April 2015 - Mason City Chamber of Commerce

April 2015
Vision. Leadership. Advocacy.
The mission of the Mason City Area Chamber of Commerce is to promote progressive
community and economic development to benefit Chamber members and the North Iowa region.
Getting to “Very Satisfied”
Recently, management consultants Cindy Lewis and Marian Brzykcy conducted a three-month study
of more than 500 companies and came to the sad conclusion that SERVICE IS LACKING IN MOST
BUSINESSES.
Only 3% of the businesses they visited left them “very satisfied.” For the most part, the remaining
97% missed the mark on the BASICS:
• Lack of courtesy
• Skimpy product knowledge
• Not listening
• No respect
• Negative attitudes
On Wednesday, April 8, the Mason City Chamber of Commerce and Bill Drury Workshops are
presenting:
Time:
7-9AM
Date:
Tuesday, April 21
Location: Holiday Inn Express
3041 4th St SW
Mason City, IA 50401
Sponsored By:
A Passion for Service®
This nationally-acclaimed workshop will help you take your business to the next level of service
excellence. It will refresh, remind, and renew a solid understanding of the BASICS of dazzling
customers. DON’T MISS IT!
SEATING IS LIMITED AND TIME IS RUNNING OUT – PLEASE REGISTER TODAY!
Your investment is only:
Chamber Member Registration (after April 1)
Non-Member Registration
One attendee
Five or more
$99.00 each
$89.00 each
$199.00 each
Register by calling 641-423-5724 or emailing Tanner at tobrien@masoncityia.com
Thank you to
our sponsors:
“A Passion for Service” | Presented by Bill Drury
8:30AM-12PM | Wednesday, April 8, 2015
Event Room – Commerce Center | 9 N Federal, Mason City
Bill Drury
North Iowa Green Expo
Time:
4-7PM
Date:
Thursday, April 16
Location: Surf Ballroom
460 N Shore Drive
Clear Lake, IA 50428
Find out the latest of what is in our own
“backyard” for healthier food, homes and
lifestyles for our families!
Chamber Golf Outing - Save the Date- June 22
The Chamber Golf Outing will be Monday, June 22nd, so it’s time to clean up those clubs and start
putting together a team! Please be sure to complete the enclosed registration to reserve a spot
for the morning or afternoon tournament. Registrations will be taken on a first-come basis and will
include green fees, a meal, and two carts per team of four. If you are interested in sponsoring a
hole or donating a door prize for this event, please indicate your choice on the registration form or
contact Tanner for more information. This event fills up quickly, so don’t wait to register!
• Closest to the pin sponsor ($600 sole sponsor or two $300 sponsors)
• Hole sponsor: $300 (all day)
• Marketing sponsor: $100 Phone 641.423.5724www.masoncityia.comchamber@masoncityia.comFax 641.423.5725
New Members
Edward Jones
Marty Walsh, Financial Advisor
956 E State St
Mason City, IA 50401
641-424-6811
marty.walsh@edwardjones.com
www.edwardjones.com
Investment firm that can develop a
strategy to help you achieve your longterm financial goals. You can expect
personalized service and long-term
strategies in planning for retirement,
saving for college, reducing your tax
bills and helping to ensure that you
have income to cover your expenses.
Hart Brothers South, LLC
Kemlin Hart
153 19th St SW
Mason City, IA 50401
641-903-0024
kemlin@hart-bros.com
www.hart-bros.com
Hart Brothers Weaponry has the largest
selection of firearms in the area, as
well as a full line of accessories to
include holsters, reloading supplies,
ammunition, rifle cases, flashlights,
optic and more!
Butcher’s Steakhouse
Laurie Buchanan
1451 N Federal
Mason City, IA 50401
641-423-1110
butcherssteakhouse@yahoo.com
Located on Mason City’s north side,
this popular local steakhouse serves up
tantalizing steaks, tenderloins, ribs and
great burgers. Catering is available for
all size groups with a varied menu.
Pancheros Mexican Grill
Jay Jay Goodwin
2261 4th St SW
Mason City, IA 50401
641-424-8070
jayjay@pancheros.com
www.pancheros.com
Mexican restaurant, home of the
Better Built Burrito, always serves up
tasty food made fresh with the finest
ingredients on the finest tortilla made
and pressed fresh on the spot.
