. 10, $700 after. To register visit
corridorbusiness.com/events, or contact Ashley Levitt at
[email protected] or (319) 665-6397.
North Liberty Roundtable, by Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce, noon-1 p.m., Sugapeach, 650 Pacha Parkway, Ste. 1, North Liberty. Roundtables are social lunches over the noon hour. All are invited to network and keep up-to-date with chamber and community events. Free for members. Call the chamber at (319) 337-9637 if interested and not a member.
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Headlines from CBS2/FOX 28
These news items are provided by CBS2/FOX 28
A state bill aims to reinstate Iowa's death penalty, but only for people convicted of kidnapping, rape and first degree murder combined.
Senate File 335 was introduced by Republican Sen. Jerry Behn. Now two groups are working to spread the word about what reinstating the punishment would mean for the state. Living Beyond the Bars and the Iowa Justice Action Network met with people at Kenwood Park United Methodist Church in Cedar Rapids Jan. 15 to discuss the cost, procedures and the history of the death penalty. People also heard from a family who has been impacted by the death penalty. Group leaders say their goal is to be impartial but they also want people to know it is a sentence that can't be taken back. Sue Hutchins, founder of Living Beyond the Bars, and co-chair of Iowa Justice Action Network says using the death penalty is more expensive and raises major ethical questions. "The financial concerns, the possibility of innocence found later, there are a lot of things to really think through," she said. One of the sponsoring senators, Republican Sen. Jake Chapman, says the bill serves to find justice for the most heinous criminals. Read the full story
here.
A Tiffin man is facing a drunk driving charge after he drove the wrong way on Highway 218 during a snowstorm. A criminal complaint says police were called about a reckless driver heading north in the southbound lanes of Highway 218 near the Melrose Avenue exit in Iowa City around 10:45 p.m. on Sunday. Authorities say 44-year-old Justin Dietrich drove around two police cars that had their lights on while going the wrong way. Police deployed spike strips about one mile down the road to get him to stop. When officers talked to him, Mr. Dietrich smelled heavily of alcohol, showed signs of intoxication, and had an open beer container inside. A breath test revealed he had a BAC of .185, more than twice the legal limit to drive. Mr. Dietrich was charged with operating while under the influence, first offense. He was booked and released from the Johnson County Jail.
T
hese news items are provided by CBS2/FOX 28
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CBS2 Chief Meteorologist Terry Swails' Weather First Forecast
Temperatures will rise into the low teens today and winds will relax into the afternoon. Flurries will end around 10 a.m. and clouds will break up late in the day. Tonight will be cold with temperatures below zero and wind chills in the range of -10 to -20. High pressure will dominate the area but move down to the south of the state. That will turn winds out of the south for Wednesday and bump temperatures up into the 20s. Temperatures will continue to rise into the 30s Thursday and 40s Friday and into the weekend.
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