THINK TANK #3
Infrastructure: What should we invest in?
Thursday, Sept. 19 | Virtual Event | 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
In order for leaders to position our organizations for success in a post-pandemic environment, we need a strong and solid infrastructure to support a healthy business climate. In the third Envision Iowa Think Tank, we will explore infrastructure needs, including energy, transportation, broadband, housing, childcare, health care and more. After a brief keynote, a panel of top statewide leaders from a variety of key Iowa industries will discuss the infrastructure needs for the state, their own organizations and their communities in the future. In addition, you’ll get a sneak peek at fresh data from the Baton Global Envision Iowa Statewide Leaders Economic Sentiment Survey, and all participants will have an opportunity to meet fellow attendees from across the state in a solutions-focused networking opportunity.
Among the questions we plan to tackle:
- What are Iowa’s biggest infrastructure opportunities and challenges, and how does that affect the business climate?
- What have been the most significant changes in energy and transportation in the last few years, and how will those changes affect Iowa’s key industries in the future?
- How are employers or communities innovating to meet needs in access to housing, childcare, health care and education across Iowa?
- What are examples of businesses and communities collaborating to meet Iowa’s rapidly changing infrastructure needs?
PANELISTS:
Stu Anderson
transportation development division director, Iowa Department of Transportation
Katie Shawver
airport manager, Knoxville Municipal Airport
Jeff Davidson
executive director, Jasper County Economic Development Corporation
Nominations open for Envision Iowa Visionary Leadership Awards
Nominations due Sept. 3
Do you know a leader who has been visionary in helping shape economic development in Iowa?
As part of BPC’s Envision Iowa initiative, we are currently accepting nominations for the newly created Envision Iowa Visionary Leadership Awards.
These awards will recognize leaders from across the state who have shown commitment and vision toward the economic development of the state by way of innovation and collaboration in the areas of people/culture, business opportunities and infrastructure.
Our goal is to elevate and highlight the people and organizations creating the ideas and providing the vision for Iowa to grow its economy, now and into the future.
The selected winners will be recognized in the Business Record and serve as panelists at our Envision Iowa event on Oct. 22.
Please submit your nomination by Sept. 3.
Two winners will be selected in the following three categories:
People/Culture: Leaders, organizations or municipalities that have advanced Iowa’s economy through innovation and collaboration around the topic of people and culture (recruitment, retention, placemaking, culture, inclusion).
Business Opportunities: Leaders, organizations or municipalities who have advanced Iowa’s economy through innovation and collaboration around creating business opportunities (partnerships, mergers and acquisitions, site development, policy, innovation).
Infrastructure: Leaders, organizations or municipalities that have advanced Iowa’s economy through innovation and collaboration around infrastructure development (transportation, energy, housing, education, health care, child care, etc).
Corporate tables now available for the annual in person event!
Join us at the event on Tuesday, Oct. 22 | Hilton Garden Inn WDM | 4-6 p.m.
Business Publications Corporation (BPC) and Bâton Global are pleased to announce collaboration on a research study in conjunction with BPC’s Envision Iowa series. This study will examine top Iowa business, economic development and community leaders’ sentiment towards various drivers of economic growth and development with a goal of informing future strategy and decision making. The study will center around the themes explored at the Envision Iowa Think Tanks: People and Culture, Business Opportunity and Infrastructure.
On Oct. 22, Business Publications Corp. will host Envision Iowa, an in-person event that is part of an economic development initiative created to help Iowa’s businesses and communities thrive and grow. BPC and Baton Global will also present the research report at this event as well as distribute through BPC products.
The event will provide opportunities for strategic connections with industry and community leaders across the state, while highlighting key priorities, opportunities and challenges that we must address.
General admission ticket sales will be very limited and won't begin until mid-September, but as a corporate table sponsor, your business can both secure a table at the event to ensure your team can network with community leaders, and have representation as a supporter of the initiative in the Envision Iowa Research Summary Report, published in the Business Record on Oct. 7 and provided digitally to our full audiences via email blast, QR code download and ia and Business Record websites.
Limited tables available
There are a limited number of corporate table packages that are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please fill out the form to request corporate table information. If you have questions contact Chris Conetzkey at chrisconetzkey@bpcdm.com.
What packages include:
- Table of 10 to Envision Iowa in-person event
- Branding ad in BPC/Bâton Global summary report with distribution in the Business Record
- Ad included in digital, downloadable summary report, published via BPC e-blast, on Business Record and ia websites
- Logo included in BPC e-blast of digital research report
- Logo representation at your corporate table for in-room branding
2023 Envision Iowa Statewide Leaders Economic Outlook Survey
The Envision Iowa Statewide Leaders Economic Outlook Survey is a research collaboration between Business Publications Corp. (BPC) and Bâton Global. The survey is designed to provide forward-looking data, analysis and actionable insights to a broad spectrum of decision-makers across Iowa to further the economic growth and vitality of our state by supporting them in making commercial, investment and public-policy decisions that positively influence Iowa’s long-term economic performance.
What local leaders are saying...
“Thank you, BPC, for supporting economic development and challenging each of us to envision the future of Iowa. I have left each of these conversations both challenged and inspired.”
- Debi Durham, director, Iowa Economic Development Authority
“In every corner of the state great things are happening. These stories need to be told.”
– Deb Bengston, president, Adel Partners Chamber of Commerce
“It takes getting the right people to the table in order to make collaboration work.”
– Rich Dwyer, SVP Corporate Affairs, Kent Corporation
“It’s about coming together as community leaders and business leaders and confronting issues that impact our everyday lives.”
- Joe Murphy, president, Iowa Business Council
“We need to take inventory of what we have to offer as a state, the incentives that we have, the events, cultures, arts, all the things that make our quality of life meaningful.”
- Evette Creighton, Director of Talent, Inclusion & Diversity, Transamerica
What is Envision Iowa?
Envision Iowa is an initiative created by Business Publications Corp. to help Iowa thrive and grow. The initiative includes three interactive think tank events containing a keynote, a panel discussion and interactive virtual networking. The think tanks will focus on three key themes necessary for Iowa to advance and grow: people and culture, business opportunities, and infrastructure. In addition to ongoing coverage of the think tanks in Business Record and dsm magazine, the initiative will culminate with a public in-person event on October 4 that will bring together leaders from across the state.
2024 Events
Aug. 22, 2024 | Think Tank #2
Business Opportunities: What industries are poised for growth?
July 18, 2024 | Think Tank #1
People and Culture: How do we grow our workforce?
Past Events
Envision Iowa Annual In Person Event
Wed., Oct. 4 | Hilton Garden Inn WDM | 4 - 6 p.m.
Sept. 21, 2023 | Think Tank #3
Infrastructure: What is the future of Iowa’s post-pandemic needs?
Aug. 22, 2023 | Think Tank #2
Business Opportunities: What is the future of Iowa's post-pandemic business climate?
July 20, 2023 | Think Tank #1
People and Culture: What is the future of Iowa's post-pandemic workforce?
July 19, 2022 | Think Tank #1
People and Culture: Workforce, DEI, Quality of Life
August 17, 2022 | Think Tank #2
Business Opportunities: Innovation and Public/Private Partnerships
Sept. 14, 2022 | Think Tank #3
Infrastructure: Childcare and Housing
Envision Iowa Annual In Person Event
Wed., Oct. 5 | Hilton Garden Inn | 4 - 6 p.m.