From Our Board Chairman
The Next Big Thing
By Bob Klocke, Chairman of the Board
Community development doesn’t just happen. It is the charge of
business and community leaders to continuously look for opportunities
and potential threats to economic growth. The most significant
challenges to Mason City and the North Iowa region stem from our
shrinking population. Skilled workforce shortages and the realities of our
demographic trends affect existing business, schools, communities, and
prospects for new employers moving to our area. Quality of life is the
key factor to retaining our youth and attracting new employers.
Bob Klocke
Board Chairman
Last summer, the Mason City Chamber of Commerce board brainstormed
these questions:
• How do we make sure North Iowa is the kind of place people want to live?
• What do we need to do to make the Money magazine list of “America’s Best Places to Live”?
• Downtown Mason City is transformed…but is it finished? How can we make Downtown more
“party-ready” to better accommodate entertainment and festivals?
• The Performing Arts Pavilion Committee (which operates under the umbrella of the NI Band
Festival Foundation) has raised funds to build a venue for the municipal band. They are
interested in a downtown site…thoughts??
• Southbridge Mall has been limping along in receivership. If JC Penney closed nationally (as
rumored), could our mall survive? How can this community asset be re-purposed?
• The North Iowa Arena is in dire need of replacing its sheet of ice. Dr. Jay Lala, a downtown
business owner and developer, has proposed a plan to build an ice arena/event center in the
JC Penney footprint. How do we help to move this idea forward?
Although this was an exercise in “What if…” it generated some great ideas and enthusiasm. As
plans for a new downtown hotel progressed, it became apparent it was time for Mason City to get
in line with a serious proposal for the Iowa Reinvestment Act. This legislation is the product of an
Iowa Chamber Alliance proposal to enable communities to move ahead with ambitious projects
that generate new sales and lodging taxes. Des Moines, Waterloo, and Muscatine were successful
applicants last year.
When the JC Penney store announced it would be closing, it was extremely beneficial to have a
plan of action already in place. Kudos to the city council and staff, mall ownership, Dr. Lala, the
Performing Arts Pavilion Committee, the county supervisors, Chamber staff, and the Mason City
Youth Hockey Association for translating these plans into a solid application.
Clearly, the hard work is still ahead. As with the Vision Iowa Project, this proposal will no doubt
confront challenges and obstacles that must be overcome by working together. Mason City has
emerged as one of Iowa’s “can do” communities. The proposed hotel, new retail space, parking
ramp, and re-purposed space within Southbridge Mall will generate sales tax, lodging tax, and
increase property values. In addition, this proposal will fill clearly articulated community needs:
• additional downtown hotel rooms
• additional parking
• performance venue for the municipal band
• permanent “rain site” for downtown entertainment
• redesign of the mall’s Plaza entrance more in keeping with our brand as an architectural
destination
• new arena to accommodate ice sports for a longer season that will also convert to a venue for
sports tournaments, trade shows, concerts, etc.
Early on in the Vision Iowa project, I participated in a number of meetings with bankers regarding
financing for the Historic Park Inn. When I was asked to weigh in about moving forward, I borrowed
a quote from my favorite movie, The Shawshank Redemption, that applies to this proposal. When
Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) answered a question from Red (Morgan Freeman): “Life, I guess,
comes down to a simple choice, really. Get busy living or get busy dying”. As a community, Mason
City “Got Busy Living” over the past few years, and we are beginning to reap those benefits. Now is
the time to stay the course and “Keep Busy Living.”
Phone 641.423.5724www.masoncityia.comchamber@masoncityia.comFax 641.423.5725
College
Connections
From the President
DC Trip Update
Board Chairman Bob Klocke and Vice President-Government Affairs
Steve Noto led a delegation from North Iowa to our nation’s capital.
Our group of business leaders and local government officials met with
Senator Grassley, Senator Ernst, and Congressman King to discuss issues
of importance to our local economy. In addition, we met with staff
members at the FAA and congressional staffers about specific funding
needs. We also had the opportunity to meet with USDA officials to find
out more about new programs that could benefit our region.
We attended a Bloomberg Business Conference on the Export-Import
Bank to learn the importance of its reauthorization prior to June 30 to
protect opportunities in international trade. We also had the opportunity
to attend an Issues Briefing at the US Chamber of Commerce.
Does Your Business Employ a
College Intern?
Chamber members are encouraged
to involve summer interns and
new hires in a FREE program
designed to connect young workers
to our community and to each
other. College Connections will
be facilitated by Marketing &
Leadership Development Director,
Allyson Krull.
Robin Anderson
President & CEO
Finally, we received warm receptions at individual meetings with Senator Rand Paul and Senator
Lindsey Graham. They were eager to discuss their ideas on renewable fuels and energy independence
with us.
