"William Menner will be an important advocate on behalf of rural communities throughout the state and help administer the valuable programs and services provided by the USDA that can enhance their economic success," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.

Menner is currently the Executive Director for Poweshiek Iowa Development, where he manages, raises funds and develops strategy for a county-wide non-profit economic development organization. Since 2001, he has also been an Executive Director for Grinnell Renaissance where he managed the downtown development organization that made an impact on the Central Business District.

Additionally, Menner has staffed the Grinnell Tourism Group since 2003 where he manages advertising and marketing and develops strategies for increasing local tourism. Menner also served as the Senior Program Director to the State Public Policy Group, Inc from 1998-2001 as well accumulating 14 years of public radio experience. He has dedicated many years of service to various boards and committees in Iowa that are committed to innovation and development. Menner holds a master’s degree in political science and a bachelor’s degree in journalism, both earned from Ohio State University.

Rural Development administers and manages over 40 housing, business, and community infrastructure and facility programs as laid out by Congress through a network of 6,100 employees located in 500 national, state and local offices. These programs are designed to improve the economic stability of rural communities, businesses, residents, farmers and ranchers and improve the quality of life in rural America. Rural Development has an existing portfolio of over $114 billion in loans and loan guarantees.

The USDA provides leadership on food, agriculture and natural resources and touches the life of every American. Reflecting President Obama’s commitment to expanding economic opportunities in rural America, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and the USDA are working to enhance availability of broadband, promote the development of renewable energy, to conserve, maintain and improve our natural resources and environment, and promote a sustainable, safe, sufficient and nutritious food supply.

Thomas L. Cardella & Associates Announces Expansion

Thomas L. Cardella & Associates to open fifth location in Grinnell, IA

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA, JULY 7, 2009 -– Thomas L. Cardella & Associates today announced the company will expand operations in Grinnell, bringing approximately 80 to 100 jobs and over $3.5 million of annualized payroll to the City of Grinnell.

“We’re absolutely thrilled that Thomas L. Cardella & Associates are coming to Grinnell.  This is an ideal location for the company and we are pleased that they will be able to take advantage of it.  This is a company that is growing rapidly and we’re glad to be part of that growth. We look forward to having them in the Grinnell community,” stated Grinnell Mayor Gordon Canfield.

Thomas L. Cardella, President of Thomas L. Cardella & Associates, made the following statements, “We are thrilled to be expanding our operations into the City of Grinnell. Our clients are excited to have individuals from Iowa represent their business to their customers.” Cardella continued, “The strong work ethic and core values of the Grinnell community are the main reasons that we once again chose Iowa to expand our company.”

Thomas L. Cardella & Associates will offer employment opportunities at the Grinnell contact center located at 11 11^th Avenue in Grinnell, IA and will begin hiring towards the end of the summer. The company expects to begin operations on September 1, 2009. For more information on employment at Thomas L. Cardella & Associates, please visit www.tlcassociates.com.

About Thomas L. Cardella & Associates

Founded in April of 2007, Thomas L. Cardella & Associates is ranked as one of the fastest growing contact center companies in the United States. In just over two years, Thomas L. Cardella & Associates has grown to four locations in the state of Iowa: Cedar Rapids, Coralville, Keokuk, and Marshalltown, and currently has more than 700 employees. In June of this year, Thomas L. Cardella & Associates won two prestigious Excellence Awards during the 10^th Annual IQPC Call Center Week. Thomas L. Cardella & Associates was honored with the top award in the Best in Class Call Center (Over 200 Employees). Thomas Cardella was named first runner-up for Call Center Leader of the Year award.

The company focuses on the direct marketing needs of Fortune 500 clients in the financial services, insurance, publication, technology, telecom, entertainment, utilities, and travel industries.  Thomas L. Cardella & Associates is an outsourced provider of solutions such as Inbound Customer Service, Outbound Teleservices, Email Management, Webchat, and Customer Support services. For more information about Thomas L. Cardella & Associates, please visit: www.tlcassociates.com.

Grinnell Among Top Ten ‘Coolest Small Towns’ in US

Budget Travel Magazine Tabs City as 3^rd ‘Coolest’

GRINNELL, IOWA – Budget Travel magazine has unveiled its picks for the ten ‘coolest small towns in America,’ and Grinnell was #3 on that list.

The announcement, which was made on the CBS ‘Early Show’ program, ended a months-long process that featured nominations, the selection of 22 finalists, and online voting.  More than 101,000 votes were cast and Grinnell placed third with 9,233.  Ironically, that is number is almost identical to the city’s population.

