Winn-Worth Betco News

As the holiday season approaches, communities across Iowa are gearing up for Small Business Saturday on the last Saturday of November. This annual event, nestled between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, offers shoppers an opportunity to support local businesses that bring unique products, personal service, and a special character to our...Continue Reading

Connecting Businesses with Rural OpportunitiesCommunity Venture Network (CVN), a service offered by The Brookshire Company, is vital in linking businesses with rural communities eager to welcome expansion. According to Justin Erickson, VP of Site Selection & Economic Development at CVN, the process begins with outreach. "A misconception is that businesses...Continue Reading

As a seasoned professional, you know that the true power of leadership lies in recognizing the potential within your team and creating an environment that allows them to demonstrate leadership themselves. However, too many leaders forget this and default into focusing on immediate outcomes rather than nurturing future leaders. The...Continue Reading

 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small today announced that USDA is investing in 116 projects across the nation to expand access to a clean and reliable electric grid, safe drinking water, and good-paying jobs for people in rural and Tribal communities. Part of the funding announced...Continue Reading

Lately, securing financing for large-scale development projects has become increasingly complicated and nuanced. Executives looking to expand facilities or select new locations must navigate myriad challenges, from volatile capital markets to stringent investor expectations.That’s because in 2023, capital markets encountered disruptions reminiscent of the 2008 global financial crisis. The Federal...Continue Reading

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced an investment of $1.7 billion for purchase of locally and regionally produced foods and domestically produced foods for emergency food assistance. These investments, made possible by the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), will help American producers by ensuring they have the certainty of access...Continue Reading

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack issued a USDA proclamation to recognize October 2024 as the Department’s 60th anniversary of National Cooperative Month.Since the start of the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA has invested more than $17 billion in loans and grants to spur economic development, catalyze rural prosperity and...Continue Reading

The Iowa Association of Business and Industry (ABI) is pleased to announce Nicole Crain as the organization’s next president. Crain — who has served as ABI’s executive vice president since 2019 — will take the reins from Mike Ralston, longtime ABI president who is set to retire at the end...Continue Reading

When you grow a plant from seed, you can't afford to miss a step. You must plant it at the correct depth, in proper soil, and give it the right amount of water and sun. Do everything right, and it will grow and flourish. Fail, and it will as well.Your...Continue Reading

Editor's Note: This article is part of Area Development's Auto/Aero Special Report in the Q3 2024 issue. It was commissioned and edited by Dennis Cuneo who served as guest editor for this special coverage.The automotive industry is experiencing its most profound transformation since Henry Ford introduced the assembly line, and...Continue Reading

A look into the nation’s outdoor recreation industry reveals a sector experiencing robust growth as nationwide participation reaches new heights.According to recent data released by the Outdoor Satellite Account and the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), the outdoor recreation economy produced $1.1 trillion in economic output...Continue Reading

"In my opinion, the value of an innovation district comes from the ability to congregate, connect and collaborate,” says Wexford Science & Technology Executive Vice President Thomas Osha. “And that requires the space to do so.”Innovation districts — or, as Osha dubs them, “knowledge communities” — are a vital way...Continue Reading

Brittany Ashby began her work in organizational leadership over twenty years ago. Through her tenure, she has led notable organizations such as the Wyoming Economic Development Association. While growing nonprofit organizations, she has also been growing personally as a leader and strategic planner. Earlier this year, she was promoted to...Continue Reading

North America has plenty of rare earth minerals, including neodymium and praseodymium, which are critical to electric vehicle (EV) mobility. Australia-based American Rare Earths Inc. said in early 2024, for example, that it found 2.34 billion metric tons in southeastern Wyoming, 64% more than it thought was there in 2023.Huge...Continue Reading

The potential for new, good-paying jobs from investing in a clean energy ecosystem has long been highlighted by proponents of expanding clean energy in America. John Kerry, President Biden’s former Envoy for Climate, famously predicted the energy transition would be the “new industrial revolution.”While clean energy production and related industries...Continue Reading

Ask 10 location experts what their top quality of life ingredient is, and you’ll likely get about 10 different answers. Most would agree that housing costs and availability, education options, cultural amenities and commute times are high on their list, but it varies from person to person.Personal finance company WalletHub...Continue Reading

When Frito-Lay introduced a compostable bag for its Sun Chips brand more than a decade ago, it represented over four years of development, encompassing material and scientific research as well as manufacturing and production. While the sound of those bags led to a marketing miss for such a groundbreaking achievement,...Continue Reading

The Iowa Association of Business and Industry (ABI) is proud to announce that its President, Mike Ralston, will be honored with the Manufacturing Champion Award at the 2024 Legends in Manufacturing Awards, held during the Iowa Manufacturing Conference on October 2, 2024.Mike Ralston, who has led ABI since 2005, has...Continue Reading

Family businesses are a cornerstone of Iowa’s economy, playing a crucial role in job creation, economic stability, and community development. We quickly think of the jobs they provide and economic force that they are, but family businesses contribute so much more to our local and global economies.The community impact of...Continue Reading

The City of Scarville is joining more than 125 other Iowa local entities who have chosen to show their support for Iowa Veterans by becoming an HBI community.Home Base Iowa is a one-of-kind program designed to connect veterans and service members with more than 2,300 businesses statewide who have pledged...Continue Reading

Ah... the glitz and glamor of city life. The Hollywood-glamorized hustle and bustle, big dreams in a big city, fabulous encounters, one-of-a-kind experiences, amenities to die for... It's the stuff of movies and dreamers. But peek behind the curtain, and you'll find that urban life isn't all it's cracked up...Continue Reading

In 2023, manufacturing played a significant role in Iowa’s economy. According to three observers representing ABI member firms, the state’s manufacturing strength is rooted in its robust ag economy, central Midwest location, and highly skilled workforce.“Iowa is a spectacular state in which to be a manufacturer,” says Ed McGreen, CEO...Continue Reading

The NIACC John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center is proud to announce the finalists for the 2024 Pappajohn Entrepreneur Gala awards. The Pappajohn Entrepreneur Gala will take place on Thursday, October 3, 2024. The Pappajohn Entrepreneur Gala will celebrate the remarkable journey of the Pappajohn Center, showcase the achievements of North Iowa’s...Continue Reading