While working for Congressman Leach from 1997-2000, our office talked to the Chambers in the district about the importance of regionalization of efforts for economic development.

I know from working for the City of Cedar Rapids from 2002-2006, we struggled with the concept of regionalization because of the differences in needs for our federal asks, though the congressional offices requested a combined effort, if not ask.

We (CR & IC) were able to gather for combined trips to DC to visit our representatives, but there were still quite separate agendas during individual visits with legislators and staff. This is not a criticism of either the Chambers or the cities, but a simple recognition of the situations that existed at the time.

Meanwhile, our individual communities also identified different needs regarding economic development because of the difference in resources — a more developed private sector in the Cedar Rapids metro area (keyed by Quaker Oats, General Mills, Penford, Cargill, ADM, Rockwell Collins, Alliant, and Aegon), versus a more developed public sector (keyed by the University of Iowa) in the Iowa City/Coralville area.

Cedar Rapids’ economic engine is not easily “exported” to Johnson County. Likewise, the economic engine of the University of Iowa is not easily exportable to Linn County. One way we can effectively regionalize our efforts is to find ways to capitalize on organizations such as Diversity Focus.

I am proud to have worked for the City of Cedar Rapids while this body was created, and fortunate enough to again work with this Corridor-based organization to produce for them the first ever diversity climate study.

This study offered both combined results and individual results for each county. There were many obvious differences between the results by county, but still many similarities.

The end result was that this truly regional entity has both the kind of bond necessary, and the type of commitment to mission to truly carry out this mission.

So, what connections do we have in the corridor to grow from?

1. Medical technology/provision of high-quality health care: The Commonwealth Fund ranked the State of Iowa as 2nd best in the country for quality of health care. There are many reasons for this, but to be sure, with the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, both Mercy Medical Centers, and St. Luke’s, the corridor stands atop the state as far as medical technology and the provision of high-quality health care. How can we leverage this? Maybe by creating a technology corridor-based medical district?

Agribusiness/food processing: The most recent information I could find indicates food processing accounts for $5 billion in Iowa’s economy (gross state product). No doubt, because of the sheer number of food processing firms and facilities in Cedar Rapids, we are responsible for a significant amount of that figure.
Why couldn’t we work in a cooperative venture between private businesses and internationally-respected (agriculturally speaking) Iowa State University and the University of Iowa to create a one-of-a-kind biotechnology/food processing research facility and business incubator as economic development?

Advanced Manufacturing: Rockwell Collins is the largest private employer in the corridor and is a leader in high-technology manufacturing. However, there are plenty of other companies who use advanced manufacturing techniques, many of them suppliers to the larger manufacturers in the region.

Ultimately, the local governmental entities will have to, as Pat wrote, cross the dotted lines and make true collaborations. However, until the business interests, unions, and state and federal representatives create the proper incentive for them to collaborate more closely (or disincentive for not acting in this fashion), and substantively and inventively bring private business and unions to the table to create a unified Technology Corridor economic development plan, the status quo will be maintained, and this is not acceptable.

I sat on an state ad hoc committee regarding emergency management, and we divided the state into regional entities to discuss division of resources. Chuck Peters has discussed something very similar. Finding a way to meld local accountability with regional potential on all fronts…public, private, large and small businesses, K-12 and higher education alike…will help determine the future of the growth of our region, its workforce, corporate bottom lines, and our collective success.

2020 is almost here. Will we be there to meet it with a celebration and dreams fulfilled, or with unfulfilled potential? Let’s work together, truly together, and live the dream into reality.

The math:
JoCo Households: 54K
LinnCo Households: 92K
146K x $10 x 52 weeks = $75,920,000