THURSDAY, SEPT. 24, 2020 | IN THIS ISSUE
• ICDD introduces new COVID-19 patron, restaurant & bar pledge
• New Marion Public Library groundbreaking set for Oct. 1
• Grants to promote postsecondary training and education
• Roorda resurfaces with U.S. venture, research firms
• Fehr Graham announces Shankland as new CFO
• Corridor events, KCRG-TV9 headlines and First Alert Forecast
The annual CBJ Leaders Survey is now open to CBJ print and digital members. Contact jean@corridorbusiness.com if you haven't received the link. Survey closes Oct. 15.
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ICDD encourages new patron, restaurant & bar pledge |
The Iowa City Downtown District (ICDD) has introduced a new Downtown Pledge in partnership with the Iowa Restaurant Association. The pledge is both a business pledge to follow mandated and additional COVID-19 safety measures as well as a call out to patrons to pledge to support social distancing measures downtown.
"A pledge is a promise between two parties, in this case hospitality establishments and their patrons. If communities are truly serious about slowing the spread of COVID-19, it is important to stress that everyone play their part,” Jessica Dunker, president and CEO of the Iowa Restaurant Association, stated in a release. “Responsible actions by business owners alone won't have near the impact that a collaboration including community members, students and visitors to Iowa City could have."
The Downtown Pledge program was developed to share what ICDD businesses are doing to implement safety protocols and educate the public. These protocols are currently in place and will support the re-opening of businesses if Gov. Kim Reynolds lifts restrictions placed on bars, wineries, breweries and nightclubs in Johnson and Story counties through Sept. 27.
The pledge has two parts - a business pledge, supported by the Iowa Restaurant Association, and a patron pledge.
"We hope the campaign shines a light on those bars and restaurants that are working hard to implement COVID-19 safety mandates while also encouraging guests to do their part. It takes us all working together," Joe Reilly, Iowa City Downtown District's nighttime mayor, stated in a release.
With support from the city of Iowa City, the patrons pledge has been placed by decal on the sidewalk in front of downtown bars. One of the primary goals of the patrons pledge is to share consistent education that will support all venues. The patron's pledge is a reminder to customers to stay seated, keep their face coverings on when they are not eating or drinking, to keep them on when going to the restroom and to social distance when on the public sidewalk, among other things.
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New Marion Public Library groundbreaking set for Oct. 1 |
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City leaders and Chamber ambassadors will join friends, board members and staff of the Marion Public Library at 4 p.m. Oct. 1 to break ground on the community’s new library and kick-off the public fundraising campaign.
The event will take place outdoors at the Katz Lot, in the 1100 block of Sixth Avenue in Uptown Marion. Parking is available in the current Marion Public Library lot, on 11th Street adjacent to City Square Park and along Sixth Avenue. Social distancing will be practiced, and masks are strongly encouraged for those in attendance.
Since 2005, community leaders have been exploring what’s next for the Marion Public Library. The current facility opened in 1996 and was constructed based on 30-year population projections. Those projections were eclipsed 12 years later. In 2009, expansion of the library was identified as a community priority through the Imagine8 community visioning process.
The project includes the construction of a new 50,000-square-foot building in the 1100 block of Sixth Avenue, twice the size of existing library. It will feature a flexible, open-floor plan with collaborative learning spaces and specialty areas such as a demonstration kitchen and recording studio. The exterior will blend into the historic Uptown Marion district and feature a reading terrace with biophilic features.
Bush Construction was selected as the construction manager for the project. Engberg Anderson Architects is serving as the project architect.
The $18 million facility will be supported by $5 million in Local Option Sales Tax funding, $3 million from the sale of the current site, $3.3 million in private donations, $1 million in tax increment and $6 million in bonding.
The facility is expected to open in March 2022.
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Grants to promote postsecondary training and education |
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Gov. Kim Reynolds announced awards to 65 applicants for the Coronavirus Relief Fund Employer Innovation Fund Grant. The program will assist local employers, nonprofits, community colleges, high schools, private universities and the University of Iowa provide postsecondary training and education to Iowans whose employment has been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. More than $4.3 million has been awarded to the winning projects.
“Future Ready Iowa’s Employer Innovation Fund is centered around a grassroots effort to solve local workforce challenges while helping Iowans find economic opportunity in their community. The winning projects address barriers for Iowans who have lost their jobs due to the pandemic by providing training opportunities that will build on our economic recovery,” Ms. Reynolds stated in a release. “These programs not only help those affected by the pandemic, they will also focus on recruiting our minority and underrepresented communities to help us diversify our workforce and provide equal chances of success for all Iowans.”
The Coronavirus Relief Fund Employer Innovation Fund grants can be used to cover the cost of training, books and equipment as well as often providing much needed wrap-around support that address other barriers some Iowans face when trying to obtain skills training.
The Future Ready Iowa goal is to have 70% of Iowans in the workforce with education and training beyond high school by 2025. Approximately 60% of Iowa’s current workforce meets this education and training criteria. Visit FutureReadyIowa.gov for more information.
