This is a periodic newsletter for customers, partners, friends and staff of the Iowa Department of Economic Development. It contains brief news items and links for gathering more information. If you do not wish to receive this newsletter please refer to the "unsubscribe" information at the end of the newsletter, or reply to this email with "unsubscribe" in the subject line. Please also reply with any comments or suggestions. We look forward to hearing from you.

IDED Quick News

The news report for customers, partners and friends of the

Iowa Department of Economic Development.

September 30, 2003

Contents:

Economic Development Top Stories

Business Development News

  • European Recruiting Mission
  • CoreNet Global Iowa Dinner
  • National Food Policy Workshop In Des Moines
  • A Taste of Iowa® Attends SYSCO Event
  • IDED Hosts In-state Executives
  • ETAP Assistance
  • Business License Info Center Annual Update in Progress
  • Iowa Waste Exchange Saves Businesses $2.5 Million

Community Development News

  • Downtown Summit Held
  • Small Business Development Seminars Being Held
  • Consultants Continue Main Street Visits
  • Main Street Application Workshop Planned
  • Housing Fund Applications On-Line
  • Iowa’s Travel Guide Best In U.S. Again
  • State Fair Tourism Building Update
  • American Bus Association Notes Two Iowa Events
  • Tourism Conference Scheduled for October 20-22
  • Film Scouts in Iowa
  • Films Shot in Iowa
  • AmeriCorps Programs Funded
  • ICVS Commissioners Reappointed
  • Iowa Community Betterment Awards to be Local Events

Calendar of Events

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Economic Development Top Stories

The Iowa Values Board is seeking public comment on proposed rules awarding funds to stimulate economic growth. Businesses, communities, groups, and citizens are invited to a hearing in Des Moines, Oct. 8, to give input on the proposed rules. The hearing will be the final one in a series held throughout Iowa in September and October. The Iowa Values Fund legislation, signed into law by Governor Tom Vilsack this year, creates a $503 million economic development initiative with the purpose of expanding and stimulating the Iowa economy, increasing the wealth of Iowans, and increasing the population of the state. Holmes Foster, the chairperson of the Iowa Values Fund Board, said, "We want to give everyone and every group who is interested in the way this fund will operate a chance to comment and advise us on the proposed rules. The process that we are pursuing provides every opportunity for that feedback." Interested persons can review the proposed rules and sign-up to receive email notices about the Iowa Values Fund at the following Web site: www.iowasmartidea.com. Copies of the proposed rules may also be obtained by phoning 515.242.4882 4882 or 515.242.4862.

The fourth annual Iowa Venture Capital Conference takes place on Tuesday, October 7 at the Polk County Convention Complex. The Iowa Department of Economic Development (IDED), the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Centers, and Equity Dynamics sponsor the Conference. Highlights include a keynote address by Iowa native Jerre Stead, retired Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ingram Micro Inc., the world's largest distributor of technology products and services. Governor Tom Vilsack will share his vision for fostering an entrepreneurial climate in Iowa. As part of the Venture Network of Iowa Forum, top entrepreneurs will present their unique business ventures to conference attendees and potential investors. The morning session will feature a panel discussion on the Iowa Capital Investment Corporation (ICIC). Afternoon highlights include breakout sessions focusing on deal structure, valuation and exit strategies, and legal issues.

IDED is accepting proposals for the Brownfield Redevelopment Fund. Proposals must be submitted by Friday, October 17, 2003. The Iowa General Assembly appropriated $500,000 in funding for fiscal year 2004 to provide financial assistance for the acquisition, remediation and redevelopment of qualified brownfield sites. Financial assistance may be awarded in the form of a grant, forgivable loan, conventional loan or some combination thereof. Applications for funding are presented to the IDED Board after being recommended by the Brownfield Redevelopment Advisory Council comprised of representatives from the IDED Board, Iowa League of Cities, IDED, Iowa Department of Transportation, and Iowa Department of Natural Resources. To request a copy of the funding application and the Program’s administrative rules, contact Mary Klemesrud, program manager at 515.242.4808. Information may also be found at www.iowasmart.com.

