Phil Jasper

Collins Aerospace Mission Systems President Phil Jasper predicted stability but little growth in the company's Corridor workforce in some of the first public comments from local leaders since the new company was formed 10 months ago following United Technologies' $30 billion acquisition of Rockwell Collins.

"If history is an indicator in terms of what we do for Collins Aerospace, we're doing well," Mr. Jasper told members of Cedar Rapids' Downtown Rotary Club on Monday, urging calm about the company's future in the region. He said the company is expecting little employment growth, but cast that prediction in a positive light.

 

"If you can get that stability in the workforce, it's good for all of us," he said, adding that the company has added about 1,000 employees over the last few years. 

Mr. Jasper said Collins Aerospace isn't struggling due to the FAA's grounding of Boeing's 737 Max 8 aircraft, which has an abundance of Collins Aerospace equipment, and is working with Boeing to pace production to its needs.

Two of six Collins Aerospace business units are based in Cedar Rapids. Mr. Jasper leads Mission Systems, which primarily designs and manufactures military products such as radios, GPS, and training and simulation systems. Steve Timm leads Avionics, which manufactures electronics used for aircraft flight decks, cabin systems, sensors and fire suppression systems.

Across Iowa, Collins Aerospace has an annual economic impact of $3.2 billion and spends $175 million with about 600 suppliers, Mr. Jasper said. About 10,500 of the company's 70,000 employees are based in Iowa, Mr. Jasper said, including 9,000 located in the Corridor.

 

The program, called CR City Tour, will show students the entertainment venues, public art, restaurant scene and more available in the city. They will also view a variety of core district housing options, recreational attractions and hear from other young professionals about their experiences in Cedar Rapids. 

The inaugural tour will take place from noon-5 p.m. on Oct. 9. Participants will meet at noon at the downtown Cedar Rapids Public Library, 450 Fifth Ave. SE. A bus will leave the library at 1 p.m. 

"The Economic Alliance is dedicated to helping the Cedar Rapids community and our region address workforce needs," said Jordan Atwater, leadership and business programs specialist with the Economic Alliance, in a news release. "The CR City Tour is just one new opportunity we've developed to reach this important demographic of future workforce. We plan to welcome these future graduates and make it clear we want them to consider living here in Cedar Rapids."

For more information or to to sign up, click here. Limited spots are available.

Ellis Harbor tenants tell CBS2/FOX 28 their sidewalks are a safety issue that's been getting worse for years. On Monday night, Ellis Harbor tenants and city leaders held a meeting at the Cedar Rapids Public Works building to talk about ways to solve the problem. Ellis Harbor tenant Samantha Slaybaugh bought her houseboat in 2010. At the time, she says, the sidewalks were just beginning to collapse. "Since then nothing has been done with them. They've gotten to the point where now they're just really unsafe, as you can tell there's one behind us that's been collapsed for five years," said Ms. Slaybaugh. Multiple people who rent at Ellis Harbor have taken to social media to bring light to the issue. Ms. Slaybaugh and others are concerned for the safety of people who visit the area. Read the full story here.