Tag Archives: awards

Veridian’s Angela Weekley Among Recipients of Governor’s 2013 Volunteer Awards

Waterloo, Iowa: Angela Weekley, Community Inclusion Manager for Veridian Credit Union, was among the recipients to receive a 2013 Governor’s Volunteer Award from Governor Branstad during a special recognition ceremony June 25^th in Cedar Falls.

The Governor’s Volunteer Awards program was created in 1982 as a small program only available to state government agencies. The awards now provide all Iowa nonprofit, charitable and government organizations with a way to honor volunteers with state-level recognition.

“Volunteerism is an important part of the state’s future and well-being,” said Governor Branstad. “I am honored to have the opportunity to recognize the people of our great state who continue the tradition of neighbor-helping-neighbor and work tirelessly to improve their communities.”

Weekley’s award was derived from the Individual Award category for her work mentoring in Waterloo schools for TeamMates. The goal of TeamMate’s mentoring program is to see youth graduate from high school and pursue post-secondary education

Veridian Credit Union, founded in 1934 in Waterloo, Iowa, is a not-for-profit financial cooperative owned by its members. The credit union offers a full range of consumer financial services and employs more than 560 Iowans throughout 26 branches, including 13 in the Cedar Valley. For more information, visit www.veridiancu.org or call (800) 235-3228.

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Cedar Falls Community Main Street Receives Award from Main Street Iowa

Cedar Falls Community Main Street received the award for best Image Promotion for their 25^th Anniversary Celebration at the 27^th annual Main Street Iowa Awards celebration, which was held on Friday, May 17^th at the Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center at Veteran’s Auditorium in downtown Des Moines. Melissa Barber and Cary Darrah, co-chairs of the 25^th Anniversary Celebration Committee, accepted the award on behalf of the 25^th Anniversary Planning Committee at the event, which was attended by approximately 400 individuals representing communities across the state. Competitive nominations were submitted for 105 projects; 26 were selected for awards and six received honorable mention.

Governor Terry Branstad, Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds, and Debi Durham, director of the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) presented the honors. Main Street Volunteer of the Year awards were presented to 47 individuals or couples who were selected by their community for outstanding dedication and volunteer service benefiting the local Main Street program.

“I am proud to have been part of the effort to bring the Main Street program to Iowa in 1985 as an economic development tool,” stated Governor Branstad. “It is gratifying to see the successes Iowa communities have had because of our Main Street program. As a result of the hard work of countless local leaders, Iowa’s Main Street districts in communities large and small are flourishing.”

As one of the oldest Main Street programs in the state, Community Main Street is extremely proud of our history and the success with which Cedar Falls has been blessed. For 25 years, this organization has faced challenges, built partnerships and championed economic revitalization downtown.

To celebrate their 25^th Anniversary, Community Main Street, along with a dedicated committee of volunteers, turned 2012 into an epic celebration that added three special anniversary events to an already-packed downtown schedule. The year kicked off in January with an 80’s Party on Main: Don’t Stop Believing, as a nod to the 1987 beginnings of Community Main Street. In June, a free, family-friendly outside music celebration called Getaway to Gateway was held as a thank-you to the community for ongoing support. In October, a 25^th Anniversary Gala, featuring unique auction items and live music, was held as the grand finale to the year.

None of this would have been possible without the hard work and commitment of the 25^th Anniversary Planning Committee. Community Main Street would like to thank Melissa Barber, Cary Darrah, Kim Abbas, Janelle Darst, Jodi Landau, Karen Oltman, Mike Reyhons, Julie Shimek & Jamie Wilson for their dedication and support in planning this wonderful year-long celebration that has now received state-wide recognition as the Best Image Promotion of the Main Street Iowa Program during 2012.

The Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber Assists Black Hawk Engineering, Inc. in Acquiring Expansion Funding

The Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber is proud of their role in the State of Iowa’s $137,000 incentive package award to Black Hawk Engineering, Inc. The incentive package, awarded by the Iowa Economic Development Authority, helps fund a 40,000 square foot expansion at the firm’s facility in the Cedar Falls Industrial Park. This project will create 16 new jobs and add capacity to support their work as a supplier of custom drive train components.

Alliance & Chamber staff assisted Black Hawk Engineering through the entire application process which resulted in the state approving 100% of the application request.

The Alliance & Chamber helps Cedar Valley businesses and the local economy grow through: workforce & talent initiatives, business growth services, advocacy, Cedar Valley regional marketing collaboration, and collecting and distributing business intelligence & economic performance data.

For more information on the Alliance & Chamber business services can be found at www.cedarvalleyalliance.com or by contacting, contact Britt Jungck, Director of Business Services at (319)232-1156 or email bjungck@cedarvalleyalliance.com.

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Allen Hospital has been named to the 100 Top Hospitals for 2013 by Truven Health Analytics.

Allen Hospital has been named to the 100 Top Hospitals for 2013 by Truven Health Analytics. The awards were announced February 25, 2013. Allen Hospital was named twice for overall performance and Everest Award rapid improvement.

Allen shares the special merit 2013 Everest Award designation with 17 other hospitals nationwide. The Everest Award honors hospitals that have achieved both the highest current performance and the fastest long-term improvement over five years.

