Council Bluffs makes Wi-Fi available throughout community By Lisa Rossi Council Bluffs is becoming known for its public-private partnerships, one of which has resulted in free Wi-Fi throughout the city and another that’s fueling development in its urban core. The following is an edited and condensed conversation with Council Bluffs Mayor Matt Walsh. I heard […]
By Joe Fisher Supporting veterans and the families of veterans is about more than lip service. That is what Bernie Stone emphasizes when he passionately discusses efforts to truly help those who have served. Stone is a U.S. Army veteran and a volunteer ambassador for Bunker Labs, a nonprofit organization that helps veterans and their […]
How businesses, communities and day care centers are innovating together to address state’s child care crisis By Emily Kestel Addressing the child care crisis in the state is a bit like a high-stakes puzzle. The objective is simple: Have an equal ratio of child care slots and kids who need care. But there are countless […]
Q&A with Tracy Jon Sargeant By Lisa Rossi It wasn’t until Tracy Jon Sargeant’s junior or senior year in high school in the small town of Black Creek, Wis., that he first had access to a computer. “There were socioeconomic barriers that contributed to me growing up in a household without access to technology,” he […]
By Hailey Ann For the last two years, ReShonda Young has been in the process of opening the first Black-owned bank in Iowa. Young had opened her own businesses before — she founded and franchised the successful gourmet popcorn chain Popcorn Heaven in 2014 and ran her biological father’s business for nine years — but […]
Submitted by by Britton Langdon and Scott Hoekman In 2022, Cedar Rapids-based construction technology and software startup Msuite announced its sale to the world’s largest tool company, Stanley Black & Decker. The following is a great case study of how Msuite’s relationships and strategic development led to an excellent outcome. Preparing an exit strategy For […]
Using greater collaboration to meet customers’ changing needs By Michael Crumb Wellabe, formerly American Enterprise Group, has been on a journey to become a more agile organization to create an environment where its leadership and employees can be more collaborative to achieve better results for its customers. The insurance company started its journey towards becoming […]
By Michael Crumb Starting out as a crop insurance company in 2016, Growers Edge has evolved into a company that offers warrantied crop performance products and an agriculture input financing program. The goal, leaders of the Johnston-based company said, is to help retailers and input manufacturers, and the farmers they already serve. “Those ag experts […]
Submitted by Todd Van Thomme Here’s a simple formula: Patents equal innovation. Except it’s not that simple. The number of patents often does not accurately represent the level of innovation, and innovation certainly occurs without patenting. Although the number of patents filed is a convenient way to quantify innovation, especially for stakeholders, to truly understand […]
How Iowa will use Disability Innovation Fund Grant Submitted by Brandy McOmber Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services was awarded a Disability Innovation Fund Grant to support innovative activities aimed at improving the outcomes of individuals with disabilities. Nearly $14 million, awarded by the U.S. Department of Education, will be used over five years to advance and […]