(watch the CBS segment by clicking here)

Owego, NY, and Rockland, ME, were the top two vote-getters.  Grinnell was third, out-polling the next closest community by more than 1,300 votes.

“I’ve always known that Grinnell is a cool place to live,” said Mayor Gordon Canfield.  “We have history, great culture, entertaining activities, world-class architecture and – of course – Grinnell College.  I’m thrilled that Budget Travel magazine and the online voters share that sentiment.”

Budget Travel publisher Nina Willdorf said determining ‘coolness’ is not an exact science. But she said the magazine was looking for towns with populations of less than 10,000 that have ‘good food, more art galleries than country stores, and a realization among those who moved away that they made a mistake.’

Poweshiek Iowa Development executive director Bill Menner nominated Grinnell for the designation, citing the confluence of art, culture, history, architecture and education.  He said the contest reflects well on the entire state.

“Many of the attributes of our community extend across the state,” Menner said.  ‘Towns throughout Iowa also invest in art, theatre, live music, downtown revitalization and recreation, which were the reasons for Grinnell’s place among the coolest small towns.  I suspect the national attention we’re getting will draw tourists from around the US to Iowa and people will find out what a great state this is.”

The Budget Travel website is already highlighting the ten ‘coolest’ communities. The October issue of Budget Travel magazine will feature reviews and images of Grinnell and the other towns in the top ten.

Vevay, Indiana, has picked up 2,000 votes on us in the last 24 hours and is now within 800 votes of our third place spot—and more importantly, #1 in the Midwest region.

Tell your friends and neighbors.  Vote early and often!

http://www.budgettravel.com/bt-srv/coolestsmalltowns/?wpisrc=newsletter

http://www.budgettravel.com/bt-srv/coolestsmalltowns/?wpisrc=newsletter

If you have visited the site in the last few days, you noticed that it was down.  I had been checking regularly but had not seen it come back up.

I was alerted late yesterday that the site was back up and that Grinnell had only 1 vote.  We had hundreds at the end of the day Monday.  So, the crash wiped out all of those votes.

They have also limited hours during which you can vote.  The website says you can vote between 9am and 7pm CST (though I tried last night about 6pm and could not get on).

Be persistent! And don’t be afraid to leave some comments.  Here’s an example from someone who voted and weighed in verbally:

“Grinnell, Iowa is truly the best of the best in when it comes to the coolest small town. Having been born here and then moving away as a child, I returned 6 years ago to find that this was the place to live and visit.”

Again- share this info far and wide.  The voting is by region, so we want to make sure we’re the top vote recipient in the Midwest.

Grinnell is among them! In fact, it’s the only nominee from Iowa and one of five or six in the Midwest.

Now, the site is asking people to vote for the coolest small towns in America.  You can join in the fun and add to the Grinnell vote today.

Visit http://www.budgettravel.com/bt-srv/coolestsmalltowns/

They’re picking the coolest towns by region, and the first-day vote totals featured many votes for a number of the East Coast nominees.  Grinnell

was doing well after Day One, leading the Midwestern pack.

Go to Budget Travel.com and cast your vote today!

Quinn spent time in Grinnell about four years ago, researching the relationship between Harry Hopkins and Hallie Flanagan.  Hopkins was a New Deal architect and Grinnell College alum.  Flangan was a classmate picked by Hopkins to run the National Theatre Project, which created work for actors, directors, writers and others.  An initial manuscript, "When Harry Met Hallie," evolved into the current book.

Read about it at http://paulbogan.com/2009/01/04/book-review-history-repeating/

Positive signals in the Iowa economy

State development pursues expansion plans

December 18, 2008 (Des Moines, Iowa) – Advanced manufacturing and technology companies are planning significant expansions during the next year that would create and retain 383 jobs and invest nearly $60 million in the Iowa economy. The seven projects were approved for economic stimulus programs by the Economic Development Board and the Iowa Department of Economic Development (IDED) for Allerton, Cedar Rapids, Fairfield, Grinnell, Oelwein, and Story City.

 “As we move into a new year, we are aggressively working with a broad range of companies with the potential to provide exciting career opportunities for the people of Iowa. We expect a promising future to grow from these ongoing initiatives,” said IDED Director Michael Tramontina.

Food ingredient expansions in Allerton and Grinnell

A nearly $18 million expansion is under review in the Wayne county community of Allerton by DairiConcepts, L.P. that would create 18 jobs and retain 43 jobs. The food ingredient manufacturer was awarded $350,000 from the Community Economic Betterment Account (CEBA) and tax benefits to create jobs and invest in an Enterprise Zone. DairiConcepts would produce a new dairy based product that requires plant construction and remodeling, as well as new machinery and equipment.

