The Experience a Newsletter for the Greater Burlington Partnership
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April 2012 Vol. 92 No. 4 The Experience A Newsletter for the Greater Burlington Partnership Mike Wagner Keynotes Small Business Breakfast p2 Downtown Partners Gears Up For Spring p8 - p9 View The Experience at www.greaterburlington.com Mike Wagner to Keynote 610 North 4th Street, Suite 200 Small Business Appreciation Breakfast Burlington, Iowa USA 52601 Phone: 319-752-6365 FAX: 319-752-6454 When Mike Wagner steps into the business world, he sees people working E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.greaterburlington.com inside organizations who have more insight, innovation and energy to offer Volume 92 No. 4 than they realize. That’s why he started White Rabbit Group – to unleash that potential! There’s nothing more satisfying than to see leaders and employees take their company’s performance to a new level. News Mike has extensive experience as a skilled communicator and facilitator. His marketplace focus includes the topics of leadership, personal development, Connect with Iowa Leadership creativity and organizational brand building. He has spoken to and worked Page 3 with clients ranging from small and medium-sized businesses to Fortune Alliant Energy Executive Visit 500 companies. Page 4 Region Heads to D.C. Summit On May 18, come hear Mike and take time to recognize small businesses Page 5 of Des Moines County. “Small businesses are a big driver of the Partnership Career Fairs American economy. They not only provide jobs, they also contribute Page 5 to local economic growth by doing business locally and supporting the Golden Ticket Adventure community,” said Sheila Newman, Existing Industry and Workforce Mike Wagner, CEO White Rabbit Group Page 6 Specialist. Member of the Month We encourage you to join us and honor all small businesses at the 2012 Small Business Appreciation Breakfast Page 7 at the Comfort Suites Hotel & Convention Center at 7:30 am. Small businesses receive four complimentary Downtown Gears Up breakfasts. Additional breakfasts can be purchased for $15. for Spring Page 8 - 9 To RSVP for the Small Business Appreciation Breakfast, contact Brenda Levitt by May 14 at Member Renewals [email protected] or 319-208-0047. No cancellations or refunds after May 14. Page 10 New Members Page 11 Nominate a business for the 2012 Small Business of the Year! Calendar of Events Businesses who have exemplified outstanding business achievements and community service are encouraged Page 12 to apply. All nominations will be made electronically this year. You will be emailed a link to the nomination Member Information form, or you can access it at www.greaterburlington.com. Nominations are due by Tuesday, May 1. It is Page 13 customary and perfectly acceptable to nominate your own company for the award. Upcoming Partnership Events If you have not received the link for the nomination form via email and would like a form mailed to you, Page 14 contact Brenda Levitt [email protected] or 319-208-0047. Partnership Calendar Page 15 Greater Burlington Leadership Kay Sackville Breuer Jason Hutcheson Beth Nickel Page 16 Vice President Economic Development Convention & Visitors Bureau 319-208-0041 Exec. Dir. 319-208-0043 Exec. Dir. 319-208-0045 Just A Thought [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Page 4 Steve Frevert Sherri Krause Melissa Schwenker Front Cover Photo: Downtown Partners, Inc. Finance Manager Membership Director Kay Sackville Breuer Exec. Dir. 319-208-0056 319-208-0044 319-208-0046 319-752-6365 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Shakespeare Garden [email protected] Dennis Hinkle Brenda Levitt Brenda Wischmeier President & CEO Econ. Development & Govt. Director of Marketing SUBSCRIPTIONS: Price is $24, which is 319-208-0050 Affairs Coord. 319-208-0047 319-208-0040 included in annual events fees. Non-members: [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] $3 per issue. Periodicals postage paid at Burlington, Iowa. POSTMASTER: The Experience is published monthly by the Greater Burlington Jaime Howard Sheila Newman Partnership. POSTMASTER send address changes CVB Asst. & Welcome Center Existing Industry and Workforce to The Experience (USPS 001-692), 610 North Coordinator 319-208-0052 Specialist 319-208-0048 Fourth Street, Suite 200, Burlington, Iowa 52601 [email protected] [email protected] page 2 RiverPark Place • 610 North 4th Street, Suite 200 • Burlington, Iowa 52601 • 319-752-6365 Connect With Iowa Leadership The Greater Burlington Partnership welcomes Roger Lande, Director of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, for Connect With Iowa Leadership luncheon series. The Department of Natural Resources is one of the state’s most controversial. Its operations affect farmers, park users, hunters, fishing enthusiasts and many businesses. DNR regulates pollution, hunting and fishing, livestock confinements and landfills, for example. It also runs energy efficiency and waste reduction programs. Lande