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Roorda resurfaces with U.S. venture, research firms |
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The former head of Iowa City-based ACT Inc. has taken on a pair of new roles that play to his strengths as a transformative leader who turned the educational testing nonprofit into a holistic and high-tech “learning, management and navigation organization.”
Marten Roorda, who parted ways with ACT in May, recently signed on as senior adviser with New Markets Venture Partners, a Maryland-based venture capital firm that has a history with the educational nonprofit, and as executive in residence with South Korean-owned Riiid Labs, which has U.S. operations in San Ramon, California.
“I’m very happy I can keep working on my vision,” said Mr. Roorda, who led ACT for four and a half years, investing heavily in edtech companies to expand its services beyond testing and test prep. “This has been where I’ve been working for the past two decades – on the front lines of educational technology.”
New Markets Venture Partners is an early- and growth-stage venture firm that invests in and helps build disruptive education, IT and business services companies. Riiid Labs is an edtech startup using artificial intelligence to analyze student data and content, predict scores and user behavior, and recommend personalized study plans to help students optimize their learning potential.
Both positions are natural fits for Mr. Roorda. Before coming to ACT, he spent 13 years as CEO of Netherlands-based assessment company Cito, where he was responsible for both technology and business development, overseeing significant scientific progress in the field of adaptive learning.
Read the full members-only story in this week's print or digital editions of the CBJ.
IMAGE: Marten Roorda
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Fehr Graham announces Shankland as new CFO |
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Fehr Graham, a Midwestern engineering and environmental firm with offices in the Corridor, has announced the addition of Todd Shankland as CFO.
Mr. Shankland most recently served as vice president and CFO for Cleaners Depot, where he was responsible for finance, accounting, HR, IT and risk management. In his new role, Mr. Shankland will be tasked with financial forecasting and performance optimization, as well as executing Fehr Graham's M&A and growth strategies.
“Todd brings great experience in all aspects of running a business, including day-to-day operations, driving culture, and developing and executing strategic initiatives,” said Mick Gronewold, Fehr Graham’s chairman and one of eight owners. “Todd is an impressive addition to the firm. We are glad to have him on board.”
Mr. Shankland will work out of the firm's Rockford, Illinois, office, one of 10 across Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa. The firm's Eastern Iowa locations include Cedar Rapids and Manchester.
IMAGE: Todd Shankland
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Connect with the CBJ
The CBJ’s mission of informing and connecting the Corridor’s business community is more important than ever. Our news operations will continue researching and reporting on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic through our multiple distribution channels. Here’s how you can connect with us today and moving forward:
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Thank you for your continued support of the Corridor Business Journal.
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Short Term Event Planner
Sept. 24
New Member Speed Networking, by Iowa City Area Business Partnership, 4-5:30 p.m., online. New members are invited to learn all the different ways to get involved. Free. To register, visit bit.ly/3kfHVM7.
Sept. 28-29
Iowa Technology Summit, by Technology Association of Iowa, all day, online. This two-day virtual summit will educate and connect technology professionals from the manufacturing, agriculture, insurance, financial services and health care industries. Free. To register, visit bit.ly/31wQUBG.
Sept. 29-Oct. 1
Financial Management for the Closely Held Business, by Hills Bank, 9-11 a.m., online. This three-day series will provide top finance concepts and their relevance to local community business owners and managers. Presented by Mike Milan, of Elevate Financial Training. Cost: $50. To register, visit conta.cc/34Yh42E.
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These news items are provided by KCRG-TV9
The Iowa Department of Public Health is reporting 1,341 more COVID-19 cases and six more deaths in Iowa over the last 24 hours. As of 10:30 a.m. today, the state’s data is showing a total of 83,347 COVID-19 cases and 1,299 COVID-19 related deaths since the pandemic began. The positivity rate is 17.7%. A total of 7,558 tests were reported to have been conducted over the last 24 hours, making the total number of tests conducted 758,501 since the pandemic began. There are currently a total of 305 patients hospitalized with the virus, with 56 having been admitted in the last 24 hours. Of those patients, 79 are in the ICU and 37 are on ventilators.
Iowa Workforce Development is reporting a total of 6,601 initial unemployment claims were filed in Iowa between Sept. 13-19. That’s an increase of nearly 2,000 claims from the previous reporting period. Of those claims, 5,912 were by those who live and work in Iowa, while 689 were by those who work in Iowa but live in another state. However, continuing weekly unemployment claims dropped last week by 2,131 from the previous reporting period, making a total of 63,291. A total of $17,761,637.89 in unemployment insurance benefits were paid last week. The industries with the most claims were manufacturing (1,483), construction (1,043), self-employed/independent contractors, etc. (870), health care and social assistance (440), and accommodation and food services (416).
These news items are provided by KCRG-TV9
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Your KCRG-TV9 First Alert Forecast |
Most of the area will be staying dry today, but as a system passes to the north, a few showers are possible north of Highway 20 through this evening. Otherwise, expect partly to mostly cloudy skies throughout the day. Highs continue to stay above average in the upper 70s, low 80s. It will also be breezy at times from the south between 10-20 mph, gusts could be upwards of 30 mph. |
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