Mill Creek Machining Recognized at Northwest Iowa Development Partner Meeting

Mill Creek Machining of Paullina was recognized at the 7^th Annual Northwest Iowa Development (NWID) Partner Meeting at Northwest Iowa Community College in Sheldon on September 20.

More than 120 community and regional leaders from the six-county NWID region representing economic development, business, city councils and boards of supervisors and others with an interest in growing the region attended the meeting, held in the Lifelong Learning and Recreation Center at NCC.

“The Northwest Iowa Development identity is that of a regional community of partners sharing a strategy that will benefit all within the region,” NWID Chairman Glenn Anderson said during the presentation. “We work together because we realize it will enable us to accomplish far more than we could if we were to act individually.”

Anderson focused on the four strategic areas of the 2017 Northwest Iowa Development plan. The for areas are supporting existing business and entrepreneurial growth through workforce development, advocating policies supporting economic growth, developing research and data to support local economic development efforts and marketing our region through targeted promotions.

Iowa Congressman Steve King and Scott Siepker, the Iowa Nice Guy, were featured speakers at the event.

Receiving the Kirk Grau Business or Organization Innovation Award were businesses from Paullina and Cherokee. Owner Justin Stamer of Mill Creek Machining in Paullina has grown his company from operating in a car wash building in 2001 to an innovative business with 30 employees. Similarly, Diane Young, owner of Foundation Analytical Laboratories of Cherokee was recognized for her entrepreneurship starting the company in 2008 and growing her successful company with 18 employees and more than 800 clients.

Rock Rapids Development Corporation (RRDC) was recognized by Northwest Iowa Development with the Beyond Expectations Economic Development Support award for outstanding efforts to increase housing and maintaining population following the devastating flood of 2014. RRDC was a key player in a community effort. RRDC and the city are in the final stages of work with FEMA following the flood. Also being recognized for economic development support was Kelly McCarty, Iowa Small Business Development Center in Spencer, who has served four of the six counties for the past 15 years.

Finally, two past NWID Board Members were recognized for their years of service to the organization with Awards of Appreciation. Mark Buschkamp, long time Cherokee NWID Board member and Frank DeMilia, long-time Northwest Iowa Community College representative on the Board were recognized.

“The annual Partners Meeting is our way to show appreciation for the economic development efforts and contributions our partners and stakeholders make to grow northwest Iowa and our counties and cities,” Board Member Steve Simons explained following the Partner Meeting.

Northwest Iowa Development is a regional economic development marketing organization focused on growing businesses and communities in northwest Iowa. It includes the counties of Lyon, Sioux, Cherokee, O’Brien, Plymouth and Osceola. For more information, visit www.northwestiowa.com or contact your local economic development organization.