College Connections will provide
a series of social and educational
activities on a once-a-week
schedule throughout the summer.
Chamber staff and volunteers
will recruit Chamber members to
serve as “Lunch & Learn” speakers,
as well as seek contributions of
refreshments, entry fees/tickets,
etc. for program participants.
Your chamber has organized these annual visits since 2003 and each year I am amazed at the results.
Sitting down one-on-one with our senators and congressmen makes a significant impact. They truly
want to hear from us. The relationships we have built with staff members and agency representatives
help us to navigate federal programs, and have resulted in federal funds to assist with local projects.
Our goal is to represent the interests of our members, because our local economy depends upon you!
Please contact Allyson Krull for
more information at
akrull@masoncityia.com.
Chad Schreck, Tim Coffey, Robin
Anderson, Steve Noto and Bob
Klocke with Senator Joni Ernst.
Be Our Guest
Ribbon Cuttings
NEW MEMBER
Pastime Gardens
404 S Madison
T
une in Friday mornings
to the Chamber “Be Our
Guest” program at 8:40AM
on KRIB 1490 AM. Digity
Communications provides this benefit to
Chamber members free of charge. If you
would like to schedule a guest spot on
the show, please contact the Chamber.
Listen in for April’s guests!
April 3
Boy Scouts of America
Keely Kangas
April 10
Friends of the 457
Dennis Wilson
April 17
Goodwill of the Great Plains
Natasha Oelkers
April 24
North Iowa Events Center
Julie Lonning
NEW LOCATION & RENOVATION
Young Construction of North Iowa
1539 N Federal Ave
Phone 641.423.5724www.masoncityia.comchamber@masoncityia.comFax 641.423.5725
Membership
Renewals
Congratulations to the following members
who are celebrating their membership
anniversaries in April. They display a
continued commitment to our community
through their investment in the Mason
City Chamber of Commerce.
Fifty Plus Years
Fred T. Fenchel Entertainment Agency (55)
Blazek Electric Inc. (50)
Forty Plus Years
Casey’s General Store (41)
Twenty Plus Years
Community Motors of Mason City (29)
CL TEL (28)
Fullerton Funeral Home (28)
North Iowa Community Credit Union (28)
Heritage Care & Rehabilitation Center (24)
Theiss Shirts, Inc. (24)
Heartland Asphalt (23)
Brick Furniture (22)
Moorman Clothiers (22)
Child & Adult Care Food Program (20)
D & D Printing & Custom Signs (20)
Mason City All-Risk Insurance (20)
Travel with the Chamber!
CUBA - November 10-16, 2015
The Discover Cuba program features Old Havana, the Cathedral de
la Havana, Pinar Del Rio/Vinales, the Franciso Donatien Cigar Factory,
Hemingway’s Farm, Vinales Valley, Tobacco Farm/Family Farmhouse visit,
and much more!
$3,599 per person (double occupancy)
• Round Trip Airfare from Miami (MIA) & First Class Accommodations
• 13 Meals - (5B, 5L, 3D) and daily bottled water
PERU - March 30-April 7, 2016
Visit Lima, the capital city of Peru. Tour Cuzco, the sacred city of
the Incas, and see some of the facsinating ruins, including the
legendary Sacsayhuaman Fortress. Ride the Vistadome train to the
incredible Inca site of Machu Picchu. You can also take an optional
tour to the Pisac Market and the Ollantaytambo Ruins.
$2,990 per person (double occupancy)
• Round Trip Airfare from Minneapolis (MSP) & First Class Accommodations
• Daily breakfast and 3 dinners
Please contact Allyson or Robin at the Chamber (641.423.5724) if you’re
interested in our Global Familiarization Tours.
Fifteen Plus Years
Green Canopy, Inc. (19)
Slumberland Furniture (19)
Basic Birder (18)
Es-Marc Investments (17)
Point Builders North, Inc. (16)
China Trip - March 2015
The Chamber recently led a group of 12 travelers to China
to learn about its history and customs. Tour highlights
included The Great Wall and the Terra Cotta Warriors.
