EDC partners with Chambers to create ‘vision’ for North Iowa

The North Iowa Corridor Economic Development Corporation (EDC), Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, Mason City Chamber of Commerce, and several community partners are collaborating on a “Vision North Iowa” initiative.

“Our goal is to work together toward a strategic vision of our economic future built by engaging stakeholders and the public so we are aligned around a common set of guiding principles, values, and goals,” said Chad Schreck, president and CEO of the North Iowa Corridor EDC.

Vision North Iowa is a newly formed initiative to create a multi-jurisdictional strategy for regional economic growth and prosperity. Austin and Seattle-based TIP Strategies has been engaged to guide the project.

“TIP Strategies has a long track record of developing successful strategies for regions like ours,” said Schreck.  “Their experience will help our local governments, development, and community organizations work more effectively and efficiently by providing a clear set of objectives identified by constituents.”

The first phase of the project will kick off in mid-February. The TIP consulting team will conduct multiple stakeholder interviews and roundtables, as well as online surveys, to understand the community’s economic priorities and successes. Public input will be combined with the latest data available to inform the proposed strategies.

The resulting plan will identify a diverse set of recommendations to strategically bolster entrepreneurship and innovation in the area, position North Iowa among target industry decision-makers, support future growth sectors through effective workforce development initiatives, and enhance quality of place. The initiatives will balance the need to expand and diversify the region’s

[wlm_nonmember]To read more of this article, please login or sign up for our E-Edition[/wlm_nonmember]

[wlm_ismember]

industrial and employment base with the needs and interests of existing businesses and the local workforce.

The strategies will be formulated with the goal of developing successful people, businesses, and cultural initiatives by creating new jobs and opportunities, while building upon the North Iowa region’s existing priorities, unique asset base and past successes.  The plan will be supported by an implementation strategy that will outline the tools needed to effectively execute on the recommendations.

“Our first order of business is to get out in the communities and meet with stakeholders to help TIP glean as much about our area as possible,” Schreck said. “We look forward to working with our community members to create a shared vision for North Iowa’s future.”

A dedicated website with details about the effort and how you can get involved is in development and will be released in the coming weeks. It will include surveys and progress updates as the initiative moves forward in the months ahead.

“TIP is honored to have been selected to assist in this important work,” said TIP Strategies Senior Partner Jeff Marcell. “We are excited to work closely with the North Iowa partners to design a blueprint that will ensure the North Iowa region is positioned for a bright economic future.”

[/wlm_ismember]