Allen shares the 2013 100 Top Hospitals designation with 99 other hospitals across America. We are in the Teaching Hospital cohort of 25 hospitals. Two other Iowa hospitals are on the list: St. Luke’s in Cedar Rapids and Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids.

Allen Hospital also is a 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospital for 2013. That award was announced late last fall.

The Truven Health 100 Top 100 Hospitals study evaluates performance in 10 areas: mortality; medical complications; patient safety; average patient stay; expenses; profitability; patient satisfaction; adherence to clinical standards of care; post-discharge mortality; and readmission rates for acute myocardial infarction, heart failure and pneumonia. The study has been conducted annually since 1993.

Allen Hospital won the 100 Top Hospital award in 2005 and the 100 Top Heart Hospital award (as it was known then) in 2004. This is the first time Allen has won both awards in the same year.

Far Reach was awarded a 2013 Gold ADDY Award from the American Advertising Federation – Cedar Valley on February 21 in the category of Digital Advertising, Websites, Business to Business. The award was given for a website completed in partnership with the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance and Chamber. CedarValleyLife.com is a site developed to market the Cedar Valley region to businesses considering a move to the area. Over 250 entries competed for the awards this year. The Cedar Valley Life website is one of fifteen entries to move on to the district ADDY competition.

Visit cedarvalleylife.com here.

‘Dream Big Grow Here’ receives Mid-American EDC economic development award

‘Dream Big Grow Here’ receives MAEDC economic development award

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — The University of Northern Iowa’s Dream Big Grow Here program received first place in the Mid-America Economic Development Council’s 2012 annual Economic Development Awards’ online marketing category in the small market division.

Dream Big Grow Here was started by the UNI Regional Business Center through MyEntre.Net, Iowa’s online community for Iowa entrepreneurs and small business. The contest is a way to award grants to deserving small businesses and entrepreneurs to help them grow their businesses in Iowa. In 2012, hundreds of Iowa companies from nearly 60 different communities competed in one of 10 regional Dream Big Grow Here contests for $5,000. The regional award winners then compete for a $10,000 grand prize.

The Mid-America Economic Development Council is dedicated to enhancing economic developers’ knowledge, capabilities and opportunities through multi-state networking, education and site selector interaction. For many years, it has sponsored the annual Economic Development Awards competition to recognize and stimulate the creative use of quality marketing by economic development organizations throughout the 10-state Mid-America region in promoting their respective communities. MAEDC’s awards partner is Site Selection magazine, and all first-place winners will be highlighted in an ad in the January issue of Site Selection magazine.

For more information about MAEDC, please visit www.maedc.net.

The Greater Cedar Valley Alliance, in partnership with UNI’s Small Business Incubator and Regional Partners, hosted the 2012 and 2013 Cedar Valley Dream Big Grow Here contests. More information can be found at http://cedarvalleyalliance.com/cms/238/Cedar_Valley_Innovation_Day.

GCVAC NOW ACCCEPTING NOMINATIONS FOR ANNUAL AWARDS

The Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber announce nominations are open for a variety of business awards to be presented during the 2013 Annual Celebration on Thursday, March7^th at the 5 Sullivan Brothers Convention Center. “The Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber Annual Celebration is one of my favorite events. It gives us the opportunity to thank all our investors and members for all they do to make the Cedar Valley a great place to do business. The businesses and individuals recognized always bring inspirational stories of success. It’s the high point of the evening,” said Bob Justis, Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber.

Do you know of an individual who should be recognized for their contributions in creating a strong business climate and enhancing the quality of life in the Cedar Valley by continued service and leadership? Has a business or organization, made an outstanding contribution to the Cedar Valley and its citizens on a continued basis or with a specific project? You are encouraged to nominate them for recognition of their contributions.

“The nominees and award winners demonstrate what a successful economy we have. It’s important and fun to recognize those who are investing capital, creating jobs and really making a difference,” said Alliance & Chamber CEO Steve Dust.

Nominations are being accepted through January 18^th for the following awards:

Business of the Year Award
Harold Brock Innovation Award
Treating Capital Well Award
Fulfilling the Vision of One Award
Cedar Valley Partner Award

Descriptions of the awards and nomination forms are available at the Alliance & Chamber offices or online at

www. cedarvalleyalliance.com/programsandevents . For additional information, please contact Bette Wubbena at bwubbena@cedarvalleyalliance.com or 232-1156.

The Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber works to increase wealth and economic vitality through collaborative economic and community development throughout The Cedar Valley economic area.

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Call for Nominations and Applications Diversity & Inclusion Awards

These awards will be given for outstanding contribution by a business or organization for leadership in creating and strengthening an environment of diversity and inclusion in the workplace culture, business practices and in the community. Awards will be made in three catagories based on the size of the business or organization.

Awards to be presented at the 2013 Annual Celebration, March 7, 2013 at the Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center, Waterloo.

The application is a great score card to use in evaluating your company’s Diversity & Inclusion practices. Please contact the Bob Justis at the GCVAC if you intend to participate.