Ten Plus Years
World Wide College of Auctioneering (13)
Comprehensive Systems (12)
Main Street Mason City (12)
Pritchard Family Auto Store (10)
Five Plus Years
Poland Photography (9)
Audibel Hearing Center of North Iowa (7)
Kellar Construction (5)
Absolute Waste (5)
Thirty One - Kaci Harper (5)
Little Caesar’s (5)
One Year Plus
Bisbee Income Tax & Accounting (4)
Turning Leaf Counseling (4)
True Travels, LLC (3)
Masterson Staffing Solutions (3)
Sweet Tooth (2)
Manufacturers Bank & Trust (1)
Hoover’s Hatchery (1)
Angela Archer Photography (1)
Ag Ventures Alliance Cooperative (1)
The group is pictured in the Forbidden City in Bejing.
If you are interested in a future trip to China, please
contact Allyson Krull.
33rd Annual Ag Breakfast
Thank you to the 2015 Ag Breakfast Sponsors:
Kruger Seed, ITC Midwest, Pritchard’s Family Auto, and Holiday Inn Express!
Agribusiness Committee
members cook omelets
for the attendees.
The Chamber Ag Breakfast had another great
turnout this year!
Phone 641.423.5724www.masoncityia.comchamber@masoncityia.comFax 641.423.5725
2015 North Iowa Band Festival Honorees
Grand Marshal Award – Tim Fleming
The Grand Marshal Award recognizes a person of local or national
prominence who have made a significant contribution to the
development, history, or success of the festival. The North Iowa Band
Festival Committee is pleased to announce local radio celebrity Tim
Fleming as the 2015 award recipient.
Tim is North Iowa’s official cheerleader. Many people in the region wake
up to Tim’s optimistic voice each morning on KGLO radio, and enjoy his
play-by-play coverage of sporting events in the evening.
Blue Zones
Project ®
Each month, we showcase the
best practices of a Blue Zones
Worksite®
Tim Fleming
The Flemings have attended the festival each year since moving to Mason City in 1977, and Tim
has handled a myriad of festival duties. From broadcasting the parade, technical set-up for the
radio broadcast, decorating floats, participating in the parade, to serving as emcee for the awards
program and the concerts, Tim Fleming has played a role in the festival’s success. Tim has even taken
a turn as the featured speaker at the luncheon for former Band Festival Queens at The Music Man
Square.
A veteran and respected journalist, Tim has a long and distinguished career as a broadcaster. He
has won numerous awards from the Iowa Broadcast News Association, Associated Press, and United
Press International for news and sports reporting and play-by-play announcing. Most notably, Tim
received the IBNA Jack Shelley Award in 2013, and was a Marconi Award Finalist in 2012 for Small
Market Personality of the Year.
Tim and his wife, Sue, are parents to three adult children, and grandparents to two. Daughter Amy
Fleming Elwood has served on the Band Festival Committee for several years, and is the current
committee chairperson.
According to Tim, “Band Festival is a time-honored tradition for the Fleming family. We all love music,
and it is fun to see the talented young people featured in the annual parade. I consider it a fantastic
honor to be the Grand Marshal for the North Iowa Band Festival.”
Congratulations to Timothy Fleming on this well-deserved recognition.
In the fall of 2014, a Scrabble Game
was played to encourage biometric
testing and increase awareness of
risk factors. As part of a nutritional
series, they offer cooking classes
showcasing healthy alternatives to
traditional meals. In February, the
City kicked off an 8-week fitness
challenge with more than 25%
employee participation!
• Scrabble Game to Increase
Health Awareness
• Nutritional Series
• Fitbit Activity Trackers
• Employee Fitness Challenge
Klempnauer Award – Karl Nedved
The Klempnauer Award was named for Dan Klempnauer, a long-time
volunteer and festival supporter, and is intended to honor an unsung
hero who volunteers for the festival. Thank you to Karl Nedved for his
years of service. Karl has organized both the Marine Corps League and
the local Boy Scouts over the years to take care of all park clean-up.
From walking the grounds to changing trash bags, Karl makes sure the
parks look great. For the shifts he doesn’t have volunteers, he does the
work himself (and often recruits his wife to help).
The City of Mason City developed
a Wellness Committee, consisting
of 13 employees from various
departments.
Karl Nedved
Karl Nedved has been involved in the North Iowa Band Festival since
junior high school. In high school, he played the saxophone in the marching band. As an adult, Karl
has served on the Band Festival Committee for years and years.
According to Karl, he stays involved with the festival because of the people. “I love the energy it
brings to town, and to be involved in any capacity—as a performer, volunteer, or spectator—makes it
even more special. I enjoy working with everyone who works tirelessly behind the scenes to pull this
all together.”
“We have integrated several
healthful activities and educational
opportunities to improve the lives
of our most valuable asset, our
employees!”