Pulmuone Wildwood may double the size of its Grinnell plant to expand the production of soy food products from organic soybeans, creating and retaining 42 jobs. The company would purchase another food company and relocate that production to Grinnell, making a capital investment of nearly $4 million in facilities and processing equipment. The proposal was awarded $175,000 from the Value-Added Agricultural Products and Processes Financial Assistance Program (VAAPFAP) to create 15 of the jobs and retain 3 jobs. The expansion was also approved for High Quality Jobs Creation (HQJC) tax benefits.

Energy manufacturing coming to Story City

Generation Repair and Service (GRS), a new business, has selected Story City for constructions next year of an $18 million gearbox overhaul and repair facility. GRS was awarded $115,000 from the Community Economic Betterment Account (CEBA) to create 23 jobs and $300,000 from the Physical Infrastructure Assistance Program (PIAP) for site preparation. The proposed location was also awarded tax benefits from the High Quality Jobs Creation (HQJC) program.

Oelwein competes for two manufacturers

Indiana-based Ashley Industrial Molding (AIM) may refit a vacant plant in Oelwein to produce molded composite parts and assemblies for industrial and agricultural equipment. The new Iowa operation would create 125 jobs and invest $14.6 million to convert the former Triangle plastics plant for new production. AIM was awarded $625,000 from the Community Economic Betterment Account (CEBA) and tax benefits to bring the operation to an Iowa Enterprise Zone. The company would install large compression molding presses, a state-of-the-art paint line, and associated assembly equipment to make parts and assemblies for other manufacturers.

Abraxis BioScience is considering Oelwein and cities in other states for a modern facility to process porcine and bovine materials into commercial grade pharmaceutical products. To assist Oelwein in getting the new plant, the Economic Development Board approved an investment of $400,000 from the Value-Added Agricultural Products and Processes Financial Assistance Program (VAAPFAP).  The new plant would create 47 jobs after it begins operations in the second quarter of 2009. Enterprise Zone tax benefits have also been extended to Abraxis to bring the new operation to Iowa.

Start-up technology thrives in Cedar Rapids

Over the next year Ovation Networks, Inc. of Cedar Rapids expects to roll out a new energy management product that uses wireless technology to save energy use in hotel rooms. Ovation expects to hire 63 people to aggressively deploy the new product to over 650 existing customers in 43 states that use Ovation’s hotel internet and surveillance systems. The new company was awarded $125,000 to be repaid from a royalty on sales and $25,000 in technical assistance, both awards from the Entrepreneurial Ventures Assistance (EVA) program, to create 40 of the jobs.

Renowned Fairfield firm expects uptick

Creative Edge Mastershop, Inc., the Fairfield firm that produces spectacular architectural designs for commercial building floors and walls, is expanding and upgrading its water jet cutting technologies to handle growth in national and international business. Creative Edge was awarded $75,000 from the Community Economic Betterment Account (CEBA) to create 15 jobs that are part of its expansion and will receive tax benefits from the High Quality Jobs Creation (HQJC) program.

The show, sponsored by the Grinnell Area Arts Council, is supported by Bernie Lowe & Associates and the Grinnell Best Western Pioneer Inn.

Grammy-nominee The Billy Lee Janey Band will open.

Tickets, priced at $20, will be available soon at Browns’ Shoe-Fit and McNally’s Foods in Grinnell.

For one of the many videos of Simien on YouTube, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YZRehrfNJI

But I met someone the other night who said my blog convinced him there were things to do in Grinnell and Poweshiek County.

And I felt immediately guilty — so I’m back at it.  And, I swear, I’ll write at least a couple of times a week…. even if there is nothing to say.

Today, there is good news.  The Chicago Tribune featured the Louis Sullivan-designed bank in Grinnell as one of their recommended destinations along I-80 in Iowa and Nebraska.

The link is:  http://www.chicagotribune.com/travel/chi-i-80-inside-1214_r_p_tdec14,0,6078821.story

There’s also bad news, I’m sorry to say — all related to the economic downturn.

The Apple Basket in Montezuma will be closing its doors.  The BP gas station/Brooklyn I-80 restaurant closed its doors last week.  And the Montezuma Republican and Brooklyn Chronicle are merging into one paper.

If you’re a LinkedIn user, join our Poweshiek Iowa Development Group.