Five Biotechnology companies will be participating in the jointly sponsored, IDED/Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) BioMission to Osaka Japan, October 18 - 25. Included in the mission itinerary will be participation in the Bio 2003 Osaka trade show, business meetings and tours of the Kansai region's biotechnology universities and research facilities. Participating companies are AATI, New Link Genetics, Pharmacom, ViraQuest and IDT. The IDED will host a pre-mission briefing for the companies on October 9. Most of the participating companies are new the Japanese marketplace.

The IDED and the newly created Economic Development Marketing Board (EDMB) has issued a request for proposals (RFP) from advertising and public relations agencies to handle various marketing responsibilities for the Business Development Division and the Iowa Tourism Office. Due to mandates in the Iowa Values Fund, this RFP replaces the one issued earlier this year. To be considered, proposals must be received by Oct. 22, 2003. Electronic copies of the RFP are available at www.iowasmartidea.com.

Business Development News

A team of Iowans will be visiting Europe to conduct business recruitment meetings and visiting with European corporate headquarters with Iowa locations October 8-17. The team will consist of IDED staff and representatives from the Quad Cities, Technology Corridor and Mid American Energy. The group will be attending the ANUGA tradeshow, the largest food processing and food equipment manufacturers show in Europe.

A CoreNet Global Iowa Dinner will be held on October 14 in Atlanta, Georgia. IDED staff will host an invitation only dinner for corporate realtors involved in site selection. Iowa developers and IDED staff will also make prospecting calls on various companies in the Atlanta area.

The National Workshop for state and local food policy councils was held in conjunction with the annual Iowa Food Policy Conference at Drake University in Des Moines recently. A Taste of Iowa® sponsored an Iowa reception and A Taste of Iowa® staff member Gail Kotval was a member of the panel discussing Institutional Purchasing.

A Taste of Iowa® staff attended the SYSCO Iowa distributor show on September 15-16 in the Varied Industries Building at the State Fair grounds. SYSCO provided a free booth space to one A Taste of Iowa® company to exhibit and be considered for placement in their warehouse.

IDED staff hosted in-state company executives at the 12th annual John Deere Classic Golf Event on the weekend of September 11-13 in the Quad Cities. The industry appreciation event is aimed at Iowa businesses that are continuing to invest and expand in Iowa. Decision makers from 45 businesses were part of a total attendance of approximately 120 people. Some of the businesses represented included: Firestone Agricultural Tires; H.J. Heinz North American; HON Company; Monsanto; Sentry Insurance; Rockwell Collins; and Trans Ova Genetics. Sponsors this year were MidAmerican Energy; the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Technology Corridor; Davenport One; Greater Des Moines Partnership; Greater Dubuque Development Corporation; Grow Greater Burlington and the Quad City Development Group.

The Export Trade Assistance Program (ETAP) is an export expansion program of the International Office of the Iowa Department of Economic Development which provides up to $4,000 in assistance to Iowa companies participating in international trade shows or trade missions. The ETAP program assisted the following companies in August: Stellar Industries Inc., Garner and Warren Perf Pkg., Council Bluffs, trade shows in Mexico; Construction Products Inc., Des Moines, a trade show in Malaysia; Med-Tec, Inc., Orange City, marketing in Australia and Switzerland; and Paragon Intl., Nevada, marketing in Italy.

The Business License Information Center (BLIC) is conducting its annual license and permit update process with 15 state agencies. The purpose for the update is to insure the entrepreneurs, small businesses and expanding business seeking regulatory requirements have access to current and up-to-date information when it comes to their permitting process.

The Iowa Waste Exchange completed FY 2003 with bottom line dollar savings for Iowa businesses. The Waste Exchange assisted over 2,500 Iowa companies with diverting over 71,000 tons of manufacturing byproducts. Instead of being disposed in Iowa landfills, these byproducts sent to another business that had a use for them. As a result, businesses saved over $2.5 million - costs that businesses would have incurred to dispose of the materials in a landfill.

Community Development

The 17th annual Iowa Downtown Summit was held August 26-27 in Grinnell. Approximately 200 people from 75 Iowa communities and Brookings, SD attended all or part of the conference. The focus of the conference this year was downtown business development. For more information, contact Thom Guzman at 515.242.4733.

