The EDIES ”E.D.ies” stand for Economic Development awards, and are...
Featured Updates
Heath Kellogg is named Tama County Economic Development Director
Heath Kellogg began work Monday, May 7, 2012, as the new Tama County Economic Development director. He replaces Lindi Roelofse who resigned from the position after five years of service. Kellogg was offered the job following a search and application process by the Economic Development Commission. Keith Sash, Development Commission chair, headed up the four-member search [...]
And the Tama County EDIE Award Winners are…
The EDIES ”E.D.ies” stand for Economic Development awards, and are designed to celebrate and highlight innovation. These awards feature undertakings by businesses, nonprofits, property owners, workforce, educational institutions, and governments of Tama County who implemented innovative solutions to real world problems in 2011. The Tama County Economic Development Commission recognizes these progressive movements through its EDIE Awards. Last [...]
2011 EDIES Story 24 of 24: Response to the once in a 1,000 Year Wind Storm
On July 11, 2011 around 4 am Tama County was hit by a straight-line wind that measured forces up to 130 miles per hour before meteorological towers disintegrated. Not a single human life was lost, but $100+ million in lost productivity was suffered through the loss of animals, buildings, infrastructure, crops, and other protective vegetation. [...]
2011 EDIES Story 23 of 24: Groundbreaking Utilities Partnership Still Tastes Great in Lincoln
In 1991 it was not common for small towns to also have sewer service. But the Lincoln civic leaders all changed that when it was the first town to work with Central Iowa Water Association and the city of Gladbrook to make this a reality of its citizens. Now 20 years later these types of [...]
2011 EDIES Story 22 of 24: Many Hands Make Emergency Generator Work in Garwin
What can a community achieve if you bring together a teacher, a librarian, an electrician, a councilman, a retired businessman to make a community a better place? Alone each of these talents can do great things, but combine their talents and skills and you get a low cost generator solution at the Garwin Community Center [...]
2011 EDIES Story 21 of 24: Meskwaki Inc. Takes Economic Diversification to the Next Level
Diversification of income streams is the premise behind the formation of Meskwaki Inc., a for-profit corporation created to help tribal members startup businesses, corporations leverage 8a partnerships, and other profit generating enterprises to create jobs. In 2011 the founding board convened, legally separated operations from tribal government and hired a headhunter to recruit a serial entrepreneur to [...]
2011 EDIES Story 20 of 24: Community College Launches Green Tech Certification Program in Traer, Iowa
In response to the increase for needs in green technology, Hawkeye Community College custom designed a two year green technician certification program integrating various aspects of green technology including wind energy, solar energy, HVAC and geothermal to name a few. The brand new program was approved in the spring of 2011, and then implemented with [...]
2011 EDIES Story 19 of 24: Small Rural School District’s Robotics Program Takes Flight
Engineering and creative problem solving are the building blocks of any product design or manufacturing process. These skills need to be fostered in our youth as early as possible in order for them to engage their college and workforce environments with considerable experience already achieved. The “Steel of the Knights” Union District Robotics program provides [...]
2011 EDIES Story 18 of 24: Tama County Puts a Priority on Celebrating its Diverse Cultures
Tama County is one of the most culturally diverse communities in the State of Iowa. 2010 Census data suggests that this diversity is getting even stronger. One of the challenges and opportunities a community like this faces is different cultures learning and respecting differences while celebrating and welcoming others on the common ground in which [...]
2011 EDIES Story 17 of 24: Taking Care of the Heart of Vining, Tama County’s Smallest Town
The smallest community in Tama County calls itself a family. Often to follow that up with a poverty joke on how the city’s income to manage city affairs is below that of the average American household. But it is a community with heart and a sense of humor. In 2011 they had a special “heart” [...]
