FRIDAY, FEB. 3, 2017  |  IN THIS ISSUE 

 

Head5Rockwell Collins not fretting Trump policies 
 
Plans for border taxes to discourage offshoring of American manufacturing jobs could be a net positive for Rockwell Collins, although company CEO Kelly Ortberg told a shareholder at Thursday's annual shareholder's meeting that trade issues require sensitivity.
 
"We tend to make most of our products in the United States," Mr. Ortberg told shareholder Terry Brady of Yorkville, Illinois. He said there are "puts and takes" regarding border taxes, but it would be  a "net positive" for the company, helping protect its American-made products from rivals making products abroad.
 
Mr. Ortberg also said the new administration's push to lower military contract costs could benefit Rockwell Collins because of the company's experience applying technologies from the commercial aerospace industry to defense programs. He said commercial technologies can often be adapted to provide military solutions for less than traditional defense contracting.
 
Rockwell Collins sales were flat in fiscal 2016, although earnings per share from continuing operations rose 6 percent to $5.50 per share. The company has struggled with cutbacks in United States defense spending and a weak business jet market. Mr. Ortberg said he expects the defense market to return to growth in the low-single-digit range this year, but after years of decline, the company is pleased to see a small rebound. 
 
Mr. Ortberg acknowledged that rade policy requires sensitivity. He noted that Iran has a large order for American-made Boeing jets. He was referring to a memorandum of understanding for the Iranian state airline Iran Air to acquire 40 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, four 747-A jumbo jets, 15 Boeing 777s and 15 next-generation 777X wide-body jets. The Boeing 737 MAX has the most Rockwell Collins content of any aircraft in the company's history, Mr. Ortberg said.
Story2Harreld takes on budget cuts in Economic Alliance keynote  

University of Iowa President Bruce Harreld
University of Iowa President Bruce Harreld made his case for the value of diversity and the role of universities in economic development during his keynote address yesterday at the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance's annual meeting.
 
Mr. Harreld is serving as one of three chairs on a committee charged with developing a regional strategy, and offered some "high-level observations" the group has found in its work.
 
Among those were "how different the two ends of the Corridor are," he said, citing the range of industries located in Cedar Rapids and Iowa City. Mr. Harreld described the "uncomfortable" place the visioning committee found itself in as it searched for commonalities across the Corridor, before instead deciding to emphasize the region's diversity.
 
"Maybe in that complexity and diversity is a real asset," Mr. Harreld said. "We keep looking for things that are common, but diversity is an important part of who we are as Americans."
 
Mr. Harreld also took the opportunity to defend the University of Iowa, but also higher education in general, in the face of declining state support. The UI is facing an $8 million budget cut as part of a larger package of nearly $118 million in cuts approved by Gov. Terry Branstad on Wednesday.
 
"I think we've developed a point of view that troubles me greatly - that [higher education is] actually an expense to be minimized," Mr. Harreld said. "I'd like to posit that there might be another answer to that question, that maybe these are assets to be utilized and leveraged."
 
He called on the region's communities and higher education institutions to work together more closely to help change the mindset of education as an expense, as well as to address the persistent skill gaps encountered in the Corridor.
 
"My question for all of us, is when are we going to start investing in our future, and how are we going to do that together?" he said.
 
Read more from the Economic Alliance's annual meeting in the Feb. 13 edition of the Corridor Business Journal.
 
 
In this week's CBJ Report on CBS2/FOX 28, Reporter Chase Castle discusses Rockwell Collin's latest shareholder meeting, early plans for a new development along the strip in southeast Coralville, and 1 Million Cups' focus on female entrepreneurs in the month of February. To view the full report, click here

Overall well-being in the U.S. reached a record high in 2016, according to the latest annual Gallup-Healthways  State Well-Being Rankings released Wednesday. Iowa's ranking among the states is now 19th for well-being, compared with 14th in the prior year's report, reports the  Des Moines Business Record.

Nationwide, 2016 ushered in historically low smoking rates and high rates of exercise, as well as the highest scores recorded to date for several health care-access metrics, including health insurance coverage.

At the same time, chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes and depression are now at their highest points since 2008.

The report measures how each state leads and lags across five elements of well-being.