The third in a series of six small business development workshops was held during the downtown summit. These workshops continue bi-monthly through March, 2004. Attendance is averaging 90 with the vast majority of attendees purchasing the entire series. For more information, contact Thom Guzman at 515.242.4733.

Consultants Johnson & Segel are continuing with on-site technical assistance visits to Main Street Iowa communities. Visits include one-on-one business consultations and group training workshops on "How to Make Money in Small Business Today". These visits continue through October. A total of 26 Main Street Iowa communities signed up to take advantage of this HUD grant funded service. For more information, contact Thom Guzman at 515.242.4733.

The next application workshop for new Main Street communities is scheduled for October 23, 2003 in Story City. Applications will be due in February with announcement of new Main Street communities scheduled for March. For more information, contact Thom Guzman at 515.242.4733.

Housing Fund applications are due December 10, 2003. Tentative award date is March 3, 2004 with our Recipient Workshop tentatively scheduled for March 25, 2004. For the first time, applications and workshop materials are available from the Community Development Web Site, www.community.state.ia.us or by request. Applications for both major Federal programs (CDBG/infrastructure and Housing Fund) are now being distributed electronically, saving the expense of mailing, printing, transporting and storing the documents. For more information, contact Terry Vestal at 515.242.4850.

Iowa won the award for the best Travel Guide at the annual meeting of all state tourism offices recently held in North Carolina. This is the third time in four years that Iowa has received the award for the nation's best travel marketing piece.

Thousands of visitors stopped in the Iowa Tourism Building during the Iowa State Fair in August. The Tourism Office partnered with Maytag to give away a Neptune washer/dryer. The winner was Velma Reese of Madrid, Iowa. All booths in the Tourism Building are judged and Marion County won the blue ribbon for the best booth display. Next year is the 150th anniversary of the Iowa State Fair which will be held August 12-22, 2004.

The American Bus Association (ABA) has selected two events from Iowa to be among the top 100 events in North America for 2004. They include the Grand Excursion 2004 along the Mississippi River from the Quad Cities to St. Paul and the Tulip Time Festival in Pella.

The annual Iowa Tourism Conference will be held in Des Moines on October 20-22. Over 400 people are expected to attend the educational sessions. The annual awards for tourism communities, attractions and events will be a highlight of the conference. For more information, contact Nancy Landess at 515.242.4702.

Scouts for a potential $7-9 million film were in Iowa in late August to look at possible locations for the film. If financing is secured, the filming will take place next summer. Another location manager was in Iowa in August scouting areas for a possible Dreamworks movie.

Matt Farnsworth was back in Iowa in August to shoot additional footage for the movie "Iowa". He hired all local crew for the additional filming. A movie called "Vamoose" was filmed in the Des Moines area in late August. For more information, contact Nancy Landess at 515.242.4702.

AmeriCorps programs funded for the 2003-2004 program year were:
Competitive programs:
Keepers of the Land, statewide, $396,640 federal funds;
REACH, statewide, $135,392 federal funds; Governor's AmeriCorps Afterschool Initiative, statewide, $208,400 federal funds. Formula programs: Project UNITE, Storm Lake, $27,012 federal funds; United Neighbor's AmeriCorps, Davenport, $112,000 federal funds; Youth Connections, Iowa City, $38,400 federal funds; Partners in Learning, Dubuque, $130,000 federal funds. Pending Competitive funding decision: American Red Cross Central Iowa Chapter, statewide, $155,000.

Two Iowa Commission on volunteer Services (ICVS) commissioners have been reappointed for another term. They are John McDonough, Linn County, retired from Rockwell Collins and Martha Fung, a student at Drake University.

In 2004, Iowa Community Betterment awards for 2003 projects will be presented at local events. For more information, visit http://www.volunteeriowa.org or contact Tina Dunphy at 515.242.4567.

 

Calendar of Events

For up-to-date IDED Calendar of Events listings Click Here:

http://asp.iowasmartidea.com/idedsrchcal.asp?sm=1&allided=1

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