Cheri Collins,
Wellness Committee Chair
Karl loves to see people marking spots along the parade route the night before, and kids jockeying
for the best location to snag some candy. “I enjoy seeing the band members put on their game face
as they start the parade, and the looks on their faces when they are dismissed at the end of the
route—it is truly a ‘Norman Rockwell’ moment.”
Karl and his wife, Kandice, have four adult children and six grandchildren—all of whom live in Iowa.
Phone 641.423.5724www.masoncityia.comchamber@masoncityia.comFax 641.423.5725
Chamber Leadership
Periodical Postage Paid at Mason City, Iowa
(USPS 060-350)
Executive Committee
Bob Klocke, Chairman of the Board
First Citizens National Bank
Kim Pang, Past Chair
Diamond Jo Casino
Steve Noto, Chair-Elect & Government Affairs
Division Vice President
Stoney Creek Hospitality Corporation
Todd Kirkpatrick, Treasurer
Clear Lake Bank & Trust
Julie Valencia, Business Division Vice President
Kaplan University
Traci Rohrer, Community & Membership
Division Vice President
Wells Fargo Bank
Holly Eichmann, Workforce & Leadership
Division Vice President
Express Employment Professionals
Board of Directors
Sherry Becker, NIVC Services
Dave Bergan, Armour-Eckrich Meats
Josh Brueggeman, Accord Architecture
Kelly Hansen, POET Biorefining - Hanlontown
Jerry Knoll, Hawkeye Auto Body
Eric Levenhagen, ProWise Tax & Accounting
Tara McLaughlin, Country Inn & SuitesWorth County
Garett McKiness, McKiness Excavating, Inc.
Dr. Paul Manternach, Mercy Medical Center
—North Iowa
Kirk Paulson, NSB Bank
Bill Schickel, Inspiration 97.9! KCMR
Chad Wickman, Northern Cedar Service
Mike Winblade, Hy-Vee West
Joel Yunek, Yunek Law Firm PLC
Staff
Robin Anderson, CCE, IOM
President & Chief Executive Officer
randerson@masoncityia.com
Allyson Krull
Marketing & Leadership Development
Director
akrull@masoncityia.com
Tanner O’Brien
Program Director
tobrien@masoncityia.com
Gary Lindgren
Membership Development Director
glindgren@masoncityia.com
Sharon Lindgren
Membership Services Director
slindgren@masoncityia.com
Mikki Baker
Service & Operations Director
chamber@masoncityia.com
Upcoming Events
Wednesday
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Business Resource Committee | 7:30-8:30AM
April 1
Farrer Room | NIRCC | 9 N Federal
Tuesday
Ambassador Meeting | 12-1PM
April 7
Event Room | NIRCC | 9 N Federal
Ribbon Cutting | 1:15-1:30PM
Butcher’s Steakhouse | 1451 N Federal Ave
Wednesday
Bill Drury’s - A Passion for Service | 8:30AM-12PM
April 8
Event Room | NIRCC | 9 N Federal
Thursday
Ag Business Committee | 7:30-8:30AM
April 9
Wine Room | Hy-Vee West | 2400 4th St SW
Events Committee Meeting | 12-1PM
Farrer Room | NIRCC | 9 N Federal
Friday
April 10
Band Festival Committee | 12:15-1PM
Band Festival Room | NIRCC | 9 N Federal
Tuesday
April 14
Blue Zones Project - Wellness Lunch & Learn | 7-9 AM
Event Room | NIRCC | 9 N Federal
Thursday
Blue Zones Project Worksite Committee | 12-1PM
April 16
Board Room | NIRCC | 9 N Federal
Ground Breaking | 2-2:30PM
Hampton Inn | 2101 4th St SW (Former Clarion Inn location)
North Iowa Green Expo | 4-7PM
Surf Ballroom | 460 N Shore Dr | Clear Lake
Tuesday
April 21
Business Before Hours | 7-9AM
Holiday Inn Express | 3041 4th St SW
This is a Mason City Chamber of Commerce Publication.
Mason City, Iowa 50401 641.423.5724
Publications are monthly for $20 per year by the Mason City
Chamber of Commerce, 9 North Federal Avenue, Mason City, IA
50401-3250. Second Class postage paid at Mason City, IA. Postmaster: send address changes to The Chamber, 9 North Federal
Avenue, Mason City, IA 50401-3250.
May 7
Business After Hours
Mason City Country Club
Phone 641.423.5724
May 21-25
77th North Iowa Band Festival
Downtown, Mason City
www.masoncityia.com
chamber@masoncityia.com