The five elements and how Iowa ranked among the states in each measure:
  • Purpose: liking what you do each day and being motivated to achieve your goals (No. 22).
  • Social: having supportive relationships and love in your life (No. 42).
  • Financial: managing your economic life to reduce stress and increase security (No. 5).
  • Community: liking where you live, feeling safe and having pride in your community (No. 12).
  • Physical: having good health and enough energy to get things done daily (No. 35).
Based on those factors, Iowa's overall well-being score was 62.6, giving it a ranking of 19th-best among the states. By comparison, the highest-ranked state, Hawaii, had a score of 65.2, which was the highest score of any state in the last three years. Hawaii also led the nation in financial, community and physical well-being measures. At the bottom of the rankings was West Virginia, with a 58.9 ranking.

Iowa has used the report as a yardstick for its progress in tracking how well it's doing in its goal to become the healthiest state in the nation through the Healthiest State Iowa initiative that began in 2011. That initiative was revamped in November with the Healthy Hometown program to encourage development of sustainable health improvements on a community-by-community basis.

Interested communities can submit a Healthy Hometown Statement of Interest available at the  Healthiest State Initiative website.
 
Brad Hart
PHOTO /  BRADLEY & RILEY PC
Brad Hart, an attorney at Bradley & Riley PC, declared his candidacy for mayor of Cedar Rapids yesterday.

"I'm running because I want to serve and help lead this community I've come to love so much," Mr. Hart stated in a press release. "Our momentum is making Cedar Rapids a more exciting, welcoming and dynamic community than ever before, and that momentum-that can-do spirit-must continue."

Incumbent Mayor Ron Corbett has announced that he will not seek another term, and veteran city council member Kris Gulick has already declared his candidacy mayor.

Mr. Hart said that he'll focus on Cedar Rapids' long-term flood protection plan, its funding and its implementation. He said economic development, public safety and affordable housing are high on his agenda.

The Cedar Rapids mayoral race will appear on the Nov. 7, 2017 election ballot.
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EventHeadlinesShort-Term Event Planner

Feb. 6
Coralville Roundtable - China House, by the Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce, noon-1 p.m., China House (Hunan), 118 Second St., Coralville. Roundtables are social lunches over the noon hour. All are invited to network, keep up to date with chamber and community events and frequent a member restaurant or business. For more information, call the chamber at (319) 337-9637.
 
Feb. 7
TechBrew AM, by the Technology Association of Iowa and the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance, 7:30-9 a.m., Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance, 501 First St. SE, Cedar Rapids. This morning event for entrepreneurs, technologists and business people will feature Bruce Lehrman, CEO of Involta, as the featured executive. Free. For more information and to register, visit bit.ly/2j5HJ6Q.
 
Old Capitol Toastmasters - Open House, by the Old Capitol Toastmasters, 5:45-6:45 p.m., Masonic Lodge Basement, 312 E. College St., Iowa City. Learn about the Toastmaster organization by observing and participating in their 65th anniversary celebration. Free, no registration required. For more information, visit bit.ly/2k04OY3.
Headlines from CBS2/FOX 28
These news items are provided by CBS2/FOX 28  
 
The Department of Labor says the fastest growing profession for 2017 is Wind Energy Technician, and Kirkwood Community College Instructor Tim Arnold says the demand reflected in his Energy Production and Distribution classes, where enrollment has doubled in the last year. Kirkwood has its own wind turbine spinning giant blades right on campus, capable of generating enough electricity to power between 700 and 900 homes. In addition, there's an indoor lab with full sized mock ups of all the inner-workings of a wind turbine. Mr. Arnold says demand for high quality employees is so strong that utilities are making recruiting trips to Kirkwood to talk to students, including one later this month with 20 jobs to fill. The Department of Labor says starting wages for wind energy technicians average more than $51,000.
 
 
T hese news items are provided by CBS2/FOX 28 
CBS2 Chief Meteorologist Terry Swails'  Weather First Forecast
 
Temps will have highs in the mid-20s today with a light northwest wind. We'll see clouds move back into the forecast this evening with lows in the mid teens and rising overnight.  Temperatures will be moderate over the weekend with calm and mostly dry conditions outside of a few flurries or light snow Saturday. There will be more clouds around, but temperatures will climb into the mid- to upper-30s this weekend.