The Rotary Club of Cedar Rapids program for February 8Th focused on Regional Development in the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City area ...

The highlights of this week's meeting from Ripples from the Rapids ....

The February 8, 2010 Rotary Club of Cedar Rapids program highlights: Speakers Dee Baird, EVP for Continuing Education at Kirkwood Community College and John Lohman, Editor, The Corridor Business Journal. Here is the highlights from Ripples:

John Lohman outlined the history of The Corridor Business Alliance, comprised of economic development organizations that decided that more coordination was necessary between them if we were going to truly start acting like a region.

The Alliance includes a coalition of a dozen organizations ranging from the University of Iowa Small Business Development Center and the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center and Cedar Rapids Entrepreneurial Center to the chambers of commerce to several of the higher education institutions and Alliant and MidAmerican Energy Companies.

Gazette Communications and The Corridor Business Journal decided that a spotlight needed to shine on regional development issues, and worked with the Corridor Business Alliance to create a Path to Regional Excellence event on November 3, 2009. The principal speaker was Michael Langley, an economic development consultant headquartered in Pittsburgh.

The concept of regional development is that we are competing in a global economy that we don’t care about parochial political interests and that we need a critical mass of social and economic activity to stand out on the global stage. We need to have:

• Brand/Image (Achieving Brand Identity).


• Infrastructure (Physical, Environmental, Governance).


• Powerful workforce development and education.


• Culture of Innovation/Entrepreneurship.


• Culture of Diversity and Inclusiveness.

Nearly 350 business and community leaders attended The Path to Regional Excellence breakfast at Kirkwood Community College on November 3. Keynote speaker Langley congratulated the audience for taking the first step by coming together to learn more about what a strong economic region looks like. He provided guidelines on how to accomplish regional excellence, but emphasized that there is no easy or quick path and that it will take strong leadership to make it happen here.

The Corridor Business Alliance (CBA) does not have a budget or staff. It has a vision to create a vital regional economy through the creation and growth of business. The purpose is to improve and strengthen strategic collaboration among member organizations to achieve the collective vision through the harnessing and leveraging of Corridor resources.

The CBA invited Michael Langley to return in December 2009 and conduct a strategic planning session. The final result of the session was three key regional strategies with a timeline and committed leadership.

• Develop and implement a regional brand.


• Achieve full flood recovery.


• Develop and implement a regional economic development strategy.
  
  

Next meeting for the Rotary Club of Cedar Rapids:

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2010
THE CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL
CEDAR RAPIDS MAYOR RON CORBETT and
CORALVILLE CITY MANAGER KELLY HAYWORTH
We ask that you arrive arrive in sufficient time to be seated by 12:15 p.m.

UPCOMING Rotary Club Of Cedar Rapids PROGRAMS & EVENTS:

• February 22. 2010 - Nancy Quelhorst, President, Iowa City Chamber of Commerce.
• March 1, 2010 - Gary Hinzman, Director, Sixth Judicial District Department of Correctional Services.
• March 8, 2010 - Woo Jin Jung, New Life Fitness World.
• March 15, 2010 - Doug Brakham, Manager, ADM.
• March 22, 2010 - Brian Connors - Experinces Living and Starting a Small Business in Beijing.
• March 29, 2010 - To be announced.
• April 5, 2010 - Rich Patterson, Director, Indian Creek Nature Center.
• April 12, 2010 - Angie Dethlefs-Trentin, Executive Director, Iowa Council of Foundations.
• April 19, 2010 - Breakout Meetings at Member Businesses.
• April 26, 2010 - Shannon Ramsay, President, Trees Forever.
• May 3, 2010 - Kirk Ferentz, Head Football Coach, The University of Iowa.
• May 10, 2010 - Robert Massey, Executive Director, Orchestra Iowa.
• May 17, 2010 - Joe Jennison, Executive Director, Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance.
• May 24, 2010 - Charles Swanson, Executive Director, Hancher Auditorium.
• May 31, 2010 - NO ROTARY IN OBSERVANCE OF MEMORIAL DAY.
• June 7, 2010 - John Bloomhall, President, Diamond V Mills.
• June 14, 2010 - To be announced.
• June 21, 2010 - Chris Coleman, President, Better Business Bureau.
• June 28, 2009 - Passing the Gavel and Community Service & Appreciation Awards.

Robin Tucker