has long been active in protecting and preserving Iowa’s natural resources as a hunter and fisherman. Roger was an Eagle Scout and as a youth was active in Scout and Izaak Walton league projects to protect the soil, air, woods and water. The luncheon will be April 20 from 11:30 am - 1 pm in the Winegard Board Room at the Greater Burlington Partnership. Cost to attend the luncheon is $15. RSVP to Brenda Levitt at [email protected] or 319-208-0047 by April 17. Roger Lande, Director of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources No cancellations or refunds after April 17. Southeast Iowa Regional Job Fair Supports Area Veterans Greater Burlington Partnership is proud to be one of the While Iowa’s January unemployment rate was 5.4%, our regional sponsors for the 2012 Southeast Iowa Regional Job Fair. Just unemployment rate was 7.8% and the unemployment rate among a few months ago, help wanted ads were scarce, as were job Iowa veterans is even higher. offers. However, with over 75 help wanted ads in last Sunday’s newspaper, the April job fair is perfectly timed to help area Approximately 150 members of the 832nd Engineer Battalion employers fill their growing need for more employees. Army National Guard from Mt. Pleasant and Keokuk and 85 members of the 389th Engineer Company U.S. Army Reserves The new Armed Forces Reserve Center in Middletown has from Middletown have returned in the last 7 months. The offered its facility to provide this much needed service. Armed Forces Reserve Center in Middletown is encouraging all With that generous offer, IowaWorks and all sponsors are of the soldiers in their battalions who are seeking employment proud to dedicate the first hour of this job fair to our Veterans. to come to the Southeast Iowa Regional Job Fair. This is your America has the strongest, most capable and professional opportunity to support and hire some of the most professional military in the world. Unfortunately, even though many of and dedicated employees you will find. our veterans have the training to perform a wide variety of occupations, some of them are struggling to find employment Register online at www.SEIowaRegionalJobFair.com or contact when they return from duty. Debra Fox at [email protected] or 319-753-1671 ext. 31452. Brenda Wischmeier Director of Marketing 319-208-0040 [email protected] [email protected] • www.greaterburlington.com page 3 Burlington is a wonderful community, and I look forward to working with you to make it even better.” Alliant Energy This message needs to come from every corner of Just a our community. It is hoped that leaders from West Executive Visit Burlington, surrounding communities and Des Moines County, as well as representatives from the business Members of the Executive Thought community, educational entities and citizens from every Management Team from walk of life will say in one voice, “We are glad you are here, Alliant Energy spent the day our community is poised and ready for growth, and we in Greater Burlington on want to work with you to make this the best time in the February 29. Embrace New Leadership history of Greater Burlington.” Alliant Energy was a major In the first few weeks it is critical that relationships Later this month James Ferneau will begin his duties are developed and partnerships formed that will be investor in the organization’s as the City Manager of Burlington. I want to take this foundational for the new City Manager’s tenure. An Partnering for the Future opportunity to thank the Burlington City Council for the examination of every past achievement and every current campaign and has been a excellent process that was used in identifying candidates successful venture proves that teamwork provides the strong partner on economic and selecting the new City Manager. The decision to only opportunity for significant accomplishment. Mr. use a consulting firm was a good one, the vetting process development projects. Jason Hutcheson, Executive Director Ferneau seems to possess the skills, past experiences and yielded qualified applicants and the interview process There were several goals for Economic Development personal characteristics to lead the city, and he will need was very well structured. Mayor Davidson is to be members of the community to join forces with ideas, the visit: commended Greaterfor his leadership Burlington of thePartnership process. support and enthusiasm. Mr. Ferneau has excellent credentials and impressed 1. Demonstrate the economic When people start new jobs, frequently they are granted momentum building within the Council, community panel and city staff. There what is called a honeymoon period. They are given a few is every reason for optimism as a new era in city months of understanding, kindness and even forgiveness. the community and showcase management begins. With several city department Let’s all make a contract with the new City Manager. the opportunity for future heads slated to retire in the coming months, the new Let the contract emphasize commitment to mission, development.