More information and application here.

http://cedarvalleyalliance.com/cms/146/Diversity_Inclusion

GREATER CEDAR VALLEY ALLIANCE & CHAMBER and the CEDAR VALLEY REGIONAL PARTNERSHIP ANNOUNCE DREAM BIG GROW HERE CEDAR VALLEY $5,000 WINNER

Cedar Valley of Iowa -The 2nd Annual Dream Big Grow Here Cedar Valley contest concluded on the evening of October 18th, 2012 with a “pitch-off” by five finalist of the online popular vote portion of the $5,000 grant contest.

The winner of the pitch-off, Lizzy Mae’s Cupcakes & Sweets – pitched by Dawn Pursell of Waverly, was chosen by a panel of business entrepreneurs and experts from the fields of law, technology, finance and entertainment. Twenty-one start-ups and small businesses participated in the popular online voting generating over 9,300 votes, from 44 states and 16 countries.

The Dream Big Grow Here Cedar Valley competition provides early stage and emerging small business an additional financial boost to accelerate the growth of their business. The contest was open to start-up and small businesses in the Cedar Valley Economic Area comprised of Butler, Bremer, Buchanan, Black Hawk, Chickasaw, Grundy, and Tama counties.

“This year we saw more businesses competing in the contest take advantage of the free business services available through the University of Northern Iowa, MyEntrenet and the Small Business Development Center” commented Steve Dust, CEO, Greater Cedar Valley Alliance and Chamber.

“This is the whole point of the contest…helping these individuals take their business idea to the next level.” added Nate Clayberg, Chair, Cedar Valley Marketing Partnership.

Both the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance and Chamber and the Cedar Valley Regional Partnership were regional sponsors of the statewide contest. Lizzy Mae’s Cupcakes & Sweets will compete March 7, 2013 for a chance to win $10,000 at the statewide pitch off sponsored by MyEntre.net during their annual conference. Pursell plans to use the prize money to expand her baking operation and open a store front in Waverly.

Other event sponsors for the Dream Big Grow Here Cedar Valley Pitch-Off event included, MyEntre.net, UNI’s Business Incubator, Point Builders and PDCM Insurance.

Other finalist included:

Computer Troubleshooters Computer Service and Sales(Cory Vieth) – Waterloo, Eat Cakes Cakery (Elizabeth Wilson)– Hudson , Watapri (Jane Zehr)– Waverly, and Recycle Rite Inc. (Brian Hoyer)- Cedar Falls.

Kate Washut of Far Reach Technologies moderated the Pitch-off. The judges panel included; Wade Arnold CEO of Banno; Darin Beck CEO of Barmuda MMC; Eric Johnson of Beecher, Field, Walker, Morris, Hoffman & Johnson, P.C.; Mark Stewart of Prime Logic Partners and Nick Evens of The Veridian Group.

Returning to the Dream Big Grow Here Cedar Valley Pitch-Off event and delivering the keynote was author Sarah Miller Caldicott, great grand niece of Thomas Edison. Caldicott’s presentation How Collaboration Drives Innovation: A Midnight Lunch with Thomas Edison, was based on a soon to be released book. Co – author of the book Innovate Like Edison, Caldicott has recently released an e-book titled Inventing the Future: What Would Thomas Edison be Doing Today.

Dust added, “Cedar Valley Innovation Day is one way to celebrate the strength and vitality of the individual entrepreneurial drive in the Cedar Valley economic area, and the improvements it brings our businesses and lives.

The contestants of Dream Big Grow Here-Cedar Valley have taken the first steps to growing the next dominant business with whatever product or service improvement they have put into the marketplace. These aren’t hobbies, or businesses that plan to remain garage-based operations. DBGH-Cedar Valley contestants are in the mold of many, many other Cedar Valley dreamers who started with a vision to help businesses and consumers to do something better – innovating. Their success at innovation has earned them a place among the best in the nation in their industries. Remember, the innovation of John Froelich and his partners in the Waterloo Gasoline Traction Engine Co. – introducing gasoline powered traction – changed agriculture around the globe. It’s that commitment to find new, better ways to produce and provide in America’s Free Enterprise system – innovation – from the Cedar Valley – that is celebrated in this event.

Cedar Valley Innovation Day is a way to inform and demonstrate why it’s critical to create a welcoming place for people to innovate. We need that brainpower – continually striving to find the next better way to do something – create – make – or deliver something – to expand our economy. Encouraging, welcoming and celebrating innovation is still another way to Be Part of Something Greater – the Cedar Valley of Iowa.”

More information about Lizzy Mae’s Cupcakes & Sweets can be found at www.facebook.com/LizzyMaes Cupcakes Sweets.

Plans are already underway for the 2013 Dream Big Grow Here Cedar Valley & Cedar Valley Innovation Day. Businesses and individuals interested in participating or sponsorships should contact the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance and Chamber at 319-232-1156.

Cedar Valley of Iowa -The 2nd Annual Dream Big Grow Here Cedar Valley contest concluded on the evening of October 18th, 2012 with a “pitch-off” by five finalist of the online popular vote portion of the $5,000 grant contest.

Grow Cedar Valley